Amex Delta Gold Card Vs. United Explorer Card Comparison

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Nearly every major airline offers co-branded credit cards at various price points, but the sweet spot seems to be an annual fee of around $100. For that amount, you can at least expect to earn double miles on spending with the airline, while enjoying a free checked bag and discounts on your inflight purchases.

But that’s just the beginning, as the right airline credit card can also offer you priority boarding, airport lounge access, and other perks when traveling. Let’s take a look at the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card and the United℠ Explorer Card from Chase, two of the most popular airline credit cards in this price range, and see which one is right for you.

We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

Gold Delta Amex vs. United Explorer Card: The biggest differences

The first and most obvious difference between these two cards is that they earn miles and offer benefits with two different airlines: Delta and United. If you’re more loyal to one airline, that can make the decision easy. If not, you’ll want to give the cards’ other benefits a closer look.

This is one of four SkyMiles credit cards offered by American Express, and that doesn’t even include the small business cards. Right now, this card’s best feature is its welcome bonus offer of 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in the first six months from account opening. That’s worth around $770 in flights, based on Insider’s valuation of Delta miles at 1.1 cents each.

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card earns 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible Delta purchases (such as tickets, upgrades, Delta Sky Club membership, and inflight purchases), 2x miles at restaurants worldwide and US supermarkets, and 1x on all other eligible purchases. 

Benefits include a free checked bag for yourself and up to eight others traveling on the same reservation, priority boarding on Delta flights, and 15% off Delta award flights with the TakeOff 15 benefit. You also receive a 20% savings on inflight purchases. There’s a $0 intro for the first year, then $99 annual fee for this card.

The United℠ Explorer Card is currently offering a welcome bonus of 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening (worth about $650 in flights, based on Insider’s valuations) — but this card’s rewards for spending and travel benefits are even more exciting. It earns 2x miles not just on United® purchases, but also on dining purchases and hotel bookings when booked with the hotel. These are two of the largest expenses faced by frequent travelers.

You also get a free checked bag for yourself and a single companion on the same reservation, but you must use your card to pay for your ticket or any taxes and fees on an award reservation. This card offers you up to a $100 statement credit for the application fee for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS programs (the latter two include PreCheck). Note that even if you’re already a member of one of these programs, you can use this credit for your renewal or even to pay for someone else’s application or renewal.

Other United℠ Explorer Card benefits include two single-visit passes to the United Club lounge per anniversary year, 25% back on United inflight purchases, and priority boarding. United cardholders also receive expanded access to saver-level awards in economy class, making your miles even more valuable. There’s an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $95.

Comparison: Delta SkyMiles Gold vs United Explorer

Which card is right for you?

When comparing these two cards side by side, the best card for you comes down to which airline you fly most often and how you spend. United Airlines MileagePlus miles are typically worth slightly more than Delta SkyMiles. 

Both cards earn 2x miles on multiple bonus categories. When looking for the card that best fits you, consider whether you’d prefer to earn on restaurant and US supermarket purchases (Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card), or on dining and hotel bookings (United℠ Explorer Card). 

You also want to compare the value of the miles that each card earns. While Delta has built a reputation for great service and operational reliability, its SkyMiles frequent flyer program isn’t regarded nearly as well. It no longer publishes an award chart, and many travelers find that Delta charges far more miles for its award seats than its competitors do, especially when you’re trying to redeem your miles for a premium-class ticket.

United also prices awards dynamically, but if you’re a United cardholder, you’ll get expanded access to saver awards in economy class which can help you save miles, especially during high-demand travel periods.

The bottom line on United vs Delta cards

None of this may matter to you if you live near a major Delta or United hub, and you’re dependent on one airline to serve most destinations non-stop. If you’re committed to flying either Delta or United, then you can’t really shop around. If so, you probably won’t be choosing between a Delta or a United card, but just deciding which of the multiple cards offered by your preferred carrier is right for you.

In that case, Delta flyers will want to consider the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. It offers numerous benefits that the Gold Delta SkyMiles card lacks, and an annual companion certificate that can easily justify its $250 annual fee. Here’s our review of the Amex Delta Platinum for all the details.