Co-branded credit cards are relatively new, first appearing in 1987. When Citi and American Airlines teamed up to create the first co-branded credit card.
American Express didn’t release their first Co-Branded card until 2006. But, the program has rapidly grown since and offers some of the better options on the market.
What are Co-Branded Credit Cards?
A co-branded card is a card that’s affiliated with a specific merchant or company as well as a credit card issuer. Logos of the company and the issuer — say, Delta and American Express — will appear on the credit card, signaling that it’s co-branded.
Co-branded cards are meant to benefit the consumer and company. They typically offer rewards on purchases made with that particular business at a greater rewards rate than a normal credit card, incentivizing cardholders to be loyal to certain brands.
Pros and Cons of Co-Branded Cards
Pros
- Higher Rewards Rates: Typically you can get a much higher rewards rate on purchases made with the co-branded company. For example, rather than getting 3x on a travel purchase with Marriott, if you hold a Marriott Co-Branded card you can get upwards of 6x on Marriott purchases.
- Elite Status: Co-branded cards can offer valuable perks. Such as free night stays or airline credits such as free checked bags.
- Accessibility: Co-branded cards can be easier to qualify for than a regular credit card. Although this is never a guarantee.
Cons
- Inflexible redemption options: Often, rewards earned with a co-branded card may only be redeemed for points toward spending at that particular business. In the case of co-branded travel cards, cardholders are locked into redemptions at a single hotel chain or airline.
- Devaluation: Companies can devalue rewards at any time without warning.
- Low rewards for general spending: Co-branded cards want you to spend more at their brands, not everywhere else. Reward rates on spending outside of the brand are typically at the bare minimum.
When does it make sense to get a Co-Branded Credit Card?
I only recommend getting a Co-Branded Credit Card if you’re a frequent customer of that particular business. For example, if you live in a hub city of an airline you fly multiple times a year. You can easily get your money’s worth on a Co-branded card with free checked luggage, priority boarding, and several other benefits.
The same goes for a hotel co-branded card. They’re a great way to earn status and receive upgrades such as free breakfast for example. Usually, any annual fee can easily be covered with the annual free night(s) the card comes with as well.
American Express Co-Branded Credit Card Options
American Express currently offers 17 various Co-branded Credit Cards. However, we’re going to focus on our two favorite travel co-branded card families Amex currently offers with Delta and Hilton.
American Express also offers two co-branded hotel cards with Marriott. However, Chase also offers Co-Branded cards with Marriott and as of early 2024, I would go with the Chase Marriott cards over the Amex offerings. Check out our full review of the Chase Marriott cards here!
These Co-branded cards along with Amex’s other top travel cards can have you well on your way to your dream golf trip!
Delta SkyMiles
Delta Airlines is the largest airline carrier in the world with over 19 hub airports and more than 325 destinations worldwide. American Express has been the exclusive issuer of Delta SkyMiles credit cards since 1996.
American Express and Delta currently offer 4 Co-branded non-business credit cards. These travel rewards cards earn SkyMiles on all purchases. Some even earn double or triple miles in select categories and offer other Delta perks.
Delta SkyMiles credit cards can also provide perks when flying on Delta flights. The benefits increase with the annual fees, so you have to determine if the value and how often you plan to fly Delta make it worth the cost of the annual fee.
Below we broke out all 4 cards across their primary benefits:
| Delta SkyMiles Blue | Delta SkyMiles Gold | Delta SkyMiles Platinum | Delta SkyMiles Reserve | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual Fee |
$0 |
$0 for the first year, then $150 |
$350 |
$650 |
|
Sign-up Bonus |
10,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 6 months. |
70,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 6 months. |
90,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 6 months. |
100,000 points after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months. |
|
Miles for spending at Delta |
2x |
2x |
3x |
3x |
|
Miles for All Other Purchases |
2x on Dining; 1x on everything else |
2x on Dining & Supermarkets; 1x on everything else |
3x on purchases made directly with hotels; 2x on Dining & Supermarkets; 1x on everything else |
1x on everything else |
|
Annual Delta Stays Credit on prepaid hotels or vacation rentals |
N/A |
$100 |
$150 |
$200 |
|
First Checked Bag Free |
N/A |
Up to nine per reservation |
Up to nine per reservation |
Up to nine per reservation |
|
Other Credits |
N/A |
Get 15% off when booking Award Travel with miles |
|
|
|
Main Cabin 1 Boarding |
N/A |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
MQD Headstart |
N/A |
N/A |
Receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each year |
Receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each year |
|
MQD Boost |
N/A |
N/A |
Get $1 Medallion Qualification Dollar for each $20 spent on purchases on your Card |
Get $1 Medallion Qualification Dollar for each $10 spent on purchases on your Card |
|
Lounge Access |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club and The Centurion Lounges |
In addition to all of this, all four cards offer no foreign transaction fees and 20% back on In-Flight Purchases.
Are Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards Worth the Annual Fee?
An annual fee is worth paying only when you can use enough of the card’s benefits to offset the costs. In other words, make sure the value you get outweighs the annual fee.
For example, the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150. It also waives baggage fees for the first bag when you fly Delta.
Let’s say you and a plus-one fly together on a domestic golf trip and both of you check a golf bag. Normally, Delta charges $60 roundtrip for the first checked bag. So, it would cost $120 for two people to check bags on a round-trip journey. In this case, the card nearly pays for itself after just one trip. The more times you fly per year and check bags, the more the card is worth keeping.
A more extreme example is when you hold the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card with its staggering $650 annual fee. The Reserve card comes with a complimentary Delta Sky Club membership, which normally costs $695 per year and thus nearly offsets the fee by itself if you need lounge access—as well as granting access to The Centurion Lounges.
Throw in free checked bags, credits to cover your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck enrollment, Resy and rideshare purchase credits, and a first-class companion certificate for a domestic round-trip flight, and you might find yourself getting outsized value by holding this card!
The Best Option for Delta Travelers in 2024
It might seem counterintuitive, but in our opinion, the best, top-tier card for Delta flyers isn’t even a Delta Co-Branded credit card.
American Express has its own suite of credit cards that earn Membership Rewards points (Check out our full review on them here). And you can transfer these points from American Express directly to your Delta SkyMiles account on a 1:1 basis.
Thanks to some lucrative welcome offers and excellent bonus categories for spending, you can typically earn even more SkyMiles with a traditional Amex card than you would with one of Delta’s co-branded cards. Amex points also offer you the flexibility of using them elsewhere if you’re not traveling with Delta the majority of the time.
However, there is one downside to this for the frequent Delta flyers who want to earn Delta Medallion Status. Lots of frequent Delta travelers strive for the top Diamond status which unlocks perks such as CLEAR memberships, complimentary upgrades, and statement credits up to $700 to name a few.
If you’re primarily flying Delta and looking to get status the Platinum or Reserve card is a great addition to your wallet. Each card automatically comes with $2,500 of Medallion Qualification dollars and also earns you Medallion points on every purchase (Platinum $1 for every $20 spent. Reserve $1 for every $10 spent).
The Reserve earns double the Medallion points but I would only recommend the Reserve to someone who doesn’t already have lounge access and values the Delta Sky Club and Centurion Lounges. For those who don’t care about lounges or already have lounge access from other travel cards, the Platinum is a great option saving you over $300 on the annual fee alone.
As a frequent Delta traveler, you can easily make back the rest of the annual fees with free checked luggage, companion passes and statement credits to name a few. This can put you well on your way to earning Diamond Medallion status and enjoying complimentary upgrades on almost all of your flights!
Hilton Honors
Hilton has over 22 brands across 7,500+ hotels across over 120 countries. American Express and Hilton recently started their relationship back in 2018 and now offer 3 personal cards and 1 business card.
The Hilton Honors program is easy and free to join on its website. Once you become a member Hilton Honors has three additional tiers offering more perks and benefits. You can find a full breakout below:
These nights can be earned by staying at a Hilton brand hotel for a set number of nights. Or you can opt for holding one of the three American Express Hilton Honor Credit Cards that come with automatic statuses. Below is a breakdown of all 3 Amex Hilton Honors personal credit cards:
| Hilton Honors Amex | Hilton Honors Amex Surpass | Hilton Honors Amex Aspire | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual Fee |
$0 |
$150 |
$550 |
|
Sign-up Bonus |
100,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first 6 months. |
150,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 6 months. |
150,000 points after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months. |
|
Earning on Hilton Hotels |
7x |
12x |
14x |
|
Earning on U.S. Restaurants, Supermarkets and Gas Stations |
5x |
6x |
7x on Restaurants only |
|
Earning on Flights & Car Rentals |
3x |
3x |
7x |
|
Earning on Everything Else |
3x |
3x |
3x |
|
Hilton Elite Status |
Silver |
Gold |
Diamond (Top Status) |
|
Hilton Credits |
N/A |
$200 Hilton Credit ($50 each Quarter) |
Free Night Award, $400 Hilton Resort Credit ($200 semi-annually) & $100 Hilton On-Property Credit |
|
Other Credits / Perks |
N/A |
National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status |
$200 Flight Credit ($50 per Qtr), $189 CLEAR Plus Credit, and National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status |
The Best Option for Hilton Loyalists in 2024
To my surprise after going through all the cards and current offers the Hilton Card I would get in 2024 is the Hilton Honors Amex Surpass. It lacks a very important feature I look for in a hotel card, a free night award, but its credits and perks can still make it a good deal for Hilton loyalists.
The best part of this card is its generous Sign-up Bonus offering 150k points on just a $3k spend. Even with Hilton’s points widely valued at just 0.5 cent each this still offers $750 of value right off the bat.
Also, if you’re a Hilton loyalist staying at least once a quarter the annual fee is easily wiped out by the Hilton Credits offered. You’ll earn Gold Status just by holding the card which unlocks what I believe are the best perks on the Hilton tier list:
- An 80% bonus on all Hilton Honors base points earned.
- Complimentary breakfast at select hotels.
- Room upgrades, subject to availability, at select hotels.
- Fifth night free when you book a stay of five or more nights using only points.
Is the Aspire Card ever worth it over the Surpass?
Absolutely! But, it has to be for the right Hilton traveler. By upgrading from the Surpass to the Aspire, you’ll earn higher rewards at Hilton, automatic Diamond elite status, and an automatic free night. Although the Aspire card charges a higher annual fee, its numerous features and benefits can be worth the added cost.
This is especially true for Hilton loyalists who like to stay at Hilton Resorts. The $400 Resort credit offered with the Aspire card easily offsets the difference and leaves you with Diamond Status that can result in potential suite upgrades!
Bottom Line
The Surpass offers an outstanding welcome bonus with a low spend requirement, solid rewards, and perks for less-frequent travelers at a much more manageable $150 annual fee to help you jumpstart your entry into the Hilton portfolio.
While the Aspire has an incredibly compelling value proposition and can pay for itself (and then some) over time, there’s no way around the upfront $450 annual fee. More-frequent travelers will have even less trouble taking advantage of the free night, statement credits, and Hilton Diamond status.
