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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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What credit score do you need to get Delta SkyMiles American Express cards?
Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
July 4, 2025 • 10 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Quick summary
Approval for airline co-branded cards typically requires a credit score around 690, though some applicants with scores as low as 640 have succeeded if other financial factors are strong.
Credit score is just one element; issuers also consider income, account age and overall credit profile.
Eligibility for welcome bonuses is generally limited to once per lifetime per card, with new family rules further restricting who can qualify based on previous card ownership.
Applicants can check their credit score for free using various online tools and should understand key credit score factors before applying.
What to consider
Holding five or more consumer or business cards from the same issuer may disqualify you from approval.
Recent changes mean that having or having had certain related cards can make you ineligible for a new card's welcome bonus, especially if you previously held a higher-tier product.
Applying for multiple cards in a short period can trigger fraud-prevention holds or reduce approval odds.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of reconsideration strategies if your application is denied and guidance on timing future applications.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
You may wonder whether you have a high enough credit score to be approved for a Delta SkyMiles credit card. Of course, it’s important to remember that while your credit score indicates your approval odds, it’s not an absolute science. Credit card issuers also consider many other aspects when deciding whether to approve you for a card.
So let’s take a closer look at what it usually takes to get approved for Delta consumer cards, including the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card.
What credit score do you need to get Delta SkyMiles American Express cards?
To be approved for a Delta SkyMiles credit card, data points suggest you will generally need a credit score of 690 or higher. However, it is possible to be approved with a credit score as low as 640 if other aspects of your credit portfolio look appealing to American Express.
American Express doesn’t publish a required credit score for its cards. After all, many other factors go into qualification beyond your score. For example, Amex will likely also consider your income and the age of your credit accounts.
American Express limits cardholders to at most five Amex consumer or business credit cards. So, you likely won’t be approved if you already have five other Amex consumer or business credit cards.
American Express generally restricts eligibility for a card’s welcome bonus to “one per lifetime.” For example, the application terms and conditions for the Delta Gold Skymiles Amex card currently state:
"You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or previous versions of these Cards. You also may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer based on various factors, such as your history with credit card balance transfers, your history as an American Express Card Member, the number of credit cards that you have opened and closed and other factors."
Luckily, Amex’s welcome bonus qualification tool will notify you if you are ineligible for a welcome bonus after you click to apply. If you're not eligible for the welcome bonus, you can either proceed without a welcome bonus or withdraw your application.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
In September 2023, American Express introduced a family rule on some personal Delta credit cards, further restricting welcome bonus eligibility. The general terms state:
"You also may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer based on various factors, such as your history with credit card balance transfers, your history as an American Express Card Member, the number of credit cards that you have opened and closed and other factors. If you are not eligible for a welcome offer, we will notify you prior to processing your application so you have the option to withdraw your application."
In addition to these terms, specific Delta cards issued by Amex include the updated family terms of eligibility:
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card: You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card, the Delta SkyMiles® Options Credit Card, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or previous versions of these cards.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or previous versions of these cards.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or previous versions of these cards.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: The family term rules have not been added to this card as of now.
Basically, Amex will probably disqualify you from receiving the welcome bonus on a lower-tier card (like the Gold) if you’ve held a higher-tier one (like the Platinum or Reserve).
How to check your credit score
There are many ways to check your credit score for free. Many credit cards even let you check your FICO score for free. By checking your credit score regularly, you can see where your score lies on the scale from good to bad and track your score’s progress over time. You could also easily open a free account on a site like Credit Karma that can help you track your score and its factors even better.
Before applying for credit cards, it’s essential to understand the factors that make up your credit score. The formula for calculating your credit score isn’t exact. But FICO states it uses the following elements and weights in its calculation:
Amounts owed (30%): The relative size of your current debt and your existing debt ratio to your available credit, also known as your credit utilization
Length of credit history (15%): How long your credit accounts have been established (including the age of your oldest account, the age of your newest account and the average age of all your accounts) and how long it has been since you used certain accounts
New credit (10%): How many new accounts have you opened recently
Credit mix (10%): How many different types of credit accounts you have, such as credit cards, retail accounts, installment loans, finance company accounts and mortgage loans
If Amex rejects your application, you should receive a letter stating why Amex turned down your application. You can use this information to improve your financial situation before applying again. But, you could also call Amex’s reconsideration line at 1-800-567-1083 and make your case for why Amex should take a second look at your application.
MASKOT/GETTY IMAGES
If you call the reconsideration line, you should explain to the representative that you recently applied for a Delta Amex card. Then, you’ll want to note that you were surprised to see Amex reject your application and would like to speak to someone about reconsidering that decision. The representative will likely ask for an application reference number or your Social Security number.
From there, it’s up to you to build a case for why Amex should approve your application. You might have a better chance of success if Amex’s reason for rejection was something you’ve been able to rectify since your application.
How long to wait before applying again
If Amex rejected your application, I wouldn’t recommend applying again for the same card until you’ve addressed the reasons Amex gave for your rejection. However, applying for a different Amex card is generally safe as long as you don’t apply for too many cards within 90 days.
American Express doesn’t publish requirements regarding how many applications you can have and how frequently you can submit applications. However, TPG has found data points suggesting the following:
You can apply for two cards in a single day. Many reports indicate that at least one application will likely be put on hold as a fraud-prevention mechanism.
You may get approved for more than two cards in 90 days. However, the general rule is that you shouldn’t apply for three or more Amex credit cards within three months.
THOUGHT CATALOG/UNSPLASH
However, it’s generally best to go more slowly. After all, applying for too many cards in a short period of time can look risky to banks. And if you’re approved, you’ll need to meet minimum spending requirements to earn welcome bonuses on each card.
It’s difficult to suggest other cards to consider without knowing why you wanted to apply for a cobranded Delta card in the first place. So, here are some suggestions based on the main reasons travelers usually apply for cobranded Delta cards.
According to consumer data points, you generally need a credit score of 690 to higher to be approved for a Delta Amex card. However, some people have been approved with a score as low as 640 when other factors of their credit appeal to American Express.
Before applying, applicants should be aware of Amex’s welcome bonus eligibility and the inclusion of a new family language, which further restricts eligibility. Luckily, Amex offers four Delta consumer credit cards, and most people should be eligible for at least one of them to help them take advantage of great benefits when flying Delta.
Apply here: Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
Apply here: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Apply here: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Apply here: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
