Monthly spending. We rank on rewards minus the full annual fee, so statement credits and perks are listed separately and never counted for you.
Choosing between the Citi Double Cash® Card (no annual fee) and the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card ($150/yr) comes down to where you spend most. Both cards can deliver real value. Let’s break it down, then run your numbers to find the winner.
Unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases. Earns a solid 2.0% on everything else.
Perfect if: You're comfortable booking through the issuer's own site for the best rate.
Apply NowStrongest in dining at 2%. 2x miles on Delta, restaurants, and U.S. supermarkets. Free first checked bag and priority boarding on Delta.
Perfect if: You want a strong rewards rate with no spending caps to worry about.
Apply Now| Feature | Citi Double Cash Card | Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $0 | $150 |
| Sign-Up Bonus | $200 after $1,500 spend in 6 months | 90,000 miles after $5,000 spend in 6 months |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | 3% | 0% |
| Base Reward Rate | 2% | 1% |
| Dining Rewards | 2% | 2% |
| Groceries Rewards | 2% | 2% |
| Rates with conditions not counted in the rows above |
5% through Citi Travel Earns 5% only on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through Citi Travel, Citi's own booking site. Travel booked anywhere else earns the flat 2%. |
2% on Delta Earns 2% only on Delta purchases. Flights on other airlines, hotels and car rentals earn 1%. |
| Key Benefits | Unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases. | 2x miles on Delta, restaurants, and U.S. supermarkets. Free first checked bag and priority boarding on Delta. |
Citi Double Cash Card pulls ahead for travel, gas spending.
The $150/year fee difference means Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card needs to earn about that much more in rewards to justify its cost.
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card carries $540/year in credits (mostly tied to specific merchants or bookings). Those only count if you’d actually use them. Worth checking against your own habits before treating them as a discount on the fee.
Not sure which fits your life? Enter your spending below and we’ll do the math. The calculator ranks purely on rewards minus the full annual fee, so credits and perks are yours to judge.