United Gateway℠ Card
vs. Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card

The United Gateway℠ Card and Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card are both excellent options for earning airline miles without an annual fee. The United Gateway is the better choice for those who frequently fly United, offering high rewards on United flights, gas, and transit, plus a 0% intro APR for 12 months. Its generous intro bonus of 30,000 miles further enhances its appeal.

However, the Delta SkyMiles Blue is still worth considering for Delta loyalists, with strong rewards on Delta flights and dining. Ultimately, the brand differences and specific loyalty benefits may be the deciding factor.

The United Gateway is likely to be better for people who frequently travel with United Airlines and want to earn miles without an annual fee. It offers high rewards on United flights, gas, and local transit, making it suitable for those who spend in these categories.

Additionally, the card's 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases can be advantageous for those planning significant expenses. However, it may not be the best choice for those who prioritize dining rewards or fly primarily with other airlines.

The Delta SkyMiles Blue is likely to be better for frequent Delta flyers who enjoy dining out.

With 2X miles on Delta purchases and dining, plus 20% savings on Delta in-flight purchases, it caters to those who prioritize dining rewards and Delta travel perks. However, it may not be as beneficial for those who don't frequently fly with Delta or dine out often because the rewards are more limited in other categories.

In this section, we break down key differences between the United Gateway and Delta SkyMiles Blue cards, such as APRs, fees and rewards. For instance, if you frequently dine out, the Delta SkyMiles Blue offers 2x miles at restaurants, making it a better choice for foodies.

Both the United Gateway and Delta SkyMiles Blue cards offer valuable rewards, but the choice depends on your spending habits. United Gateway is better for those who frequently purchase gas or use local transit, while Delta SkyMiles Blue is more rewarding for dining and Delta purchases.

United MileagePlus miles and Delta SkyMiles are both valued at approximately 1.4 cents each, making them comparable in terms of unit value.

For those indifferent to airline loyalty, the decision may come down to which spending categories align with your lifestyle. Below is a table summarizing the rewards categories for each card.

United Gateway miles offer versatile redemption options, including travel, cash back and gift cards, with no expiration. This flexibility is appealing for those who value diverse redemption choices. By contrast, Delta SkyMiles are primarily redeemed for Delta flights, limiting flexibility but ensuring no expiration. Choose based on airline loyalty.

The Delta SkyMiles Blue card offers better overall perks value, particularly for those who value car rental insurance and flexible mile redemption. United Gateway provides comprehensive trip insurance and a DoorDash membership, appealing to budget-conscious travelers and everyday optimizers. Both cards offer inflight purchase discounts, but United's is slightly more generous.

The United Gateway card offers a range of perks that cater to different needs, particularly for those who travel or use delivery services.

Insurance & protections

• Coverage for trip cancellations and rental car insurance

Credits & discounts

• A 25% statement credit on United inflight purchases
• Complimentary DashPass membership

The Delta SkyMiles Blue card offers a range of perks that cater to travelers and everyday spenders alike.

Travel perks

• Secondary coverage for damage or theft of rental cars

Status

• Flexibility in redeeming miles for flight discounts

Insurance & protections

• Secondary coverage for damage or theft of rental cars

Credits & discounts

• Modest discount on in-flight purchases
• Free shipping benefits through a complimentary membership

All other perks

• Exclusive access to events

MoneyGeek's scoring process evaluates each card based on multiple use cases, ensuring the scores reflect the cards' strengths. In this comparison, the scores shown represent the best performance of each card in the 'Airline' category. Several factors determine this score:

• Expected value for travelers: Measures the monetary value of rewards and perks minus the annual fees for frequent travelers.
• Airline scope: Rates the number of destinations the airline flies to, which helps inform the breadth of travel options for the airline program.
• Introductory offer ROI value: Assesses the return on investment (ROI) from the card's intro bonus.
• Airline rewards rate for travelers: Evaluates the rewards earned on airline expenditures for frequent travelers.
• Issuer satisfaction: Based on customer satisfaction ratings from studies like J.D. Power.
• Foreign transaction fees: Rates the card's fees for international transactions.
• Recommended credit: Indicates the credit score range required for approval.

For more details on our scoring process, review our ranking methodology.