Updated: October 24, 2024
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The United Quest℠ Card is the better choice for frequent United flyers, offering high rewards on United purchases and valuable travel perks. Its $250 annual fee is offset by a $125 United credit.
But the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is worth considering for its generous bonus miles and rewards on groceries and dining, especially for Delta loyalists.
The United Quest is likely to be better for frequent United Airlines travelers who want to maximize their travel rewards and benefits.
With high rewards on United purchases and an annual United purchase credit, it caters to those who frequently fly with United. However, the high annual fee may not be suitable for those who do not travel often or prefer other airlines.
The Delta SkyMiles Gold is likely to be better for frequent Delta flyers who want to maximize their rewards.
It offers a generous sign-up bonus, 2X miles on Delta purchases, and benefits like free checked bags and priority boarding. However, if you rarely fly with Delta, the card's value diminishes significantly. This card is suitable for those who prioritize Delta travel perks and can benefit from its rewards structure.
A point-by-point comparison helps you see how each card stacks up in areas like APRs, fees, and rewards. For instance, if you're focused on earning miles, United Quest offers three miles per $1 on United purchases, while Delta SkyMiles Gold provides 2X miles on Delta purchases. United Quest might be better for United flyers.
Regular APR: Delta SkyMiles Gold
The Delta SkyMiles Gold is better for regular APR, offering a range of 20.49% to 29.49% variable, compared with trhe United Quest's 21.99% to 28.99% variable.
Annual Fee: Delta SkyMiles Gold
The Delta SkyMiles Gold is better for annual fees, offering a $0 introductory fee for the first year, then $150, compared with the United Quest's $250 fee.
Introductory 0% APRs: Tie
Neither the Delta SkyMiles Gold nor United Quest offers an introductory 0% APR on purchases or balance transfers.
Rewards: United Quest
The United Quest card is better for rewards, offering 3X miles on United purchases and 2X on dining, streaming, and travel. In contrast, Delta SkyMiles Gold provides 2X miles on Delta purchases, U.S. supermarkets, and restaurants.
Welcome Offers: Delta SkyMiles Gold
The Delta SkyMiles Gold card is better for welcome offers, providing 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in six months. In contrast, the United Quest card offers 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after spending $4,000 in three months.
Recommended Credit Score: Tie
Both the Delta SkyMiles Gold and United Quest cards require a recommended credit score of 670 to 850.
Penalties and Fees: Tie
Both the United Quest and Delta SkyMiles Gold have similar penalties and fees. They charge up to $40 for late payments, have a penalty APR around 29.99%, and impose a cash advance fee of either $10 or 5% of the transaction. Neither card charges foreign transaction fees.
Issuer Satisfaction: Delta SkyMiles Gold
The Delta SkyMiles Gold card is better for issuer satisfaction, with American Express receiving a higher rating than Chase. This reflects a stronger customer experience and service quality for Delta SkyMiles Gold cardholders.
Card Benefits: United Quest
The United Quest card is better for card benefits, offering a higher expected value of $944. It includes two free checked bags, priority boarding, and travel credits, making it more advantageous than Delta SkyMiles Gold's $911 value.
The United Quest card offers a slightly better value for those who frequently travel with United, earning 3X miles on United purchases. The Delta SkyMiles Gold card provides competitive rewards for Delta purchases and everyday spending like groceries and dining.
Both cards use airline miles as their rewards unit, with Delta SkyMiles and United miles each valued at approximately 1.4 cents. This makes them equally valuable in terms of unit worth, allowing flexibility in redeeming for flights and upgrades.
The following table will detail the specific rewards categories for each card, helping you visualize the potential earnings based on your spending habits.
Category | United Quest | Delta SkyMiles Gold |
|---|---|---|
United purchases | 3X miles | 1X mile |
Delta purchases | 1X mile | 2X miles |
Dining | 2X miles | 2X miles |
Groceries | 1X mile | 2X miles |
Streaming Services | 2X miles | 1X mile |
Car Rental | 2X miles | 1X mile |
Hotels | 2X miles | 1X mile |
Taxi & Ride Share | 2X miles | 1X mile |
All Other Transit | 2X miles | 1X mile |
All Other Purchases | 1X mile | 1X mile |
Both the Delta SkyMiles Gold and United Quest cards offer flexible redemption options for their miles, which do not expire. Delta miles can be redeemed for flights and upgrades, while United miles can be used for flights, hotels and more. Both programs provide valuable opportunities for frequent travelers.
The United Quest card offers superior benefits and perks, particularly for those who travel frequently. It provides a $125 annual United purchase credit and comprehensive trip insurance, which are valuable for frequent travelers.
The Delta SkyMiles Gold card, while offering a $200 Delta Flight Credit, requires significant spending to unlock this benefit. Both cards offer free checked bags, but United Quest includes a second bag, enhancing its value for travelers with more luggage.
The Delta SkyMiles Gold card offers a range of perks that cater to frequent Delta travelers and those who value travel-related benefits.
Travel perks
Insurance & protections
Credits & discounts
All other perks
The Delta SkyMiles Gold card offers a range of perks that cater to frequent Delta travelers, providing both savings and convenience.
Travel perks
Insurance & protections
Credits & discounts
All other perks
The Delta SkyMiles Gold has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150. The United Quest has a $250 annual fee with a $125 United purchase credit.
Delta SkyMiles offers 2X miles on Delta purchases, U.S. supermarkets, and restaurants. The United Quest provides 3X miles on United purchases and 2X miles on travel, dining and streaming services.
The Delta SkyMiles Gold offers 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in the first six months. The United Quest offers 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier Qualifying Points after spending $4,000 in the first three months.
The Delta SkyMiles Gold includes free checked bags and priority boarding. The United Quest offers free first and second checked bags and priority boarding.
Both cards require a good to excellent credit score, typically ranging from 670 to 850.
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:
For more details on our scoring process, review our ranking methodology.
About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
