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United Quest vs Delta SkyMiles Gold: Which Is Better In 2025?
July 1, 2025
Editor's Picks
- The United Quest℠ Card is designed for frequent United Airlines flyers who want to maximize miles on their travel and enjoy premium perks like statement credits and free checked bags.
- The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is a strong choice for loyal Delta customers, offering savings with free checked bags and bonus miles on everyday spending at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets.
United Quest Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a breakdown of why we think the United Quest℠ Card is a top-tier choice for many travelers.
- It features a strong rewards structure, offering 3x miles on United purchases and 2x miles on other travel, dining, and select streaming services.
- While it has an annual fee, it also includes an annual United purchase credit and no foreign transaction fees, which helps offset the cost.
- The value from up to two free checked bags for yourself and a companion can save up to $320 on a single roundtrip, quickly justifying the card's cost for frequent United flyers (publisher-formulated estimate).
Pros
- Offers a way to earn Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) toward MileagePlus Premier status through card spending.
- Includes a comprehensive suite of travel protections, such as trip cancellation insurance and primary auto rental coverage.
- Provides valuable perks on award travel, including complimentary upgrades for Premier members and an annual mileage discount on award flights.
Cons
- The card’s benefits are heavily skewed toward United Airlines, offering limited value for travelers who aren’t loyal to the airline or its partners.
- It lacks complimentary United Club access, a key perk for many frequent flyers.
- The card's value is difficult to justify for infrequent travelers, as maximizing its benefits requires regular flying and spending with United.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here's a closer look at why we're fans of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express card.
- The card features a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (See Rates & Fees), making it an accessible option for earning miles on Delta purchases, dining, and groceries.
- You'll get your first checked bag free for yourself and up to eight companions on the same reservation, which provides significant savings on every trip.
- For a family of four, the checked bag savings from just one roundtrip flight can more than cover the card's annual fee (publisher-formulated estimate).
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Pros
- Earn bonus miles on eligible purchases with Delta, at restaurants, and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Enjoy travel perks like priority boarding and a discount on award flights when you redeem miles.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you use your card for international purchases.
Cons
- Lacks premium perks found on other travel cards, such as complimentary lounge access and credits for expedited security screening.
- Does not offer a companion certificate, a valuable benefit available on the Platinum and Reserve versions of the card.
- Miles can only be redeemed within the Delta SkyMiles program, as there are no transfer partners.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express vs United Quest
Categories
When deciding which is better, United Quest or Delta SkyMiles Gold, it's crucial to evaluate your airline loyalty and travel frequency to see which card aligns with your habits.
- United Quest℠ Card: This card is best for frequent United Airlines flyers who want to maximize travel rewards, enjoy premium travel benefits, and earn MileagePlus miles quickly.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: This card is ideal for Delta loyalists, from casual to frequent flyers, who want quality-of-life improvements and to earn rewards on dining and at U.S. supermarkets.
Redemption
United Quest℠ Card: Cardholders can redeem their MileagePlus miles for flights on United and its partner airlines. Miles can also be used for other travel-related purchases, such as seat upgrades and hotel stays.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: The primary way to redeem rewards is by using SkyMiles to book flights with Delta and its airline partners. Cardmembers can also use the Pay with Miles benefit to reduce the cash price of Delta-marketed flights.
Travel Perks
- Foreign Transaction Fees: Both cards are excellent companions for international travel, as neither charges a foreign transaction fee on purchases made abroad.
- Booking Travel: The United Quest℠ Card allows you to redeem miles for flights on United and its Star Alliance partners through the MileagePlus program. The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card offers award flights on Delta and its partners, with the added flexibility of the Pay with Miles benefit, letting you reduce the cash price of your ticket.
- Checked Bags: The United Quest℠ Card offers a free first and second checked bag for you and a companion. The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card provides a free first checked bag for you and up to eight others on your reservation, making it a strong choice for group or family travel.
- Lounge Access: If airport lounge access is a must-have, you’ll need to look at more premium cards. Neither of these cards includes complimentary lounge access as a standard perk.
Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos
Kudos offers a comprehensive platform that evaluates nearly 3,000 credit cards, helping you make informed decisions based on your personal spending habits.
- Welcome Offer Guarantee: If you find a better offer within three months of approval, Kudos will match it.
- Approval Odds: Get a detailed analysis of your approval chances for different cards based on your credit report.
- Test Drive a Credit Card: You can test drive credit cards using your real spending data to see potential earnings before applying, all without a hard credit pull.
- Kudos Kickstart+: Unlock $100 in rewards by adding select approved cards to your Kudos Wallet.
- Financial Management: Monitor your transactions, spending habits, and credit score all within the platform.
Who Should Choose the United Quest?
The United Quest℠ Card is tailor-made for loyal United Airlines customers who fly with the carrier several times a year. These travelers are looking to elevate their experience with perks like free checked bags and priority boarding, while also accelerating their path to MileagePlus Premier status through card spending. Ultimately, it's for individuals whose travel and spending habits on United are significant enough to make the card's premium benefits and statement credits a worthwhile investment.
Who Should Choose the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express?
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express card is tailor-made for loyal Delta customers who fly several times a year but don't require premium perks like lounge access. Its primary value comes from the first checked bag free benefit, which can save a family of four hundreds of dollars on a single trip, easily justifying the annual fee. As a comprehensive review highlights, the card also appeals to frequent diners and travelers looking to stretch their miles further with the TakeOff 15 discount on award flights (Terms apply).
Alternatives to Consider
If our United Quest vs Delta SkyMiles Gold comparison has left you feeling like neither card is the perfect travel companion for you, don't worry. There are plenty of other excellent travel rewards cards to consider.
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Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Check your credit score - Most travel rewards cards require good to excellent credit for approval.
- Review application rules - Issuers may have restrictions based on how many cards you've recently opened.
- Understand the benefits - Some perks require enrollment or specific actions to activate after you're approved.
Application Strategy
- Time your application - Apply when you can naturally meet the spending requirement for a welcome offer.
- Know the issuer's rules - Issuers like Chase and American Express often have unique application policies.
- Align with your loyalty - Pick a co-branded card for an airline you fly often to maximize its value.
Our Methodology
We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.
Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which card is better for someone who doesn't fly often?
For infrequent travelers, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card often provides better value due to its lower annual fee. However, if your occasional travel is primarily on United, the United Quest℠ Card's specific perks might still be more beneficial.
Do the free checked bag benefits apply to travel companions?
Yes, both cards extend the first free checked bag benefit to companions traveling on the same reservation. The United Quest℠ Card covers the primary cardmember and one companion, while the Delta SkyMiles Gold card covers the cardmember and up to eight companions.
What happens to my miles if I decide to cancel my card?
Your miles are safe because they are held in your airline loyalty account, either United MileagePlus or Delta SkyMiles, not with the credit card issuer. Closing the card will not cause you to lose your accumulated miles.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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