Quote from Savings Beagle on January 30, 2020, 4:05 pm

American Express and Delta have revamped their credit card lineup, introducing new card designs, making changes to the benefits and bonus earning categories on each card as well as increasing the annual fees for them all. 

You can read the details in our piece from a few months ago that covers the specific changes. The changes went into effect today, January 30, 2020, and were accompanied by some decent sign-up bonuses to motivate new applications in spite of the increased annual fees.

What is nice about these "New Launch Offers," at least for the Delta Gold cards - personal and business - is that the slightly increased annual fees are waived the first year.  It was thought that "benefit" was going away, but at least for this round of increased sign-ups, the annual fees on the Gold cards are waived the first year.

The card links below are my referral links, from which I'll earn a points bonus for approved applications. You don't have to use my links to apply, but thank you if you do.

Also, keep in mind American Express's once-in-a-lifetime sign-up bonus rule if you're thinking of applying for one of these cards.  If you've received the sign-up bonus for a specific card in the past, you won't be eligible to receive it again.  You might be approved, but you won't get the sign-up bonus.

Now on to the bonuses.

Delta SkyMiles Gold Card Earn 60,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. Earn an additional 10,000 miles after your first anniversary of card membership [New benefit to entice cardholder not to cancel after the first year]. Annual fee is waived the first year – $99 each year thereafter (increased from $95)  

Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. Earn an additional 20,000 miles after your first anniversary of card membership [Again, new sign-up benefit to entice cardholder not to cancel after the first year]. Annual fee is $250 (not waived) [increased from $195]  

Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card Earn 80,000 bonus miles and 20,000 MQMs after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. Earn an additional 20,000 miles after your first year anniversary of card membership [new sign-up benefit to entice holding the card past one year]. Annual fee is $550 (not waived) [increased from $450]

The no annual fee Delta SkyMiles Blue Card has an increased sign-up bonus of 15,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in 3 months, but the Blue card is often best used as a downgrade option for one of the other SkyMiles cards after the first year of card membership.

Don’t forget, there are business credit card versions of the Delta SkyMiles Gold, Platinum and Reserve cards that are considered unique products, too. If you qualify for business cards, you may want to look at those, as well. Although sign-up bonuses may be different and require higher minimum spends to earn. All of these New Launch Offers are valid now through 4/1/2020.