Today is NOT the Last Day For These Card Offers

I’m pretty sure there will be non-stop mention of the “highest bonus ever” Delta credit cards today. Since today is the “last day” to apply for these bonuses, you will hear why you MUST have this card. There is partial truth to this offer ending, but today is NOT the last day to apply for Delta credit cards with the increased bonus.

Today is NOT the Last Day

I should preface this by saying, I have absolutely no problem with bloggers making money on credit card links. My problem arises when there is a lack of transparency/honesty when it comes to them.

As banks tighten and sign up bonuses are not as plentiful as they used to be. I think bloggers telling readers about inferior offers is an issue. Some of these people are new to this game and maybe looking to make a once in a lifetime trip happen. Telling them to apply for less than the best offer, when you know there are better offers is dishonest.

Even if a bank does allow you to eligible for a bonus again, it could be 24 months before you can earn it again. This is why it is so important to earn the best bonus when you apply. You can’t always guarantee a bank to match the better offer, so why risk it?

Bonuses are the easiest way to earn a huge chunk of points, everyone can figure that out. Some of these cards have great “targeted offers” that can easily add tens of thousands of points to your account.

Partial Truth

Over the last couple of weeks, I have seen a slow count down until this “best ever off” is gone. It is like clockwork, because some bloggers are going to be making a last push to get you to apply before the end of the day. If you are on the fence about these cards, this is not the last day to actually apply and receive the increased bonus.

So, why will you see more coverage about Delta Credit Cards today?

They make commission on these cards when you are approved for these cards. I am not sure, but I would think there is an increased commission, which is why you’ll probably see more articles than usual about Delta Credit Cards

Charlie gives a great explanation about affiliate links and the amount of money involved with direct affiliate links. This is definitely worth the read.

The Other Side

If you think in terms of miles only, then yes, this matches the highest offer Delta has given these cards. I actually believe the best offers occurred last year.

The spending requirements are higher for these offers than in previous offers. In that regards, this offer is slightly less appealing. I would think most playing this game have ways to hit those requirements though.

While there is no guarantee, these offers seem to come around yearly or more often. So, if you miss it now, odds are in your favor it’ll be back (who knows, maybe the offer will be better as well).

I do think diversifying your miles is always a great idea, but that doesn’t mean this card is right for you. You should always have a goal in mind when applying for airline/hotel specific cards. There is always a risk of devaluation and they lack flexibility like Ultimate Rewards.

The Offer After Today

While you’ll be told today is the last day, both of these offers are actually available until 7/26/17. This is a full 3 weeks after the “best offer ever.”

In order to apply for these offers, you will need to use someones personal referral link. Which is great, since they will earn miles for their travels and you’ll earn a nice bonus for your travels. Please feel free to post your referral links in the comment section.

Right now, the person referring will earn 10,000 miles, up to 55,000 miles per year. Depending on the card you apply for, you could cash in on 60,000- 70,000 miles.

To leave your Delta Referral:

• Put which card your offer is for
• Your link for your offer
• Your email if you choose too

American Express Delta Gold Credit Card

Best Offer

In order to find current offer of 60,000 miles with $100 statement credit, you will need to make a dummy booking over on Delta. It pops up right at the bottom of the page after you select your flights. Since bloggers aren’t receiving commission on this card, you will see little coverage on this.

A few people have written about this, but most have written about the $50 credit statement. They should at least mention it to you and let you decide if you’d rather support your favorite blogger or earn an extra $50. Again, it’s about transparency.

If you decide not to do a dummy booking, you will can still earn 60,000 miles, but it will come with a $50 statement credit. Although this is inferior because the statement credit is lower, the amount of miles is the same.

This will come with a $3,000 spend in the first 4 months.

The annual fee of $95 on both offers is waived for the first year.

[Charlie: This is Dustin’s referral link if you would like to help him earn more miles also!] This is my personal referral link-It is for 60,000 miles with a $50 statement credit after spending $3,000 in the first 4 months. If you use it, thank you! I appreciate it.

American Express Platinum Credit Card

The current offer of 70,000 miles, 10,000 MQM, with $100 statement after spending $4,000 in the first 4 months will still be available until 7/26/17. Just like the Delta Gold Credit Card, it will need to be through a personal referral link.

The annual fee of $195 is not waived the first year.

From my knowledge there is not a better offer by making a dummy booking, or through a special incognito avenue.

[Charlie: This is Dustin’s referral link if you would like to help him earn more miles also!]  My Personal Referral Link– It is for the same offer that is public. You’d earn 70,000 Delta Miles and $100 statement credit after spending $4,000 in the first 4 months. The annual fee is not waived.

Which One to Get:

I think the Delta Gold Card is the better offer since the annual fee is waived the first year.

If you have had the Delta Gold Card, the Delta Platinum would be the next step for a large point infusion. The downside is you need to pay $195 upfront, but even at 1 cent per point, the bonus is worth $800. You’d still be ahead $600 (I’m including the statement credit).

If you want the $100 statement credit for the Delta Gold Credit Card, you should probably apply by the end of the day through Delta making a dummy booking. The links bloggers have do not give you the $100 statement credit. I also wouldn’t count on American Express to match the statement credit.

Doing Your Own Research

There are plenty of resources out there with historical bonuses of credit cards. There are even a few people who will tell you about the best offer available. I would really caution people to believe the “current best offers” from the big bloggers who have a large following. Those aren’t always the best offers.

They have a business to run and that means they will tell you about the offer than earns them money. Be aware of this when you stumble across some of the more main stream bloggers, because they won’t necessarily be transparent. I don’t think I need to call them out by name, I’m sure you can figure them out by yourself. [Charlie: One thing to note also – Amex does not allow their affiliates to publish links that are not through their affiliate links. This is one of the main reasons I ended my direct dealing with them]

I don’t have that agenda since blogging is something I enjoy as a hobby, not a full time job.

My goal is to help people find the best offers to help them travel for less. I won’t even give my personal referral link out (or mention it to people) if there is a better offer. I want to be transparent as possible when it comes to credit card bonuses.

There always seems to be a credit card with a higher than usual bonus offer. You should always have a goal before applying for a new card. Once you figure out your goal, then you can decide who you’d like to apply through.

Conclusion:

Today is not the last day for the increased Delta credit card bonuses. The affiliate links will be reduced, which means less money for bloggers. The real end date for this round of increased Delta credit cards is on 7/26/17.

If you miss out this round, it’s not the end of the world. They will be back and who knows the bonus could be larger.

How do you feel about the lack of transparency with credit card/travel blogging? Don’t forget to leave your Delta Referrals in the comments!

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