Travelers hoping to get their hands on a piece of aviation history are in luck as American Express and Delta Air Lines prepare to bring back limited-edition credit cards made from a pair of retired Boeing 747 planes.
Featuring a white glossy design inspired by the clouds, the cards were produced from two Delta planes that were retired in 2017 after more than 27 years in the air, American Express shared with Travel + Leisure. The cards are available to Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business card members through June 5 — or while supplies last.
The limited-edition cards were first introduced in 2022, and American Express said they were so popular, the credit card company is producing twice as many cards this time around.
Courtesy of American Express
“We’re bringing back one of our most popular Card designs ever with a new look honoring the ‘Queen of the Skies,” Jon Gantman, the senior vice president and general manager of cobrand product management at American Express, said in a statement shared with T+L. “Given the strong response from customers with our first Card design, we wanted to find another exciting opportunity for aviation enthusiasts and Card Members to have a piece of aviation history in their wallets.”
Each card is made from 33 percent metal from the aircraft and will include the plane’s first and last flights, tail number, and total miles flown.
Prashant Sharma, the v.p. of loyalty at Delta, said in the statement that each Boeing-crafted card “carries the legacy of countless journeys and embodies the spirit of exploration that drives our customers and all of us at Delta.”
The new design comes as Delta is adding more perks to its American Express-branded cards, but charging a premium for them. The annual fee for the Delta Reserve card, for example, will increase to $650 from $550. For that fee, customers will receive a $240 Resy credit, $120 rideshare credit, and $200 Delta Stays credit.
The decision to raise the cost of a card also comes on the heels of major changes to Delta’s loyalty program with the airline choosing to just count Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) toward elite status.
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