Canceling a Branded Travel Card For starters, if you're closing a branded travel card that's attached to a hotel or airline, such as Delta or Marriott, you won't lose your points once you cancel your card. This is because the card was attached to the brand's loyalty program.

No, you do not lose your existing Delta SkyMiles if you cancel your Delta-branded American Express card. This is because SkyMiles are deposited directly into your Delta SkyMiles loyalty account, which is separate from your credit card account. Once the miles are earned and reflected in your Delta profile, they belong to you and do not expire under Delta's current policy. However, you will lose the specific perks associated with the card, such as free checked bags, priority boarding, or the annual companion certificate. Furthermore, if you have "pending" miles that have been earned during your current billing cycle but have not yet been transferred to Delta, those miles may be forfeited if the account is closed before the transfer occurs. It is also important to distinguish between Delta SkyMiles and "Amex Membership Rewards" points; if you have a non-Delta card (like the Amex Gold or Platinum) and cancel it without another account to hold the points, you will lose those points immediately unless you transfer them to an airline partner first.