Link: Apply now for the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
American Express and Delta have had a close relationship for many years, and as part of that, they issue seven co-branded Delta Amex cards, including the Blue, Gold, Platinum, and Reserve cards (with the exception of the Blue product, all the others have both a personal and business version). In this post I wanted to take a look at one of those cards.
In this post:
Delta Platinum American Express Card Basics For July 2024
In this post, I wanted to look at the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. This is one of Amex’s premium co-branded Delta credit cards, which offers a lot of value for frequent Delta flyers. Given the four personal Delta credit cards, is this the right card for you?
Delta Platinum Amex Bonus Of 50,000 SkyMiles
The Platinum Delta SkyMiles Card has a welcome offer of 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first six months. I value SkyMiles at 1.1 cents each, so to me, the bonus is worth $550.
Card Eligibility
The welcome offer on the card is “once in a lifetime,” so it’s not available to you if you currently have the card, or if you’ve had the card in the past. You’re also not eligible for the welcome offer on this card if you have or have had the personal version of the Delta Reserve Amex. However, you are eligible for this card if you’ve had any version of the business Delta Amex cards before.
You can read more about Amex’s general application restrictions here.
Delta Platinum Amex Annual Fee
The Platinum Delta Amex has a $350 annual fee (Rates & Fees). You can add additional users to the card at no extra cost (Rates & Fees).
Earning Miles With Delta Platinum Amex Card
The Delta Platinum Amex offers the following points earning opportunities for spending:
- 3x SkyMiles for purchases directly with Delta
- 3x SkyMiles for purchases made directly with hotels
- 2x SkyMiles at restaurants
- 2x SkyMiles at U.S. supermarkets
- 1x SkyMiles on other eligible purchases
The card has solid bonus categories for a co-branded airline card, but purely in terms of rewards for spending, I think there are still better cards out there for airfare purchases, hotel purchases, restaurant purchases, and grocery store purchases.
Earning Elite Status With Delta Platinum Amex Card
In addition to the miles that you earn, spending on the Delta Platinum Amex can also help earn you SkyMiles Medallion elite status, as the card allows you to earn Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs):
- Just for having the card, you receive a head start of 2,500 MQDs annually
- For spending on the card, you receive one MQD for every $20 in purchases made on the card in a calendar year
If you’re serious about earning status with Delta, it could make sense to get the even more premium card, but it’s nice that this card can help you somewhat.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
If you are going to put spending on the Delta Platinum Amex, the good news is that there are no foreign transaction fees (Rates & Fees), so you can use the card abroad without paying high fees.
Platinum Delta Amex Card Perks & Benefits
The Platinum Delta Credit Card has a nice welcome offer. In general, I’d say it could be worth putting spending on the card if you’re trying to earn Medallion elite status with Delta SkyMiles. For most people, the reason you’ll want to keep this card long-term is because of the perks and benefits that it offers, which for many people will more than offset the annual fee. Let’s go over some of those benefits.
Annual Companion Certificate
Every year upon renewal of your card you can receive a main cabin round-trip companion certificate. You just have to pay the government-imposed taxes and fees for the companion. This is a great deal that can be worth significantly more than the annual fee in and of itself.
If redeeming the certificate there are some things to be aware of:
- It’s valid for roundtrip main cabin travel within the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii) and to select destinations in the Caribbean or Central America
- You have to pay the government taxes for the second traveler on the reservation
- Companion certificates are only valid for travel in the L, U, T, X, and V fare classes
- You can’t combine a companion certificate with eCoupons
- Travel has to be completed by the expiration date of the certificate
- You have to pay for the ticket using a Delta Amex card
$150 Annual Delta Stays Credit
Just for having the card, you receive a $150 Delta Stays Credit annually. The way this works, you receive $150 in statement credits per calendar year when you use your card to pay for a new Delta Stays prepaid hotel or vacation rental booking on the Delta Stays platform.
While I’m not usually a fan of using airline portals to book hotel stays and vacation rentals, this could prove worthwhile, as you can use it for a hotel stay costing right around $150, if you wanted to. If used right, the value here is considerable.
$120 Annual Rideshare Credit
Just for having the card, you receive up to $120 in rideshare credits annually (enrollment required). The way this works, you can receive up to $10 in statement credits each month after using your card on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers.
$120 Annual Resy Credit
Just for having the card, you receive up to $120 in Resy credits annually (enrollment required). The way this works, you can receive up to $10 in statement credits each month after using your card on eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants. You’ll need to create a Resy account on resy.com or on the Resy app, and book a reservation there.
First Checked Bag Free
Just for having the Platinum Delta Card you get a first checked bag free. With the ever-increasing cost of a checked bag with Delta, this can really add up.
- This benefit is limited to the primary cardmember and anyone traveling on the same reservation with them (up to nine people)
- You don’t have to pay for your flight with your Delta Amex, though you do need to have your SkyMiles number in the reservation.
Depending on how many bags you’re checking, a single trip could pay for the card annual fee.
Priority Boarding
You receive priority boarding just for having the Delta Platinum Amex. This helps maximize your odds of finding space for your carry-on and getting to your seat sooner. To receive this benefit, you’ll need to ensure the primary cardmember’s SkyMiles number is linked to the reservation.
This benefit is valid for a total of up to nine people traveling on the same reservation with the primary cardmember.
20% Delta Inflight Savings
If you have the Platinum Delta Amex then you can save 20% in the form of a statement credit for eligible pre-purchased meals, and in-flight purchases of food, alcoholic beverages, and audio headsets, on Delta flights. Allow 8-12 weeks for the statement credit to post.
TSA PreCheck Or Global Entry Credit
The Platinum Delta Amex offers a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit. This benefit applies once every 4.5 years for the application fee for TSA PreCheck, or once every four years for the application fee for Global Entry. This can save you time both at security and immigration, and is something I highly recommend signing up for if eligible. (Enrollment required)
Delta Pay With Miles
Delta has a Pay With Miles feature, where if you have a Delta co-branded credit card you can redeem miles for one cent each toward a Delta flight purchase (in increments of 5,000 miles per $50). That’s not the best deal in the world, though this is a feature that’s exclusively available to those with an eligible Delta Amex card.
Some people find this to be useful since they can redeem their miles toward flights, and then they still earn elite miles for taking those flights.
15% Savings On SkyMiles Award Flights
With the TakeOff 15 perk (exclusively for those with select Delta Amex cards), you can save 15% on the cost of a SkyMiles award ticket when traveling exclusively on Delta. Delta SkyMiles award pricing is dynamic, and generally you’ll find that each mile gets you a bit over a cent toward the cost of a ticket.
Saving 15% on these awards is valuable, and means that you’ll generally get somewhere around 1.2-1.3 cents of value per mile (or sometimes even more). In many cases this will end up being a better value than using the Pay With Miles option, so it’s a real perk of the card.
Amex Offers
One of the great features of Amex cards is access to Amex Offers, which offers savings or bonus points on purchases with all kinds of retailers. There’s huge value to be had in getting as many Amex cards as possible, so that you can get these offers on multiple cards.
Amex Offers could save you hundreds of dollars per year. You can access these offers by logging into your account and scrolling down to the bottom of your account summary page.
ShopRunner Membership
For having the Delta Platinum Amex you get a ShopRunner membership, which gets you free two-day shipping on eligible items at a network of 100+ online stores. You just have to enroll in your complimentary membership and can then start taking advantage of it.
Is The Delta Platinum Amex Worth It?
The Platinum Delta Credit Card isn’t necessarily the best card for the casual Delta flyer, and it’s also not a card I’d recommend putting much spending on, unless you value the MQDs that you can earn with the card.
However, this card has solid perks, ranging from a companion certificate, to a first checked bag free, to priority boarding, to savings on flight purchases, to access to exclusive award redemption opportunities, to valuable statement credits, and more.
Bigger picture, is the card worth it, though? There are a few things to consider.
Want A Business Credit Card Instead?
If the Delta Platinum Amex sounds interesting to you but you are instead looking for a card for your small business, consider the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card.
Most of the benefits of the card are the same. The only significant difference is that the business card earns 1.5x miles on purchases of over $5,000 (up to 50,000 bonus miles annually), while the personal card offers 2x miles at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (both cards offer 3x miles on Delta purchases and hotel purchases).
The business version of the card also offers an annual Delta Stays credit of up to $200, rather than one of up to $150, so it’s arguably more lucrative.
Quick Comparison: Platinum Delta Amex Vs. Gold Delta Amex
-
- Earn 40,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Enjoy a $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
- Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- You can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $70 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that’s a potential savings of up to $280 per round-trip flight.
- Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- $100 Delta Stays Credit: Get up to $100 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
- Terms Apply.
The Gold Delta Amex is a good option for the occasional Delta flyer looking for basic perks.
-
- Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Receive a Companion Certificate on Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to Status with MQD Headstart.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $20 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving Medallion Status for next Medallion Year.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Resy Credit: When you use your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $10 each month in statement credits.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: earn up to $10 in statement credits each month after using your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $350 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
The Delta Platinum Amex is a great option for the more frequent Delta flyer.
How Does The Delta Reserve Card Compare?
For the very frequent Delta flyer, there’s the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (review), which has a $650 annual fee (Rates & Fees). What differentiates this card?
- The card offers Delta Sky Club access and Amex Centurion Lounge access when traveling on Delta same day. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter. Once all 15 Visits have been used, Eligible Card Members may purchase additional Delta Sky Club Visits (including Grab and Go) at a per-Visit rate of $50 per person using the Card.
- The card offers a companion certificate that is valid for first class as well
- Having the card gets you upgrade priority over those in the same elite tier and fare class who don’t have the Reserve Card
Earn Amex Membership Rewards Points
If you are looking to earn Delta SkyMiles through credit card spending then consider using a card earning Amex Membership Rewards points. These points can be transferred to Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio, and you can in many cases earn points at a much faster rate.
For example:
- The American Express® Green Card (review) offers 3x points on dining and travel
- The American Express® Gold Card (review) offers 4x points at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25K per calendar year), and 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or at amextravel.com
Furthermore, earning Amex points gives you more flexibility to redeem in other ways, given all the great uses of Membership Rewards points.
The information and associated card details on this page for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by OMAAT and has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Bottom Line
The Delta Platinum Amex offers solid perks for those who fly Delta frequently, especially Medallion members. For many, the annual companion certificate will more than justify the annual fee in and of itself, without even accounting for all of the other perks. Some will also find it worthwhile to spend on the card in order to earn MQDs.
The annual fee on this card is potentially quite easy to justify, thanks to all the credits you can earn with rideshares, Resy, and even Delta Stays.
If you want to learn more about the Platinum Delta Amex Card or apply, follow this link.
The following links will direct you to the rates and fees for mentioned American Express Cards. These include: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Rates & Fees), and Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (Rates & Fees).
Y'all should be praising the miles & points gods that card offers and posts like this exist.
Do you realize what 80+ percent of the general "points and miles" public don't know? One of my close friends is a Diamond Medallion who flies DL every damn week and tells me she's saving up to spend her SkyPesos on a Comfort Plus roundtrip for vacation "in the next 5 years or so". I keep offering...
Y'all should be praising the miles & points gods that card offers and posts like this exist.
Do you realize what 80+ percent of the general "points and miles" public don't know? One of my close friends is a Diamond Medallion who flies DL every damn week and tells me she's saving up to spend her SkyPesos on a Comfort Plus roundtrip for vacation "in the next 5 years or so". I keep offering my friends and fam a points + miles orientation that will take maybe an afternoon but everyone I know except for two employees I had always waves it off. Good.
If the majority of the newbies think 85k skypesos is a steal, great for them. Let them open the account. That's one less person snagging a huge MR bonus next time Amex needs a cardmember boost.
Is 85k enough for a TPA-MIA one-way in basic economy, or will I need to use miles + cash?
LOL
LOL. I get the sarcasm. You could walk to MCO and take Brightline the rest of the way rather than make that redemption.
I never used the delta plat card to purchase tickets using the companion pass. And it still worked. I've always used the Amex plat. I've had this card for about 6 yrs now so its a solid benefit still.
@Ben are you going to do something about this Troll
Look, I'm not wild about Tim either, but no reason to talk about him like that. Please be polite. #Delta
Why? If Timmy can post long diatribes about why Delta is so wonderful, why can’t people call him out on it?
Don’t read the trolls’ comments if you don’t want to….
#Delta
As I assume goes without saying, this is the best credit card on the market. Everyone should have one. Get your kids their own, too.
The usernames...LOL. "Dim" Tunn, Tim Is So Done...etc. Yes, Dim Tunny, this is one of the better credit cards on the market, especially if you take Amtrak. ;) Nice when people can make and take a joke.