Delta offers credit cards through its partnership with American Express. They come in different flavors, and the Platinum Delta cards are 2nd in the four-card lineup. The Delta AMEX Platinum cards have a considerable annual fee. However, they provide valuable benefits if you’re a regular Delta flyer looking for status in the SkyMiles program.
This review is for the personal version of the Platinum Delta SkyMiles American Express card. If you decide to sign up for this card, or any Delta American Express personal or business credit cards, we’d appreciate it if you use our link. We receive a bonus for each referral and that helps us keep Your Mileage May Vary HQ going strong.
Not to be confused with the American Express Platinum card, which earns Membership Rewards points, these cards earn miles in the Delta SkyMiles program and have different benefits.
Delta and AMEX have recently increased the annual fee and revamped the way this card helps to earn Medallion Status. They’ve also added several monthly credits, but beware, AMEX statement credits are not cash.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Annual Fee
$350 per year
Sign Up Benefits
Our link for this card currently provides 90,000 SkyMiles after you spend $4,000 in eligible purchases on your card in the first 6 months.
This card is subject to AMEX’s one sign-up bonus per lifetime rule. To read more about that, check out this post from Doctor of Credit. AMEX also has added stipulations, which include the new “Family Rule,” to cut down on card churners.
You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or previous versions of these Cards. You also may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer based on various factors, such as your history with credit card balance transfers, your history as an American Express Card Member, the number of credit cards that you have opened and closed and other factors. If you are not eligible for a welcome offer, we will notify you prior to processing your application so you have the option to withdraw your application.
If we in our sole discretion determine that you have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with this offer in any way or that you intend to do so (for example, if you applied for one or more cards to obtain an offer(s) that we did not intend for you; if you cancel or downgrade your account within 12 months after acquiring it; or if you cancel or return purchases you made to meet the Threshold Amount), we may not credit, we may freeze, or we may take away bonus miles from your account. We may also cancel this Card account and other Card accounts you may have with us.
Bonus Categories
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum card earns 3X points on Delta purchases, such as purchases via delta.com, the Fly Delta app, phone reservations, or ticket counters, such as upgrades, miles, seat selection, Delta Sky Club membership, and in-flight purchases of food, alcoholic beverages and audio headsets on Delta-operated flights. You’ll also earn 3X points for hotel stays paid directly to the hotel and hotels booked through Delta Stays.
In addition, you’ll earn 2X points for US supermarket purchases and at restaurants worldwide (however, third-party food delivery services outside of the US may not earn 2X points.)
You’ll earn one point for all other types of spending.
MQD Headstart
Cardmembers will receive $2,500 MQD deposited in their SkyMiles account each Medallion Qualification Year. This benefit replaces the previous MQD waiver.
MQD Boost
For every $20 you spend on the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card, you’ll earn $1 MQD. This replaces the previous Status Boost benefit.
Companion Ticket
Starting on your 1st account renewal, the primary cardholder receives a companion ticket good for a main-cabin round-trip flight. Several restrictions on the ticket have been relaxed, including being able to use it for destinations in Central America and The Caribbean.
Certificate is valid for one roundtrip Main Cabin Companion ticket with the purchase of certain adult roundtrip fares on published routings originating within the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) to the following destinations: the United States, Puerto Rico, USVI, Mexico, Antigua, Aruba, Bermuda, Bonaire, Grand Cayman, Cuba, Jamaica, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Dominican Republic, Saint Kitts, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala, Panama, Honduras, and El Salvador. Qualifying tickets must be operated by Delta or its Delta Connection carriers and are limited to Delta-served airports; routes, frequencies and destinations offered by Delta are subject to change at any time in Delta’s sole discretion without prior notice.
$150 Delta Stays Credit
You can receive a $150 credit when you reserve hotels or vacation rentals at delta.com/stays. On a quick look, it’s a travel portal site powered by Expedia. Delta Stays count as a Delta expense, so cardholders earn 3X SkyMiles per dollar spent on stays booked through Delta. (excluding taxes and fees).
Rideshare Credit
Cardmembers can earn up to $10 monthly in credits for charges made with U.S. rideshare services. The eligible services are currently Uber, Lyft, Curb, Revel, and Alto, but these are subject to change. Enrollment with AMEX is required to receive these credits.
Resy Credit
Cardmembers can earn up to $10 monthly in credits for eligible Resy purchases.
Eligible Resy purchases include purchases at U.S. restaurants that offer reservations on Resy.com and the Resy app, and purchases made directly on Resy.com or in the Resy app. Restaurants must be live on Resy.com or the Resy app at time of purchase to be eligible for the statement credit and are subject to change at any time. Purchases made via Resy Pay and purchases of Resy OS restaurant management software are not eligible.
Enrollment with AMEX is required to receive these credits.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
As you would hope a card you can use on Delta flights worldwide would, the Platinum Delta SkyMiles card does not charge any foreign transaction fees.
Complimentary Upgrade List
Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ Credit
You will get a statement credit of up to $100 once every 4 years for the application fee for Global Entry or $85 every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck when the fee is charged to your Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express card.
Free First Checked Bag
Delta provides a free checked bag for the cardholder and up to eight other people traveling on the same reservation. You don’t have to pay for the ticket with your Gold Delta SkyMiles card, but the cardholder does have to have their SkyMiles number on the reservation.
This means you’d be able to get the free checked bag benefit while still paying for the ticket with a card like the Sapphire Reserve to take advantage of the better trip delay and lost baggage insurance this card offers.
Priority Boarding
The primary cardmember and eight companions on the same reservation will be invited to board Delta-operated flights before general boarding. This boarding is with Main Cabin 1 that includes the following:
- Silver Medallion Members
- Delta Corporate Travelers
- Gold, Platinum and Reserve Delta SkyMiles credit card members
- Flying Blue Silver members
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Silver members
- SkyTeam Elite
- SkyMiles Select members
- LATAM Pass Gold+ Elite
- WestJet Rewards Silver Elite
This advanced boarding sounds great, but at least twelve groups of people, including Delta Platinum and Gold Medallion members, Delta Comfort+ passengers and SkyTeam Elite Plus members, will get to board before you. If you book a basic economy ticket on Delta, having the credit card will allow you to board at the same time as booking a Delta Main Cabin ticket.
TakeOff 15
This is quickly becoming one of my favorite perks of having a Delta co-brand AMEX card. Delta SkyMiles Gold, Gold Business, Platinum, Platinum Business, Reserve and Reserve Business American Express Card Members save 15% on reservations booked with Delta SkyMiles. There are no lockout dates and it works on all Delta award tickets.
Pay With Miles
This little-known benefit allows you to pay for part (of all) of your ticket with your SkyMiles. This will enable you to use your miles at a penny per point to pay for a cash ticket on Delta. You redeem miles in increments of 5,000 miles for $50. While not the best value for your points, if you find a cheap cash ticket and don’t want to spend money, this may help. To find out more about this benefit, check out the Delta website.
20% In-Flight Savings
You’ll receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible pre-purchased meals and in-flight purchases of food, alcoholic beverages, and audio headsets on Delta-operated flights. You must use the Delta SkyMiles Card to complete the in-flight purchase to receive the savings.
Cell Phone Protection
If you pay your cell phone bill with the Platinum Delta AMEX, you’ll have coverage against theft or damage for listed phones. Coverage limits are $800 per claim and 2 claims per year with a $50 deductible.
Hertz Five Star Status
The second tier of the Hertz Gold Plus program is Five Star status. To qualify for this tier, you usually must complete 10 or more rentals or spend $2,000 or more on rentals in a calendar year. Members of this tier receive all the benefits of the standard membership, plus guaranteed vehicle availability, a one-car class upgrade (based on availability) or increased access to Hertz Ultimate Choice vehicles, and a 25% bonus on Gold Plus Rewards points earned.
It’s a nice perk but not as great as the President’s Circle status you get with other premium cards.
Final Thoughts
The previous reasons people had a Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card were for the companion certificate and the ability to waive the MQD status requirement.
Delta and AMEX have changed the card by raising the annual fee, changing how it helps you achieve Medallion Status, and adding several statement credits.
Who is this card for now? If you often fly with Delta, you can save more than $350 with the companion ticket benefit, which would cover the annual fee. You also get an automatic MQD boost instead of having to spend a significant amount on the card first. But several of the new benefits don’t have anything to do with flying on Delta, like credits for Resy, Delta Stays, and ridesharing services.
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card can be a good fit if you’re able to take advantage of all of the benefits it provides. But if you’re having difficulty redeeming all of the credits or using the companion ticket, it might not be the right card for you. Your Mileage May Vary.
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
