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 an annual fee and 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 Delta SkyMiles for each referral, which 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 SkyMiles®Platinum American Express Card
Annual Fee
$250 per year
Sign Up Benefits
Our link for this card currently provides 50,000 SkyMiles and 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 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 these stipulations to cut down on card churners.
Welcome offer not available to applicants who have or have had this or previous versions of this Card. We may also consider the number of American Express Cards you have opened and closed as well as other factors in making a decision on your welcome offer eligibility.
See AlsoCredit card review: Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express CardLounge Review: Inside the Flagship Atlanta Delta Sky ClubAmex Blue Delta Skymiles 2023 Review: Is It Right for You? | The Motley FoolThe Sad State of Delta SkyMiles in 2023If 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 the bonus miles and MQMs 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 viadelta.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.
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.
Status Boost
If you spend $25,000 or more on the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card in a calendar year, you’ll receive an additional 10,000 Medallion Qualifer Miles (MQMs.) If you spend more than $50,000, you’ll receive another 10,000 MQMs. The spending counter resets after December 31st.
MQD Waiver
If you’re looking to earn status in the Delta SkyMiles program, you need to meet the requirements for MQM (miles) and MQD (dollars.) Unless you frequently pay for expensive tickets, it’s harder to reach the MQD requirement. If you spend at least $25,000 on your Delta SkyMiles Platinum AMEX card, the MQD requirement is waived to reach Platinum, Gold and Silver Medallion Status.
You’ll need to spend $250,000 on your Delta Platinum AMEX if you want a Diamond Medallion status waiver.
Companion Ticket
Starting on your 1st account renewal, the primary cardholder receives a companion ticket good for a main-cabin round-trip flight within the 48 contiguous United States, not including fees and taxes. (exceptions for cardholders who live in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the USVI.
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.
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 (which I recently did for the second time), having the credit card will allow you to board at the same time as booking a Delta Main Cabin ticket.
Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ Credit
You will get a statement credit of up to $100 onceevery 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 people traveling on the same reservation. You don’t have to pay for the ticket with your Platinum Delta SkyMiles card, but the cardholder does have to have their SkyMiles number on the reservation.
This means you’d get the free checked bag benefit while still paying for the ticket with a card like theSapphire Reserve to take advantage of the better trip delay and lost baggage insurance this card offers.
Your first checked bag on Delta costs $30 so this benefit alone can help to earn back the money spent on the $250 annual fee.
$39 Delta Sky Club Access
Delta has restricted access to the Delta Sky Clubs, eliminating the option for passengers to buy a club pass. The only way around this is to have a Platinum Delta SkyMiles American Express card. Cardholders can pay $39 for access to the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a same-day Delta or Delta partner airline flight. Card Members may also bring up to two guests or immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21 years of age) for $39 per person, per location. The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card must be used as the payment method to receive the exclusive per-visit rate. Children under 2 years of age may accompany the Card Member for free.
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.
Final Thoughts
The two reasons people keep the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card are the companion certificate and the ability to waive the MQD status requirement.
If you often fly with Delta, it’s easy to see how you can save more than $250 with the companion ticket benefit. I can’t put a value on the MQD waiver since I don’t fly Delta enough to realize what the status is worth.
This card is suited for Delta frequent flyers who will benefit from the SkyMiles program perks. There’s an opportunity cost to putting $25K on this card to earn status, so you’d have to fly enough to make that a worthwhile trade-off.
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
American Expresscompanion ticketCredit CardsDelta Air LinesDelta AMEX