When you buy something using links found on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. This content is reviewed & supervised by The Los Angeles Times.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card review
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express® Card earns 3X miles on Delta purchases, 3X miles on purchases made directly with hotels, 2X miles at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets, and 1X miles on all other eligible purchases.
What we think: The SkyMiles Platinum card has a high $350 annual fee but comes with a few generous perks in return— namely, the Annual Companion Certificate. It’s a great benefit, but if you’re not loyal to Delta specifically, you’ll likely find more value with a general travel card.
This card may be a good fit if you have a credit score over 700 and travel often enough to earn back the annual fee.
Your membership includes travel insurance, cell phone protection, extended warranty coverage and several shopping benefits.
SUMMARY
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express® Card gives you 3X points on all Delta flights and eligible hotel purchases, so it’s a good fit for frequent travelers who prefer to stick with Delta rather than using multiple airlines. It also gives you double miles at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, making it even more worthwhile.
With so many travel credit cards on the market, it’s tough to determine which one is the best fit for your needs. To make it a little easier, we created an in-depth review focused on card benefits and rewards redemption.
Settle in and find out:
How many bonus miles you can earn on each purchase
What kind of travel benefits are available to Delta Platinum users
Earn 3X miles on Delta purchases and 3X on purchases made directly with hotels. Earn 2X miles at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets, and earn 1X miles on all other eligible purchases. This card has a $350 annual fee.
Is the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex card worth it?
Maybe. The Delta Platinum Card is worth it if you’re loyal to Delta Air Lines and want to earn extra bonus miles on your travel purchases. If you don’t travel frequently, or if you prefer to use a different airline, it’s tough to earn enough benefits to compensate for the $350 annual fee.
The Delta Platinum Card comes with an attractive welcome offer.
You earn 3X miles on all Delta purchases and eligible hotel charges.
Card Members are eligible to receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to Status with MQD Headstart.
You get a 15% discount when using your miles to pay for Delta-operated flights.
Membership entitles you to extra benefits, such as baggage insurance and car rental loss and damage insurance.
The annual fee of $350 is a bit steep.
No access to Delta Sky Clubs.
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card is reserved for consumers with good to excellent credit, so you may not qualify if you have a low credit score.
The companion certificate is only good for a Main Cabin ticket.
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card comes with a wide range of benefits, with the most significant being the Annual Companion Certificate. It also has perks like in-flight savings, priority boarding, and more.
Many of these benefits are travel-related, but Card Members also qualify for extra shopping protections and have an easier time earning Delta Medallion Status.
Here’s the scoop on the benefits available in each category.
Travel benefits
Annual Companion Certificate: For every year you maintain your membership, you’re eligible for an Annual Companion Certificate. This certificate entitles you to complimentary airfare for a companion when you’re traveling within the continental United States, to the Caribbean, or to Central America, to select destinations. To use the certificate, you must select a seat in the Main Cabin.
Priority boarding: Even if you don’t have Delta Medallion Status, the Platinum Card entitles you to Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding on all Delta flights. This gives you a little extra time to board the aircraft and settle in before your flight takes off.
Free checked bag: When you have this credit card, Delta waives the fee for your first standard checked bag. Currently, the fee is $30 each way for a bag weighing less than 50 pounds. Therefore, you could save $60 per trip just by using this benefit.
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit: Global Entry and TSA PreCheck make it a little less of a hassle to get through airport security. To make things even easier, American Express offers a statement credit of up to $85 for your TSA PreCheck fee or $100 for your Global Entry fee. You can get the PreCheck credit every 4.5 years or the Global Entry credit every 4 years.
20% savings on in-flight purchases: If you use your card to purchase food, beverages or earbuds on a Delta flight, you’ll receive 20% back in the form of a statement credit.
TakeOff 15: You’ll save 15% when you use the Delta website or the Delta app to book Award Travel. To get the discount, you must choose “Shop with Miles” to find eligible flights.
Travel insurance: The Delta Platinum Card is a co-branded card, which means you get to enjoy benefits from two internationally recognized brands. One of those benefits is travel insurance offered by American Express. This insurance covers trip delays, trip cancellations, trip interruptions, car rental damage and lost/stolen baggage.
Global Assist Hotline: When you travel more than 100 miles from home, you can call the Global Assist Hotline if you need help finding legal, medical or financial services. Hotline agents may even be able to coordinate emergency medical transportation assistance at no additional cost.
$150 Delta Stays Credit: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members can earn up to $150 back each year on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Earn toward Medallion Status
Signing up for the Delta Platinum Card may also help you earn Medallion Status a little faster. The Medallion Program rewards loyal Delta customers by waiving certain fees, making it easier to earn miles and giving members free upgrades when possible.
Earn $1 Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) on all flights operated by Delta or one of its partner airlines. You only earn on the ticket price, not on taxes, fees or other charges.
Earn $1 MQD for every $20 in purchases you make on your Delta Platinum Card.
Earn $1 MQD per dollar spent on experiences booked via Delta Vacations.
Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to Status with MQD Headstart.
As you can see, having the Delta Platinum Card makes it easier to reach Medallion Status because it gives you MQDs based on your purchases. If you take a break from traveling, you can continue to earn Medallion Qualification Dollars, putting Medallion Status well within your reach.
Shopping benefits and protections
These shopping benefits and protections extend to all cardholders, regardless of Medallion Status or card usage:
1
Purchase protection
If you use your Delta Platinum Card to make a covered purchase, you’ll get 90 days of purchase protection. This coverage reimburses you for losses associated with theft or accidental damage. Note that you’re limited to $1,000 per purchase and $50,000 per year in coverage.
See MoreSee Less
2
Extended warranty
This card comes with extended warranty protection, which extends the original manufacturer’s warranty for up to 1 year on covered purchases. You must purchase the item with your Delta Platinum Card to take advantage of this benefit. Additionally, the item must have an original warranty of no more than 5 years. You’re limited to $10,000 per purchase and $50,000 per year in benefits.
See MoreSee Less
3
Cell phone protection
If you use the Delta Platinum to pay your monthly cell phone bill, you’re eligible for cell phone protection worth up to $800 per claim. This type of insurance reimburses you for the cost to repair or replace the phone if it’s damaged or stolen.
See MoreSee Less
4
ShopRunner
This card comes with a complimentary membership to ShopRunner, an e-commerce service that offers free shipping, worry-free returns and other benefits.
See MoreSee Less
5
American Express Experiences
As a member, you’ll have access to a selection of curated sports, dining, entertainment and fashion experiences.
See MoreSee Less
6
Plan It®
Plan It allows you to break large purchases into monthly payments. Amex charges a fixed monthly fee for this service, making it easier to manage your finances.
See MoreSee Less
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Delta Platinum Amex rewards
The Delta Platinum Amex provides owners with several rewards, including an attractive welcome offer. If you’re interested in what benefits this card provides, we’ve listed them out below along with details.
Delta Platinum Amex card welcome offer
The Delta Platinum Amex comes with a generous welcome offer. If you spend $3,000 on qualifying purchases within the first 6 months of membership, you’re eligible for 50,000 bonus miles. You may qualify for additional miles if you meet certain criteria, but there’s no guarantee that you’ll receive a custom offer.
Earning miles on the Delta Platinum Amex card
Here’s how many miles you earn on each eligible purchase:
Delta purchases: 3X miles
Eligible hotels: 3X miles
Restaurants: 2X miles
U.S. supermarkets: 2X miles
All other purchases: 1X
Here’s an example to help you understand the earning power behind the Delta Platinum:
Assume you spend $1,200 on Delta flights, $660 at an eligible hotel, $500 at restaurants and $200 on souvenirs. Delta flights and eligible hotels are worth 3X, so you’d earn 5,580 miles on those purchases ($1,860 x 3). Then you’d earn 1,000 miles on your restaurant purchases ($500 x 2) and 200 miles on your souvenirs (200 x 1), bringing your total to 6,780 miles.
Redeeming miles on the Delta Platinum Amex card
Once you earn miles, you can redeem them in the following ways:
Delta/partner flights: Use your miles to pay for airfare on Delta flights and those operated by Delta partners.
Upgrades: Delta accepts SkyMiles as payment for seat upgrades.
Delta Vacations: If you’re planning a vacation, use your miles to book with Delta Vacations.
SkyMiles Experiences: You can use your SkyMiles to bid on a variety of exclusive experiences, from attending a food and wine festival to shopping with the CEO of a major brand.
Baggage fees: If you’re traveling with a companion, you can use your miles to pay their standard baggage fees.
Gift/transfer: American Express allows you to transfer miles to someone else’s account, taking the guesswork out of giving gifts.
As with any credit card, it’s important to know about vital information like annual fees and interest rates. If you’re interested in the Delta Platinum Amex card, here’s what you need to know (see rates and fees).
Delta Platinum Amex fees
Annual fee: $350
Balance transfer fee: N/A (no balance transfers available)
Cash advance fee: $10 or %5 of the advance, whichever is greater
Foreign transaction fee: No foreign transaction fees
Late payment: Up to $40
Returned payment: Up to $40
Delta Platinum Amex interest rates
Regular APR: 20.99% to 29.99% variable based on creditworthiness
Purchase intro APR: N/A (no intro APR available)
Balance transfer intro APR: N/A (no balance transfers available)
Cash advance APR: 29.99% variable
Penalty APR: 29.99% variable
Delta Platinum Amex annual limit
Your credit limit depends on several factors, including your income and credit scores. You may qualify for a limit as low as $1,000 or as high as $20,000 or more.
American Express is more than just a credit card issuer
The first step in growing and maintaining consistent savings is to understand your personal finances through checking and savings accounts, credit cards, and more.
The Delta Platinum has a big advantage over other travel cards, as it gives you 3X miles on Delta purchases and eligible hotels, covers the cost of one checked bag every time you fly and gives you access to discounts on Award Travel and in-flight purchases. It also comes with comprehensive Amex travel insurance, giving you extra peace of mind.
The biggest drawback of the card is its $350 annual fee. Additionally, Delta made some big changes to its loyalty program, so the value of the Delta Platinum isn’t quite as high. For example, now you can’t buy day passes to Delta Sky Clubs, regardless of your Medallion Status.
Delta Platinum vs. Delta Reserve
The Delta SkyMiles American Express Reserve Card has a much higher annual fee ($650) (see rates and fees) than the Delta Platinum. Additionally, the Delta Platinum gives you more opportunities to earn miles. For example, Delta Platinum cardholders get 2X miles on purchases made at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets. The Delta Reserve gives you 3X miles on Delta purchases, but it only gives you 1X miles on everything else.
You should also know that the Delta Amex Reserve comes with an Annual Companion Certificate good for a ticket in First Class, Delta Comfort+ or Main Cabin. With the Delta Platinum, you can only use your certificate for a ticket in the Main Cabin of the aircraft. Additionally, the Reserve comes with Sky Club access. Otherwise, the two cards are pretty similar.
The Delta SkyMiles® American Express Gold Credit Card has an annual fee of $150, but has no annual fee for the first year (see rates and fees), making it less expensive than the Delta Platinum. However, it also offers fewer benefits. Delta Gold doesn’t come with an Annual Companion Certificate, and it only gives you 2X miles on Delta purchases.
Many of the best credit cards you can get come from American Express. If the Delta SkyMiles Platinum doesn’t seem like the best fit for you, there are plenty of other Amex credit card options to choose from.
1
Travel rewards cards
If you don’t always fly Delta, The Platinum Card® from American Express might be a better fit than the Delta Platinum. This card offers luxury travel benefits without tying you down to a single airline. If the $695 annual fee for the Amex Platinum Card is more than you’re willing to pay, the American Express Gold card is another top travel credit card that offers travel benefits but with a smaller fee. Learn more about these two options in our Amex Gold vs Platinum comparison.
See MoreSee Less
2
Hotel cards
American Express offers some of the best hotel credit cards through their partnerships with Hilton and Marriott. There are 3 tiers of Marriott Bonvoy cards to choose from along with the American Express Hilton Honors card. If you’re more interested in earning free nights or upgrades with either chain than you are in earning flight miles, they are great alternatives to the Delta Platinum card.
See MoreSee Less
3
Cash-back options
If you aren’t a frequent traveler, a cash-back credit card could be more valuable than the Delta Amex Platinum. The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express has generous rewards rates on things like groceries, streaming services and many others. A more budget-friendly option would be the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, since it is a credit card with no annual fee.
The Delta Platinum card is worth it for consumers who travel frequently and use Delta as their preferred air travel provider. If you travel often enough, you can easily earn enough benefits to justify the $350 annual fee.
How to apply for the Delta Platinum Amex card
The Delta Platinum is for consumers with high credit scores, so it may be tough to get approved if you’re rebuilding your credit. American Express doesn’t publish a minimum required score, but your best bet is to wait until you have a score of at least 700 to apply.
If you think the Delta Platinum is a good fit, learn more about this card and fill out an application online.
FAQ: Delta Platinum card
Does the Delta Platinum card get lounge access?
As of January 1, 2024, Delta Platinum Card members can no longer purchase day passes for the Sky Club. Only the Delta Reserve Card has Sky Club access at this point.
Is Delta Platinum better than Delta Gold?
Both cards come with plenty of perks, so it all comes down to your spending habits. The Delta Platinum is a better choice if you travel often enough to offset the $350 annual fee. For example, if you take several vacations per year, you may benefit from getting the Annual Companion Certificate and earning 3X miles on your Delta purchases.
Delta Gold may be a better fit if you don’t travel often enough to justify such a high annual fee. This card doesn’t come with an Annual Companion Certificate, but it does give you access to Priority Boarding, one free checked bag and 20% off eligible in-flight purchases. American Express also offers a $0 intro annual fee for your first year of membership (then $150).
Are the Delta Platinum card and the Amex Platinum card the same thing?
No, the Delta Skymiles Platinum card and the Platinum Card by American Express are not the same. In fact, they are two completely different cards with different types of reward programs. The Delta Platinum card is a co-branded airline credit card that lets you earn miles that you can redeem through the Delta Airlines SkyMiles rewards program. The Amex Platinum card is a rewards credit card that allows you to earn points that can then be redeemed for statement credits or travel perks.
The Delta Platinum has a spending limit that depends on your income and credit history. For example, someone with a stellar credit score and a six-figure income may qualify for a $20,000 credit limit, while someone who earns $75,000 per year may only qualify for a $5,000 limit.
Is the Delta Platinum Amex card hard to get?
This card is somewhat difficult to get, as it’s marketed to consumers with good to excellent credit. If you don’t have a FICO® score of at least 700, you may want to hold off on applying for the Delta Platinum Card.
Leigh Morgan is a seasoned personal finance contributor with over 15 years of experience writing on a diverse range of professional legal and financial topics. She specializes in subjects like navigating the complexities of insurance, savings, zero-based budgeting and emergency fund development.
In the last 5 years, she’s authored over 300 articles for credit unions, digital banks, and financial professionals. Morgan is also the author of “77 Tips for Preventing Elder Financial Abuse,” a book focused on helping caregivers protect the elderly from financial scams.
In addition to her writing skills, she brings real-world financial acumen thanks to her previous experience managing rental properties as part of a $34 million real estate portfolio.
* Opinions expressed here are those of the LA Times Compare Cards Team and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser or entities included within this content. See our editorial policy for more details.
All products or services are presented in this content without warranty. The information, including card details such as rates and fees, is accurate at the time of publish. Please visit each bank's website directly for the most current information.
LA Times Compare is committed to helping you compare products and services in a safe and helpful manner. Our goal is to help you make sound financial decisions and confidently choose your next credit card.
We work to ensure that the information and advice we offer on our website is objective, unbiased, verifiable, easy to understand for all audiences, and free of charge to our users. We don’t feature all products and services available on the market but provide a wide range of options from top providers offered through Bankrate. Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover.
We can offer our services thanks to partners that compensate us. This may affect which products we write about and where and how product offers appear on our website – such as the order in which they appear. This does not affect our ability to offer unbiased reviews and information about these products; all partner offers are clearly marked. Given our collaboration with top providers, it’s important to note that our partners are not involved in deciding the order in which brands and products appear. We leave this to our editorial team who review and rate each product independently.
Why Trust Us?
At LA Times Compare, our mission is to help our readers reach their financial goals by making smarter choices. As such, we follow stringent editorial guidelines to ensure we offer accurate, fact-checked and unbiased information that aligns with the needs of the Los Angeles Times audience.
Learn how we are compensated by our partners.
