The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card stands out not only among the family of co-branded Delta and American Express cards, but among all airline cards. Its rewards program captures more categories with higher rewards rates than its competitors.
The question with this card is whether you fly frequently enough -- specifically on Delta -- to make the $350 annual fee (see rates and fees) worth it. If you only fly a handful of times a year or like to switch up airlines, you may be better off with one of this card's less expensive younger siblings, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card or Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card.
There are other perks that make the cost worthwhile, including a welcome offer and a handful of perks meant to improve your travel experiences. This card also offers ways to earn rewards toward Delta Medallion Status, which can earn you additional travel upgrades in addition to the regular rewards program and benefits.Â
Below, we explore the offer in-depth and compare it with those from similar airline and more general travel credit cards if you don't want to be limited to Delta or want a lower annual fee.
Rewards and welcome offer
The way you earn rewards with the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card is more similar to a general travel credit card than an airline-specific card. You'll earn a 1x mile flat rate and 3x miles on Delta flights, but you can also round out your travel rewards by earning 3x miles on hotels (if you book with the hotels directly), and 2x miles on dining at restaurants and groceries at U.S. supermarkets. This is a great system if you're looking to apply all of your rewards toward future Delta flights.
For the welcome offer, you'll earn 60,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases in the first six months of card membership.Â
Perks during your travels
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Other perks you can receive when using this card for Delta or partner flights include:
- Your first checked bag is free.
- Annual companion fare. You'll receive a Main Cabin round-trip flight to select destinations certificate every year after card renewal. You may have to pay up to $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and up to $250 for roundtrip international flights in taxes and fees, and baggage charges and other restrictions may apply. Some version of this benefit is common among airline cards.Â
- American Express will credit you for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. You can get a $120 statement credit for Global Entry (which includes TSA PreCheck) every four years or up to $85 for TSA PreCheck every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider. These programs can help you move faster through security and customs lines at select airports. This is a common perk among higher-end travel credit cards but rare across airline credit cards.
- A 20% savings on in-flight purchases. This is a pretty standard perk across airline cards. The savings apply to in-flight food and alcoholic beverage purchases, as well as audio sets and prepurchased meals. The savings comes in the form of a statement credit after you pay the full price up front.
In addition, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card from American Express offers extensive travel insurance coverage* competitive with the best airline or travel credit cards. It covers nearly all the bases: a baggage insurance plan*, car rental loss and damage insurance* and trip delay insurance*. Your flights and car rentals must be paid for with your card for these policies to apply.
Earning Delta Medallion Status
Some airline credit cards participate in additional loyalty programs that can earn you extra perks. With your Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express card, you can earn Medallion Qualification Dollars, or MQDs, that help you earn Delta Medallion Status. There are four Delta Medallion Status tiers: Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond.Â
With each tier, you earn increasing benefits, and higher tiers earn you more rewards miles on your Delta SkyMiles account. You can also build up your account to earn perks like complimentary upgrade status, waived baggage fees, bonus miles, Sky Club membership, gift cards and more.
You'll reach different status levels by earning various combinations of the below:
- Earn $1 MQD for each $20 of purchases made on your Platinum card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving elevated Medallion Status for next Medallion Year.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to Status with MQD Headstart.
- Earn $1 MQD per $1 spent on the ticket price for a flight operated by Delta or by one of its partners or per $1 spent on a Delta Vacation experience.
Remember to always input your Delta SkyMiles frequent flyer number when booking your Delta flights with the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card so that your earnings can be credited to your account.
Other cards to consider
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
If you like Delta airlines but don't fly enough to justify the annual fee of the Platinum version, the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card offers similarly well-rounded rewards categories for an airline card, though the spread and multipliers are more limited. You earn 2x miles at restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and Delta purchases, and 1x miles on all other eligible purchases. The annual fee is $0 introductory for the first year, then $150 thereafter (see rates and fees). The perks are more limited, but there are some staples like free first checked bags, 20% back on eligible in-flight purchases, car rental loss and damage insurance*, and priority boarding. You can't earn rewards toward Medallion Status with this card.
See our full review of the Delta SkyMiles Gold card for more information.
FAQs
Airline credit cards reward users with points or miles from an airline’s frequent flyer program, which can be redeemed for flights with that airline. Sometimes you can transfer those points to one of the airline’s travel partners, though this option varies from airline to airline.
Airline credit cards operate like loyalty programs in that you stay in a closed-loop rewards system. You earn rewards when you purchase flights on the airline, and you can use those points for future bookings. Some airline credit cards also reward cardholders for making purchases at restaurants, grocery stores or other categories, but given the average reward rate of airline credit cards for those categories, we generally advise paying for those purchases with a cash-back credit card or general travel rewards credit card.
Some common benefits of an airline credit card include:
- Waived checked baggage fees
- Priority boarding
- Lounge access (during some, not all, itineraries)
- Accelerated airline status qualification
- Complimentary or reduced companion fares
- No foreign transaction fee
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credits
- Generous welcome bonuses
While airline credit cards offer rewards in the form of an airline’s miles or points, many general travel rewards credit cards have their own systems, like American Express’ Membership Rewards points or Chase’s Ultimate Rewards points. General travel credit card points can be used to redeem travel (with any available airline) through the card issuer’s travel portal, or for a potentially higher value, transferred to an airline partner. You also earn extra points on any travel purchase, regardless of the airline.
Though they may charge higher annual fees, the general travel rewards credit cards tend to offer superior return rates and, since they cover a much greater range of purchases, they are often the better option. Even the best airline credit card is typically less flexible than general travel cards. Given their relative inflexibility, airline credit cards are best for travelers who want to take advantage of airline-specific perks. If you often spend on upgraded boardings or checked bags and you always fly with the same airline, these cards can save you money.
If you’re not loyal to one airline, rarely check bags and don’t care about your frequent flyer status, a general travel credit card is a better choice.
Our approach
We review the cards that are in the highest demand and offer the best benefits. We scour the fine print so there aren't any surprises when you open an account. We find the key factors that make a card stand out and compare them with other top cards. That way, readers can opt for a different card with similar features if our pick isn't right for them. Our reviews are regularly checked and updated to incorporate new recommendations, as well as to reflect changes in offers and the market.
*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.
**All information about American Express cards have been collected independently by CNET. American Express cards are no longer available through CNET.
