Is the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex Worth It?
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Written by
Adam Frankel
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Edited by
Emily Gadd
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Reviewed by
Jasmin Baron
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, an advertising partner, is ideal for someone who flies Delta Air Lines often and can use the card’s companion certificate. The savings on checked baggage, along with the other card credits, can also amount to hundreds of dollars a year in value, even if you only use some of those perks. If Delta is or can be your preferred airline, the card soars above similarly priced airline credit cards.
Let’s take a closer look at whether Delta SkyMiles Platinum benefits are worth the card’s $350 annual fee.
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Quick Verdict
If you can make use of the Delta Platinum Card’s annual companion certificate, that benefit alone can be well worth the annual fee. The card also comes with a boost that gets you halfway to qualifying for elite Silver Medallion® status, and a host of travel-related credits that can save you money on stays, rides and dining.
One potential drawback: The card doesn’t offer Delta Sky Club airport lounge access as a benefit. But if that doesn’t matter to you, the Amex Delta Platinum offers tremendous value for regular flyers of the airline, earning a spot as one of the best Delta credit cards for its perks.
I own this card, and I’ve used the companion certificate to slash the total cost of flying my wife and me across the country from South Florida to Denver during peak spring break ski season. Instead of shelling out over $1,200 on airfare, we paid a little over half of that, factoring in the taxes and fees, plus we saved on checked baggage fees to boot.
Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex Card: At a Glance
- Annual fee: $350
- Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Rewards structure: Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. Earn 2x miles on dining at restaurants, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 2x miles at U.S. supermarkets. Earn 1x miles on other purchases.
- Statement credits and perks: Annual companion certificate, annual $2,500 Medallion Qualifying Dollar boost, first checked bag free on Delta flights, up to $150 in annual Delta Stays credit, up to $120 in annual Resy credit (enrollment required), up to $120 in annual rideshare credit (enrollment required), Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, 15% discount on Delta Air Lines award bookings
- Estimated value: $390 from annual credits, plus savings from companion certificate, free checked baggage and other perks
Who Should Consider the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex?
If you’re taking long flights that trend on the pricier side, the card’s annual companion certificate should be a breeze to use each year. Most major carriers charge several hundred dollars for longer-distance flights, especially during peak travel times. Coast-to-coast travelers or those who tend to fly at least once a year around the holidays or other popular vacation times can get big value from the companion certificate.
Status-seekers who want to unlock Delta Medallion status perks will also find this card appealing. The Delta Platinum Amex gives an annual head start halfway to Silver status with $2,500 MQDs, plus an additional $1 MQD for every $20 you spend on the card. This first rung on the status tier means enhanced mileage earning on every flight, unlimited complimentary upgrade potential when available for you and a companion when flying in the US, complimentary preferred seats, priority check-in and more.
Miles misers know it can take a lot of work to amass enough points to score free flights. With the Delta Platinum’s “Take Off 15” benefit, you can stretch your miles a lot further. See a Delta flight you want that’s 50,000 SkyMiles to book? For you as a cardholder, that flight will only require 42,500 miles, saving you a cool 7,500. Repeat this a couple of times on your award bookings and you’ll hang on to more of your hard-earned rewards.
Who Should Skip the Delta Platinum?
If you want Delta Sky Club access through card ownership, this is not the right card for you. Instead, you might consider the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, an advertising partner ($650 annual fee).
Additionally, you won’t get the free checked bag perk or the 15% award discount if your flight is operated by a partner airline, meaning you booked it through Delta but it’s actually another carrier in Delta’s partner network.
If your main goal with this card is to gain access to the annual companion certificate, make sure the eligible locations align with your travel plans and style. For example, you can’t use the companion certificate to pair with a Delta Main Basic fare, and you can only use it to fly within the US or to certain destinations in the Caribbean and Central America. This might make the card less appealing to you if you typically fly with a Basic fare or to anywhere you can’t take full advantage of the card’s Delta discounts.
One last consideration: If you want a card that offers high rewards on flying and benefits that apply to a wide variety of airlines, consider a different option. For example, the American Express Platinum Card®, an advertising partner, might merit consideration. It’s a premium American Express card with an $895 annual fee. However, it earns 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel® (on up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year) and comes with a host of other benefits to make travel more comfortable. These include Amex Global Lounge Collection access, 10 annual visits to Delta Sky Clubs when flying an eligible Delta flight, and up to $200 in annual airline fee credits (enrollment required) that can cover the cost of checked baggage fees or other incidental charges.
How To Maximize the Delta Platinum’s Value
Use the Companion Certificate
The companion certificate is one of the Delta Platinum Card’s best features since it can save you hundreds of dollars, depending on the flight. If you have a plus-one, it should be a breeze to get strong value out of this benefit. Just make sure to read the fine print on where it’s eligible to be used and know that you can’t use it on a Main Basic fare.
Activate the Card’s Credits
The card comes packed with plenty of potential statement credits that, all in, could outweigh the annual fee if fully utilized. But you have to take some action to activate these benefits. For example, you’ll have to enroll your Delta Platinum Card with Resy and your preferred eligible rideshare providers to activate those monthly credits.
Aim to Reach Delta Medallion Status
If you’re considering this card, it’s likely you favor Delta for your travel, so why not enhance the experience every time you set foot in the airport? Between the card’s $2,500 MQD boost and the $1 bonus MQD for every $20 spent, you can get closer to achieving Silver Medallion status and beyond.
Final Verdict on the Amex Delta Platinum
If you don’t care about Delta Sky Club lounge access, the Amex Delta Platinum Card hits a sweet spot for loyalists who want perks that can easily outweigh the annual fee if used, especially the card’s annual companion certificate. That, plus the high earn rates, first checked bag free benefit and other credits, provide greater value than the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, an advertising partner, which has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150. However, it doesn’t come with a companion certificate or as rich an array of benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Amex Delta Platinum Card
Is the Amex Delta Platinum Card worth the annual fee?
For those who can make use of the Delta Platinum’s annual companion certificate, the first free checked baggage perk and other potential credits, the card can be well worth its $350 annual fee. But if you’re unlikely to use most of the benefits, seek another option.
How does the Delta Platinum companion certificate work?
Once a year, after you renew your card account, you’ll receive a digital certificate good for one round-trip Main Cabin fare when another round-trip Main Cabin fare is purchased, plus any applicable taxes and fees. The certificate can be used on qualifying fares originating within the US, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands. Eligible destinations include the US, Puerto Rico, Mexico and certain locations in the Caribbean and Central America.
Is the Amex Delta Platinum the best card for Delta?
There’s no one best card for every scenario, and whether or not the Amex Delta Platinum Card is the best for you will depend on your goals and ability to maximize this card’s potential credits. If you can get your money’s worth out of the card’s perks, it can be worth it.
Does the Amex Delta Platinum Card come with lounge access?
The Delta Platinum does not come with airport lounge access to the Delta Sky Club or any other airport lounges. If you’re seeking Delta Sky Club access, you may want to consider the Delta Reserve, which offers 15 complimentary Sky Club visits per year. After that, additional passes can be purchased for $50 per visit. Or, if you spend $75,000 or more with your Delta Reserve in a calendar year, you can unlock unlimited visits to the Sky Club.
