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Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card review
Last updated:
A business credit card that lets you enjoy premium Delta flyer benefits and earn Medallion Status faster.
finder.com’s rating: 4.6 / 5
★★★★★
- Get this card if you often fly Delta and want to achieve Medallion Status.
- Pick something else if you don’t want to pay high annual fee.
- Apply with a good to excellent credit score of 670 or higher.
70,000
Miles as welcome offer
Up to 3x
Miles
$250
Annual fee
15.74% to 24.74%
Purchase APR (variable)
Details
| Product Name | Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card |
|---|---|
| Card type | American Express |
| Annual fee | $250 |
| Purchase APR | 15.74% to 24.74% variable |
| Balance transfer APR | N/A |
| Cash advance rate | 25.24% variable |
| Cash advance fee | $5 or 3% of the cash advance amount, whichever is greater |
| Penalty APR | 29.24% variable |
| Foreign transaction fee | None |
| Interest free period | Up to 25 days |
| Late payment fee | Up to $39 |
| Returned payment fee | $39 |
| Rates & fees | rates & fees |
Expert review
Review by
Kliment Dukovski
kliment.dukovski@findercrew.comKliment Dukovski is a credit cards writer. He's written over 600 articles to help readers find and compare the best credit cards. Kliment has also written on money transfers, home loans and more. Previously, he ghostwrote guides and articles on foreign exchange, stock market trading and cryptocurrencies.
Expert review
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card is the mid-tier card of the Delta suite of cards. It has a $250 annual fee and a rewards program with 3x miles on Delta purchases and hotels and 1x miles on all other purchases. However, purchases over $5,000 earn 1.5x miles on up to 50,000 additional miles per year.
Also, you get to earn a generous welcome offer of 70,000 miles and 5,000 MQMs, and a companion certificate every year you renew your card membership. Of the Delta perks, you get Main Cabin 1 priority boarding and free first checked bag.
Overall, businesses that often fly Delta and spend more than $25,000 annually with this card can offset the annual fee and get the highest value.
What can I buy with Delta Skymiles?
In general, flights have the highest redeem value of an average 1.5 cents per mile.
Among the products and services offered at the Delta marketplace as of October 2018, you can use miles to buy:
- $250 Gift card for 35,700 miles — value of 0.7 cents per mile.
- $150 Samsonite 20″ carry-on bag for 26,600 miles — value of 0.56 cents per mile.
- $1,299 Apple MacBook Pro 13″ for 258,200 miles — value of 0.50 cents per mile.
The perks
- Welcome offer.
Earn 70,000 bonus miles and 5,000 MQMs when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months of card membership. - Earn miles.
Earn 3x miles on Delta purchases and hotels, and 1x miles on all other purchases. Eligible purchases of $5,000 earn 1.5x miles on up to 50,000 additional bonus points per year. - Companion certificate
Get a companion ticket for a domestic round trip on main cabin every year you renew your card. Taxes and fees of up to $75 are not covered with the companion certificate. - Delta perks.
There are a few Delta perks you get with this card, including:- Get a first checked bag free for you and nine other passengers traveling on your reservation. With this perk, you can save $60 on a round trip.
- Board your plane sooner with Main Cabin 1 priority boarding. This applies to up to nine passengers traveling on your reservation. Value of this perk is $15 per person.
- Enjoy discounted Delta Sky Club® access of $39 per person for you and up to two guests. Regular price of a day pass is $59 per person, which means you can save up to $240 annually if you visit Delta Sky Club® once a month.
- Spend $25,000 in a calendar year and boost your status to earn 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles up to two times per year.
- Get 20% back as a statement credit for all in-flight purchases on food, beverages and audio headsets.
- 0% foreign transaction fees (see rates & fees).
You won’t pay any international transaction fees when you use your card abroad. Other cards have up to 3% fees for every transaction. This may not sound like a lot, but it can add up on a trip spanning several days. - Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit.
Get up to $100 credit to cover for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.
What to watch out for
- Annual fee.
To get all the benefits this card offers, you’ll have to pay a $250 annual fee. However, if you make at least four round trips per year, you’ll offset the annual fee with the first checked bag free perk alone. - Avoid late payments.
You’ll pay fees up to $39 for late payments. If you make two late or returned payments in 12 months, Amex will stick you with a penalty APR of 29.24% variable. You’ll need to make 12 consecutive timely payments to remove the penalty APR. - No balance transfers.
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card has no balance transfer option.
Compare business travel credit cards
What size business is the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card good for?
Small to medium size businesses that spend anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000 per year and frequently fly on Delta could find this card useful. With annual purchases of up to $50,000, you’ll get to use the card’s full potential and earn Medallion Status if you’ve already earned the welcome offer. After that, you’ll get to earn even more miles on Delta flights. Compare Delta’s business credit cards and choose which is best for your needs.
What is Medallion Status?
Delta’s tiered program for the most loyal customers is known as the Medallion Status. It gives you additional benefits, such as unlimited complimentary upgrades to Delta Comfort+® and first class, waived baggage fees, priority customer service, hotel and car rental benefits and more.
How do I reach Medallion Status?
There are three points systems used to reach Medallion status — Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs), Medallion® Qualification Segments (MQSs) and Medallion® Qualification Dollars (MQDs).
How do I earn these points?
- Medallion® Qualification Miles are earned on the distance you fly and your ticket fare class — the further you travel on a higher fare class, the more MQMs you earn.
- Medallion® Qualification Segments are earned on the number of flights you take and the number of flight segments within each trip. Flight segments include any airport stops you make on your flight toward your destination.
- Medallion® Qualification Dollars are earned on the amount of money you spend on Delta and its partners’ flights.
How do I reach Medallion Status?
- Silver Medallion Status. 25,000 MQMs or 30 MQSs, and $3,000 MQDs or an MQD waiver.
- Gold Medallion Status. 50,000 MQMs or 60 MQSs, and $6,000 MQDs or an MQD waiver.
- Platinum Medallion Status. 75,000 MQMs or 100 MQSs, and $9,000 MQDs or an MQD waiver.
- Diamond Medallion Status. 125,000 MQMs or 140 MQSs, and $15,000 MQDs or an MQD waiver.
The MQD requirement to earn Platinum, Gold or Silver Medallion Status is waived if you make $25,000 or more in eligible purchases with your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card during the year.
How to earn Delta SkyMiles quickly
What should I know before I apply?
To apply for the card, you must be at least 18 years old and a citizen or permanent resident of the US.
Provide the following business information when you fill out the form:
- Business name and contact information.
- Industry type, company structure and years in business.
- Annual business revenue and monthly spending.
- For partnerships and corporations you’ll need the federal tax ID.
Provide personal information such as:
- Name and address.
- Social Security number and date of birth.
- Annual income and income sources.
- Delta SkyMiles number if you have one.
What credit score do I need?
You can apply with a credit score in the mid 600s, but it’s best to apply with a good to excellent credit score of 670 or more. If you have a high credit score and low utilization, you can get a higher credit line.
What do customers say about the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card?
The Better Business Bureau rates American Express with an A+. As of this writing, 175 customers have left reviews, resulting in a composite score of 3.78 out of 5 stars. Most complaints are about the poor customer support service. On the other hand, reviewers on the Amex website praise the customer support.
Customers using the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card are satisfied with the perks, especially with the companion certificate, free checked bags and high number of miles they can earn.
How to apply for the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card?
- Go to the provider's site and click Apply now.
- Select the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card from the list of business cards and click Apply now.
- Fill out the form with the required information.
- Review your application and submit it.
How long will it take to get my Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card?
American Express can decide on your application within minutes. Once approved, expect your card to arrive in 7 to 10 business days by mail.
I got the card. Now what?
- Download the Amex® mobile app. The app is available for both Android and iOS — use it to set payment alerts, track your spending, pay bills, find offers and more.
- Pay on time. Always make your payments on time to avoid fees of up to $39 and a penalty APR of 29.24% variable. Especially since the penalty APR lasts for at least 12 months.
- Customer service. Call 800-528-4800 if you need a hand. If you prefer online chat with a customer service representative, go to the Amex site and use the online chat feature.
Bottom line
At first glance, the $250 annual fee could make you wonder if the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card is good card for your business. But if you spend up to $50,000 on purchases per year and you make at least four round trips with Delta, you could offset your card’s annual fee and earn Medallion Status benefits. Plus, you’ll receive an annual companion airfare ticket that can be worth more than the annual fee.
If you spend less than $30,000 on purchases and you make at least two round trips per year, consider the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card; you can earn 60,000 bonus miles after you make $3,000 in purchases on your within the first 3 months. You can also earn $100 Delta credit when you spend $10,000 in a calendar year. You get similar perks for a $99 annual fee after the first year $0 annual fee intro (see rates & fees).
Before you apply, consider comparing other business credit cards. You may be able to find product that better suits your needs.
Frequently asked questions
Images: americanexpress.com
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.
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