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Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card review
A great entry into the Delta SkyMiles program with a welcome offer that punches well above its weight.
finder.com’s rating: 4.0 / 5.0
★★★★★
Though this is Delta’s mid-tier cobranded credit card, it is one of your best options for jumping into the SkyMiles program. It carries a $250 annual fee, but the card’s travel perks — including the super-valuable annual companion certificate — are worth far more than that each year. The miles you’ll earn on purchases are also comparable to the luxury Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card.
- Get this card if you fly at least three round trips each year with Delta.
- Consider either the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card or Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card cards if you fly less than three times each year, or the Delta Reserve if you’re a hardcore Delta flyer who wants the ultimate Delta benefits.
- Apply with a good to excellent credit score of 670 or higher.
90,000
Miles as welcome offer
Up to 3x
Miles
$250
Annual fee
17.24% to 26.24%
Purchase APR (variable)
Details
| Annual fee | $250 |
|---|---|
| Rewards | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
| Purchase APR | 17.24% to 26.24% variable |
| Balance transfer APR | N/A |
| Minimum Credit Score | 670 |
| Issuer | American Express |
Review by
Steven Dashiell
steven.dashiell@finder.comSteven Dashiell is Senior Writer, Personal Finance at Finder specializing in all things credit cards. With more than 300 articles under his belt, he aims to help readers embrace credit cards and maximize their rewards. Steve is studying to become a Certified Educator in Personal Finance, and is a frequent face on Finder’s YouTube channel, offering the latest in credit card hacks and advice. His expertise has been featured on numerous outlets, including U.S. News & World Report, NASDAQ, Time, CBS, Fox Business, Lifehacker, Martha Stewart Living and more.
Expert review
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is the mid-tier Delta card and sports a $250 annual fee. It earns 3x miles on eligible Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2x miles on restaurants and US supermarkets, takeout and delivery, 1x miles on everything else and a welcome offer of 90,000 miles and 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles after you spend $3,000 within your first 3 months.
Despite its placement in the Delta pantheon as the mid-tier option, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is in fact the better choice for most people looking to start benefiting from the SkyMiles program for the first time. The reason comes down to the value of the card’s perks versus the price of the card. Put simply, you get a tremendous number of perks, such as free checked baggage, priority boarding, special pricing for Delta Sky Club access, inflight savings, and a up to $100 statement credit toward your TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry application, the combination of which are worth far more than $250, provided you use them.
But the real home run is the annual companion certificate you get each year you renew your card membership. This certificate covers a main-cabin roundtrip flight, which is alone worth hundreds of dollars and easily makes up for the card’s annual fee. If you’re looking for a card that adds value and comfort to your SkyMiles membership but don’t want to jump into the luxury cost of the Delta Reserve card, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is a great place to start.
How to apply for the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
- Go to the provider's site and select Apply now.
- Complete the application form.
- Review your application and submit it.
What should I know before I apply?
To apply for the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, you must be:
- At least 18 years old.
- A US resident.
You’ll need to provide information, including:
- Your full name and contact information.
- Your Social Security number and date of birth.
- Your annual income and source of income.
How long will it take to get my Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card?
You’ll likely find out whether you’ve been approved quickly thanks to American Express’s automated preapproval system. If further review is needed, it could take up to several weeks to get a decision.
Upon approval, you’ll receive the card within seven to 10 business days.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card benefits
Here’s a quick breakdown of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card‘s standout features.
Earn SkyMiles
- Welcome offer. Get 90,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after your account is open.
- Earn miles on purchases. Earn 3 miles per dollar spent on eligible Delta purchases like flight tickets, food or beverages and movies, and on purchases made directly with hotels. You can also earn 2x miles on purchases made at restaurants worldwide and US supermarkets, takeout and delivery. Earn 1 mile per dollar spent on other eligible purchases. Redeem miles for flights on Delta and Delta’s partner airlines. The value of SkyMiles® depends on the service or product that you wish to redeem them for, so review your options carefully when redeeming.
- Status boost. When you spend $25,000 or more on purchases in a 3 months of membership you’ll earn 10,000 Medallion Qualifying Miles. You can earn this bonus twice, provided you hit the $25,000 spending requirement twice in a calendar year. This will help you achieve a Silver Medallion Status, which will give you exclusive benefits.
Delta flight perks
- Companion certificate. Each year you renew your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, you’ll receive a domestic main cabin round-trip companion certificate. This allows you to take a guest on a round-trip domestic flight for only the cost of taxes and fees.
- First checked bag free. For up to nine passengers traveling on the same reservation as the cardholder, first checked bag fees are waived on Delta flights. Save up to $60 per round trip.
- Priority boarding. Settle into your seat sooner with a Main Cabin 1 priority boarding for you and up to eight passengers traveling on your reservation.
- In-flight savings. Get 20% savings as a statement credit when you make in-flight purchases of food, beverages and audio headsets.
Other perks
- Baggage, trip delay and car rental insurance. Receive insurance on eligible car rentals, protecting you from liability for loss or damage. And eligible delays to your trip and lost, damaged or stolen baggage is covered when you purchase your transportation fare with your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card.
- Global assistance. When you travel more than 100 miles from home, you get 24/7 access to legal, medical, financial or any other emergency service you may require.
- Purchase protection. You bought an item and you don’t like it, but now you can get a refund even if the merchant won’t take it back within 90 days of the purchase date. Enroll through your Amex account to get 2-day free shipping with ShopRunner and protection against damage and theft of your phone or other eligible items.
- TSA Pre✓® or Global Entry fee credit. This card offers a $100 statement credit toward the application fee of TSA Pre✓® or Global Entry every four years.
- No foreign transaction fees. Since this is a travel card, use it freely when traveling abroad and you won’t pay any international transaction fees.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card drawbacks
- Annual fee. The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card comes with a $250 annual fee.
- Not as widely accepted overseas. Because this is an American Express card, you may have limited opportunities to use it overseas.
- Steep penalty for late payments. Making late or returned payments could cost you a penalty APR as high as 29.99% variable. You may also incur late and returned-payment fees as high as $40.
- Taxes and fees on companion certificate. You’ll receive an annual round-trip companion certificate for a domestic flight, but you need to pay taxes and fees up to $75 out of pocket.
- High APR on purchases. All Amex Delta cards have relatively high APR ranges on purchases when compared to other cards. The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card has a 17.24% to 26.24% variable APR, while the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, for example, has a 15.49% to 25.49% variable APR (Terms apply, see rates & fees).
Compare Delta Platinum to similar credit cards
Here’s a visual breakdown of the Delta Platinum vs. the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card vs. Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card. See how its benefits stack up against the other cards and decide if the Delta Platinum is right for you.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card |
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card |
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card |
 |
 |
 |
|
★★★★★ |
★★★★★ |
★★★★★ |
|
|
|
|
|
Minimum Credit Score 670 |
Minimum Credit Score 670 |
Minimum Credit Score 670 |
|
Annual Fee $250 |
Annual Fee $99 ongoing |
Annual Fee $0 |
|
Purchase APR Up to 26.24% variable |
Purchase APR Up to 26.24% variable |
Purchase APR Up to 26.24% variable |
|
Balance transfer APR N/A |
Balance transfer APR N/A |
Balance transfer APR N/A |
|
Rewards 3x miles |
Rewards 2x miles |
Rewards 2x miles |
|
Welcome offer Limited Time Offer: Earn 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer ends 8/3/2022. |
Welcome offer
Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $500 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. |
Compare even more credit cards
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card reviews and complaints
Customers love the companion certificate, the Status Boost and the overall travel perks that come with the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. Inflexible company policies and poor customer support are cited in most customer complaints.
The American Express Company has been accredited with the Better Business Bureau since 1948 and earns an overall A+ rating as of August 2021. However, 90% of its reviews are negative and it has nearly 3,400 customer complaints. Amex cardholders, in general, complain of rude customer service reps, missing statement credit and issues disputing charges.
The company earns a Trustpilot score of 1.9 out of 5 as of May 2021. Many negative reviews cite unhelpful customer service and inflexible company policies. Positive reviews say the company employs pleasant customer service representatives. Overall, your mileage may vary with American Express customer support.
How has this card changed over time?
| Date | Before card update | After card update |
|---|---|---|
| April 14, 2022 | Welcome offer: 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in your first 3 months | Welcome offer: Earn 50,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first 3 months. |
| March 3, 2022 | Welcome offer: Earn 50,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first 3 months. | Welcome offer: 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in your first 3 months |
| April 29, 2021 | Welcome offer: 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in your first 3 months | Welcome offer: 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 in your first 3 months and up to $200 back as statement credit on your first Delta purchase during that same time period |
| July 29, 2021 | Welcome offer: 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 in your first 3 months and up to $200 back as statement credit on your first Delta purchase during that same time period | Welcome offer: 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles after you spend $2,000 in your first 3 months and up to $100 back as statement credit on eligible US restaurant purchases during that same time period |
| September 16, 2021 | Welcome offer: Welcome offer: 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles after you spend $2,000 in your first 3 months and up to $100 back as statement credit on eligible US restaurant purchases during that same time period | Welcome offer: 90,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles after you spend $3,000 in your first 3 months |
Bottom line
If you spend less than $25,000 on purchases with your Delta card per year, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card may be a better option. Otherwise, you’ll find that the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is a powerful travel card with a strong welcome offer, useful perks for Delta customers that can offset the annual fee and a robust suite of travel protections.
You may want to compare other credit cards before settling to find one that best suits your needs.
Back to topCompare Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card with other cards
How we determined the value of Delta Skymiles
To determine the average value of a Delta Skymile, we looked at the equivalent dollar value a redemption option would cost in the Delta Skymiles program. We calculated this average across all redemption options available through Delta to reach the approximate value you can expect when redeeming these points on average. In this case, the average value of a single Skymile came out to 1.4 cents per point.
Remember that your points could be worth more or less depending on what you redeem them on, so this figure should be used as a general guide.
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.
Insurance benefit note: 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.
Images: AmericanExpress.com
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