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Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card review
Last updated:
A great entry into the Delta SkyMiles program with a welcome offer worth more than $600 in value.
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 right in to the SkyMiles program. Though it carries a $250 annual fee, the card’s travel perks – including the super-valuable annual companion certificate – are worth far more than that each year, all while earning comparable miles on purchases to the earning rate you’d find from the luxury Delta Reserve.
- Get this card if you fly at least three round trips each year with Delta.
- Consider either the Delta Gold or Delta Blue 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.
50,000
Miles as welcome offer
Up to 3x
Miles
$250
Annual fee
15.74% to 24.74%
Purchase APR (variable)
Details
| Annual fee | $250 |
|---|---|
| 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 plus up to $100 back in statement credits for eligible purchases at US restaurants in the same timeframe |
| Rewards | 3x miles on Delta and direct hotel purchases, 2x miles at restaurants and US supermarkets and 1x miles for all other purchases |
| Purchase APR | 15.74% to 24.74% variable |
| Balance transfer APR | N/A |
| Recommended minimum credit score | 670 |
| Issuer | American Express |
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
This mid-tier Delta travel 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, 1x miles on everything else and a welcome offer of 50,000 miles and 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs), as well as up to $100 back as statement credit on eligible US restaurant purchases during that same time, as well as a 15.74% to 24.74% variable APR.
Despite it’s 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 SkyMiles program, rather than the Delta SkyMiles Gold. 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 $100 statement credit toward your TSA Pre✓® 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 pays for the card each year. The value of this companion certificate alone is enough that even occasional Delta fliers could benefit from one in their wallet and slims down the usefulness of the Delta Gold card to just a few specific circumstances. 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
- Click 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 7 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 50,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) when you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after your account is open. Also earn up to $100 back in statement credits on eligible US restaurant purchases within your first 3 months of membership.
- 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 and US supermarkets. 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 or more on purchases in a 3 months of membership you’ll earn 5,000 Medallion Qualifying Miles. You can earn this bonus twice, provided you hit the spending requirement twice in a calendar year. This will help you achieve a Silver Medallion Status, which will give you exclusive benefits.
- 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.
- Reduced price for Delta Sky Clubs®. You can buy reduced-price entry into the Delta Sky Club® for $39 — and bring up to two guests for $39 each. Normally, a Single Visit Pass costs $59. Unfortunately, this price jumped up from $29 during the recent Delta card refresh. If you often visit Delta Sky Clubs®, consider the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, which gives you complimentary access.
- First checked bag free. For up to nine passengers traveling on the same reservation as the cardholder, first checked bag fees are waived. 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.
- 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.
- 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 15.74% to 24.74% variable APR, while the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, for example, has a 13.99% to 23.99% variable APR (Terms apply, see rates & fees).
- April 29, 2021: Card welcome offer changed from 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases during your first 3 months to 50,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases during your first 3 months, plus earn up to $100 back in statement credits on eligible US restaurant purchases during that same time period.
Delta flight perks
Other perks
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card drawbacks
Compare Delta Platinum to similar credit cards
Here’s a visual breakdown of the Delta Platinum vs. two similar cards for a closer look at the Delta Platinum‘s performance.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
★★★★★
Terms apply, see rates & fees| Go to site |
|---|
|
Minimum credit score 670 |
|
Annual fee $250 |
|
Purchase APR 15.74% to 24.74% variable |
|
Balance transfer APR N/A |
|
Rewards 3x miles on Delta and direct hotel purchases, 2x miles at restaurants and US supermarkets and 1x miles for all other purchases |
|
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 plus up to $100 back in statement credits for eligible purchases at US restaurants in the same timeframe |
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
★★★★★
Terms apply, see rates & fees| Go to site |
|---|
|
Minimum credit score 670 |
|
Annual fee $0 intro annual fee for the first year ($99 thereafter) |
|
Purchase APR 15.74% to 24.74% variable |
|
Balance transfer APR N/A |
|
Rewards 2x miles on Delta purchases, restaurants and at US supermarkets and 1x miles on all other purchases |
|
Welcome offer Earn 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new card in your first 3 months, plus up to $50 back in statement credits for eligible purchases at US restaurants in the same timeframe |
United℠ Explorer Card
★★★★★
Terms apply, see rates & fees| Go to site |
|---|
|
Minimum credit score 670 |
|
Annual fee $0 intro annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter) |
|
Purchase APR 16.49% to 23.49% variable |
|
Balance transfer APR 16.49% to 23.49% variable |
|
Rewards 2x miles at restaurants, hotels and United and 1.5x miles on all other purchases |
|
Welcome offer 40,000 miles after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months, plus 25,000 miles after spending $10,000 in the first 6 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 May 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 2 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.
Back to topWhat’s changed with the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card?
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
Images: AmericanExpress.com
Travel card ratings
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
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