Delta Platinum Amex Card Review: Big Benefits & Strong Welcome Offer

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is the second most premium personal credit card in the Delta SkyMiles and Amex co-brand card portfolio.

If you fly Delta several times a year and want perks like a companion certificate and the ability to spend toward elite status qualification, the Delta Platinum Amex is worth a look, and can easily be worth more than the fee. This post is my in-depth Delta Platinum Card review, so let’s get into all the details.

Link: Learn more about the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex Card summary & key details November 2026

Before we get too deep into my Delta Platinum Amex review, let me give a quick overview of the card’s main features and fees:

• Delta Platinum Card annual fee: $350 (Rates & Fees)
• Delta Platinum Card welcome offer: You may be eligible for as high as 90,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
• Delta Platinum Card miles earning rates: 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.
• Delta Platinum Card companion certificate benefit: Receive a Companion Certificate on a Delta Main domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flight each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
• Delta Platinum Card other benefits with Delta: A first and second checked bag free (the first on Delta flights worldwide, the second only on domestic Delta flights), Zone 5 priority boarding, Pay With Miles, receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year, earn $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $20 of eligible purchases on your card in a calendar year, complimentary upgrade list
• Delta Platinum Card discounts with Delta: TakeOff 15 discount of 15% anytime you book award travel on Delta flights through Delta, 20% back on eligible inflight purchases in the form of a statement credit
• Delta Platinum Card credits: Earn up to $10 in statement credits each month (up to $120 each year) when you use the card on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers (enrollment required), earn up to $10 in statement credits each month at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants, up to $120 in credit each year (enrollment required), up to $150 in Delta Stays credit after using your card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays, get a $120 statement credit for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 for a TSA PreCheck application fee every four years
• Delta Platinum other travel and shopping benefits: Hertz Five Star® Status (enrollment required), trip delay insurance, car rental loss and damage insurance, coverage for lost, damaged, or stolen baggage, purchase protection, extended warranty protection
• Delta Platinum Card foreign transaction fees: None (Rates & Fees)
• Best for: Frequent Delta flyers who want to earn miles on spending and book at least one paid flight a year

I also put together my top pros and cons for the Delta Platinum SkyMiles Card:

Delta Platinum Card bonus, eligibility, & fees

Let’s cover the welcome bonus, eligibility details, and fees, of the Delta Platinum Card. After all, these are major factors that people consider when applying for cards.

Delta Platinum Amex welcome bonus

The Delta Platinum Card currently has the following welcome offer: You may be eligible for as high as 90,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

Based on my latest miles & points valuations, SkyMiles are worth 1.1 cents each. That means to me, the welcome bonus is worth up to $990. While Delta SkyMiles is far from my favorite mileage currency, it does have quite a high floor value, so there are good ways to redeem Delta SkyMiles.

Delta Platinum Amex eligibility

The welcome offer on the Delta Platinum Card is “once in a lifetime,” so it’s not available if you currently have the card, or if you’ve had the card in the past. You’re also not eligible for the welcome offer on this card if you have or have had the personal version of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (learn more). However, you are eligible for this card if you’ve had any version of the business Delta Amex cards before.

One thing worth emphasizing is that if you’re going to apply for multiple personal Delta Amex cards, you’ll want to pick up the less premium cards first, and then work your way up. That way you’re potentially eligible for the welcome offers on each of the cards. Meanwhile if you start with the most premium card, you wouldn’t be eligible for the offers on the less premium cards.

You can read more about Amex’s general application restrictions here.

Delta Platinum Amex annual fee & authorized user fee

The Platinum Delta Amex has a $350 annual fee (Rates & Fees). You can add additional users to the card at no extra cost (Rates & Fees). As mentioned above, this is the second highest annual fee personal card in the Delta and Amex portfolio.

Delta Platinum Amex no foreign transaction fees

If you are going to put spending on the Delta Platinum Amex, the good news is that there are no foreign transaction fees (Rates & Fees), so you can use the card abroad without paying high fees.

Delta Platinum Card rewards structure

When applying for a credit card, the rewards structure is obviously a major consideration for people. With airline credit cards, the question typically comes down to both the miles offered on spending, as well as the ability to qualify for elite status with spending. How does the Delta Platinum Card do on that front? Well, among airline cards, I’d say it’s pretty competitive, so let’s cover those details.

Earning miles with the Delta Platinum Amex Card

The Delta Platinum Amex offers the following miles earning opportunities for spending:

• 3x SkyMiles for purchases directly with Delta
• 3x SkyMiles for purchases made directly with hotels
• 2x SkyMiles at restaurants worldwide
• 2x SkyMiles at U.S. supermarkets
• 1x SkyMiles on other eligible purchases

Since I value Delta miles at 1.1 cents, I think this card offers a 3.3% return on its 3x miles categories (purchases made directly with Delta and directly with hotels), a 2.2% return on its 2x miles categories (restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets), and a 1.1% return on non-bonus spending.

The card has solid bonus categories for a co-branded airline card, but purely in terms of rewards for spending, I think there are still better cards out there for airfare purchases, hotel purchases, restaurant purchases, and grocery store purchases.

Earning elite status with the Delta Platinum Card

Nowadays, Delta SkyMiles Medallion elite status is earned exclusively based on how many Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) you rack up. When it comes to earning MQDs through credit card spending, the Delta Platinum Amex can help you earn status:

• Just for having the card, you receive a head start of $2,500 MQDs annually
• For spending on the card, you earn $1 MQD for every $20 of eligible purchases on the card in a calendar year

For context, Delta SkyMiles Medallion elite status has the following annual MQD requirements:

• Delta Silver Medallion elite status requires $5,000 MQDs
• Delta Gold Medallion elite status requires $10,000 MQDs
• Delta Platinum Medallion elite status requires $15,000 MQDs
• Delta Diamond Medallion elite status requires $28,000 MQDs

If you’re serious about earning elite status with credit card spending, you’ll want to consider the more premium Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card (learn more) instead, since it earns MQDs twice as fast — you earn $1 MQD per $10 of eligible purchases, rather than $1 MQD per $20 of eligible purchases.

Redeeming Delta SkyMiles for maximum value

While Delta SkyMiles is far from my favorite mileage currency, it does have a high floor value, so there are good ways to redeem Delta SkyMiles. You can redeem SkyMiles for flights on Delta or SkyTeam partners, like Air France, China Airlines, and Korean Air. You can also redeem SkyMiles on airlines like LATAM and WestJet, which aren’t part of SkyTeam.

Partner award flights can be an especially good option if you focus on flights that don’t touch the United States, since flights that do are more expensive and get you less value for your miles. I’ve also seen some good award prices for Delta One (business class) awards, specifically for booking roundtrip rather than one way.

Delta Platinum Amex Card benefits & credits

The Platinum Delta Credit Card has a nice welcome offer. In general, I’d say it could be worth putting spending on the card if you’re trying to earn Medallion elite status with Delta SkyMiles. For most people, the reason you’ll want to keep this card long term is because of the perks and benefits that it offers, which for many people will more than offset the annual fee. Let’s go over some of those benefits.

Annual companion certificate for Delta

Every year upon renewal of your Delta Platinum Card, you can receive a Delta Main roundtrip companion certificate. You just have to pay the government-imposed taxes and fees for the companion. This is a great deal that can be worth significantly more than the annual fee in and of itself.

If redeeming the certificate there are some things to be aware of:

• It’s valid for roundtrip Delta Main travel within the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii) and to select destinations in the Caribbean or Central America
• You have to pay the government-imposed taxes and fees for the second traveler on the reservation
• Companion certificates are only valid for travel in the L, U, T, X, and V fare classes
• You can’t combine a companion certificate with eCoupons
• Travel has to be completed by the expiration date of the certificate
• You have to pay for the ticket using a Delta Amex card

$150 annual Delta Stays credit

Just for having the Delta Platinum Card, you can receive up to $150 in Delta Stays credit annually. The way this works, you can receive $150 in statement credits per calendar year when you use your card to pay for a new Delta Stays prepaid hotel or vacation rental booking on the Delta Stays platform.

While I’m not usually a fan of using airline portals to book hotel stays and vacation rentals, this could prove worthwhile, as you can use it for a hotel stay costing right around $150, if you wanted to. If used right, there’s real value here.

$120 annual rideshare credit

Just for having the Delta Platinum Card, you receive up to $120 in rideshare credits annually (Enrollment required). The way this works, you can receive up to $10 in statement credits each month after using your card on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. This is super easy to unlock, though admittedly the increments as such are quite small.

$120 annual Resy credit

Just for having the Delta Platinum Card, you receive up to $120 in Resy credits annually (Enrollment required). The way this works, you can receive up to $10 in statement credits each month after using your card on eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants.

Up to two free checked bags on Delta

Just for having the Platinum Delta Card you get a first checked bag free. With the ever-increasing cost of a checked bag with Delta, this can really add up.

• This benefit is limited to the primary cardmember and anyone traveling on the same reservation with them (up to nine people)
• You don’t have to pay for your flight with your Delta Amex, though you do need to have your SkyMiles number in the reservation
• As of June 4, 2026, as the primary cardmember, you can receive a second checked bag free on eligible domestic Delta flights

Depending on how many bags you’re checking, a single trip could pay for the card’s annual fee.

Priority boarding on Delta

You receive priority boarding just for having the Delta Platinum Amex. This helps maximize your odds of finding space for your carry-on and getting to your seat sooner. To receive this benefit, you’ll need to ensure the primary cardmember’s SkyMiles number is linked to the reservation (though there’s no need to actually pay for the flight with the card).

This benefit is valid for a total of up to nine people traveling on the same reservation with the primary cardmember.

20% savings on Delta inflight purchases

If you have the Delta Platinum Card, then you can save 20% in the form of a statement credit for eligible pre-purchased meals, and in-flight purchases of food, alcoholic beverages, and audio headsets, on Delta flights. Allow 8-12 weeks for the statement credit to post.

TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit

The Platinum Delta Amex offers a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit. This benefit applies once every four years for the application fee for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. This can save you time both at security and immigration, and is something I highly recommend signing up for if eligible. (Enrollment required)

Delta Pay With Miles access

Delta has a Pay With Miles feature, where if you have a Delta co-branded credit card, you can redeem miles for one cent each toward a Delta flight purchase (in increments of 5,000 miles per $50). That’s not the best deal in the world, though this is a feature that’s exclusively available to those with an eligible Delta Amex card.

Some people find this to be useful since they can redeem their miles toward flights, and then they still earn miles and MQDs on the portion of the fare they pay in cash.

15% savings on Delta award flights

With the TakeOff 15 perk (exclusively for those with select Delta Amex cards), you can save 15% on the cost of a SkyMiles award ticket when traveling exclusively on Delta (the discount doesn’t apply to taxes and fees). Delta SkyMiles award pricing is dynamic, and generally you’ll find that each mile gets you a bit over a cent toward the cost of a ticket.

Saving 15% on these awards is valuable, and means that you’ll generally get somewhere around 1.2-1.3 cents of value per mile (or sometimes even more). In many cases this will end up being a better value than using the Pay With Miles option, so it’s a real perk of the card.

Amex Offers program access

One of the great features of Amex cards is access to Amex Offers, which offers savings or bonus points on purchases with all kinds of retailers. There’s huge value to be had in getting as many Amex cards as possible, so that you can get these offers on multiple cards.

Amex Offers could save you hundreds of dollars per year. You can access these offers by logging into your account and scrolling down to the bottom of your account summary page. (Enrollment required)

Hertz Five Star status

The Delta Platinum Card gets you complimentary Hertz Five Star status. Enrollment is required, and you receive the following benefits with the rental car company:

• Complimentary one-car-class upgrade with every rental when available
• 25% bonus points on all Hertz rentals
• A free additional driver on your reservation

Travel and purchase protection

The Delta Platinum Amex comes with a handful of coverage benefits that can protect you and your belongings both at home and on the road, including:

• Trip delay insurance — Coverage for a roundtrip paid entirely with your card that’s delayed by more than 12 hours, for certain additional expenses up to $300 per trip
• Baggage insurance plan — Get coverage for both checked and carry-on luggage that is lost, damaged, or stolen
• Car rental loss and damage insurance — Secondary coverage if your rental car is damaged or stolen
• Purchase protection — Coverage for up to 90 days from the covered purchase date if your new item is stolen or accidentally damaged
• Extended warranty — Get up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty for warranties of five years or less

Up to $300 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 12 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Baggage insurance plan: 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. Car rental loss and damage insurance: 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. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. Extended warranty and purchase protection: 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.

Is the Delta Platinum Amex Card worth it?

The Delta Platinum Credit Card isn’t necessarily the best card for the casual Delta flyer, and it’s also not a card I’d recommend putting much spending on, unless you value the MQDs that you can earn with the card. Even if you value MQDs, you’re better off with the more premium card, since you can earn them twice as fast.

However, this card has solid perks, ranging from a companion certificate, to free checked bags, to priority boarding, to savings on award flights, to access to exclusive award redemption opportunities, to valuable statement credits, and more.

Bigger picture, is the Delta Platinum Card worth it, though? There are a few things to consider.

Want a business credit card instead?

If the Delta Platinum Amex sounds interesting to you but you are instead looking for a card for your small business, consider the Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum Business American Express Card.

Most of the benefits of the card are the same. The main earning difference is that the business card earns 1.5x miles on transit, at U.S. shipping providers, and on single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (on up to $100,000 of combined eligible purchases per year), while the personal card offers 2x miles at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (both cards offer 3x miles on Delta purchases and hotel purchases).

The business version of the card also offers an annual Delta Stays credit of up to $200, rather than one of up to $150, so it’s arguably more lucrative.

Delta Platinum Amex vs. Delta Gold Amex card comparison

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (learn more) is a good card for occasional Delta flyers who want basic airline perks. It has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150. (Rates & Fees) and a smaller list of perks, including:

• 2x miles on Delta purchases, at restaurants, and at U.S. supermarkets, and 1x miles on all other eligible purchases
• A $200 Delta flight credit toward future travel after you spend $10,000 in eligible purchases in a calendar year
• A first and second checked bag free (the first on Delta flights worldwide, the second only on domestic Delta flights), Zone 5 priority boarding, Pay With Miles

The Delta Gold Card offers the same discounts you get with the Delta Platinum Card, as well as the rideshare credit, but in this case it only kicks in after your first renewal. The Delta Gold Card doesn’t earn MQDs toward status, so that’s another potential downside to keep in mind.

Delta Platinum Amex vs. Delta Reserve Amex card comparison

For the very frequent Delta flyer, there’s the Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card (learn more), which has a $650 annual fee (Rates & Fees). What differentiates this card?

• The card offers Delta Sky Club® access (15 visits per Medallion Year when flying Delta for eligible card members, and unlimited access after spending $75,000 on the card in a calendar year) and complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card
• The card offers a companion certificate that is valid for up to Delta first class as well
• Having the card gets you upgrade priority over those in the same elite tier and fare class who don’t have the Reserve Card
• The card earns MQDs twice as fast, so is the best card for spending your way to Delta status

Earn Amex Membership Rewards points instead

If you are looking to earn Delta SkyMiles through credit card spending then consider using a card earning Amex Membership Rewards points. These points can be transferred to Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio, and you can in many cases earn points at a much faster rate.

For example, the American Express® Gold Card (learn more) offers 4x points at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50K per calendar year, and then 1x) and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25K per calendar year, and then 1x), and 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or at amextravel.com

Furthermore, earning Amex points gives you more flexibility to redeem in other ways, given all the great uses of Membership Rewards points.

The information and associated card details on this page for the American Express Green Card have been collected independently by OMAAT and have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Delta Platinum Card FAQs

Bottom line

The Delta Platinum Amex offers solid perks for those who fly Delta frequently, especially Medallion members. For many, the annual companion certificate will more than justify the annual fee in and of itself, without even accounting for all of the other perks. Some will also get value from the 2,500 MQDs that are offered annually just for having the card.

The annual fee on this card is potentially quite easy to justify, thanks to all the credits you can earn with rideshares, Resy, and even Delta Stays.

If you want to learn more about the Delta Platinum Amex Card, follow this link.

The following links will direct you to the rates and fees for mentioned American Express Cards. These include: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Rates & Fees), and Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (Rates & Fees).