Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card From Amex Review 2020

The Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express is Delta’s premier travel rewards credit card. It is designed to reward you with SkyMiles points for your purchases and comes with a host of other valuable travel benefits. With a Platinum Delta SkyMiles card, not only can you earn 7 miles per dollar (or more, depending on your SkyMiles membership status) on purchases made through Delta, you can also take advantage of such perks as priority boarding, a free checked bag, and, after the first year, a companion certificate for a free flight for somebody traveling with you.

You can also earn 35,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs — more on those later) after spending $1,000 on purchases within 3 months of getting your card. If your business requires you to do extensive traveling and you fly with Delta (or Delta’s SkyMiles partners) exclusively, you’ll want to learn more about this card.

How does the Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from Amex stack up against other travel rewards cards? Read our review to learn more about the card and how it compares to other credit cards competing for the same customers.

Platinum Delta SkyMiles At A Glance

Eligibility

Business applicants typically must have excellent credit to be approved for the Platinum Delta SkyMiles card.

Rewards & Fees

• Your companion certificate, which you’ll get annually after your first year, covers the cost of someone flying with you — the most you’ll have to pay is $75 in taxes and fees
• Along with the 2X miles you’ll earn on Delta purchases, you’ll earn an additional 5 miles per dollar spent on purchases with Delta and its partner airlines with a Basic SkyMiles membership (more if you have elite status) (Offer expired.)
• No foreign transaction fee
• Cash advances and balance transfers carry a fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
• The late payment fee depends on the amount owed and runs up to $38
• The welcome offer of 35,000 bonus miles and 5,000 MQMs is earned by spending $1,000 on purchases within 3 months of opening your account
• Along with the bonus miles and MQMs, you’ll get a $100 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase on your card within 3 months
• The APR for cash advances is a variable 27.49%
• You can check your first bag for free
• Get 20% savings (in the form of a statement credit) on your Delta in-flight purchases
• Automatic Zone 1 priority boarding
• Get discounted access to Delta Sky Club lounges for you and two companions for a discounted fee of $29 per person (normally $59)
• Earn 10,000 bonus miles and 10,000 MQMs after spending $25,000 in purchases in a calendar year, and another 10,000 bonus miles and 10,000 MQMs after spending $50,000

The Delta Platinum card gives you the kind of high-value rewards you should expect from a card that charges you $195 a year to use. The reward that truly makes this card worth it is the free companion ticket. After the first year is over, the card will cover the cost of a round-trip domestic economy ticket for a companion of yours. This benefit can be redeemed once per year. You won’t get this perk with most travel credit cards, and if you fly with a partner, it can end up saving you hundreds of dollars per year — a value well beyond the $195 annual fee, and we haven’t even gotten to the other Delta Platinum benefits yet.

While you’ll get 2 miles for every dollar spent on Delta purchases by using this card, that’s not taking into account the additional 5 miles per dollar you’ll earn on Delta (and partner airline) purchases with a Basic SkyMiles membership, which you’ll get just by being a Delta Platinum SkyMiles cardholder. And that’s just if you’re a Basic SkyMiles member. This Delta Platinum Amex lets you earn Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) as part of the signup bonus (and as a perk for those who spend more than $25,000 in purchases in a calendar year). Earning MQMs will help you advance in medallion status and achieve higher membership tiers in the SkyMiles program, which will enable you to earn even more than 7 miles per dollar on Delta-related purchases. Plus, there are no limits on the number of miles you can earn.

You’ll get plenty of other travel benefits when you use this card. You’ll get a free checked bag and Zone 1 priority boarding so you don’t have to fight for overhead luggage space with the rest of the 99%. You’ll get 20% off (in the form of a statement credit) all your Delta in-flight purchases. You’ll get discounted access to Delta Sky Club lounges for you and two companions. Your two lucky companions can fight over who gets the free companion ticket!

You’ll also get 35,000 bonus miles and 5,000 MQMs by spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months along with a $100 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase on the card within the first three months. Furthermore, there is no foreign transaction fee.

Unfortunately, there is no introductory 0% APR period, and the $195 annual fee is not waived for the first year.

Redeeming Rewards

Delta’s miles are generally worth a bit more than those of other travel rewards programs, so the 7+ miles to the dollar you’ll be earning on Delta purchases will give you plenty of value, considering a round-trip domestic flight can be bought with as little as 20,000 miles. That 35,000-mile bonus offer may end up taking you places — literally.

Plus, you won’t be strictly limited to Delta flights. Your SkyMiles can be redeemed for travel with a SkyTeam airline partner and other SkyMiles partners, including:

• Aeroflot
• Aerolineas Argentinas
• Aeromexico
• AirEuropa
• Air France
• Air Tahiti Nui
• Alaska Airlines
• Alitalia
• China Airlines
• China Eastern
• China Southern
• Czech Airlines
• Garuda Indonesia
• GOL
• Great Lakes
• Hawaiian Airlines (limited to inter-Hawaiian Islands itineraries)
• Kenya Airways
• KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
• Korean Air
• Middle East Airlines
• Saudia Airlines
• Tarom Airlines
• Vietnam Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic
• Virgin Australia
• Xiamen Airlines
• Compass Airlines
• Endeavor Air
• ExpressJet Airlines
• Gojet Airlines
• Shuttle America
• SkyWest

Additionally, there are no blackout dates when you book Delta flights with miles (not so with some of Delta’s partners), and your SkyMiles never expire. By contrast, competing travel rewards programs typically feature miles which expire after 18-36 months.

Regarding reward redemption: Delta’s SkyMiles program has multiple tiers, and ownership of a Platinum Delta SkyMiles card gets you SkyMiles membership, but at the lowest tier. Higher membership tiers earn members even more points per dollar on their Delta purchases as well as additional travel perks, but to climb the tier ladder, you’ll need to earn those MQMs we discussed earlier. You can earn MQMs through the bonus offer and by spending more than $25,000 in purchases within a year, and once you qualify for Medallion status, you’ll start earning even more miles to the dollar on Delta purchases.

Benefits

Amex lists the following as benefits accruing to Platinum Delta SkyMiles users:

• Car rental loss & damage insurance
• 24/7 access to the Global Assist Hotline
• Baggage insurance
• Return protection — get reimbursed for any eligible purchase within 90 days of making the purchase
• Purchase protection — theft & accidental damage are covered
• Fraud protection
• Get employee cards at no additional cost

Platinum Delta SkyMiles vs. Gold Delta SkyMiles

Delta’s Platinum Amex card is obviously going to draw comparisons with Delta’s Gold SkyMiles card. Essentially, the more you spend and the more you fly with Delta, the better the Platinum looks in comparison to the Gold.

While the Platinum Delta SkyMiles card carries a $195 annual fee, the Gold card has a smaller fee ($95, waived for the first year). Therefore, the question becomes whether or not the higher level of benefits you’ll accrue with the Platinum card makes up for the higher cost of the Platinum relative to the Gold. Basically, if you don’t fly with a companion on business trips and you don’t intend to make over $25,000 a year in purchases on the card, the Gold card should meet your Delta-loving needs. If you do travel with a companion and you plan on spending big, however, the benefits of the Platinum card will outweigh the higher fees you’ll be paying relative to the Gold card.

Platinum Delta SkyMiles vs. Chase Ink Business Preferred

The Platinum Delta SkyMiles card is clearly a good deal for business owners who rely on Delta (and Delta’s SkyMiles partners) for travel. However, if you’re looking for a business travel card and you’re either unwilling or unable to stick with Delta for travel, consider the Chase Ink Business Preferred card instead. The Ink Business Preferred currently offers a whopping 80,000 point welcome offer for those who spend $5,000 within the first 3 months. The Chase Ink card gives you more ways to earn bonus points than does the Platinum Delta SkyMiles card, as the Ink Business Preferred will have you earning 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone services, and online advertising.

Your points will be worth 25% more if redeemed for travel via Chase Ultimate Rewards, points can be transferred to other travel programs on a 1:1 point basis, and points do not expire while your account is open.

It’s a more flexible and versatile travel rewards card than the Platinum Delta SkyMiles card. If you don’t already spend a considerable sum on Delta flights, you may want to consider the Ink Business Preferred card instead.

Final Verdict

The Platinum Delta SkyMiles business credit card is a solid card for those who want to get the most out of their Delta patronage. You’ll be earning high-value points at an impressive rate when you use your card in conjunction with your Delta SkyMiles membership, and you’ll get access to some swanky travel benefits as well.

If your travel preferences or your location (Delta dominates some markets but not others) mean that you fly other airlines with any regularity, I’d recommend a more general travel rewards business card. And if you’re a Delta flyer but you don’t intend to use the companion ticket perk and you don’t plan to put over $25,000 a year in purchases on your card, consider the Gold Delta SkyMiles credit card instead. However, the heavy Delta user/big spender stands to enjoy some unique high-value travel benefits by using the Platinum Delta SkyMiles card. To be sure, this is a narrow-casted card, but if you find yourself in the Platinum Delta’s sweet spot, check it out!

Still undecided on which business credit card to get? Check out our summary of the best business credit cards of 2018, then have a look at our small business credit card comparison chart.

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