Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card review

If Delta Air Lines is your carrier of choice – or if you’re looking for a travel credit card that will help you save up miles to use with an international carrier that has a large network of partner airlines – the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card may be worth a look.

The card carries a valuable annual companion certificate and several noteworthy travel perks. However, everyday users will likely find it extremely difficult to meet the exorbitant spending requirements to get there.

Decent rewards scheme

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card offers a decent rewards earning scheme, offering bonus miles on more than just Delta purchases. Airfare purchased directly from Delta and purchases made directly with hotels fetch 3 miles per dollar, while purchases at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets earn 2 miles per dollar.

All other eligible purchases get you 1 mile per dollar. This is more generous than many airline cards, which only offer rewards on purchases made directly with the airline, and with the addition of a couple of popular everyday rewards categories, it should be a bit easier for you to earn enough miles to score a free ticket.

Annual companion certificate

With the Platinum Delta SkyMiles credit card, you’ll snag a companion certificate each year for as long as you remain a cardholder, which means you can invite a friend or family member to join you on an eligible round-trip Main Cabin within the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central American  flight to select destinations. Taxes and fees still apply (taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 for itineraries with up to four flight segments), but the ticket itself can essentially more than cancel out the card’s high annual fee. The certificate is automatically issued to your account following your card renewal – there’s nothing more you need to do, except pick your lucky travel buddy.

Introductory bonus

You can earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in your first six months with the card. This is a step down from the card’s previous limited time offer of 90,000 miles after $4,000 in spending within the first six months.

Bankrate’s latest airline mile valuations give Delta SkyMiles a value of around 1.2 cents per mile on average, so we estimate that 60,000 miles are worth about $720. The introductory bonus is enough to offset the annual fee for two years. This value could also end up being higher since the card gets you 15 percent off when you use miles to book award travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app (not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees).

Relatively high annual fee

This card’s $350 annual fee is more than twice what you’ll pay for the lion’s share of cards in the travel category. Unlike many other co-branded airline cards, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card’s annual fee isn’t waived for the first year. Meanwhile, its variable APR means applicants with even good credit scores may be saddled with a higher-than-average APR. In other words, you’d better think twice about getting this card if you normally carry a balance from month to month.

Card perks

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex offers a vast array of extras when flying with Delta, including your first checked bag free, preferred seating, discounts on travel packages and more. You can also get $120 in rideshare credits (up to $10 in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers; enrollment required) and a $150 Delta Stays credit (up to $150 per year as a statement credit on prepaid bookings through Delta Stays on delta.com.

You can also receive either an up to $120 statement credit every four years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.

Delta also has 31 partner airlines, bringing the total number of countries served to 170. That’s more than enough to put a dent in your travel bucket list! It’s worth noting, though, that partner airlines may impose surcharges and that some perks – like the free checked bag and priority boarding – only apply to Delta flights. 

Why get the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card?

• You regularly fly with Delta or one of its partner airlines, a list that includes Virgin Atlantic, Jet Airways and Aeroméxico.
• You’re planning a honeymoon or other special trip and are itching to get your hands on Delta’s valuable companion pass.
• You want to save potentially hundreds of dollars (or more) on checked bags.
• You often travel internationally and want to save money on American Express’ usual 2.7-percent foreign transaction fee.

How to use the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card:

• Spend enough within the first six months to earn the card’s introductory bonus.
• For triple the miles, use your Platinum Delta SkyMiles card to pay for all eligible Delta and hotel purchases.
• Use your card at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets for the double mileage bonus.
• Pay your balance in full every month to stop excessive interest charges from accruing.

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.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card, please click here. 

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