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If you're a fan of Delta and fly with the airline a few times per year, you may be interested in acquiring one of its co-branded credit cards. After all, Delta's cards offer perks like upgraded boarding and free checked bags, even if you don't have elite status.
However, not all of Delta's cards are created equally. The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card offer similar perks in many ways, but one costs more than the other and offers a more elevated experience as a result. Which is best for you? Read on to find out.
(Terms apply)
- 2X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 2X miles per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets
- 2X miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1X miles on all other eligible purchases
(Terms apply)
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 3X miles per dollar at hotels
- 2X miles per dollar at U.S. supermarkets
- 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
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Delta Platinum Amex vs. Delta Gold Card: Welcome Offer
Both of these Delta cards allow you to earn a welcome bonus, though you'll need to meet minimum spending requirements to qualify. Here are their current offerings:
- Delta Platinum Amex: Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Delta Gold Card: Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
The Delta Platinum Amex offers a slightly better bonus most of the time, although often with a higher spending requirement.
Winner: Delta Platinum Amex
- Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Receive a Companion Certificate on a Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations 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.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $20 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- 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.
- $120 Resy Credit: Get up to $10 in statement credits each month after you pay with your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: earn up to $10 in statement credits each month after using your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights and save up to $70 per person on a round-trip Delta flight.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 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 SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $350 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 3X miles per dollar at hotels
- 2X miles per dollar at U.S. supermarkets
- 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
Both cards will follow the same application rules, including “once per lifetime” rules, a limit of five Amex credit cards at once, and opening only two Amex accounts within a 90-day period. Then, there are rules specific to Delta co-branded cards, limiting which bonuses you're eligible for by way of which Delta cards you've had in the past.
Because of these “family rules,” it might be better to get the Delta Gold Card first and then open the Delta Platinum Amex after a year or two.
Related: Can I Receive Welcome Offers From Multiple Delta Amex Cards?
Delta Platinum Amex vs. Delta Gold Card: Annual Fee
The Delta Gold Card comes with a $150 annual fee in years two and beyond — you don't pay an annual fee during the first year (Rates & Fees). The Delta Platinum Amex charges $350 per year (Rates & Fees).
Winner: Delta Gold Card
- Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Enjoy a $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
- When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, you can earn: 2X miles on Delta Purchases, 2X miles at restaurants, 2X miles at U.S. supermarkets, 1X miles on all other eligible purchases. Every mile you earn brings you closer to the places you want to go. Turn them into your next trip, use them for seat upgrades, and more.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights and save up to $70 per person on a round-trip Delta flight.
- Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- $100 Delta Stays Credit: Get up to $100 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Want even more flexibility? Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- 2X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 2X miles per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets
- 2X miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1X miles on all other eligible purchases
When to Use the Delta Platinum Amex vs. Delta Gold Card
These two cards feature very similar bonus categories, though the Delta Platinum Amex gives you better earnings at hotels and on Delta purchases.
- Delta Platinum Amex: Earn 3X on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2X at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets, and earn 1X on all other eligible purchases.
- Delta Gold Card: Earn 2X miles on purchases made directly with Delta, at U.S. supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and 1X mile on all other eligible purchases.
Unless you're a huge spender on both Delta and hotels, you'll get the same earning bonuses with both cards when it comes to restaurants and U.S. supermarkets. That means the Gold wins out, due to its lower annual fee.
Winner: Delta Gold Card
Other Delta Platinum Amex Benefits vs. Delta Gold Card
These are co-branded Delta credit cards, so it makes sense that their major benefits are going to be associated with Delta flights. The two do share some benefits, including:
- One free checked bag on flights
- Priority boarding
- 20% back on inflight purchases (as a statement credit)
- 15% award redemption discount on Delta flights
- Redeem 5,000 miles for $50 off a ticket when you use Pay With Miles
It's interesting that Delta will allow you to redeem your miles at a rate of 1 cent each toward a paid ticket, which can be helpful if you don't have enough miles to redeem for a full flight. However, it's less value than most users will get; recent AwardWallet redemptions show that the average value of a Delta SkyMile is 1.34¢.
Exclusive Delta Gold Card benefits
The Delta Gold Card has one exclusive perk that you won't find on the Delta Platinum Amex:
- Earn a $200 Delta flight credit after spending $10,000 in eligible purchases in a calendar year.
If you can meet this spending requirement, this is a great perk. It can essentially be an extra 2% return on $10k of spending. However, since other cards have a much better earning potential, you might not find yourself using the card enough to earn the flight credit.
Exclusive Delta Platinum Amex benefits
As a higher-end card, the Delta Platinum Amex comes with correspondingly better benefits:
- Earn 1 Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) for each $20 spent on your card.
- Receive a boost of $2,500 MQDs on February 1 each year.
- Receive an annual companion certificate each year, valid for round-trip domestic, Caribbean, or Central American flights in Delta Main. Just pay the taxes and fees for the ticket, which range from $22 to $250.
- Access to the complimentary upgrade list
- Hertz Five Star status
Although you'll only be able to fly in Delta Main with your companion, flights can be incredibly expensive. Snagging a free ticket for your friend or relative can easily save you hundreds of dollars per year, especially if you go abroad or to Alaska or Hawaii.
Winner: Delta Platinum Amex
Annual, monthly, or other credits
Both cards come with additional benefits to help reduce the sting of those annual fees.
Delta Gold Card
We already mentioned this above, but you can earn a flight credit when you spend on your card. You can also get another statement credit on stays:
- Earn a $200 Delta flight credit toward future travel after spending $10,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year.
- Up to $100 Delta Stays credit
Delta Platinum Amex
The Delta Platinum Amex has some additional credits that the Gold version doesn't:
- Up to a $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit to cover your application fee. This is available every four years for Global Entry or every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck.
- Up to $120 Resy credit (available as $10 per month)
- Up to $120 rideshare credit (available as $10 per month)
- Up to $150 Delta Stays credit
- Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
If you fully maximize each of these credits, you can get a ton of value from your card. The Resy, rideshare, and Delta Stays credits alone can cover the annual fee. That said, plenty of credit cards also offer a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit, so that likely won't be a deciding factor in applying for the card.
Since you have to track your spending to earn the Gold's Delta flight credit, the Platinum wins out.
Winner: Delta Platinum Amex
Travel insurance protections and other benefits
Both the Delta Platinum Amex and Delta Gold Card offer trip protections and other benefits, though their coverage levels vary.
Shared benefits
- Rental car damage and loss protection: This is secondary coverage, which means it'll cover you for damages after your personal insurance or other coverage kicks in, though you can use this policy to reimburse deductible costs on your primary policy. Coverage is up to $50,000.
- Baggage insurance plan: Your luggage is covered against loss or damage up to $500 per checked bag and $1,250 per carry-on bag per person, per trip. This is excess coverage in addition to what your travel carrier provides.
- Extended warranty protection: Receive an additional year of warranty protection on items you've purchased with your card (warranty must be five years or less and issued by a U.S. manufacturer).
- Purchase protection: Coverage against loss, damage, or theft of items bought with your card for 90 days from the date of purchase. Coverage is up to $10,000 per incident and up to $50,000 annually — or up to the amount spent on your card to pay for the item.
Delta Platinum Amex only
- Trip delay insurance: Reimbursement for expenses during a delay of at least 12 hours, though coverage is limited to $300 per trip and two claims per 12-month period.
- Cell phone protection: Reimbursement of up to $800 per claim for a phone that is damaged or stolen if it's listed on a phone bill you pay with your card. A $50 deductible applies, and there's a maximum of two claims in a 12-month period.
Winner: Delta Platinum Amex
Related: Best Credit Cards With Free Travel Insurance
Redeeming Delta SkyMiles
Both cards earn Delta SkyMiles, which can be redeemed in a variety of ways. These include flights, vacation packages, gift cards, seat upgrades, unique experiences, magazine subscriptions, and more.
However, the best way to redeem your SkyMiles will always be flights. Depending on where you're going, you can find some relatively affordable flights in economy when redeeming SkyMiles. For example, here's a flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo (HND) that'll cost you just 24,600 miles in Delta Main Basic, after factoring in your 15% cardholder discount.
That same flight would otherwise cost you $340 in cash, giving you a value of around 1.36 cents per mile. This is in line with the average redemption rate of 1.34¢ cents that AwardWallet users have gotten in recent redemptions.
Winner: Tie
Related: The Best Uses of Delta SkyMiles
Which Is Better: Delta Platinum Amex or Delta Gold Card?
The Delta Platinum Amex and Delta Gold Card tied in our head-to-head breakdown. Honestly, that makes sense. These cards share a lot of the same features — especially when it comes to Delta benefits.
The choice is going to come down to if the additional perks on the Delta Platinum Amex are worth the additional cost. Will you get value out of the annual companion certificate, statement credits, and MQD boost? The Delta Platinum Amex may be the way to go.
However, if you aren't a super frequent Delta flyer but still want a few basic perks like a 15% discount on award bookings, in-flight purchase discounts, and free checked bags, the Delta Gold Card may be a better fit for you.
(Terms apply)
- 2X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 2X miles per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets
- 2X miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1X miles on all other eligible purchases
(Terms apply)
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 3X miles per dollar at hotels
- 2X miles per dollar at U.S. supermarkets
- 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (Rates & Fees), and Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (Rates & Fees)
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
