4 reasons why the Platinum Card is ideal for Delta...

The American Express Platinum Card® is considered one of our favorite cards for booking flights and a beast at incomes on this class.

Past that, the Platinum Card is a wonderful premium travel rewards card, particularly for frequent Delta flyers. It provides many assertion credit and perks that elevate the journey expertise.

Delta and Amex have an in depth partnership, so frequent flyers have some compelling causes to contemplate including this card to their wallets. This is what it’s best to know as a Delta flyer when contemplating making use of for the Platinum Card.

The Platinum Card is on the high of the mountain relating to incomes rewards when booking flights, with just a few different playing cards providing comparable incomes charges.

It earns 5 factors per greenback spent on airfare purchases made immediately with the airline or via American Express Travel^® on as much as $500,000 spent on these purchases per calendar yr (then 1 level per greenback thereafter). Based mostly on TPG’s October 2025 valuations, American Categorical Membership Rewards are price 2 cents apiece, making this a ten% return.

Delta SkyMiles is a 1:1 switch associate of Amex. So, should you switch your factors to Delta, incomes 5 Membership Rewards factors per greenback spent is successfully like incomes 5 SkyMiles per greenback spent on airfare.

That is higher than what you’ll be able to earn on Delta flight purchases with a cobranded Delta credit card, as the utmost you’ll be able to earn is simply 3 miles per greenback spent.

The Platinum Card earns Membership Rewards points that may be transferred to a variety of airline and hotel loyalty programs, together with Delta.

The Platinum Card shines by providing vacationers flexibility. You do not have to focus completely on the Delta SkyMiles program such as you would should you had been solely incomes SkyMiles with one of many airline’s cobranded bank cards.

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The Platinum Card provides the very best of each worlds as you’ll be able to nonetheless use your Amex factors for Delta flights, however you’ve got many different choices to select from.

Delta could also be your most well-liked airline, however having a stash of transferable factors is useful for the next causes:

• It provides you extra choices to e-book airways and accommodations that you just usually won’t contemplate
• You may typically e-book tickets in your most well-liked airline via a associate at a decrease fee than reserving immediately with that airline. Moreover, companions typically supply transfer bonuses, which may make these award tickets even cheaper.
• Versatile factors shield you from loyalty program devaluations, which Delta tends to do ceaselessly.
• It minimizes the chance of airline bankruptcies and program suspensions.

Transferable factors, similar to Membership Rewards factors, may even function a financial safety net for unplanned bills and emergencies, as you could possibly redeem your factors for money again, though at a poor redemption fee.

So long as you’ve got Membership Rewards factors, you’ve got SkyMiles everytime you want them. But when a unique alternative arises, you are prepared for that, too.

Associated: How to redeem your Delta SkyMiles for maximum value

As talked about above, you’ll be able to immediately switch the Amex Membership Rewards factors you earn with the Platinum Card (and different eligible playing cards) to Delta at a 1:1 ratio. This can be a nice strategy to high off your Delta SkyMiles steadiness should you want additional miles for a selected redemption.

American Categorical can be Delta’s unique associate for its lineup of cobranded bank cards, so you may seemingly take pleasure in this profit for years to return.

Nonetheless, one of many principal causes to build up factors with Amex reasonably than miles completely with Delta is which you can leverage the facility of airline partnerships past Delta’s SkyMiles program.

With the Platinum Card, you’ll be able to switch your factors to 16 different airline companions. Nonetheless, with a Delta cobranded card, you would be restricted to redeeming miles for flights operated solely by Delta and its companions.

For instance, you’ll be able to switch Membership Rewards factors to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. That is particularly helpful as a result of you’ll be able to typically e-book Delta One business-class seats via Virgin Atlantic for a lot fewer factors than Delta prices.

As with every transferable foreign money, it’s best to solely switch whenever you’re assured that there is obtainable award stock and you’re able to e-book your ticket. Transfers solely go a technique: When you switch Amex factors out, you’ll be able to’t convert them again into Membership Rewards factors.

Associated: How (and why) you should earn transferable credit card points

Except for the superb incomes charges on flights, the Platinum Card has a number of day-of-travel perks that may prevent money and time and elevate your journey expertise.

Many Delta loyalists will go for the airline’s top-tier private card, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, to entry Sky Clubs when flying Delta. Cardmembers are restricted to fifteen visits per yr, except you spend $75,000 in your card in a calendar yr.

In contrast, with the Platinum Card, eligible cardmembers get 10 visits per yr (5 fewer), except you spend $75,000 in your card in a calendar yr to unlock limitless entry.

With each playing cards, eligible cardmembers may entry Centurion Lounges. The important thing distinction is which you can solely entry them with the Delta Reserve card should you’re flying on Delta and bought your ticket with a U.S. Amex-issued card. In the meantime, with the Platinum Card, you’ll be able to enter the Centurion Lounge no matter which airline you are flying with.

Moreover, the Platinum Card provides an as much as $200 airline fee statement credit per calendar yr, which may cover checked bag fees or seat selection on the airline you choose every calendar yr. (Enrollment required)

For those who’re flying Delta (or one other U.S.-based airline) and do not need to get one of many airline’s cobranded playing cards with a free checked bag, you’ll be able to offset the associated fee via your Platinum card.

Lastly, the Platinum provides an as much as $209 Clear Plus assertion credit score every calendar yr (topic to auto-renewal; enrollment required). Clear Plus is an expedited biometric safety program that allows you to skip to the entrance of the TSA line.

When paired with the $120 statement credit for Global Entry each 4 years or an as much as $85 charge credit score for TSA PreCheck each 4½ years that the Platinum card provides, you may breeze via safety very quickly.

Associated: Best credit cards for airport lounge access

Whereas the Platinum Card is a stable all-around selection for Delta flyers, choose Delta cobranded playing cards have a definite edge.

If you wish to earn Delta Medallion elite status, holding a Delta cobranded bank card can get you there sooner. You may earn Medallion Qualification {Dollars} by spending on one of many following playing cards:

You may additionally obtain an annual MQD Headstart that robotically deposits 2,500 MQDs on all these playing cards annually. For those who spend sufficient yearly on a cobranded card, you could possibly earn standing with out even stepping on a Delta jet. Moreover, should you maintain a mixture of any two of the playing cards above, you may obtain 5,000 MQDs, which can robotically grant you Silver Medallion standing.

The Platinum Card cannot allow you to earn elite standing with out flying, so if standing is a high precedence, you may be higher suited with a Delta cobranded choice.

The Platinum Card has a steep $895 annual charge (see rates and fees), however the associated fee will be simply justified should you make the most of even simply half of the perks obtainable.

The Platinum Card earns our high spot because the best premium card for Delta flyers, due to advantages together with Sky Membership entry when flying Delta, incomes versatile factors that may be transferred to Delta and a helpful as much as $200 per calendar yr airline charge incidental assertion credit score.

Nonetheless, should you particularly need to earn MQDs towards elite standing via spending and a welcome supply, you may nonetheless need to contemplate considered one of Delta’s cobranded cards.

To study extra, try our full review of the Amex Platinum.

Apply right here: American Express Platinum Card

For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum, click on here.