The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card offers valuable perks for frequent Delta flyers, including priority boarding and a free checked bag. It also provides opportunities to earn elite status faster through spending and bonus Medallion® Qualification Dollars.
This credit card review will cover everything you need to know about this card to determine if you should add this card or a different card to your wallet. Let’s dive right in.
Welcome Bonus
The Delta Platinum Business Amex currently offers the following welcome bonus: bonus_miles_full
American Express typically limits welcome bonuses to once per lifetime for each card product. Before submitting your application, Amex will inform you if you’re eligible for the bonus without performing a hard credit pull. If you receive a message indicating you’re ineligible, you can choose not to proceed, avoiding an unnecessary impact on your credit score.
Earning SkyMiles
The Delta Platinum Business Amex earns:
This rewards structure is geared towards frequent Delta flyers and business owners who make large purchases. However, it’s not particularly strong for everyday spending categories. Other transferable points cards like Chase or Amex may offer better earning rates on common business expenses.
Spending on the Delta Platinum Business Amex will also help you earn Delta Medallion Elite status because you will earn $1 Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQDs) for every $20 on your card. For example, if you spent $20,000 per year on this card, you would earn 1,000 MQDs.
Plus, the Delta Platinum Business Amex offers an annual $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollar headstart for just holding the card.
Annual Fee
The Delta Platinum Business Amex has an annual fee of $350 (rates & fees). You can potentially offset this cost through benefits like an annual companion certificate, free checked bags, and up to $440 in annual statement credits for dining, rideshares, and hotel stays. The card also offers perks that enhance your Delta flying experience, like priority boarding and discounts on in-flight purchases.
Card Benefits
The Delta Platinum Business Amex offers the following benefits: First Free Checked Bag: As a cardholder, your first checked bag is free on Delta flights, a benefit that extends to up to eight additional passengers traveling on the same reservation. Given Delta’s standard checked bag fee of $35 each way, this perk can lead to substantial savings over time. Remember that the waiver applies to bags weighing 50 lbs or less and within Delta’s standard size limits—any overweight or oversized bags will still incur applicable fees. Priority Boarding: This Delta card grants you and up to eight travel companions on the same reservation the privilege of boarding in Zone 5 ahead of most Main Cabin passengers. This benefit ensures ample overhead bin space for your carry-on bags and provides time to settle in before the flight. Companion Certificate: Enjoy a Companion Certificate on Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights each year after renewal of your Card. You must pay government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). 20% Back on In-Flight Purchases: When using your Delta American Express Card for eligible inflight purchases like food, beverages, and audio headsets on Delta-operated flights, you’ll receive a 20% savings as a statement credit. This discount applies to purchases made by primary cardholders and authorized users on domestic and international flights. However, it doesn’t cover inflight Wi-Fi. 15% Award Discount: One of the more unique perks of Delta credit cards is the TakeOff 15 benefit, which offers a 15% discount on award travel booked on Delta.com when signed into your account associated with your card. This discount applies to the SkyMiles required for an award ticket, not the dollar amount of government-imposed taxes and fees. While limited to Delta-operated flights (not partner airlines), this discount can help your miles go further, especially on more expensive routes or last-minute bookings. Pay with SkyMiles: Delta SkyMiles credit cards unlock the ability to ability to “Pay with Miles” allowing cardmembers to pay for flights with SkyMiles at a rate of 1.0 cents per mile (in increments of 5,000 miles per $50). $200 Annual Delta Stays Credit: Get up to $200 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta Platinum Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com/stays. $120 Resy Credit: Earn up to $10 per month in statement credits on eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment is required. $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with Uber, Lyft, Curb, Revel, and Alto. Enrollment Required. Global Entry / TSA PreCheck Credit: This card offers a credit for TSA PreCheck (expedited airport security) or Global Entry (expedited airport security and customs). Hertz 5-Star Status: Receive Hertz 5-Star elite status upon enrollment, which offers benefits such as a 25% points bonus, free additional driver for spouse, and upgrades or the ability to choose a car from the Five Star Aisle at Ultimate Choice Locations. No Foreign Transaction Fees: You’ll save money on every purchase while traveling internationally since this card doesn’t add the typical 3% surcharge that many other cards impose. Secondary Rental Car Insurance: This card provides backup protection for rental car damage or theft when you charge the full rental to your card.* Trip Delay Insurance: When your trip is significantly delayed due to covered reasons like equipment failures or severe weather, this protection reimburses you for reasonable expenses including lodging, meals, toiletries, and medication. The coverage activates when you pay for travel with your card and extends to family members on the same itinerary, though you’ll need to seek reimbursement from the travel carrier first.* Baggage Insurance Plan covers your baggage if it is lost, damaged, or stolen and you purchase your ticket with this card.* 90-Day Purchase Protection: Your new purchases are covered against damage and theft for 90 days when you use your card. This protection helps safeguard your eligible items right from the moment you buy them.* Extended Warranty Protection: When you purchase items with your credit card, you’ll get an extra year of warranty coverage on eligible items that have original manufacturer warranties of up to five years. This valuable perk means you can protect expensive electronics and appliances that come with longer manufacturer warranties without paying extra for store protection plans* * Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.Benefits with Delta Air Lines
Special Credits
Travel and Purchase Benefits
Redeeming SkyMiles
Delta SkyMiles offers a variety of ways to redeem your hard-earned miles for travel. One of the most straightforward options is booking Delta-operated flights, where award pricing is dynamic. This means flexibility in your travel dates can often lead to better value. Keep an eye out for SkyMiles deals, which can offer significant savings on specific routes. For international travel, Delta’s extensive partner network opens up a world of possibilities. As a member of the SkyTeam alliance, Delta allows you to redeem miles on 18 partner airlines, including Air France, KLM, and Korean Air. Additionally, non-alliance partners like WestJet provide more options, especially for travel to Canada. Partner awards often provide better value than Delta-operated flights, particularly for premium cabin travel. For example, business class flights from the U.S. to Mexico or within Asia can be excellent uses of SkyMiles. However, it’s important to note that partner award availability can be limited, so booking in advance is recommended. Another option is using miles for upgrades on Delta and select partner flights. While this typically provides lower value than booking award flights outright, it can be a good choice if you have a surplus of miles. Delta Vacations presents another redemption opportunity, often yielding at least 1.15 cents per mile in value. This can be particularly appealing for package deals including flights and luxury hotel stays. Remember, award prices can change without notice, so it’s always wise to book when you find a good deal. With some strategic planning, Delta SkyMiles can be a valuable currency for your travel needs.
Pros and Cons
Here’s a quick overview of this card’s advantages and disadvantages:
Pros
Elite Status Boost: Earn $1 Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) for every $20 spent on the card, plus receive 2,500 MQDs automatically each year. This can significantly help in reaching elite status tiers.
Annual Companion Certificate: Receive a companion certificate each year upon card renewal, good for a domestic main cabin round-trip flight (plus taxes/fees). This can easily offset the annual fee for many cardholders.
Travel Protections: The card offers valuable travel insurance benefits like trip delay coverage, baggage insurance, and car rental loss/damage insurance.
Statement Credits: Receive up to $440 in annual statement credits across categories like dining, rideshares, and hotel stays, which can effectively reduce the card’s annual fee for those who can maximize them.
Cons
High Annual Fee: The $350 annual fee is steep compared to many other airline cards, especially considering it doesn’t include lounge access.
Lack of Airport Lounge Access: Unlike some premium airline cards, this card does not provide complimentary airport lounge access.
Limited Bonus Categories: While the card earns 3x miles on Delta purchases and hotels, its other bonus categories are fairly restrictive compared to some competing business cards.
Complex Benefits Structure: Some of the card’s statement credits are monthly, which can make them harder to utilize compared to simpler annual credits fully.
Alternative Card Options
Now that you know about this credit card’s various benefits and pros and cons, it’s time to see its alternatives.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (review) delivers premium travel benefits including extensive lounge access (access is limited to eligible card members) and valuable hotel elite status. This premium business card excels at making travel more luxurious, though you’ll need to use multiple statement credits and travel perks to maximize its value. Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full Earn Rewards: 5x points for flights, prepaid hotels booked at AmexTravel.com; 2x points per dollar for purchases up to $2 million in spending per calendar year in these categories: purchases of $5,000 or more regardless of category, U.S. cloud service and software providers, U.S. construction materials and hardware suppliers, U.S. electronics retailers, and U.S. shipping providers; and 1x points on all other eligible purchases. Card Benefits: Transfer Partners: Aer Lingus, AeroMexico, Air Canada Aeroplan, ANA, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Choice Privileges, Delta, Emirates, Etihad, Air France – KLM Flying Blue, Hawaiian Airlines, Hilton, Iberia, JetBlue, Marriott, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore KrisFlyer, and Virgin Atlantic.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card (review) is an entry-level option for earning Delta miles on business expenses. It includes useful travel benefits like free checked bags and priority boarding, making it a good choice for less frequent Delta flyers. Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full Earning SkyMiles: 2x SkyMiles on Delta Air Lines purchases, at restaurants, US shipping (up to $50,000 per year, then 1x), US advertising in select media (up to $50,000 per year, then 1x); 1x SkyMiles on all other eligible purchases. Benefits: Free first checked bag and priority boarding for you and up to eight travel companions, get up to $150 back per year as a statement credit after using your card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays, receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit after you spend $10,000 on your card in a calendar year, 20% back on in-flight purchases, 15% award discount, secondary rental car insurance, purchase protection, extended warranty, and baggage insurance plan.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card (review) offers premium perks for frequent Delta flyers, including lounge access and a companion certificate. While it has a high annual fee, the card can provide great value through its elite status boost, upgrade priority, and travel credits for loyal Delta customers. Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full Earning SkyMiles: 3x SkyMiles on Delta Air Lines purchases; 1.5x SkyMiles on transit, shipping, and office purchases; 1.5 SkyMiles per dollar on all non-Delta purchases after spending a total of $150,000 in a calendar year; and 1x SkyMiles on all other eligible spending. Card Benefits: * Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter. Once all 15 Visits have been used, Eligible Card Members may purchase additional Delta Sky Club Visits (including Grab and Go) at a per-Visit rate of $50 per person using the Card.
Is the Delta Platinum Business Amex Worth It?
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card can be a great option if you frequently fly Delta and want to earn elite status faster.
With perks like a free checked bag, priority boarding, and an annual companion certificate, this card provides solid value for its $350 annual fee. You’ll earn bonus miles on Delta purchases and can take advantage of up to $440 in annual statement credits on things like dining and rideshares.
The ability to earn Medallion Qualification Dollars through spending is especially useful for pursuing elite status.
While the lack of lounge access is a downside, this card is worth considering if you’re a Delta flyer looking to enhance your travel experience and climb the elite status ladder.
Learn How to Apply: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please click here. 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 Business Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here. 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® Gold Business American Express Card, please click here. 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.
