Delta Reserve Vs. American Express Platinum Card

Both The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card offer welcome bonuses for new cardmembers.

The Platinum Card’s welcome bonus is: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on the card in the first 6 months of card membership.

The Delta SkyMiles Reserve welcome bonus is: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases in the first 6 months of card membership.

The Platinum Card® from American Express carries a $695 annual fee while the Delta Reserve’s annual fee is slightly lower at $650.

With either card, you’ll earn rewards with every purchase: There’s a minimum earning rate of 1 mile or point per dollar spent. Neither card has a lot of bonus categories earning at elevated rates, but the Platinum card out-earns the Delta Reserve when it comes to flying.

Specifically, you’ll earn 5 Membership Rewards Points per dollar for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year, 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases with your Platinum card. This differs from the Delta card which earns 3 miles per dollar on Delta purchases and 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

The Delta Reserve card offers both a Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) Headstart and Boost. The MQD Headstart gives cardholders $2,500 MQDs each year, while the MQD Boost allows you to earn $1 MQD for every $10 spent on your card each calendar year. These aren’t tangible rewards, but they can be extremely valuable if you’re chasing status.

BEST FOR LUXURY DELTA PERKS

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

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On American Express's Website

Partner Offer

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Rates & Fees / Terms Apply

4.2

Forbes Advisor created additional star ratings so that you can see the best card for specific needs. This card shines for this use, but overall the star ratings may differ when compared to other cards.

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Up to 3X Reward Rate

Earn 3X Miles on Delta flights and Delta Vacations®; Earn 1 mile per dollar for all other eligible purchases

Welcome Bonus

Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles

Annual Fee

$650

Regular APR

20.99%-29.99% Variable

Credit Score

Good,Excellent (700 - 749)

Editor's Take

It makes sense for Delta high-fliers to grab the top-of-the-line Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. The access to Sky Club is being reduced 2/1/25 but can still help justify the annual fee for frequent Delta flyers, then add in the annual companion certificate for eligible flights (plus taxes and fees), free first checked bag when you fly Delta and priority boarding. However, the mediocre miles earning rates reduce the card’s overall appeal.

Pros & Cons

• Elite status is possible through high spend
• Lounge access for Delta flyers
• Credits can help offset the annual fee

• No bonus categories apart from Delta flights
• Lounge access is limited starting in 2025
• Monthly credits might be hard to use

Card Details

• Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Reserve your piece of history with the new limited edition Boeing 747 Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card design.
• Enjoy complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club® and bring up to two guests or immediate family members at a rate of $50 per person per visit when flying Delta. 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.
• Receive four Delta Sky Club® One-Time Guest Passes each year when you fly together on Delta. After that, you may bring up to two guests at a per-visit rate of $50 per person, per location.
• Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
• Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to Status with MQD Headstart.
• Earn $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $10 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving elevated Medallion Status for next Medallion Year.
• Receive a Companion Certificate on First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
• $240 Resy Credit: With the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Resy Credit, earn up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card.
• $120 Rideshare Credit: You can earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers after you pay with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. Enrollment Required.
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve 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.
• With your Card receive upgrade priority over other Medallion Members within the same Medallion level and fare class.
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members.
• Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• $650 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

In addition to complimentary access to Delta Sky Club (starting 2/01/2025, access to the Sky Club will be limited to 15 visits per year unless you spend $75,000 or more on your card each calendar year), Delta Reserve cardholders receive four one-time guest passes to Delta Sky Club each year. Other benefits include secondary car rental insurance¹ and a complimentary ShopRunner membership with enrollment.

The Amex Platinum Card also offers access to the Fine Hotels + Resorts Program, with more than 1,500 worldwide luxury properties. Cardholder benefits also include secondary car rental insurance¹ and cellphone protection², Preferred Access to premium seats for select events and ShopRunner membership with enrollment.

The Platinum Card offers more options for redeeming rewards: You can transfer miles to Delta or more than a dozen other partners, book trips through Amex Travel or use points to cover previous charges.

Cardholders can redeem SkyMiles earned on the Delta Reserve card for award travel, Delta gift cards, magazine subscriptions or to cover checked bag fees. When redeeming award travel, SkyMiles Reserve cardholders receive a 15% discount on all Delta-operated flights booked through Delta.com or the Fly Delta app.

American Express has over 20 airline and hotel partners you can transfer your Membership Rewards points to:

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Aeromexico Rewards
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• Air France/KLM Flying Blue
• ANA Mileage Club
• Avianca LifeMiles
• British Airways Executive Club
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
• Choice Privileges Rewards
• Delta SkyMiles
• Emirates Skywards
• Etihad Guest
• Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles
• Hilton Honors
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Marriott Bonvoy
• Qantas Frequent Flyer
• Qatar Airways Privilege Club
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

With the Delta Reserve, cardholders can redeem miles by booking through Delta on various travel partners. Partners include the following airlines:

• Aeromexico
• Aerolineas Argentinas
• Air France
• Cape Air
• China Eastern
• China Airlines
• China Southern
• Garuda Indonesia
• Hawaiian Airlines
• KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
• Korean Air
• LATAM
• Mandarin Airlines
• Middle East Airlines
• Saudia Airlines
• Shanghai Airlines
• Tarom Airlines
• Vietnam Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic
• WestJet
• Xiamen Airlines

You’ll need to contact Delta Reservations for award travel on the following airlines:

• Air Europa
• Air Tahiti Nui
• Czech Airlines
• Kenya Airways

BEST FOR DELTA COMPANION TICKET

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Apply Now

On American Express's Website

Partner Offer

Click Here To Apply Now

Rates & Fees / Terms Apply

4.8

Forbes Advisor created additional star ratings so that you can see the best card for specific needs. This card shines for this use, but overall the star ratings may differ when compared to other cards.

Apply Now

On American Express's Website

5X Reward Rate

Earn 5 Membership Rewards Points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and on flights booked directlyRead More

Welcome Bonus

Earn 80,000 points

Annual Fee

$695

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Score

Good,Excellent (700 - 749)

Editor's Take

The Platinum Card is destined for frequent travelers who intend to fully leverage the rich set of luxury travel benefits and Platinum Concierge service. In the right hands, the classic status card’s staggering annual fee is well justified.

Expert Commentary

Ben Nickel-D'Andrea

Credit Cards Writer

Ben is a credit cards and luxury travel writer, an immigrant with three citizenships and a husband. He speaks English, Spanish and Italian, has a background in linguistics and languages, and travels the world for the love of it. You'll find him flying up front in first or business class all over the world and enjoying food from fine dining to street fare. Ben unpacks the complex network of loyalty programs across the credit card and travel industries with his simple and easy-to-understand, yet relatable, explanations. A nature enthusiast at heart, he lives in Seattle with his husband Jon and their beagle.

Ben Nickel-D'Andrea

Ben Nickel-D'Andrea

Credit Cards Writer

Ben is a credit cards and luxury travel writer, an immigrant with three citizenships and a husband. He speaks English, Spanish and Italian, has a background in linguistics and languages, and travels the world for the love of it. You'll find him flying up front in first or business class all over the world and enjoying food from fine dining to street fare. Ben unpacks the complex network of loyalty programs across the credit card and travel industries with his simple and easy-to-understand, yet relatable, explanations. A nature enthusiast at heart, he lives in Seattle with his husband Jon and their beagle.

Credit Cards Writer

Being an Amex Platinum cardholder grants access to the International Airline Program, which can save you money on first and business class seats on more than 20 airlines as well as premium economy tickets for you and up to seven traveling companions. Start your search on the Amex Travel website to find international flights departing or arriving in the U.S. on any of those premium cabins.

Pros & Cons

• High reward potential on flights and hotels booked through American Express Travel
• Multiple credits can help justify the fee
• Comprehensive airport lounge access
• Luxury travel benefits and elite status with Hilton and Marriott with enrollment

• Very high annual fee
• Maximizing the statement credits takes some work and could be impractical for many
• Reward rate outside of travel is sub-par for a premium card

Card Details

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Airport Lounge Access

A major selling point for both cards is the ability to access airport lounges.

If you are primarily a domestic Delta Air Lines flyer, both the Delta Reserve and American Express Platinum cards’ lounge access benefits will grant you access to the airport lounges you are most likely to use. Both cards grant the primary cardmember limited access to Delta Sky Club lounges when traveling on a same-day Delta Air Lines flight and both cards offer access to the Centurion Lounge network. Effective 2/1/25, American Express Platinum card members will receive 10 Delta Sky Club visits per year while Delta Reserve card members will receive 15 Delta Sky Club visits per year; unlimited visits can be earned when total purchases exceed $75,000 in 2024 and each calendar year thereafter.

However, if you are a frequent international flyer, especially if you fly internationally to airports that do not have Delta Sky Clubs, you should consider that the American Express Platinum card also offers Priority Pass Select lounge access upon enrollment. Priority Pass includes access to over 1,500 locations worldwide and can be a valuable benefit for frequent international travelers. The card also offers access to Plaza Premium lounges, another independent airport lounge network with a limited footprint in the U.S. but dozens of locations worldwide.

Benefits While Traveling

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card packages together several benefits while flying with Delta to make your travel experience more comfortable and convenient. Perks include Main Cabin 1 priority boarding and free checked bags when flying Delta, though someone interested in this card may already have those benefits through Medallion status. However, Medallion status members get upgrade priority over other travelers with equal Medallion status, which can be a true perk. Plus, even if you don’t have status, you are added to the complimentary upgrade list behind Medallion members on eligible flights. Cardholders also enjoy a 20% discount on in-flight Delta purchases such as food or beverages (via statement credit) plus they receive Hertz President’s Circle status (enrollment required).

The Platinum Card® from American Express doesn’t offer Delta-specific benefits, but it does offer free elite status with two popular hotel programs—Hilton Honors Gold status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status (enrollment required). Plus, cardholders can enjoy premium rental car status with Avis, Hertz and National. Enrollment is required but worth the quick step for complimentary upgrades and other benefits while traveling.

Travel Insurance

The American Express Platinum and Delta Reserve cards offer similar travel insurance benefits to protect you in the event that something goes wrong during a trip booked with your card. Card coverages include trip cancellation and interruption insurance², trip delay insurance² and baggage insurance plans³. Both cards also offer a travel assistance service which can make medical and legal referrals, but the costs of services provided may be the responsibility of the cardholder.

Other Benefits

By far, the Amex Platinum includes more shopping benefits, credits and discounts for cardholders than the Delta Reserve. It includes a long list of statement credit offers offering discounts or rebates on everything from airline incidental fees—such as checked bags or priority boarding—to services you may use in everyday life, like Walmart+ or digital entertainment subscriptions with enrollment.

The Delta Reserve card has statement credits for a few benefits including purchases at Resy restaurants with enrollment, Delta Stays and rideshare services with enrollment. The card also includes an annual Companion Certificate, which could be worth hundreds of dollars every year. When you buy a domestic, Caribbean, or Central American round-trip ticket on Delta, you can redeem your certificate to bring a companion for only the cost of taxes and fees when flying in Main Cabin, Delta Comfort+ or First Class. For many cardmembers, this could be easier to redeem than the Platinum’s credits.

In addition to the Amex Platinum’s long list of valuable statement credits, cardholders for both cards can take advantage of Amex Offers, which all American Express cards feature. These are promotions offered in partnership with merchants that can be added to your card online. Amex Offers frequently include discounts and rebates of 20% or more on a wide array of vendors.

While not an annual credit, both cards offer a statement credit of up to $85 for TSA PreCheck or up to $100 for Global Entry. But the Amex Platinum also includes a $189 CLEAR® Plus credit every year.

Annual Fees

The Delta Reserve card’s annual fee is $650, which although pricey, is still slightly lower than the Amex Platinum card’s $695 annual fee.

These are both ultra-premium cards with high fees to match. Rather than comparing only the dollar amounts, make sure you take a close look at the included benefits to see which ones you’re more likely to take advantage of (if either).

Foreign Transaction Fee

Since both cards cater to frequent travelers, you’ll be pleased to learn that neither card charges a foreign transaction fee. However, remember that both cards are issued by American Express, which some merchants may not accept.

APRs

Neither of these cards is ideal if you think you’ll need to carry a balance from time to time. Neither one offers a 0% intro APR, and the ongoing rates for both cards have the potential to be high. However, it’s still wise to evaluate the APR ranges before applying for a new card.

Delta SkyMiles Reserve Interest Rates

• Regular APR: 20.99%-29.99% Variable
• Purchase intro APR: N/A
• Balance transfer intro APR: N/A

Platinum Card by American Express Interest Rates

• Regular APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Purchase intro APR: N/A
• Balance transfer intro APR: N/A

An Everyday Cash-Back Rewards Card

If you are looking for a cash-back rewards card for your everyday spending, there are more rewarding options than either the American Express Platinum or the Delta Reserve. Many of these cards are also available with no annual fee and come with other perks and features you might find beneficial.

Delta Benefits Without the Lounge Access

If you are looking for a free checked bag on Delta Air Lines or access to the Medallion Qualification Dollars headstart and boost, but do not value lounge access, then consider one of the other Delta Air Lines co-branded American Express cards.

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (terms apply, see rates & fees) offers a free checked bag and the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (terms apply, see rates & fees) also comes with a free checked bag, an annual companion certificate and the opportunity to earn the MQD boost and headstart.

The American Express Platinum and the Delta Reserve are rewarding choices for the frequent Delta Air Lines flyer. Both cards offer lounge access where you are likely to use it most often and travel insurance benefits that can protect you when your trip gets interrupted or delayed.

For Delta Air Lines flyers chasing status, the Medallion Qualifying Dollars headstart and boost provided by the Delta Reserve card make it the more attractive option. The updates to the Reserve card, like the expanded list of available destinations for the companion certificate and introducing annual statement credits, make it even more beneficial for Delta loyalists.

If earning Medallion status through flying alone is no problem, consider the additional lounge access provided through the Platinum Card’s Priority Pass benefit and the opportunity to maximize value from the Platinum card’s statement credits. Now that the annual fees are comparable, the best card for you will likely depend on how you want to use your points and which credits you find most valuable.

To view rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for the The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card please visit this page.
¹Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
²Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
³Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.