Delta SkyMiles Platinum Credit Card (American Express): What advantage for holders of this card?

The American Express Delta SkyMiles Platinum Credit Card is an airline credit card with an extremely generous portfolio of frequent flyer benefits from Delta and a travel rewards program that promotes Delta purchases. The rewards program is similar to the American Express Gold Delta SkyMiles credit card (and its cousin, Gold Delta SkyMiles for Business). However, the frequent flyer benefits of Platinum Delta definitely outweigh this one at Gold level, and the rewards program includes an additional component that rewards heavy spend with accelerated progression to Delta’s Medallion status thresholds.

While Platinum Delta SkyMiles is a generous travel rewards credit card by any part of the imagination, it is also expensive – its annual fee is $ 195 and it is not waived in the first year (as it is). is the case with many reward cards). generous trip). If you want this card in your wallet, you have to use it often enough (and fly Delta often enough) to be worth the cost.

Welcome offer

This card features a three-part welcome offer. First, when you spend at least $ 1,000 within three months of opening your account, you receive an additional 35,000 bonuses from Delta SkyMiles. That’s good for at least one round-trip ticket for home economics, and maybe up to three for home economics. Second, the same $ 1,000 expense entitles you to 5,000 Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQMs). And third, you get a $ 100 credit on your statement when you make a Delta purchase with your card within the same three month period.

Delta Medallion Program

To really understand how this card works, you need some background on Delta’s Medallion Status Program.

Medallion has four levels: Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond. All offer generous benefits for frequent Delta travelers, including additional class and preferred seat upgrades, accelerated MQM and SkyMiles earnings, priority boarding, and cancellation fees (including baggage and reservation service) . Medallion perks become more appealing as you move up the ranks, with Diamond status (the highest status) earning you a free Delta Sky Club (airport lounge) membership and two Global Entry vouchers.

To achieve Medallion status levels, you must combine the appropriate MQMs (miles calculated as a multiple of the total distance flown on each flight, typically 100% economy class and 200% first class distance) or segments of Medallion qualification (MQS). Delta) and the appropriate Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) – dollars spent with Delta, including base fares, extras, and certain upgrades, in a calendar year.

You then earn Medallion status for the remainder of the current year and the entire year thereafter.

Silver Medallion status requires 25,000 MQM or 30 MQS and $ 3,000 MQD; Gold Medallion status requires 50,000 MQM or 60 MQS and $ 6,000 MQD; Platinum Medallion status requires 75,000 MQM or 100 MQS and $ 9,000 MQD; and Diamond Medallion status requires 125,000 MQM or 140 MQS and $ 15,000 MQD.

Skymiles rewards and exchanges

For every dollar you spend on Delta purchases (including airline tickets, lounge passes, in-flight purchases, and other incidentals) earn 2 Delta SkyMiles, with no limit on the amount you can earn. All other purchases earn 1 Unlimited SkyMile for every dollar spent. Accumulated SkyMiles can be redeemed for Delta airline tickets.

Amortization thresholds vary, but typically start at 10,000 miles per hour for some one-way households and 12,500 miles per hour for a wider range of domestic flights with more flexible travel dates. Please note that Delta’s exchange tables are not set in stone – certain times, dates and travel destinations (for example, late peak flights vs. midweek off-season flights to vacation destinations popular) may require more SkyMiles.

Point values ​​are also variable, typically ranging from $ 0.005 to $ 0.02 at the time of redemption, but can be higher or lower. In general, expensive long-haul flights offer better value for money than inexpensive short-haul flights. If you don’t have enough SkyMiles to redeem for a full fare, you can use Delta’s Pay With Miles feature (an exclusive benefit for Amex Gold and Platinum Delta SkyMiles cardholders) to reduce the cost of the desired fare. Pay With Miles redemptions require at least 5,000 SkyMiles and miles are always valued at $ 0.01 each, so a redemption of 10,000 SkyMile Pay With Miles equals a reduction of $ 100.

SkyMiles can also be redeemed at the Delta SkyMiles MarketPlace for merchandise, gift cards, and special experiences (such as musical performances). However, MarketPlace discounts typically underestimate miles, in many cases priced well under $ 0.01 each. On the other hand, MarketPlace’s redemption thresholds are lower, sometimes as low as 2000 SkyMiles.

Advantage of the journeyman certificate

When you renew your card (on the date of your annual renewal), you get an additional certificate, valid for a return flight in economy class at home. To use the certificate, the nominated companion must travel with the primary cardholder, who must purchase the ticket (and pay government taxes and fees on the companion’s fare) with their Delta SkyMiles Platinum credit card.

SkyMiles and MQM annual bonus

When you spend at least $ 25,000 on your card (in total purchases) in a calendar year, you earn 10,000 Medallion Qualifying Miles and 10,000 bonus SkyMiles. When you remove the $ 50,000 annual spend threshold in a calendar year, you get an additional 10,000 MQMs and 10,000 SkyMiles, for a total potential spend bonus of 20,000 MQMs and 20,000 SkyMiles.

MQD exemption with sufficient expenditure

If you spend at least $ 25,000 in a calendar year with your Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card and have met the MQM or Medallion Qualifying Segments (MQS) requirements to achieve a certain level of Medallion Status, Delta waives the MQD requirements for this level. For example, if you have accumulated the 50,000 MQM required to achieve Gold Medallion status, you do not need the 6,000 MQD normally required to achieve Gold qualification.

Delta Travel Benefits

Platinum Delta SkyMiles offers a number of additional Delta travel benefits, including free checked baggage for the cardholder ($ 25 value per one-way segment); up to three discounted Delta Sky Club (airport lounge) passes per trip ($ 29 per pass, regular value $ 59); 20% discount on all purchases during the flight; and priority approach (before the general group approach).

Additional travel benefits

This card offers several general travel benefits that do not require cardholders to travel with Delta. These include additional loss and damage insurance for rental cars paid for in full with the SkyMiles card; baggage insurance for lost, stolen or damaged baggage; 24/7 global assistance for travelers more than 160 km from home; and 24/7 road assistance.

Benefits of shopping

Platinum Delta SkyMiles offers several benefits and protections for buyers, all purchased through American Express. These include extended warranties (up to one year) on items with original warranties of five years or less, and purchase protection (money back) for items broken or stolen within three months (90 days) of purchase.

Significant costs

There is an annual fee of $ 195, but there is no overseas transaction fee. Balance transfers and cash advances cost up to $ 5 or 3%. Late and returned payments cost $ 37.

Credit Required

– This card requires excellent credit

The MQM bonus and MQD waiver significantly accelerate Medallion status progression. The power of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card really kicks in once you hit the annual spend threshold of $ 25,000, and rises again when you hit $ 50,000. $ 25,000 in annual spending earns a 10,000 MQM bonus and bonus. MQD exemption meaning you only has to worry about MQM or MQS when striving to achieve the next level of Medallion status. If you hit $ 50,000, you earn 20,000 MQM – 80% of the way to silver, or gold from silver, or platinum from gold.

– Strong welcome offer

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Welcome Offer is very generous: 35,000 SkyMiles bonuses (vouchers for up to six nationals) and 5,000 MQMs when you spend at least $ 1,000 in three months, and a $ 100 statement credit when you make a purchase. Delta within three months of signing up for the card, this compares favorably to most comparable travel cards, including the Gold Delta SkyMiles from American Express, which has the 30,000 SkyMile introductory bonus ($ 1,000 to be spent within three months of enrollment) combined with a credit, smaller Delta account ($ 50) and no MQM bonus.

– Advantage of the journeyman certificate each year

For each year that you remain a Delta SkyMiles Platinum Cardholder, you get a complimentary companion certificate that can be used on any domestic round trip itinerary, with a potential value of $ 500 or more, depending on the location. ‘route. There are no associated expense requirements other than paying the annual fee and covering the cost of your own ticket when traveling with your companion, so you never have to worry about your eligibility for this benefit. Many competitive travel cards, including the American Express Premier Rewards Gold card, do not offer additional fares.

Annual SkyMiles bonus worth 1 free domestic round trip or 2 free one-way tickets. If you meet the $ 50,000 spend threshold, you’ll earn enough additional SkyMiles (20,000) to cover one free round-trip domestic travel or two free domestic travel. You’re probably on your way to the highest levels of Medallion Status by the time you hit $ 50,000, so consider this perk just one more chance to cash in on your status.

Discounted pass at the airport lounge. This card gives you up to three discounted Delta Sky Club passes for each trip, good for you and up to two companions, worth up to $ 90 each time you travel. Many competing cards do not offer free or discounted access to airport lounges.

No foreign transaction fees. Platinum Delta SkyMiles does not charge an overseas transaction fee, a significant benefit for cardholders who regularly travel outside of the United States. Since Delta offers a variety of international destinations (especially in Europe) this could be useful.