Delta Amex cards get more benefits, increased annual fees

American Express has a strong lineup of co-branded credit cards, including options from Hilton, Marriott and Delta. Over the last few years, Amex has been busy changing up the benefits these cards — and the cards it issues on its own — offer. Among the biggest changes? Increased annual fees and a slew of statement credits that offset those fees. Now, Amex’s Delta cards are the latest to incur alterations, but the news is mostly positive. Let’s examine what’s changing.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

Partner Offer

Rates & fees / Terms apply

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On American Express’s secure website

Welcome bonus

Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Earn 50,000 miles

Annual fee

$350

Regular APR

20.99%-29.99% Variable

Credit score

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.

(700 – 749) Good, Excellent

Earn 3X Miles on purchases made directly with hotels; Earn 3X Miles on Delta flights and Delta Vacations; 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

Editor’s take

Pros

• Annual round-trip companion certificate for domestic flights.
• Valuable welcome bonus of miles and MQMs.
• Free checked bag and priority boarding.

Cons

• Annual fee of $350.
• Low base earning rate for non-bonus-category purchases.

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card offers a free checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights, plus an annual companion certificate. This alone can make the card worth the annual price tag. The card also offers a generous welcome bonus.

Card details

• Earn 50,000 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 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.
• Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to Status with MQD Headstart.
• 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 $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $20 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving Medallion Status for next Medallion Year.
• 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: When you use your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $10 each month in statement credits.
• $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.
• Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
• 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 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.
• Terms Apply.

Changes to the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

The lowest tier of the paid Delta credit cards, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (terms apply, rates & fees) previously offered a $0 intro annual fee for the first year and charged $99 thereafter. Along with a an annual fee bump to a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150, here are the changes cardholders can expect:

• $200 Delta flight credit after spending $10,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year for use towards future travel (up from $100).
• Up to $100 in statement credits per year toward prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.

Note that the increased annual fees for all of Delta’s cards are for new cardholders. Existing cardholders will see their annual fees increased at their next account renewal dates or starting May 1, 2024.

Changes to the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The business version of the popular Gold card, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. (terms apply), is also facing some changes. Like the personal version, the card previously offered a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then charged $99 thereafter. And again, like the personal version, the annual fee is now upped to a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.

Additional changes include:

• $200 Delta flight credit after spending $10,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year (up from $100) towards future travel.
• Up to $150 in statement credits toward eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
• 2 miles per $1 spent at U.S. shipping providers and U.S. providers for advertising in select media, up to $50,000 per year (up from 1 mile per $1).

Changes to the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

Delta’s mid-tier card, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (terms apply, rates & fees), strikes a nice balance between benefits and annual fees, though both are going up. Cardholders used to pay $250 for the opportunity to hold the card. Now, the fee has jumped to $350 per year.

Other changes you can expect to see include:

• Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean now included as destinations on annual companion certificates.
• Annual companion certificates now valid for first class and Delta Comfort+ in addition to Main Cabin.
• $120 Resy credit (up to $10 per month in statement credits for eligible Resy purchases with your enrolled card).
• $120 rideshare credit (up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers). Enrollment is required.
• Up to $150 in statement credits toward eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
• $2,500 Medallion® Qualifying Dollar (MQD) boost toward earning status each year with MQD Headstart.
• Earn $1 MQD for each $20 of eligible purchases on your card.
• Access to complimentary upgrades on flights.
• Hertz Five Star elite status (enrollment required).
• No more paid Delta Sky Club access.

Changes to the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. (terms apply) is also increased its annual fee from $250 to $350 per year, though the benefits that changed are slightly different from the personal version:

• Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean now included as destinations on annual companion certificates.
• Annual companion certificates now valid for first class and Delta Comfort+ in addition to Main Cabin.
• $120 Resy credit (up to $10 per month in statement credits for eligible Resy purchases with your enrolled card).
• $120 rideshare credit (up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers). Enrollment is required.
• Up to $200 in statement credits toward eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
• $2,500 Medallion® Qualifying Dollar (MQD) boost toward earning status each year with MQD Headstart.
• Earn $1 MQD for every $20 of eligible spending on your card.
• Access to complimentary upgrades on flights.
• Hertz Five Star elite status (enrollment required).
• No more paid Delta Sky Club access.
• 1.5 miles per $1 spent on transit and on eligible U.S. shipping and on single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more, up to $100,000 per year (up from 1 mile per $1 spent).
• The ability to spend above your credit limit.

Changes to the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

The most expensive card Delta and Amex offer, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (terms apply, rates & fees) offers top-tier benefits for Delta loyalists. The annual fee is $650, up from $550, which might be more than many are willing to stomach. Additionally, the benefits that the card offers are changing:

• Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean now included as destinations on annual companion certificates.
• $2,500 Medallion® Qualifying Dollar (MQD) boost toward earning status each year with MQD Headstart.
• Earn $1 MQD for every $10 of eligible purchases on your card.
• $240 Resy statement credit (up to $20 in statement credits per month on eligible Resy purchases with your enrolled card).
• Up to $200 in statement credits toward eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
• $120 rideshare credit (up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers). Enrollment is required.
• Hertz President’s Circle status (enrollment required).
• Four one-time Delta Sky Club guest passes (up from two) each year when flying Delta.
• Beginning February 1, 2025: 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 at a per-Visit rate of $50 per person using the Card.

Changes to the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The last card on this list, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card * The information for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. (terms apply), also previously charged a $550 annual fee. Along with a $100 bump to $650 per year, cardholders now get:

• Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean now included as destinations on annual companion certificates.
• $2,500 Medallion® Qualifying Dollar (MQD) boost toward earning status each year.
• Earn $1 MQD for every $10 of eligible purchases on your card.
• $240 Resy statement credit (up to $20 in statement credits per month on eligible Resy purchases with your enrolled card).
• $120 rideshare credit (up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers). Enrollment is required.
• Up to $250 in statement credits toward eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
• Hertz President’s Circle status (enrollment required).
• Four one-time Delta Sky Club guest passes (up from two). After that, you may bring up to two guests at a per-visit rate of $50 per person, per location.
• 1.5 miles per $1 spent on transit, U.S. shipping and U.S. office supply stores (up from 1 mile per $1 spent).
• The ability to spend above your credit limit with Expanded Buying Power.
• Beginning February 1, 2025: Delta Sky Club access limited to 15 visits per year, then eligible card members can purchase additional visits at $50 per person (unlimited visits after spending $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24 and each calendar year thereafter).

Final verdict

No one likes annual fee increases on their credit cards, and there are plenty of folks who hate the monthly statement credits Amex continues to push. However, for those that can take advantage, the statement credits you’ll receive each year can help to offset (or even outweigh) those annual fees.

The biggest winners here appear to be the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card, both of whose annual companion certificates are getting huge boosts. Add to this the fact that they’re getting the same MQD boost as the much more expensive Reserve cards, and it can be difficult to see when shelling out $650 is ever worth it.

Regardless, Amex is clearly doing its best to shake up how credit card benefits work as it continues to modify the credits and perks that it offers, the latest of which affects its co-branded Delta credit cards.

^{For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card please visit this page.}

^{For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card please visit this page.}

^{For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card please visit this page.}