Suppose you are in search of the most effective advantages a bank card can present to vacationers who regularly fly Delta. In that case, chances are you’ll assume the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Specific Card can be greatest since it is the top-tier cobranded Delta client card.
Nevertheless, it is price evaluating the Delta Reserve to The Platinum Card® from American Specific to find out which is the most effective card for Delta flyers.
Let’s assessment these playing cards that will help you resolve which is greatest for you as you propose your future journeys.
Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve comparability
| Amex Platinum | Delta Reserve | |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Earn 80,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 in purchases in your first six months of card membership. You is likely to be focused for the next provide by the CardMatch device. Affords might change at any time, and also you is probably not focused for a similar provide as one other individual. | Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership. |
| Incomes charges |
|
|
| TPG’s February 2025 valuation | 2 cents every | 1.2 cents every |
| Annual payment | $695 (see charges and costs) | $650 (see charges and costs) |
| Lounge entry | Entry to many lounges by the American Specific International Lounge Assortment, together with:
Enrollment required for choose card advantages; phrases apply |
Entry to Delta Sky Membership lounges (15 visits yearly)
4 one-time visitor passes for the Delta Sky Membership upon account opening and annually upon account renewal (when flying Delta), then $50 per individual per go to Entry to Centurion Lounges (when flying Delta) Enrollment required for choose card advantages; phrases apply |
| Different standout advantages |
Enrollment required for choose card advantages; phrases apply |
Enrollment required for choose card advantages; phrases apply |
*Enrollment within the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Program is required.
Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve welcome bonus
The Amex Platinum presently affords a welcome bonus of 80,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 within the first six months.
Based mostly on TPG’s February 2025 valuations, Membership Rewards factors are price 2 cents every, making this welcome bonus price $1,600.
The Delta Reserve presently affords 100,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership.
TPG’s February 2025 valuations worth Delta miles at 1.2 cents every, so this welcome bonus is price $1,200.
Winner: Amex Platinum. The welcome provide is price extra, and the cardboard earns transferable factors that may be transferred to a number of airline and resort companions, together with Delta.
Every day Publication
Reward your inbox with the TPG Every day publication
Be part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s consultants
Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve advantages
Whereas it has many helpful perks, the one Delta-specific profit you will get with the Amex Platinum is entry to Delta Sky Membership lounges when flying Delta.
Nevertheless, entry is proscribed to 10 day visits per calendar yr except you spent no less than $75,000 within the earlier calendar yr. Cardmembers may additionally convey as much as two visitors at a per-visit price of $50 per individual per location.
As anticipated, the Delta Reserve affords many Delta-specific perks, beginning with entry to Delta Sky Membership lounges. Cardmembers obtain 15 annual visits to Delta Sky Membership lounges when touring on same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flights.
As well as, cardmembers obtain 4 one-time visitor passes for the Delta Sky Membership (when flying Delta) after which $50 per individual per go to.
Cardmembers are restricted to fifteen day visits to Delta Sky Membership lounges every calendar yr, 5 greater than the Amex Platinum — once more, except they spent no less than $75,000 within the earlier calendar yr.
You will additionally get complimentary entry to American Specific Centurion Lounges when flying Delta with a ticket bought on the Delta Reserve. You possibly can convey as much as two visitors into the Centurion Lounge with you for a payment of $50 every.
The Amex Platinum affords limitless entry to Centurion Lounges, no matter which airline you are flying.
Delta Reserve advantages embody many assertion credit and complimentary Hertz President’s Circle standing. The assertion credit embody:
- As much as $240 annual Resy credit score each calendar yr (as much as $20 month-to-month) towards eating at U.S. eating places
- As much as $120 annual ride-hailing credit score every calendar yr (as much as $10 month-to-month) with choose U.S. suppliers.
- As much as $200 Delta Stays assertion credit score for resort bookings each calendar yr
Different Delta-specific advantages embody:
- First checked bag free: First checked bag free on Delta flights for you and as much as eight companions touring with you in your reservation
- Precedence boarding
- Companion certificates annually after your account anniversary: Legitimate for one round-trip first-class, Premium Choose, Delta Consolation+ or Most important Cabin companion ticket once you pay taxes and costs on the award ticket and buy an grownup round-trip to all 50 U.S. states, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean
- Low cost on inflight purchases: 20% financial savings within the type of an announcement credit score for eligible pre-purchased meals and inflight purchases of meals and drinks on Delta-operated flights
Enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply.
An essential benefit of the Delta Reserve is the MQD Headstart, which supplies cardmembers 2,500 MQDs towards standing qualification at first of the yr and the power to earn 1 MQD for each $10 spent on the cardboard.
That is a powerful good thing about the cardboard and is a solution to earn or vastly help you in incomes elite standing with Delta.
Winner: Delta Reserve. As indicated by its cobranded standing, the Delta Reserve affords many extra Delta-specific advantages than the Amex Platinum.
Additionally notice that a number of the Delta Reserve’s advantages are additionally accessible on the lower-annual-fee Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Specific Card (see charges and costs).
Associated: Learn how to use bank cards to defeat primary financial system
Incomes rewards with the Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve
The Amex Platinum earns 5 Membership Rewards factors per greenback spent on flights booked immediately with airways or by American Specific Journey (on as much as $500,000 in purchases per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback spent) and pay as you go motels booked on AmexTravel.com.
Based mostly on TPG’s February 2025 valuations, this implies you will get a powerful 10% return on this spending.
You will additionally earn 1 Membership Rewards level per greenback spent on all the things else, which equates to a 2% return.
The Delta Reserve earns 3 Delta miles per greenback spent on Delta purchases, which equates to a 3.6% return primarily based on TPG’s February 2025 valuations. You will earn 1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases, which offers solely a 1.2% return.
Winner: Amex Platinum. The Delta Reserve’s price of return is not aggressive even on Delta purchases. The Amex Platinum beats the Delta Reserve on each Delta purchases and on a regular basis purchases.
Associated: The very best bank cards for airfare purchases
Redeeming rewards with the Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve
The Amex Platinum earns American Specific Membership Rewards factors. You will get the most effective worth out of your Membership Rewards factors once you switch them to certainly one of Amex’s journey companions after which redeem them by the companion for flights or resort nights.
There are different redemption choices, however all of them present lower than TPG’s February 2025 valuation of Membership Rewards factors at 2 cents apiece.
TPG bank cards author Danyal Ahmed not too long ago took benefit of Aeroplan’s distance and region-based award chart to ebook a lie-flat business-class ticket on Turkish Airways for 45,000 factors from Barcelona to Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Air Canada Aeroplan is a switch companion of Amex Membership Rewards.
The Delta Reserve earns Delta miles, which could be irritating to make use of resulting from dynamic award pricing. However there are nonetheless some nice methods to get worth from Delta miles. For instance, Delta affords comparatively frequent flash gross sales.
You may also use Delta miles to improve to the following class of service. There are additionally nice candy spots for flying worldwide companion airways with SkyMiles. All SkyTeam companions, equivalent to Air France and Korean Air, can be found for award redemptions, in addition to some nonalliance companions.
Winner: Amex Platinum. Membership Rewards factors could be transferred to a number of airline and resort companions, together with Delta, so you might have much more flexibility when utilizing your rewards.
Associated: A information to incomes transferable factors
Ought to I get the Amex Platinum or Delta Reserve?
Typically, the Amex Platinum would be the best option for Delta vacationers resulting from its greater earn price on Delta purchases and its wider-reaching advantages. Nevertheless, if you’re targeted on Delta elite standing, then the Delta Reserve is worthy of consideration.
Backside line
The Delta Reserve is a more sensible choice for Delta flyers looking for to attain or keep elite standing. Nevertheless, should you’d want a card that grants Delta, Centurion and companion lounge entry plus the power to earn versatile Membership Rewards factors, then the Amex Platinum has the higher hand.
To study extra, learn our Amex Platinum full assessment and the Delta Reserve full assessment.
Apply right here: The Platinum Card from American Specific
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Specific Card
Associated: Amex Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve
For charges and costs of the Delta Reserve, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Delta Platinum, click on right here.
