Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card sits between the $150 Gold and the $650 Reserve at a $350 annual fee, and its case rests largely on one benefit: the annual companion certificate. Each year after renewal you receive a certificate good for a round-trip Main Cabin companion ticket within the US or to Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America; you pay only government taxes and fees of $22 to $250. Redeem it for a trip you would have bought anyway and the math works. Let it expire and you paid $350 for a mid-tier airline card. The welcome offer advertised on delta.com in August 2026 is as high as 90,000 bonus miles after $3,000 in purchases in your first 6 months, with Amex varying offers by applicant. Earning is 3 miles per dollar on Delta purchases and hotels, 2 miles at restaurants worldwide plus US takeout and delivery and at US supermarkets, and 1 mile everywhere else. The variable APR is 19.49% to 28.49% and there are no foreign transaction fees. Amex layers up to $390 in annual credits on top: $150 for prepaid Delta Stays bookings, a $120 Resy dining credit paid as up to $10 per month, and a $120 rideshare credit, also $10 per month. The monthly structure is deliberate friction: you must enroll, remember, and have matching spend every month to capture the full amounts. Checked bags mirror the Gold: first bag free worldwide on Delta, plus a free second bag on domestic flights added June 4, 2026. That same update made companion certificates redeemable toward Delta Vacations packages. A Global Entry ($120) or TSA PreCheck (up to $85) application credit rounds it out. For Medallion status chasers the card carries real weight: a $2,500 MQD Headstart each qualification year plus $1 MQD per every $20 in purchases. Combined with TakeOff 15's 15% discount on Delta award bookings, the card is aimed squarely at loyalists who fly Delta by default and want a shortcut toward status without flying more. Buy this card only if you will use the companion certificate essentially every year; that single benefit is the difference between a bargain and an overpriced Gold. Skip it if your companion travel is international beyond Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America (the certificate will not cover it), if you want Sky Club access (only the Reserve includes it), or if chasing $10 monthly credits annoys you more than $390 a year is worth.