Frequent Delta Air Lines flyers have two fantastic card choices that can elevate their airport and flying experience. While some may gawk at the hefty annual fees, these two cards are well worth the price for those who are loyal to the Atlanta-based carrier.
I’m talking, of course, about the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express.
For those who value Delta Medallion elite status, Sky Club access and the annual round-trip companion certificate, you may already carry Delta’s most premium card in your wallet.
But, for $45 more every year, I’d argue that the Amex Platinum may actually make more sense for most travelers.
Here are the five reasons why you should consider switching from the Delta Reserve to the Amex Platinum.
Comparing the Delta Reserve to the Amex Platinum
| Feature | Delta Reserve | Amex Platinum |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome offer | Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases on your new card in your first three months of cardmembership. | Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of cardmembership. |
| Annual fee | $650 (see rates and fees) | $695 (see rates and fees) |
| Earning rates |
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| Delta perks* |
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| Other benefits* |
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* Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Related: Credit card showdown: Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve
Why you should switch to the Amex Platinum
At $695 per year, the Amex Platinum isn’t the most affordable card — but neither is the Delta Reserve. For a difference of $45, the Amex Platinum can offer better value since there’s a long list of non-Delta benefits that are useful for other parts of the travel experience, whether that’s with hotels or rental cars.
Let’s take a closer look at the top five reasons the Amex Platinum wins over the Delta Reserve.
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Expanded lounge access when there’s not a Sky Club
With the Amex Platinum, you get access to thousands of lounges worldwide. With 50 Sky Clubs, the odds are likely that some of your travels bring you to places where you might not find a Sky Club. And while you can visit the Amex Centurion lounge with the Delta Reserve, this is also strictly limited to if you’re flying Delta the same day.
Here’s a list of the lounge access you’ll find with your handy Amex Platinum, dubbed the American Express Global Lounge Collection:
- Amex Centurion Lounges
- Priority Pass lounges
- Delta Sky Clubs (10 visits per year on same-day Delta flights starting Feb. 1, 2025).
- Plaza Premium lounge
- Escape Lounges — The Centurion Studio Partner
- Lufthansa lounges
- Other Global Lounge Collection partner lounges
On the off chance you aren’t flying Delta, you won’t be able to enter any airport lounge if you carry the Delta Reserve alone. But, with the Amex Platinum, the airline you fly won’t matter (in most instances) — just show your same-day boarding pass, and you’ll be able to enter most of the lounges as part of the Global Lounge Collection.
Plus, the Amex Platinum includes a Priority Pass Select membership, which the Delta Reserve does not.
Both cards require guests to pay $50 to enter SkyClubs or Centurion lounges. However, if Amex Platinum cardmembers spend $75,000 per calendar year, then two guests can enter the Centurion lounge with the cardmember for free.
If you’re a frequent traveler, this benefit alone is worth at least the $45 difference in the annual fees.
Just note that Sky Club access when flying Delta with either card is restricted to the primary cardmember only — unless one of the following holds true:
- Your guests are authorized users on your Amex Platinum or cardmember in their own right — which gets them Sky Club access
- You use one of your annual guest passes as a Delta Reserve cardmember
- Your guest is a child under the age of two
Related: Best credit cards for airport lounge access
An annual airline credit more suitable for Delta elite members
If you switch from the Delta Reserve to the Amex Platinum, you’ll largely lose out on many of the Delta-specific benefits, such as a free checked bag and the 20% discount on inflight purchases.
But it’s likely that you’re already a Delta Medallion member. Even at the lowest level (Silver Medallion), you’ll get a free first checked bag, so the Delta Reserve doesn’t really present any added value.
However, the Amex Platinum comes with an up-to-$200 credit for airline incidentals every year. You’ll pick one qualifying airline (Delta is on this list), and you’ll be reimbursed throughout the year anytime you’re charged for baggage, seat selection, onboard food and beverages, and more (up to a total of $200 per calendar year).
This could allow you to designate a different airline if you’re loyal to Delta and have Medallion status but occasionally find yourself on another carrier. Without elite status, you’d likely need to pay for things like checked bags and extra-legroom seats. Selecting another airline could allow you to still use this airline incidentals statement credit — beyond what the Delta Reserve can offer you.
Related: How to choose your airline with the Amex Platinum $200 airline fee credit
Holistic travel perks, rather than just with Delta
By switching to the Amex Platinum, there are a few benefits that may be sorely missed, such as the companion certificate and the elite qualification boosts.
But you’ll notice that many of the perks are the same (Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit) or can be replicated (airline incidentals credit) with the Amex Platinum — and there’s more.
There’s a lengthy list of travel benefits that come with the Amex Platinum, and many of them can help you save money or elevate your travel experience. Here are a few of my notable favorites:
Even if you don’t use up every single credit or benefit, it’s more than likely that you’ll be able to make up that $45 difference in the annual fees. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Related: How to maximize your earning with the Amex Platinum
Ability to earn Membership Rewards points — worth significantly more than Delta SkyMiles
Delta SkyMiles have been devalued a lot over the years. While you can find some great value when redeeming for domestic economy flights, you’re out of luck if you’re trying to find a long-haul business-class flight for reasonable rates.
Unfortunately, those devaluations will likely continue, but the best way to protect yourself from airline and hotel valuations is to open a card that earns transferable points, like the Amex Platinum.
With the American Express Membership Rewards program, you can transfer your points to 20-plus airline and hotel loyalty programs — including Delta SkyMiles. It’s also worth noting that per TPG’s October 2024 valuations, Amex Membership Rewards points are valued at 2 cents each and Delta SkyMiles at 1.41 cents apiece.
These valuations also factor into the ongoing earning rates of these cards:
- Amex Platinum:
- 5 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline and through Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) — 10% return
- 5 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel — 10% return
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases — 2% return
- Delta Reserve:
- 3 points per dollar spent on Delta purchases — 3.6% return
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases — 1.2% return
Related: The complete guide to American Express Membership Rewards partners
If you fly Delta enough and you don’t need an MQD waiver
If this applies to you, then consider downgrading to the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. For a $350 annual fee (see rates and fees), you’ll enjoy similar perks:
- Receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) each year
- Earn $1 MQD for each $20 in you spend on purchases
- Receive a Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your card
And if you fly Delta enough organically to not need these MQD waivers from these cobranded cards, then there’s no reason why the Amex Platinum shouldn’t be in your wallet rather than the Delta Reserve.
Related: The best credit cards to jump-start elite status in 2022
Are you eligible to apply for the Amex Platinum?
Although both cards are issued by American Express, you won’t be able to request a product change for your cards. If you decide the Amex Platinum is the right choice for you, you’ll need to put in a new application outright — though be sure to check the CardMatch tool to see if you’re targeted for an even higher welcome offer (subject to change at any time).
While that has a temporary effect on your credit score, you’ll be able to work toward the 80,000-point welcome bonus.
To gauge your likelihood of approval, you can review Amex’s eligibility requirements, but anecdotes report that you can carry up to five American Express cards at a time. In addition, you’ll likely only be eligible for the welcome bonus if you’ve never held the Amex Platinum before. So, if you’re clear on both fronts, then submitting an application would be your next step.
Then, you’ll need to decide what to do with your Delta Reserve.
Your options are to cancel your card or downgrade to another Delta cobranded card. Here are those options:
If you do decide to cancel the Delta Reserve once your annual fee posts, be sure to call customer service and see if you’re eligible for a retention offer. Issuers sometimes provide incentives to existing cardmembers to keep their cards open — including statement credits or bonus miles. That could make the difference between keeping versus canceling your card.
Related: TPG readers find success with retention bonuses
Bottom line
Airline mile devaluations are frequent — and among the best ways to protect yourself is opening a card that earns transferable points instead. For those who already carry the Delta Reserve, the Amex Platinum can make a lot of sense in many ways, especially since you’ll enjoy some Delta benefits and still be able to transfer your rewards to Delta SkyMiles in a pinch.
Apply here: Amex Platinum
Apply here: Delta Reserve
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Blue, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve, click here.
For rates and fees of the Platinum Amex, click here.
