If you have a Delta American Express card in your wallet, you’ve probably read about major changes to your card announced in early February. These include increased annual fees, as well as changes to your card benefits, affecting the following six cards:
It can be easy to miss the new or enhanced perks, so here are the top nine things to do as a Delta Amex cardmember to ensure you continue to get value from your card. If you’re thinking of canceling or downgrading your card, we’ve also got some advice for you.
Check your email for targeted offers
In addition to emails from Delta and American Express highlighting the changes to your card, some cardmembers are receiving additional one-off status boosts and flight credits.
TPG director of content Nick Ewen and senior SEO associate Hannah Streck have personal and business versions of the Delta Reserve card, respectively. They both received an email with some one-time premium perks headed their way, including a 1,000 Medallion Qualification Dollars boost and a $100 flight credit.
Keep an eye on your inbox and spam or junk folders to ensure you aren’t missing out on any updates and that you stay on top of changes to your card benefits.
Find out your next annual fee date
Existing cardmembers of the cards above will see an increase in their annual fee. If your card is set to renew before May 1, 2024, you’ll be charged the same annual fee. However, if your card renewal occurs on or after May 1, you’ll be subject to the new annual fee.
To find out when your next annual fee will be charged, go into your online account and search for “renewal” or “membership fee” on your 2023 credit card statements.
Related: The complete guide to credit card annual fees
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Decide whether you want to keep your card
No one wants to see an increase in their card’s annual fee, even if the issuer adds new benefits or enhances current perks. If you don’t find value in the statement credits or improved benefits, consider asking for a retention offer when your next annual fee posts.
If you aren’t given a retention offer and wish to close the card, consider downgrading your card to a card with no annual fee or a lower one. For example, if you hold the Delta Platinum card, you could downgrade to the Delta Gold or the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card (see rates and fees).
Remember that Amex has a once-per-lifetime rule for welcome offers and a family restriction. That means you won’t be eligible for the welcome offer on lower-tier cards if you’ve held a higher-tier card in the same family.
So, you would be ineligible for the welcome offer on the Delta Platinum card if you already held and earned a welcome offer on the Delta Reserve card.
Enroll for ride-hailing and Resy statement credits
The personal and business versions of the Delta Platinum and the Delta Reserve now offer new statement credits.
Delta Platinum cardmembers get up to $120 Resy credits (up to $10 monthly) and up to $120 ride-hailing credits (up to $10 monthly), while Delta Reserve cardmembers have the same ride-hailing credit and increased Resy credits of up to $240 (up to $20 monthly).
Like most Amex credits, you must enroll in the benefit before earning the statement credit. To do so, go to your online account or app, select your Delta card and navigate to “Benefits.”
Formulate a lounge access strategy for 2025
Delta Reserve cardmembers continue to receive unlimited access to Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta this year.
However, from February 2025, access will be restricted to 15 day visits per year, with additional visits costing $50 each. That’s unless you spend at least $75,000 on your card this year.
So, if you want unlimited access from next February, you’ll need to meet that minimum spend requirement on your card this year.
Evaluate your elite status goals for 2024-25
Now that the Delta SkyMiles program only has one metric for earning elite status — MQDs — it’s a good time to assess how this affects your elite status earning goals.
Log into your SkyMiles account to keep track of your progress. Look out for the 2,500 MQD headstart for Delta Platinum and Delta Reserve cardmembers.
Although the headstart is a published benefit, some members may be targeted for one-off boosts, in which case it’s a good idea to calculate how many MQDs you need to earn by flying or spending. Platinum cardmembers earn 1 MQD per $20 spent; Reserve cardmembers earn 1 MQD per $10 spent.
Use your Delta Stays credit
All six cards get a new statement credit for Delta Stays, a new online booking platform for hotels and vacation rentals powered by Expedia. The credits range from $100 to $250, depending on which card you have.
TPG senior director of product management Gabe Travers was one of the first on our team to test out his credit. He made his booking on Feb. 1 and received the statement credit on Feb. 5, taking four days in total to appear on his account.
Related: Delta Vacations enhances earning rates and redemption value for SkyMiles members
Use your companion certificate
Personal and business Platinum and Reserve cardmembers can now take advantage of an enhanced companion certificate. Take advantage of the companion certificate to help offset annual fee increases on these cards.
Note that the changes to eligible destinations and cabins only affects companion certificates issued from Feb. 1, 2024; if you have an existing companion certificate in your account, it’s still bound by the old (more restrictive) terms and conditions.
Delta Platinum cardmembers can now use the companion pass in Main Cabin to fly to more destinations, including all 50 U.S. states, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. (Previously, this was restricted to destinations in the contiguous U.S.)
The same destinations are also applicable to Delta Reserve cardmembers but now also include eligible Premium Select tickets (along with first-class, Comfort+ and Main Cabin).
Related: How to save money with an annual Delta companion ticket
Enroll in Hertz elite status
Delta Platinum and Platinum Business cardmembers now get Hertz Five Star status, the company’s mid-tier elite status offering one-class upgrades (subject to availability) and 25% bonus points on all rentals.
Meanwhile, Delta Reserve and Reserve Business cardmembers receive Hertz’s highest status, Hertz President’s Circle, offering a guaranteed one-class car upgrade and 50% more points on all rentals.
Again, you can enroll for this perk by going to your online account’s “Benefits” section.
Related: The complete guide to Hertz Gold Plus Rewards
Bottom line
Although Amex has raised the annual fees on the personal and business versions of the Delta Gold, Platinum and Reserve cards, it has also made several improvements to existing perks while introducing new benefits.
It’s a good time to evaluate when your new annual fee hits to decide if you will keep your card open or downgrade it. It is not recommended to cancel your card, as that may damage your credit score. If you no longer want your card, downgrade it to the no-annual-fee Delta Blue card to keep your credit line open (see rates and fees).
Most importantly, plan now to maximize all your benefits so you can get the most out of your Delta Amex credit cards this year and start taking advantage of the monthly statement credits.
Related: Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve: Which card is best for Delta loyalists?
For rates and fees of the Delta Blue card, click here.
