Suppose you are searching for one of the best advantages a bank card can present to vacationers who often fly Delta. In that case, it’s possible you’ll assume the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Categorical Card can be finest since it is the top-tier cobranded Delta shopper card.
Then again, what about The Platinum Card® from American Categorical? It is one other top-tier premium card that gives some stellar advantages to frequent vacationers.
It is essential to match them to find out which is finest for Delta flyers, particularly after the Amex Platinum card’s newest refresh.
Let’s evaluate these playing cards that can assist you determine which is finest for you as you propose your future journeys.
Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve comparability
| Amex Platinum | Delta Reserve | |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Discover out your supply and see if you’re eligible for as excessive as 175,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. Welcome provides fluctuate and also you might not be eligible for a suggestion. | Earn 125,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Supply ends Oct. 29. |
| Incomes charges |
|
|
| TPG’s September 2025 valuations | 2 cents every | 1.15 cents every |
| Annual price | $895 (see charges and costs) | $650 (see charges and costs) |
| Lounge entry | Entry to many lounges via the American Categorical World Lounge Assortment for eligible cardmembers, together with:
Enrollment is required for choose card advantages. |
Entry to Delta Sky Membership lounges (15 visits in a calendar yr, limitless visits after $75,000 in spending in a calendar yr)
4 one-time visitor passes upon account opening and every Medallion yr thereafter (when flying Delta), then $50 per particular person per go to Entry to Centurion Lounges (when flying Delta) Enrollment is required for choose card advantages. |
| Different standout advantages |
Enrollment is required for choose card advantages. |
Enrollment is required for choose card advantages. |
Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve welcome bonus
Discover out your Amex Platinum supply and see if you’re eligible for as excessive as 175,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. Welcome provides fluctuate, and also you might not be eligible for a suggestion.
Primarily based on TPG’s valuations, Membership Rewards factors are price 2 cents every, making this welcome bonus price as much as $3,500.
The Delta Reserve at the moment provides new cardmembers the prospect to earn 125,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. This supply ends Oct. 29.
Primarily based on TPG’s valuations, Delta miles are price 1.15 every, making this welcome bonus price $1,438.
Do not forget that Amex solely means that you can earn one welcome bonus per card in a lifetime, so be sure you get the absolute best supply for the cardboard you wish to apply for.
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Winner: Amex Platinum. The welcome supply is price extra, and the cardboard earns transferable factors that may be transferred to a number of airline and lodge companions, together with Delta.
Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve advantages
Whereas it has many helpful perks, the one Delta-specific profit you may get with the Amex Platinum is entry to Delta Sky Membership lounges when flying Delta.
Entry is restricted to 10 day visits per calendar yr, however you will get limitless entry after spending $75,000 in a calendar yr. Cardmembers might also carry as much as two visitors at a per-visit fee of $50 per particular person per location.
The Amex Platinum provides limitless entry to Centurion Lounges for eligible cardmembers, no matter which airline you are flying.
The Delta Reserve provides 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.
That is 5 greater than the Amex Platinum. Much like it, you may get limitless Sky Membership entry after spending $75,000 in a calendar yr.
As well as, cardmembers obtain 4 one-time visitor passes for the Delta Sky Membership every Medallion yr (when flying Delta). After that, a visitor cross is $50 per visitor.
You will additionally get complimentary entry to American Categorical Centurion Lounges when flying Delta with a ticket bought utilizing the Delta Reserve. You possibly can carry as much as two visitors into the lounge with you for a price of $50 every.
The advantages trade-off to consider is that the Amex Platinum is taken into account extra of a common journey and life-style card. Some notable advantages that got here with the cardboard’s newest refresh embrace (enrollment is required for choose advantages):
- As much as $600 in lodge assertion credit per calendar yr (as much as $300 semi-annually), legitimate on pay as you go Amex High-quality Motels + Resorts or The Lodge Assortment bookings (of two nights or extra) once you pay together with your Amex Platinum
- As much as a $400 Resy assertion credit score (as much as $100 every quarter) per calendar yr for eating at eligible U.S. eating places
- As much as a $300 assertion credit score for Lululemon purchases per calendar yr (as much as $75 per quarter; U.S. shops and on-line solely; retailers excluded)
The Delta Reserve’s notable assertion credit embrace:
- As much as $240 Resy credit score each calendar yr (as much as $20 in assertion credit month-to-month) towards eating at U.S. eating places
- As much as $200 Delta Stays assertion credit score for lodge bookings each calendar yr
- As much as $120 ride-hailing credit score every calendar yr (as much as $10 assertion credit month-to-month) with choose U.S. suppliers
Different Delta-specific advantages embrace:
- 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
- Companion certificates after account anniversary: Legitimate for one round-trip first-class, Consolation or Fundamental 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, the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico
- Low cost on inflight purchases: 20% financial savings within the type of a press release credit score for eligible pre-purchased meals and inflight purchases of meals and drinks on Delta-operated flights
- Precedence boarding: Applies to the first cardmember and as much as eight passengers on the identical reservation
- 15% off award redemptions for Delta flights
Enrollment is required for choose advantages.
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 flexibility to earn 1 MQD for each $10 spent on the cardboard.
That is a powerful profit and a technique to earn or vastly help you in incomes elite standing with Delta.
Additionally observe that among the Delta Reserve’s advantages are additionally out there on the lower-annual-fee Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Categorical Card (see charges and costs).
The Amex Platinum has fewer Delta perks, which suggests cardmembers want to maximise its Delta advantages and the cardboard’s different perks to actually get full worth from the cardboard.
Winner: Delta Reserve. As indicated by its cobranded standing, the Delta Reserve provides many extra Delta-specific advantages than the Amex Platinum.
Associated: The best way to use bank cards to defeat primary economic system
Incomes rewards with the Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve
The Amex Platinum earns
- 5 factors per greenback spent on flights booked straight with airways or via Amex Journey (on as much as $500,000 in purchases per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback spent) and 5 factors per greenback spent on pay as you go accommodations booked on AmexTravel.com
- 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases
Primarily based on TPG’s valuations, this implies you may get a powerful 10% return on Amex Journey or direct airline purchases (as much as the spending cap) and a 2% return on all different purchases.
The Delta Reserve earns:
- 3 miles per greenback spent on Delta purchases (3.45% return primarily based on TPG’s September 2025 valuations)
- 1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases (1.15% return)
As a cobranded card, the Delta Reserve’s incomes fee is weak in comparison with the Amex Platinum. The first good thing about spending on the Delta Reserve card is regularly incomes MQDs.
Winner: Amex Platinum. The Delta Reserve’s fee of return is not aggressive even on Delta purchases.
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Redeeming rewards with the Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve
The Amex Platinum earns American Categorical Membership Rewards factors. You will get one of the best worth out of your Membership Rewards factors once you switch them to certainly one of Amex’s journey companions after which redeem them via the companion for flights or lodge stays.
Different redemption choices exist, however all of them present lower than TPG’s valuation of Membership Rewards factors at 2 cents apiece.
TPG bank cards author Danyal Ahmed took benefit of Aeroplan’s distance and region-based award chart to e-book a multicity business-class ticket from Madrid to Istanbul with a one-week stopover in Zurich for 25,000 factors. Amex Membership Rewards transfers to Air Canada Aeroplan at a ratio of 1:1.
The Delta Reserve earns Delta SkyMiles, which will be irritating to make use of on account of dynamic award pricing. However there are nonetheless some nice methods to get worth from Delta miles.
For instance, Delta provides comparatively frequent flash gross sales.
It’s also possible to use Delta miles to improve to the subsequent class of service. There are additionally nice candy spots for flying worldwide companion airways with SkyMiles.
All SkyTeam companions, resembling Air France and Korean Air, can be found for award redemptions, in addition to some nonalliance companions.
Winner: Amex Platinum. Membership Rewards factors will be transferred to a number of airline and lodge companions, together with Delta, so you’ve gotten much more flexibility when utilizing your rewards.
Associated: How (and why) you need to earn transferable bank card factors
Ought to I get the Amex Platinum or Delta Reserve?
On the whole, the Amex Platinum would be the most suitable option for Delta vacationers on account of its greater earn fee on Delta purchases and wider-reaching advantages, together with extra in depth lounge entry. Nevertheless, in case you’re centered on Delta elite standing and wish to maximize the cardboard’s companion certificates, then the Delta Reserve is worthy of consideration.
Backside line
The Delta Reserve is a more sensible choice for Delta flyers searching for to realize or preserve elite standing. Nevertheless, in case you’d choose a card that grants Delta, Centurion and companion lounge entry plus the flexibility to earn versatile Membership Rewards factors, then the Amex Platinum has the higher hand.
To study extra, learn our full critiques of the Amex Platinum and Delta SkyMiles Reserve.
Apply right here: Amex Platinum
Apply right here: Delta 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.
