Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express card review: Great benefits for Delta flyers, including a companion certificate that can save you hundreds of dollars

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Review: Is the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express the best credit card for you?

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is one of four personal credit cards in the Amex Delta family, and although it has a Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card annual fee Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card - Rates & Fees, it's well worth it if you fly Delta frequently and can make use of the card's perks.

Along with a welcome bonus of Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card , one Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card benefit can easily wipe out the annual fee cost (and then some). Each year on your card anniversary, you'll receive a Delta companion certificate to use when you book an eligible paid Delta flight. A companion can come along with you for just the cost of taxes and fees - and on expensive routes, the savings can be substantial.

Read more: The best Delta credit cards

On Delta flights, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card members also receive a free first checked bag (worth $30) and priority boarding for themselves and up to eight companions on the same reservation, and a 20% discount on inflight purchases.

And if you're working toward earning elite status, Delta's Status Boost of 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year (up to two times) can help you reach your goal (offer ends 12/31/21).

If you don't fly Delta often enough to justify the card's annual fee, there's another option with some of the same benefits. The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card annual fee is just Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card - Rates & Fees, and it offers a welcome bonus of Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card - plus the same free checked bag, priority boarding, and inflight discounts as the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card.

Read more: Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express card review

Alternately, if you want the opportunity to earn Delta miles but don't want to be locked into a single program, you should also consider cards that earn American Express Membership Rewards points, like the American Express® Gold Card or The Platinum Card® from American Express. Delta is an Amex transfer partner, along with over 20 other airline and hotel programs - so you'll have the flexibility to use your points for lots of other redemptions.

Comparison: Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex vs other Delta credit cards

* For 2021, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card members earn 25% more MQMs for meeting the same spending tiers (offer ends 12/31/21)

Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express vs other airline credit cards

* For 2021, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card members earn 25% more MQMs for meeting the same spending tiers (offer ends 12/31/21)

How to use Delta miles

Insider's points and miles valuations peg Delta SkyMiles as worth, on average, 1.1 cents each, so if you're getting that rate or better when you compare the cost of your award flight to that of a paid ticket, you're getting a good deal.

You can redeem Delta miles for flights on Delta and its SkyTeam alliance and non-alliance partners, including Air France, KLM, and Virgin Atlantic. Delta no longer publishes an award chart, so the number of points required for an award ticket varies depending on paid ticket price, demand, and time of year.

The airline sometimes runs flash sales with award tickets priced as low as 2,000 miles one-way for domestic flights and as little as 9,000 miles for international routes. Delta SkyMiles deals usually pop up unannounced, so it's worth checking frequently to see if you can snag a discounted award flight on the route or destination you want.

Read more: How to earn, redeem, and maximize Delta SkyMiles

One perk offered to all Amex Delta cardholders is the ability to use miles to offset the cost of a paid ticket. The Pay With Miles program allows members to redeem at a rate of 1 cent per mile in 5,000-mile increments, so 5,000 miles is worth $50 off the cost of a paid ticket. This is useful if you don't have enough miles for an award or want to stretch your miles by combining them with cash.

If you don't want to redeem SkyMiles for flights, there are other options, but you'll typically get a lower value in comparison:

• Seat selection and upgrades
• Delta Sky Club lounge memberships
• Certain Delta fees (like ticket changes and award ticket redeposit fees)
• Gift cards
• Magazines
• Tour vouchers
• Charity donations
• Delta Vacations packages
• Premium drinks in Delta Sky Club lounges
• Delta SkyMiles Experiences

Because Delta miles don't expire, you don't have to feel pressured to redeem them if you're not ready to travel just yet.

Benefits and features

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card offers a wide variety of travel and shopping benefits that can more than offset the annual fee.

Annual Delta companion certificate

Each year on your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card anniversary, you'll receive a Delta companion certificate valid for round-trip, domestic economy class travel within the contiguous 48 states. If you buy an eligible paid ticket, a companion can join you for just the cost of taxes and fees on the same itinerary - and if it's an expensive fare, you could end up saving hundreds of dollars.

Free first checked bag

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card members and up to eight companions on the same reservation receive a free first checked bag on Delta flights (worth $30 each way). This perk can be worth much more than the annual fee even if you only fly Delta a couple of times a year, especially if you travel in a group or with your family.

Priority boarding

Cardholders and up to eight companions on the same reservation receive Main Cabin 1 priority boarding - even when flying Basic Economy - which means you'll have more time to get settled into your seat and find room in the overhead bins for your bags.

Read more: The best credit cards with priority boarding

The Main Cabin 1 group boards after passengers flying in premium cabins and most elite members, but before other economy class travelers or those flying in basic economy.

Delta Status Boost

If you spend $25,000 or more on eligible purchases in a calendar year with your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card , you'll receive 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) - up to two times - that can help you qualify for elite status. For 2021, this perk is even sweeter, because cardholders can earn 25% more MQMs for meeting the same spending thresholds (offer ends 12/31/21).

Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

The Global Entry and TSA PreCheck trusted traveler programs can save you a ton of time waiting in line at the airport, and if you use your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card to pay the application fee, you'll be reimbursed (up to $100 for Global Entry every 4 years or up to $85 for TSA PreCheck every 4.5 years).

Read more: The best credit cards with free Global Entry and TSA PreCheck

20% back on inflight purchases

When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card to pay for inflight purchases like drinks, food, or audio headsets on Delta flights, you'll receive 20% back in the form of a statement credit.

Discounted Delta Sky Club access

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card members can get a reduced rate of $39 per person for single visits at Delta Sky Club airport lounges when they use the card to pay and are flying Delta or a Delta partner airline that day. The rate also applies to up to two guests or immediate family traveling with you.

Read more: 4 credit cards that get you free or discounted access to Delta Sky Club airport lounges

Trip delay insurance

If you've paid for eligible round-trip travel with your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and your trip is delayed 12 hours or more, you could be reimbursed for up to $300 in reasonable expenses, such as meals, lodging, toiletries, and medication, up to two times per 12-month period.

Read more: The best credit cards with travel insurance

Purchase protection

When you pay for an eligible item with your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card , you can be covered for loss or damage up to 90 days from the date of purchase, up to a maximum of $1,000 per occurrence and $50,000 per year.

Extended warranty

Cardholders can also get an extended warranty on eligible items when they use their Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card to pay - up to one additional year added to eligible US manufacturers warranties of five years or less.

Baggage insurance

If you pay for a covered trip with your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card , you can be covered for baggage loss or damage, up to $500 per person for checked bags and $1,250 per person for carry-on luggage. There are exclusions for high-risk items and some states have different limits, so check the terms and conditions for specific details.

Global Assist Hotline

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card comes with a little-known perk that can be a lifesaver if you have an emergency while you're away from home. Cardholders get access to Amex's Global Assist Hotline, which can help arrange things like passport replacement, medical referrals, and translation services. The service itself is complimentary, but you're responsible for any third-party costs.

Fees and costs

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card has a Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card annual fee, and there are no foreign transaction fees to worry about, so it's a good card to use if you're traveling overseas.

Read more: The best credit cards with foreign transaction fees

Like most other cards, there are fees for late payments, returned payments, and cash advances Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card - Rates & Fees.

Jasmin Baron is an associate editor at Personal Finance Insider, where she helps readers maximize rewards and find the best credit cards to fit their lifestyles. She has covered credit cards, points and miles, and loyalty programs for over seven years, and she's a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF).