Delta Air Strains presents one of the complete bank card portfolios of any main airline. It options entry-level, mid-tier and premium playing cards for shoppers and companies.
On the subject of contemplating advantages and worth, some Delta flyers could also be caught between the mid-tier Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Specific Card at a $350 annual charge (see charges and charges) or the premium Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Specific Card with its $650 annual charge (see charges and charges).
Dive into this information to try how two playing cards stack up and assist you resolve which card is best for you.
Delta Platinum vs. Delta Reserve comparability
| Delta Platinum | Delta Reserve | |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome provide | Earn 90,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Supply ends Oct. 29. | Earn 125,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Supply ends Oct. 29. |
| Annual charge | $350 | $650 |
| Incomes charges |
|
|
| Baggage | First checked bag free on Delta flights (together with as much as eight companions) | First checked bag free on Delta flights (together with as much as eight companions) |
| Journey perks |
Enrollment is required for choose card advantages. |
Enrollment is required for choose card advantages. |
| Companion certificates | Obtain a companion certificates every year after you renew your card for a Delta Foremost round-trip flight throughout the U.S. and to Mexico, the Caribbean or Central America | Obtain a companion certificates every year after you renew your card for a Delta First, Delta Consolation or Delta Foremost round-trip flight throughout the U.S. and to Mexico, the Caribbean or Central America |
| Standing Increase | Earn 1 Medallion Qualification Greenback for each $20 spent, plus obtain 2,500 MQDs towards standing qualification at first of the Medallion Qualification yr | Earn 1 MQD for each $10 spent, plus 2,500 MQDs towards standing qualification at first of the Medallion Qualification yr |
*Enrollment within the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Program is required.
Associated: Greatest bank cards for airport lounge entry
Delta Platinum vs. Delta Reserve welcome provide
Since American Specific solely means that you can earn a welcome provide on every of its bank cards as soon as per lifetime, you need to apply when the bonus is excessive.
Fortunately, the present elevated presents on each the Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Delta SkyMiles Reserve are compelling:
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum: Earn 90,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Supply ends Oct. 29.
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve: Earn 125,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Supply ends Oct. 29.
TPG’s October 2025 valuations place Delta SkyMiles at 1.2 cents every, placing the Delta Platinum welcome provide at $1,080 and the Delta Reserve welcome provide at $1,500.
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Winner: Delta Reserve. The marginally greater welcome provide offers this card the higher hand, and the minimal spending requirement is affordable.
Associated: The very best time to use for these well-liked American Specific playing cards based mostly on provide historical past
Delta Platinum vs. Delta Reserve advantages
As you’ll be able to see within the chart, the applyLink pid=”220310483″ overridetext=”Delta Platinum”] and Delta Reserve overlap on many advantages.
Particularly, each playing cards embrace:
- Discounted Delta award redemptions while you e-book along with your card
- First checked bag free for you and as much as eight companions in your reservation
- 20% off inflight purchases
Each playing cards additionally provide a 2,500-MQD enhance at first of the Medallion Qualification yr, however they differ in how shortly you earn MQDs by spending.
- Delta Platinum: Earn 1 MQD for each $20 spent
- Delta Reserve: Earn 1 MQD for each $10 spent
One other outstanding distinction between the 2 playing cards is Delta Sky Membership entry.
With the Delta Reserve, you will obtain:
- 15 visits to Sky Golf equipment every cardmember yr when touring on same-day Delta-marketed flights, until the cardmember spends a minimum of $75,000 in a calendar yr, by which case they will get limitless entry
- 4 one-time visitor passes for Sky Membership — after that, company will likely be charged $50 per particular person per go to
Plus, you will obtain entry to Amex Centurion Lounges when flying Delta and reserving your flight with the Delta Reserve.
In the meantime, the Delta Platinum doesn’t provide any lounge entry or visitor passes.
Each playing cards include an annual companion certificates for flights to all 50 U.S. states, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. With the companion certificates, you should buy one ticket and get the second for the price of government-imposed taxes and charges between $22 and $250. Flights can have as much as 4 segments.
Cabins you are eligible to e-book differ, nonetheless.
- Delta Platinum: Delta Foremost solely
- Delta Reserve: Delta First, Delta Consolation or Delta Foremost
The playing cards present comparable assertion credit and automotive rental elite standing, however at completely different thresholds. Enrollment is required for choose advantages.
| Delta Platinum | Delta Reserve | |
|---|---|---|
| Delta Stays assertion credit score | As much as $150 Delta Stays assertion credit score per calendar yr | As much as $200 Delta Stays assertion credit score per calendar yr |
| Resy assertion credit score | As much as $120 annual Resy assertion credit score every calendar yr (as much as $10 month-to-month) for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy eating places | As much as $240 annual Resy assertion credit score every calendar yr (as much as $20 every month) for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy eating places |
| Hertz standing | Complimentary Hertz 5-Star standing* | Complimentary Hertz President’s Circle standing* |
*Enrollment within the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Program is required.
Lastly, each playing cards present the identical ride-hailing profit: an as much as $120 ride-hailing assertion credit score every calendar yr (as much as $10 month-to-month) with choose U.S. suppliers.
And, you will obtain a $120 assertion credit score for World Entry each 4 years or as much as $85 for TSA PreCheck each 4½ years with both card.
Winner: Delta Reserve. Larger assertion credit, lounge entry, an improved companion certificates and a greater MQD incomes charge give this card the lead.
Associated: Methods to get upgraded on Delta
Incomes miles with the Delta Platinum vs. Delta Reserve
Incomes miles with the Delta Platinum or the Delta Reserve differs barely. However these variations are notable.
With the Delta Platinum, you will earn:
- 3 miles per greenback spent on eligible Delta purchases and purchases made straight with inns worldwide
- 2 miles per greenback spent at eating places worldwide (together with takeout and supply within the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets
- 1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases
Alternatively, with the Delta Reserve, you will earn:
- 3 miles per greenback spent on eligible Delta purchases
- 1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases
The Delta Platinum presents a a lot wider vary of bonus alternatives than the Delta Reserve, which has only a single bonus class for eligible Delta purchases.
With the Delta Platinum, you will earn on eligible Delta purchases and on direct lodge purchases worldwide, in addition to 2 miles per greenback spent on eating at eating places worldwide (together with takeout and supply within the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets.
All cardmembers earn 1 mile per greenback spent on all nonbonus classes.
Winner: Delta Platinum. The cardboard presents further incomes classes over the Delta Reserve.
Associated: 16 methods to earn extra Delta SkyMiles
Redeeming miles with the Delta Platinum vs. Delta Reserve
SkyMiles earned from each the Delta Platinum and Delta Reserve playing cards can be utilized towards journey on Delta flights and people of associate airways, together with Air France-KLM, Virgin Atlantic and Korean Air, in addition to nonalliance companions.
Nonetheless, Delta makes use of a dynamic award pricing system, so redemption charges fluctuate vastly.
The Delta SkyMiles program nonetheless has some candy spots, together with SkyMiles offers. These flash gross sales provide spectacular reductions on Delta-operated financial system flights and even, at occasions, Delta One awards.
Award tickets booked and paid for utilizing a Delta cobranded card additionally obtain a 15% low cost on the mileage price.
Winner: Tie, as each playing cards redeem miles in the identical approach.
Associated: Methods to preserve your factors and miles from expiring
Ought to I get the Delta Platinum or Delta Reserve?
When evaluating a premium rewards card to a non-premium card, the largest query is whether or not the elevated annual charge is value it for the additional advantages you obtain. Should you’re keen to pay the next annual charge for Sky Membership entry and a quicker path to elite standing, the Delta Reserve is your more sensible choice. In order for you extra bonus-earning classes and a decrease annual charge, go along with the Delta Platinum.
Methods to change from the Delta Platinum to the Delta Reserve
To improve from the Delta Platinum to the Delta Reserve card, name the customer support quantity on the again of your card. Nonetheless, it is best to suppose very rigorously earlier than doing this. By upgrading, you would be forgoing a welcome bonus on the Delta Reserve.
It could be value ready for an improve provide on the Delta Platinum earlier than switching. If you would like to go the alternative path with a downgrade, you’ll be able to change the Delta Reserve to the Delta Platinum by calling the quantity on the again of your card.
Associated: The final word information to bank card upgrades
Backside line
As you’ll be able to see, the 2 playing cards have a number of overlapping advantages. Nonetheless, the playing cards have some important variations — the largest ones involving lounge entry, a greater companion certificates and better assertion credit on the Delta Reserve.
It is nonetheless value noting, nonetheless, that the Delta Platinum truly options extra bonus classes for incomes miles on purchases.
Which card is best for you’ll come down as to whether you will get sufficient worth from the Delta Reserve’s advantages to justify paying its greater annual charge or want the decrease annual charge of the Delta Platinum and its higher incomes charges.
To study extra, learn our full evaluations of the Delta Platinum and Delta Reserve.
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card, click on right here.
