Suppose you are searching for the most effective advantages a bank card can present to vacationers who steadily fly Delta. In that case, you might assume the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Specific Card can be finest since it is the top-tier cobranded Delta client card.
Then again, what about The Platinum Card® from American Specific? It is one other top-tier premium card that gives some stellar advantages to frequent vacationers.
It is necessary to check them to find out which is finest for Delta flyers, particularly after the Amex Platinum card’s newest refresh.
Let’s assessment 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 provide and see if you’re eligible for as excessive as 175,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership. Welcome provides fluctuate and also you is probably not eligible for a proposal. | 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 charge | $895 (see charges and costs) | $650 (see charges and costs) |
| Lounge entry | Entry to many lounges by the American Specific 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 provide and see if you’re eligible for as excessive as 175,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership. Welcome provides fluctuate, and also you is probably not eligible for a proposal.
Based mostly 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 present 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 provide ends Oct. 29.
Based mostly on TPG’s valuations, Delta miles are price 1.15 every, making this welcome bonus price $1,438.
Do not forget that Amex solely permits you to earn one welcome bonus per card in a lifetime, so be sure to get the absolute best provide for the cardboard you wish to apply for.
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Winner: Amex Platinum. The welcome provide is price extra, and the cardboard earns transferable factors that may be transferred to a number of airline and resort companions, together with Delta.
Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve advantages
Whereas it has many helpful perks, the one Delta-specific profit you will get with the Amex Platinum is entry to Delta Sky Membership lounges when flying Delta.
Entry is proscribed to 10 day visits per calendar yr, however you will get limitless entry after spending $75,000 in a calendar yr. Cardmembers may deliver 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 will 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 Specific Centurion Lounges when flying Delta with a ticket bought utilizing the Delta Reserve. You may deliver as much as two visitors into the lounge with you for a charge 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 resort assertion credit per calendar yr (as much as $300 semi-annually), legitimate on pay as you go Amex Advantageous Accommodations + Resorts or The Resort Assortment bookings (of two nights or extra) once you pay along 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 resort 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 Major 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 an announcement 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 necessary benefit of the Delta Reserve is the MQD Headstart, which provides cardmembers 2,500 MQDs towards standing qualification in the beginning of the yr and the power to earn 1 MQD for each $10 spent on the cardboard.
That is a powerful profit and a strategy to earn or tremendously help you in incomes elite standing with Delta.
Additionally observe that a few of the Delta Reserve’s advantages are additionally accessible on the lower-annual-fee Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Specific Card (see charges and costs).
The Amex Platinum has fewer Delta perks, which implies cardmembers want to maximise its Delta advantages and the cardboard’s different perks to really 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: Easy methods to use bank cards to defeat fundamental 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 by 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 inns booked on AmexTravel.com
- 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases
Based mostly on TPG’s valuations, this implies you will 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 based mostly 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 advantage of 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.
Associated: Maximize your airfare: One of the best bank cards for reserving flights
Redeeming rewards with the Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve
The Amex Platinum earns American Specific Membership Rewards factors. You will get the most effective worth out of your Membership Rewards factors once you switch them to considered one of Amex’s journey companions after which redeem them by the accomplice for flights or resort 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 might be irritating to make use of resulting from 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.
You may also use Delta miles to improve to the following class of service. There are additionally nice candy spots for flying worldwide accomplice airways with SkyMiles.
All SkyTeam companions, equivalent to Air France and Korean Air, can be found for award redemptions, in addition to some nonalliance companions.
Winner: Amex Platinum. Membership Rewards factors might be transferred to a number of airline and resort companions, together with Delta, so you could have much more flexibility when utilizing your rewards.
Associated: How (and why) it is best to earn transferable bank card factors
Ought to I get the Amex Platinum or Delta Reserve?
Basically, the Amex Platinum would be the most suitable option for Delta vacationers resulting from its greater earn fee on Delta purchases and wider-reaching advantages, together with extra intensive lounge entry. Nonetheless, for those who’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 better option for Delta flyers searching for to realize or preserve elite standing. Nonetheless, for those who’d favor a card that grants Delta, Centurion and accomplice lounge entry plus the power to earn versatile Membership Rewards factors, then the Amex Platinum has the higher hand.
To study extra, learn our full evaluations 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.
