Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Review

Overview

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum is, in my opinion, exclusively for people who are extremely loyal to Delta and fly with them a lot. If that is not you, I would not recommend it, because the $350 annual fee is a big jump and it is hard to justify unless you are on Delta planes constantly.

The perks are real, an annual companion certificate, a status boost, 3x on Delta, and a discount on award tickets, but they are all things that only pay off for heavy Delta flyers. For most people, even a lot of Delta flyers, the cheaper Gold does the important stuff for $200 less.

Our 3.5 out of 5 rating

Each score weighs the rewards rate, value after the annual fee, welcome offer, points flexibility, and perks, with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. This is our editorial assessment to help you compare cards, not a guarantee of approval or of the value you will get.

Rewards: how it earns

The earning edge over the Gold is modest: you get 3x on Delta purchases instead of 2x, plus 2x at restaurants and 2x at U.S. supermarkets, and 1x on everything else. The extra point on Delta spend is nice if you buy a lot of Delta flights, but for most people it is not a big enough bump to matter. Like every Delta card, the miles are locked to Delta, so you are earning toward Delta flights and nothing else.

Brand and bonus rates: beyond the everyday categories above, this card also earns:

• 3x miles on Delta purchases and hotels
• 15% discount on Delta award tickets
• 20% savings on in-flight Delta purchases

Every point and mile above is valued at a flat 1 cent, the same honest standard we use for every card. Run your own spending through the calculator to see what this card would actually return for you.

Pros and cons

The welcome bonus

Right now the welcome bonus is up to 100,000 miles after $6,000 in six months, worth around $1,000, and the first year’s fee is currently $0. That is a strong first-year offer, but here is the thing, it is pretty close to what the Gold gives you for the same free first year at a lower spend requirement. So the welcome bonus alone is not a good reason to pick the Platinum over the Gold.

Is it worth the annual fee?

This is the whole decision. The $350 fee is $200 more than the Gold, and you have to ask what that extra $200 buys you. You get an annual companion certificate for a domestic Main Cabin flight, which is basically a free ticket for a second person and can be worth more than the fee if you use it. You also get a 2,500-mile status boost toward Medallion status, 3x on Delta, and 15% off award tickets. If you fly Delta ten or more times a year and care about status, those add up and the fee is justified. If you do not, that extra $200 is mostly wasted, and even as a Delta flyer I would usually point you to the Gold instead.

First-year value vs ongoing value

The welcome bonus makes year one the high point: roughly $1,032 in value once you count the bonus, this card’s rewards, and its credits, minus the $350 fee. After that, the honest figure is about $32 a year, so judge whether it earns its keep on the ongoing number, not the first-year headline.

*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent, on average spending.

Benefits and protections

Beyond the rewards, the perks and protections worth knowing about include:

• First checked bag free on Delta flights
• Priority boarding on Delta flights
• Annual companion certificate (domestic Main Cabin)
• $2,500 MQD boost toward Medallion Status each year
• No foreign transaction fees

Statement credits

• First checked bag free on Delta flights
• Annual companion certificate (domestic Main Cabin)

Who should get it, and who should skip it

Here is my honest read: the Delta Platinum only makes sense if you are an extreme Delta loyalist. If you fly Delta ten or more times a year, care about earning Medallion status, and will use the companion certificate annually, then the perks genuinely add up and the card earns its $350. Grab that free first year while you are at it.

For everyone else, I would pass, and honestly, even for a lot of regular Delta flyers, I would lean toward the Gold. It has the same free checked bag and priority boarding for $200 less, and unless you specifically care about status and the companion certificate, the Platinum’s extra perks will not cover that gap. This is a card for the die-hard Delta flyer and almost nobody else.

Frequently asked questions

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