4 reasons why the Platinum Card is perfect for Delta flyers

the The American Express Platinum Card® It is one of our favorite cards for booking flights and is the best earning card in this category.

Furthermore, the Platinum Card is an excellent premium travel rewards card, especially for frequent Delta flyers. It offers many credits and perks that elevate the travel experience.

Delta and Amex have a close partnership, so frequent flyers have some compelling reasons to consider adding this card to their wallets. Here’s what you should know as a Delta traveler when considering applying for the Platinum Card.

Maximize your airline ticket purchases

the Platinum card It’s at the top of the mountain when it comes to earning rewards when booking flights, with only a few other cards offering similar earning rates.

You earn 5 points for every dollar spent on airline ticket purchases made directly with the airline or through American Express Travel^® On up to $500,000 spent on these purchases per calendar year (then 1 point per dollar thereafter). Based on TPG’s October 2025 ratings, American Express Membership Rewards is worth 2 cents apiece, making that a 10% return.

Delta SkyMiles is a 1:1 transfer partner of Amex. So, if you transfer your points to Delta, earning 5 Membership Rewards points for every dollar you spend is effectively the same as earning 5 SkyMiles for every dollar you spend on airline tickets.

This is better than what you can earn when purchasing Delta flights with the co-branded Delta credit card, since the maximum you can earn is just 3 miles per dollar spent.

Earn valuable points

the Platinum card Earns Membership Rewards points that can be transferred into a wide range of airline and hotel loyalty programs, including Delta.

The Platinum Card shines by providing flexibility to travelers. You don’t have to focus exclusively on Delta SkyMiles like you would if you were only earning SkyMiles using one of the airline’s co-branded credit cards.

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The Platinum Card offers the best of both worlds in that you can still use your Amex points for Delta flights, but you have many other options to choose from.

Delta may be your favorite airline, but having a pool of transferable points is beneficial for the following reasons:

• It gives you more options for booking airlines and hotels that you might not normally consider
• You can sometimes book tickets on your preferred airline through a partner for a lower price than booking directly with that airline. In addition, partners sometimes offer transfer bonuses, which can make these award tickets cheaper.
• Flex points protect you from loyalty program devaluations, which Delta tends to do frequently.
• It reduces the risk of airline bankruptcy and program suspensions.

Transferable points, such as Membership Rewards points, can serve as a financial safety net for unplanned expenses and emergencies, as you can redeem your points for cash back, although the redemption rate is poor.

As long as you have Membership Rewards points, you’ll have SkyMiles when you need them. But if a different opportunity arises, you’re ready for that too.

RELATED: How to redeem your Delta SkyMiles to get the most value

Transfer to Delta (and its partners)

As mentioned earlier, you can transfer the file instantly The Amex Membership Rewards points you earn with Platinum card (and other eligible cards) to Delta at a 1:1 ratio. This is a great way to top up your Delta SkyMiles balance if you need extra miles for a specific redemption.

American Express is also Delta’s exclusive partner for its family of co-branded credit cards, so you’ll likely enjoy this benefit for years to come.

However, one of the main reasons to accumulate points with Amex rather than miles exclusively with Delta is so you can leverage the power of airline partnerships outside of Delta’s SkyMiles program.

With the Platinum Card, you can transfer your points to 16 other airline partners. However, with a co-branded Delta card, you’ll be limited to redeeming miles for flights operated by Delta and its partners only.

For example, you can transfer Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. This is especially useful because you can often book Delta One business class seats through Virgin Atlantic for significantly fewer points than Delta charges.

As with any convertible currency, you should only convert when you are confident that there is prize stock available and you are ready to reserve your ticket. Transfers are only one-way: Once you convert Amex points, you cannot convert them back to Membership Rewards points.

RELATED: How (and Why) You Should Earn Transferable Credit Card Points

Airport benefits

Aside from the excellent profit rates on flights, Platinum card It has many travel day perks that can save you time and money and elevate your travel experience.

Many Delta loyalists will opt for the airline’s first-class personal card, which is Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Cardto access Sky Clubs when flying with Delta. Cardmembers are limited to 15 visits per year, unless you spend $75,000 on your card in a calendar year.

By contrast, with the Platinum Card, eligible cardmembers get 10 visits per year (five times less), unless you spend $75,000 on your card in a calendar year to unlock unlimited access.

With both cards, eligible cardmembers can also access Centurion lounges. The main difference is that you can only access it with the Delta Reserve Card if you are flying Delta and purchased your ticket with a card issued by US Amex. Meanwhile, with the Platinum Card, you can access the Centurion Lounge regardless of which airline you fly with.

Additionally, the Platinum Card offers up to a $200 airline statement credit per calendar year, which can cover checked bag fees or seat selection on your selected airline each calendar year. (Registration required)

If you’re flying Delta (or another U.S.-based airline) and don’t want one of the airline’s co-branded cards with a free checked bag, you can offset the cost with your Platinum Card.

Finally, the Platinum program offers up to $209 in Clear Plus statement credit each calendar year (subject to auto-renewal; enrollment required). Clear Plus is a fast biometric security program that lets you move to the front of the TSA line.

When paired with the $120 Global Entry credit every four years or the $85 TSA PreCheck fee credit every 4 1/2 years that the Platinum Card offers, you’ll have easy access to security in no time.

RELATED: The Best Credit Cards for Airport Lounge Access

A reason to keep considering Delta co-branded cards

while Platinum card A solid, all-in-one option for Delta aircraft, Delta’s co-branded cards have a distinct advantage.

If you want Delta Medallion elite status, carrying a Delta co-branded credit card can get you there faster. You can earn Medallion Qualification Dollars by spending on one of the following cards:

You will also receive an annual MQD Headstart which automatically deposits 2,500 MQD on all these cards every year. If you spend enough annually on a co-branded card, you can get status without ever getting on a Delta plane. Additionally, if you own a combination of any two of the above cards, you will receive 5,000 MQD, which will automatically grant you Silver Medal status.

The Platinum Card can’t help you get elite status without flying, so if status is a top priority, you’ll be better suited with Delta’s co-brand option.

Bottom line

the Platinum card It has a hefty annual fee of $895 (see rates and fees), but the cost is easily justified if you take advantage of even just half of the available perks.

The Platinum Card earns our top spot as the best premium card for Delta flyers, thanks to benefits that include access to Sky Club when flying with Delta, earning flexible points that can be transferred to Delta and an incidental airfare credit of up to $200 per calendar year.

However, if you specifically want to get MQDs toward elite status through spending and the welcome offer, you’ll still want to consider one of Delta’s co-branded cards.

To learn more, check out our full review of the Amex Platinum.

Apply here: American Express Platinum Card

For Amex Platinum rates and fees, click here.