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Suppose you’re looking for the best benefits a credit card can provide to travelers who frequently fly Delta. In that case, you may assume the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card would be best since it’s the top-tier cobranded Delta consumer card.
However, it’s worth comparing the Delta Reserve to The Platinum Card® from American Express in order to determine which is the best card for Delta flyers.
Let’s review these cards to help you decide which is best for you as you plan your future trips.
Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve comparison
| Amex Platinum | Delta Reserve | |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Find out your offer and see if you are eligible to earn as high as 175,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of cardmembership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. | Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership. Offer ends July 16. |
| Earning rates |
|
|
| TPG’s July 2025 valuation | 2 cents each | 1.15 cents each |
| Annual fee | $695 (see rates and fees) | $650 (see rates and fees) |
| Lounge access | Access to many lounges through the American Express Global Lounge Collection, including:
Enrollment required for select card benefits; terms apply |
Access to Delta Sky Club lounges (15 visits annually, unlimited visits after $75,000 in spending in a calendar year)
Four one-time guest passes for the Delta Sky Club upon account opening and each Medallion year thereafter (when flying Delta), then $50 per person per visit Access to Centurion Lounges (when flying Delta) Enrollment required for select card benefits; terms apply |
| Other standout benefits |
Enrollment required for select card benefits; terms apply |
Enrollment required for select card benefits; terms apply |
*Enrollment in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Program is required.
Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve welcome bonus
Find out your Amex Platinum offer and see if you are eligible to earn as high as 175,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
Based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations, Membership Rewards points are worth 2 cents each, making this welcome bonus worth up to $3,500.
The Delta Reserve currently offers new cardmembers the chance to earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases in the first six months of card membership. This is the best offer we’ve seen on the card. This offer ends July 16.
Based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations, Delta miles are worth 1.15 each, making this welcome bonus worth $1,150.
Winner: Amex Platinum. The welcome offer is worth more, and the card earns transferable points that can be transferred to multiple airline and hotel partners, including Delta.
Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve benefits
While it has many useful perks, the only Delta-specific benefit you’ll get with the Amex Platinum is access to Delta Sky Club lounges when flying Delta.
However, access is limited to 10 day visits per calendar year unless you spent at least $75,000 in the previous calendar year. Cardmembers may also bring up to two guests at a per-visit rate of $50 per person per location.
As expected, the Delta Reserve offers many Delta-specific perks, starting with access to Delta Sky Club lounges. Cardmembers receive 15 annual visits to Delta Sky Club lounges when traveling on same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flights.
That’s five more than the Amex Platinum. Like with the Amex Platinum, you’ll get unlimited Sky Club access after spending $75,000 in a calendar year.
In addition, cardmembers receive four one-time guest passes for the Delta Sky Club each Medallion year (when flying Delta). After that, guests will cost $50 per guest.
You’ll also get complimentary access to American Express Centurion Lounges when flying Delta with a ticket purchased on the Delta Reserve. You can bring up to two guests into the Centurion Lounge with you for a fee of $50 each.
The Amex Platinum offers unlimited access to Centurion Lounges, regardless of which airline you’re flying. Guests are still charged $50 per, unless you spend $75,000 in a calendar year.
Delta Reserve benefits include many statement credits and complimentary Hertz President’s Circle status. The statement credits include:
- Up to $240 Resy credit every calendar year (up to $20 in statement credits monthly) toward dining at U.S. restaurants
- Up to $120 ride-hailing credit each calendar year (up to $10 statement credits monthly) with select U.S. providers.
- Up to $200 Delta Stays statement credit for hotel bookings every calendar year
Other Delta-specific benefits include:
- First checked bag free: First checked bag free on Delta flights for you and up to eight companions traveling with you on your reservation
- Priority boarding
- Companion certificate each year after your account anniversary: Valid for one round-trip first-class,*Delta Comfort+ or Main Cabin companion ticket when you pay taxes and fees on the award ticket and purchase an adult round-trip to all 50 U.S. states, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean
- Discount on inflight purchases: 20% savings in the form of a statement credit for eligible pre-purchased meals and inflight purchases of food and beverages on Delta-operated flights
Enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply.
An important advantage of the Delta Reserve is the MQD Headstart, which gives cardmembers 2,500 MQDs toward status qualification at the start of the year and the ability to earn 1 MQD for every $10 spent on the card.
This is an impressive benefit of the card and is a way to earn or greatly assist you in earning elite status with Delta.
Also note that some of the Delta Reserve’s benefits are also available on the lower-annual-fee Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (see rates and fees).
Winner: Delta Reserve. As indicated by its cobranded status, the Delta Reserve offers many more Delta-specific benefits than the Amex Platinum.
Related: How to use credit cards to defeat basic economy
Earning rewards with the Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve
The Amex Platinum earns 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar spent) and prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com.
Based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations, this means you’ll get an impressive 10% return on this spending.
You’ll also earn 1 Membership Rewards point per dollar spent on everything else, which equates to a 2% return.
The Delta Reserve earns 3 SkyMiles per dollar spent on Delta purchases, which equates to a 3.45% return based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations. You’ll earn 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases, which provides only a 1.15% return.
Winner: Amex Platinum. The Delta Reserve’s rate of return isn’t competitive even on Delta purchases.
Related: Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
Redeeming rewards with the Amex Platinum vs. Delta Reserve
The Amex Platinum earns American Express Membership Rewards points. You’ll get the best value from your Membership Rewards points when you transfer them to one of Amex’s travel partners and then redeem them through the partner for flights or hotel nights.
Other redemption options exist, but they all provide less than TPG’s July 2025 valuation of Membership Rewards points at 2 cents apiece.
TPG credit cards writer Danyal Ahmed took advantage of Aeroplan’s distance and region-based award chart to book a multicity business-class ticket from Madrid to Istanbul with a one-week stopover in Zurich for 25,000 points. Air Canada Aeroplan is a transfer partner of Amex Membership Rewards.
The Delta Reserve earns Delta SkyMiles, which can be frustrating to use due to dynamic award pricing. But there are still some great ways to get value from Delta miles. For example, Delta offers relatively frequent flash sales.
You can also use Delta miles to upgrade to the next class of service. There are also great sweet spots for flying international partner airlines with SkyMiles. All SkyTeam partners, such as Air France and Korean Air, are available for award redemptions, as well as some nonalliance partners.
TPG engineering manager Zoe Jablow recently redeemed 6,400 SkyMiles for a one-way flight between Santiago and Mendoza. She recalls that cash prices hovered at around $300 one-way, meaning she achieved roughly 4.7 cents per point with this redemption.
Winner: Amex Platinum. Membership Rewards points can be transferred to multiple airline and hotel partners, including Delta, so you have a lot more flexibility when using your rewards.
Related: How (and why) you should earn transferable credit card points in 2025
Should I get the Amex Platinum or Delta Reserve?
In general, the Amex Platinum will be the best choice for Delta travelers due to its higher earn rate on Delta purchases and wider-reaching benefits. However, if you are focused on Delta elite status, then the Delta Reserve is worthy of consideration.
Bottom line
The Delta Reserve is a better choice for Delta flyers seeking to achieve or maintain elite status. However, if you’d prefer a card that grants Delta, Centurion and partner lounge access plus the ability to earn flexible Membership Rewards points, then the Amex Platinum has the upper hand.
To learn more, read our full reviews of the Amex Platinum and Delta SkyMiles Reserve.
Apply here: The Platinum Card from American Express
Apply here: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
For rates and fees of the Delta Reserve, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta Platinum, click here.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
