Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business card review: A worthy business card contender
Editor's Note
Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card overview
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card is a worthy card contender for frequent flyers of Delta. While its highest bonus category is only for Delta and hotel purchases, this card offers a suite of perks that make it worth its $350 annual fee (see rates and fees). These benefits include free checked bags, priority boarding and an annual companion certificate. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐½
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card is the mid-tier Delta Business card.
It can help you earn elite status alongside perks that offer a better passenger experience for a $350 annual fee.
Amex recommends a credit score of 670 to successfully apply for this card.
But is it the right card for you? Let's examine its features in-depth to find out.
Delta Platinum Business Amex pros and cons
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Delta Platinum Business Amex welcome offer
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business card allows new cardmembers to earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.
TPG's September 2024 valuations peg SkyMiles at 1.2 cents each, making this welcome offer worth $840.
American Express limits who can apply for the card, and you're generally ineligible for the welcome bonus if you've previously held the card or currently have it. American Express will let you know if you're ineligible for the welcome offer before doing a hard pull on your credit, so pay attention to any messages that pop up while applying.
Delta Platinum Business Amex benefits
Even without free lounge access, the Delta Platinum Business Amex has many features that make it a worthwhile consideration for regular Delta business flyers (enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply):
- Award flight discount: Get 15% off award redemptions for Delta flights (when paying taxes and fees with this card)
- Companion certificate: Take someone along on your next round-trip flight on Delta using this certificate, good for a main cabin round-trip flight every year you renew the card. This certificate is valid for travel to all 50 U.S. states, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.
- Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) headstart: 2,500 MQDs automatically deposited each calendar year
- MQD boost: Earn 1 MQD per $20 spent
- Complimentary upgrades: Complimentary seat upgrades on eligible flights after Medallion members for cardmembers who are not Medallion members
- Free checked bag: When flying Delta, you and up to eight other travelers on the same reservation will get your first checked bag free. At a regular price of $35 a bag in each direction, even if you're traveling alone, that saves you a minimum of $70 on every round-trip where you would've checked a bag.
- Priority boarding: Enjoy Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights for you and up to nine travelers on the same reservation.
- Inflight discount: When using the card, you will receive a 20% statement credit on purchases, including pre-purchased meals and inflight purchases of food, alcoholic beverages and audio headsets. The one major inflight expense not included in this discount is Wi-Fi.
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit: You get a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee statement credit ($120 every 4 years for Global Entry, up to $85 every 4½ years for TSA PreCheck).
- Resy credit: Up to $120 annual statement credit every calendar year (up to $10 monthly) at U.S. Resy restaurants, the online restaurant reservation service
- Ride-hailing credit: Up to $120 ride-hailing credit each calendar year with select providers (up to $10 monthly).
- Delta Stays credit: Up to $200 annual statement credit per calendar year at Delta Stays, Delta's hotel travel portal
- Hertz Five Star status: Complimentary Hertz Five Star status, its mid-tier elite status. Enrollment in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Program is required.
Related: How to maximize the statement credits on the Delta Amex cards
Earning miles on the Delta Platinum Business Amex
With the Delta Platinum Business Amex, you'll earn 3 miles per dollar spent directly with hotels and on eligible Delta purchases, including reservations, Delta Vacation packages, seat upgrades and selection, Delta Sky Club membership or passes, pre-purchased and inflight meals, inflight alcoholic beverages and audio headsets (but not Wi-Fi).
In addition, you'll also receive 1.5 miles per dollar for purchases on transit, eligible U.S. shipping and all purchases over $5,000 (up to $100,000 spent per year, 1 mile per dollar thereafter). You'll receive 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
This earnings structure can be nice if your business frequently makes large purchases, but it's not the best return on these purchases.
Related: The best business credit cards with no foreign transaction fees
Redeeming miles on the Delta Platinum Business Amex
Your best option is almost always to redeem SkyMiles for air travel. Not only can you use your miles on Delta, but they're also good on Delta's other SkyTeam airline partners, along with nonalliance carriers like WestJet.
It does take extra work to find bargain redemptions on Delta since it doesn't publish award charts (and regularly adjusts prices on many routes), but they're out there. Check Delta's SkyMiles Deals page for deep discounts on round-trip tickets in economy class and Delta One between specific city pairs.
Redemptions for seat upgrades are also an option, but there's no award chart, so you won't know how many miles it will cost until you book your ticket. (It's typically not good value.)
You can also use your miles for upgrades on flights operated by partners Air France-KLM, Virgin Atlantic and Aeromexico, but know that you're not getting the best value for them.
Choose this option only if you really need an upgrade for a longer flight — such as Atlanta (ATL) to Johannesburg (JNB) via Europe on Air France or KLM — and want to save your cash.
Since the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Amex doesn't come with a Delta Sky Club airport lounge membership, you could also redeem SkyMiles for one, though frankly, it gives you terrible value.
You can also transfer or gift your miles or donate them to charity. But again, redeeming your miles on Delta and partner flights will typically offer you the best value.
TPG senior editorial director Nick Ewen redeems his Delta SkyMiles for domestic trips, taking advantage of flash sales to help score phenomenal deals.
Which cards compete with the Delta Platinum Business Amex?
Some other cards may be a better fit if you're looking for a low annual fee or airport lounge access.
- If you want Delta perks with a lower annual fee: The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card is a good choice for getting Delta perks but with a lower annual fee of $150 ($0 introductory annual fee the first year, see rates and fees). You'll still earn bonus miles on Delta, U.S. shipping and U.S. advertising purchases. And you'll still get Delta perks like a $200 flight credit after you spend $10,000 on your card in a calendar year and a free checked bag. To learn more, check out our full review of the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Amex.
- If you want Delta Sky Club access: The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card has a higher annual fee of $650 (see rates and fees) but comes with lounge access (subject to restrictions beginning Feb. 1, 2025). You'll also get perks like an annual companion certificate, a free checked bag and a statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ($120 every 4 years for Global Entry, up to $85 every 4½ years for TSA PreCheck). To learn more, check out our full review of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Amex.
- If you want a card with more flexible rewards: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offers excellent travel benefits and earns rewards that you can transfer to Delta as well as any of American Express's other travel partners. It offers comprehensive lounge access but comes with a higher annual fee of $695 (see rates and fees). To learn more, check out our full review of the Amex Business Platinum.
For additional options, check out our full list of the best travel cards and best American Express cards.
Read more: The best business credit cards
Is the Delta Platinum Business Amex worth it?
This card is great if you want Delta perks, like an annual companion certificate and a free checked bag. It's also good for earning bonus miles on Delta flights and business-related purchases. However, the annual fee may be hard to justify if you don't fly Delta often enough to maximize the value of this card's benefits.
Bottom line
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card is a solid choice if you're loyal to the SkyTeam carrier and like having perks exclusive to the airline. Its annual fee can be worth it if you take advantage of earning bonus MQDs that help you toward elite Medallion status and can also utilize the annual companion certificate.
Apply here: Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card
Related: How to choose an airline credit card
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum Card, click here.