Annual Expenses for American Express Platinum and Delta Reserve Credit Cards Top $1,000
For frequent Delta flyers seeking a premium travel experience, the pairing of The Platinum Card from American Express and the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card offers an unparalleled array of benefits.
Extensive Lounge Access Across Networks
With The Platinum Card, you gain access to The Centurion Lounge network worldwide, as well as Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta, thanks to the Delta Reserve Card. This combination grants you access to 15 Delta Sky Club visits per Medallion year (or unlimited visits after $75,000 annual spend on the Platinum Card, allowing up to 2 guests with each visit) plus four one-time guest passes per Medallion year.
Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) Boost and Head Start
The Delta Reserve Card provides a $2,500 MQD head start each Medallion Qualification Year, alongside MQD Boost, earning $1 MQD for every $10 spent on the card. Combining both cards can accelerate your progress towards Delta elite status.
Companion Certificate for Domestic/Caribbean/Central American Flights
Each year after renewing the Delta Reserve Card, you receive a Companion Certificate valid for First Class, Delta Comfort+, or Main Cabin round-trip flights on Delta, offering significant savings on travel with a companion.
Premium Travel Credits and Elite Status Perks Across Partners
The Platinum Card offers complimentary elite status with rental car programs and provides access to additional luxury benefits like hotel elite status, TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credits, and a broad Membership Rewards points platform. Meanwhile, the Delta Reserve Card focuses on Delta-related luxury and status perks such as priority boarding (Zone 5), free checked bags, and exclusive Delta upgrade opportunities.
Broader Points Earning and Redemption Flexibility
The Platinum Card earns 5x Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel, which can be transferred to Delta SkyMiles or other partners. The Delta Reserve offers 3x miles on Delta purchases and boosts to SkyMiles earning tied to purchases that help status qualification, providing synergy for both flexible and co-branded point accumulation strategies.
Travel and Lifestyle Credits Combination
The combination of both cards offers various statement credits, including TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credits on the Platinum Card, and dining credits (e.g., Resy credit), Delta Stays statement credits, and rideshare credits on the Delta Reserve, diversifying your cost offsets and enhancing value for frequent travelers.
In summary, holding both cards delivers unmatched Delta-specific elite qualification boosts, greater lounge access (both Delta Sky Club and Centurion Lounges), luxury travel credits, and a companion certificate, creating a powerful layered rewards and benefits ecosystem for frequent Delta flyers committed to premium travel experiences.
However, it's important to note that both cards carry high annual fees: $695 for the Amex Platinum Card and $650 for the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card. Authorized users on the Amex Platinum Card receive lounge access benefits, including their own allocation of 10 visits to the Delta Sky Club.
For those seeking a more targeted approach to enhancing their Delta travel experience, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card offers benefits like free checked bag on Delta flights, faster Medallion status, an annual companion certificate, and statement credits. Its welcome bonus offer is 70,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
The Amex Platinum Card, on the other hand, offers a welcome bonus of as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on the new Card in the first 6 months of Membership. Its annual fee is $695, but it includes 10 Delta Sky Club visits per year when flying same-day with Delta, a Priority Pass Select membership with unlimited access to Amex Centurion Lounges, Plaza Premium lounges, and Escape Lounges, and rental car elite status with Avis, Hertz, and National upon enrollment.
- The Platinum Card from American Express and the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card provide access to both Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs, enhancing the entertainment aspect of travel.
- The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card offers a news update with a $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) head start each Medallion Qualification Year for faster attainment of Delta elite status.
- For food enthusiasts, both cards offer dining credits, such as the Resy credit on the Delta Reserve Card and various food-related credits on the Platinum Card.
- The technology-focused benefits of these cards include TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credits on the Platinum Card, and memberships with Priority Pass Select and access to Amex Centurion Lounges for enhanced travel lifestyle experiences.
