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Key takeaways
- The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is a solid choice for those who want some basic Delta perks with a more manageable annual fee.
- The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card offers frequent Delta flyers more benefits plus the ability to earn Medallion Status more easily.
- Choosing the right card for you depends upon your goals and spending habits — including how often you fly with Delta and whether you are willing to pay a higher annual fee for certain benefits and perks.
If you fly Delta, you probably already know about the benefits of earning and redeeming Delta SkyMiles. But you might not know that getting a Delta credit card can expedite your miles-earning journey and give you access to more travel perks.
With an airline card from Delta in your wallet, you can earn SkyMiles on every purchase. Depending on which Delta credit card you choose, you may also be able to take advantage of some lucrative travel benefits — such as a round-trip companion certificate on certain flights, fee waivers for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry applications and more.
If you’re thinking about applying for a Delta credit card, you may be asking yourself which is better: the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card? Both cardsearn Delta SkyMiles on everyday purchases, but only one card offers a handful of premium travel benefits.
If you want the perks that come with the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card, you’ll need to be prepared to pay a platinum-level fee. For some Delta travelers, the Delta SkyMiles Gold card might be the more sensible option.
Which is right for you? Let’s take a close look at the Delta SkyMiles Gold versus the Delta SkyMiles Platinum and see if we can come up with a verdict.
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Delta SkyMiles Gold vs. Delta SkyMiles Platinum highlights
In the battle between the Delta SkyMiles Gold and the Delta SkyMiles Platinum, neither card is an across-the-board winner — but each wins in certain categories. Here’s how they stack up:
Welcome bonus winner
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Credit card welcome bonuses can be excellent tiebreakers when you’re on the fence between two cards, and both Skymiles cards award bonus miles if you hit a certain spending threshold during the first six months of card ownership. The Delta SkyMiles Gold offers less miles total for its welcome bonus than the Delta Skymiles Platinum — 10,000 less, in fact — but it also has a far lower spending requirement, which is why it wins in this category.
However, it’s important to look beyond just the number of miles to truly understand what you’re earning when it comes to both of these cards. Let’s do the math:
- The Delta SkyMiles Gold card offers 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months, which means that you have to spend $500 per month to meet the spending requirement. Delta points are worth about 1.2 cents per mile, so this welcome offer is worth an average of $960 when transferred to a high-value partner.
- The Delta SkyMiles Platinum card offers 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months, meaning you have to spend about $667 per month to meet the spending requirement. This bonus is worth an average of $1,080 when transferred to a high-value partner.
As you can see, while the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card provides a larger overall bonus with an average of $120 more in value, but demands $1,000 more to earn the bonus. So, while it’s a close call, the Delta SkyMiles Gold is technically the better offer as you’ll get more bang for your buck, even if you won’t earn as many miles.
Rewards rate winner
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If you’re looking to maximize your credit card rewards, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card is the clear winner. The Delta SkyMiles Gold card offers:
- 2X miles on restaurant, U.S. supermarket and Delta purchases
- 1 mile per dollar on other eligible purchases
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum card, on the other hand, offers:
- 3X miles on Delta flights, Delta Vacations and transactions made directly with hotels
- 2X miles at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets
- 1 mile per dollar on other eligible purchases
Both cards offer the same rewards rate on restaurants (including delivery and takeout in the U.S.) and U.S. supermarkets, but you’ll earn more SkyMiles on travel purchases if you choose the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. You’ll also earn 1 Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) for every $20 you make in purchases, getting you closer to earning elite status by using the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card.
Annual fee winner
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If you want to minimize your annual fee, the Delta SkyMiles Gold is your best option, with an annual fee of only $150. Plus, the annual fee is $0 for the first year, which makes the Delta SkyMiles Gold card more than worth it for the first year.
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum card charges a $350 annual fee, which might be too pricey for some cardholders. But in exchange for the high annual fee, you get access to money-saving travel benefits like an annual domestic companion certificate and a TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee waiver. You also get access to a number of available statement credits, plus you’ll receive a $2,500 MQD head start toward earning elite status each year.
Even so, we’re giving this win to the Delta SkyMiles Gold simply because it’s clearly less expensive to carry. However, if you know that you’ll use and value the perks offered by the Delta SkyMiles Platinum, the annual fee can easily be worth it.
Foreign transaction fee winner
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Neither the Delta SkyMiles Gold card nor the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card charges foreign transaction fees on purchases made outside of the U.S., making both cards excellent options for global travelers.
Which card earns the most?
If you want to earn the most SkyMiles per dollar spent, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum will likely give you the biggest bang for your buck — but only if you put a lot of your money toward travel purchases, including Delta flights. If you spend less money on travel and more money on everyday purchases like groceries, the two cards offer similar rewards-earning opportunities.
Delta SkyMiles Gold vs. Delta SkyMiles Platinum spending example
Let’s say you spent $1,000 on groceries and $500 on restaurants last month. Both the Delta SkyMiles Gold and the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card offer 2X SkyMiles on restaurant and U.S. supermarket purchases, netting you 3,000 SkyMiles for the $1,500 you spent on restaurants and groceries.
But what if you also bought a $500 Delta flight and a $500 hotel stay? The Delta SkyMiles Platinum card offers 3X miles on Delta purchases and direct hotel bookings, earning 3,000 SkyMiles for the $1,000 spent.
The Delta SkyMiles Gold card offers 2X miles on Delta purchases and only 1X mile per dollar on hotels, which means the $1,000 you put toward travel expenses would only net 1,500 SkyMiles. Based on Bankrate’s latest miles valuations, Delta SkyMiles are worth about 1.2 cents apiece, making the rewards difference between the two cards — 1,500 SkyMiles, in this instance — worth about $18 in value.
Why should you get the Delta SkyMiles Gold?
If you want to earn rewards on everyday purchases and redeem them for an occasional Delta flight, the Delta SkyMiles Gold card is probably the right choice for you. Here are some additional benefits to consider:
Why should you get the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card?
If you fly Delta regularly, want to maximize your SkyMiles and want to take advantage of perks like various statement credits and travel protections, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card is a good option. And if you’re interested in earning Medallion Status, the boosted rate on Delta purchases will help you get there faster.
The bottom line
The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express card and the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card are two excellent airline credit cards that allow cardholders to earn SkyMiles, take advantage of travel perks and save money on Delta flights.
However, the two cards are not designed for the same traveler. If you are a frequent Delta flyer who takes many trips every year, you might be ready for the platinum-level benefits offered by the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card — as long as you’re ready to pay a platinum-level annual fee. If you’re just getting started with SkyMiles and want a high-earning rewards card that only charges a modest annual fee, the Delta SkyMiles Gold card is the better option.
Still not sure which card to choose? Compare more of the best travel rewards cards before you decide.
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