Compare the Features and Benefits of The Platinum Card® from American Express and
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

In many ways, the American Express Platinum card is the crème de la crème of premium travel rewards credit cards. There are not only a laundry list of embedded perks — from hotel and rental car elite statuses to complimentary access to airport lounges through the Global Lounge Collection — but this card also can provide serious value in the form of statement credits with partner merchants. You can see the full list of benefits above.

Truth be told, it may require some work to fully maximize the card’s many perks but it shouldn’t be difficult to recoup at least some, if not all, of the card’s $695 annual fee (Rates and Fees).

An overhaul of the Platinum in 2021 showed Amex wanted to expand this card well beyond travel. While it’s unlikely the Platinum will ever fully shed its decades-long roots in the travel sphere, Amex also hopes to play a role at the top of your wallet whether you are at home or away.

Of course, on the travel front, the card still earns 5X on airfare purchased directly with the airlines or through the Amex Travel portal (on up to $500,000 of airfare purchases per calendar year), 5X on prepaid hotels, provides the most access to lounges of any card issuer, and has built-in travel protections and elite-status perks. This is on top of all the other relatively-recent lifestyle benefit additions — from Uber credits, Equinox credits, preferred restaurant reservations with Resy, and much, much more.

A few notes you need to know:

Amex now has language restricting you from getting the bonus on this Card if you have or have had this card OR have had this Card, the Platinum Card^® from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab, the Platinum Card^® from American Express Exclusively for Morgan Stanley or previous versions of these Cards.

Additional Platinum cards are $195 each.

If you want an Authorized User card with none of the benefits, that is still available as the “Companion Platinum Card.” They will simply be able to make charges that post to your account.

Bottom Line:

While the Platinum is a solid choice for most cardholders looking to level up their travel experience, consider other options from both Chase and Capital One including the $550-per-year Chase Sapphire Reserve and $395-per-year Capital One Venture X credit card.

Rates and Fees for the The Platinum Card® from American Express

Delta flyers who own a business have several options to choose from when looking for a new business credit card. To maximize your business expenses and earn SkyMiles at the same time, the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card is an affordable option with an annual fee of $150.

Besides earning the splashy welcome bonus, there are many ways to rack up SkyMiles through each eligible dollar spent. You’ll earn 2x bonus miles on Delta purchases and at restaurants plus on U.S shipping and select U.S. media purchases, as well as 1x miles on other purchases. The shipping and select media categories have a limit of $50,000 per year each.

The TakeOff 15 benefit is reserved for Delta’s cardholders, allowing you to score a 15% discount on the cost of Delta award flights. This discount is applied automatically on your Delta account whenever you conduct online flight searches, as long as your Delta Business Amex card is linked. This perk can help you save more of your SkyMiles for future travel. Furthermore, if your business spends more than $10,000 per year on the card, you can easily earn a $200 Delta flight credit every card membership year.

If you travel often and have to check a bag, you can enjoy a checked bag waiver, saving you $30 per flight. This perk applies to up to eight additional travelers on your Delta flight, which can add up greatly throughout the year and compensate for the ongoing $150 annual fee. Other essential travel benefits include no foreign transaction fee, baggage insurance plan, and secondary car rental collision damage waiver insurance, which will surely be of use for many business travelers.

Plus, receive an annual statement credit of up to $150 after using your Delta Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com. Terms apply.

In short, the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card offers a solid foundation of benefits when flying with the carrier. If you’re looking for greater perks, such as lounge access before departing or upon arrival, you may want to consider other Delta business cards that carry higher annual fees but come with additional benefits.

Otherwise, this entry-level business card is the right choice to earn bonus miles on select business categories and earn Delta benefits.

Rates and Fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card