The Platinum Card from American Express vs Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
Annual fees: The Platinum Card from American Express $895/yr, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card $650/yr. Strongest bonus categories: The Platinum Card from American Express on hotels, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card on everyday spending.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
- The Platinum Card from American Express
American Express · $895/yr
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express CardAmerican Express · $650/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- The Platinum Card from American Express$895Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card$650Lowest
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- The Platinum Card from American ExpressAs high as 175,000 points — offers varyDelta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card—
- Rewards
- The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmerican Express Membership RewardsDelta SkyMiles Reserve American Express CardDelta SkyMiles
- Foreign transaction fee
- The Platinum Card from American ExpressNoneDelta SkyMiles Reserve American Express CardNone
- Network
- The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmerican ExpressDelta SkyMiles Reserve American Express CardAmerican Express
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Flights
- The Platinum Card from American Express5xHighestDelta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card1x
- Hotels
- The Platinum Card from American Express1xDelta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card1x
- Everything else
- The Platinum Card from American Express1xDelta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $600 hotel credit
- $219 CLEAR Plus credit
- $200 airline credit
- $120 Global Entry or up to $85 TSA PreCheck / 4 years · $120 every 4 years
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- $200 Delta stays credit
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck
- 20% back Delta in-flight · $20 per transaction
- Rideshare & transit
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $200 Uber Cash
- $120 Uber One credit
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- $10/mo rideshare · $10 monthly
- Dining & delivery
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $400 Resy credit
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- $20/mo Resy · $20 monthly
- Entertainment & streaming
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $300 streaming credit
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card— - Shopping & wellness
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $300 Equinox credit
- $300 Lululemon credit
- $200 Oura Ring credit
- $155 Walmart+ credit
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card—
Perks & access— means none on record
- Lounges
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Airspace Lounge access at US airports with 2 guests
- 26 Centurion Lounges worldwide with premium dining
- 10 Delta Sky Club visits per year when flying Delta
- Escape Lounge access at US airports with food and beverages
- International Amex Lounges at select global airports
- Global Lounge Collection with 1,550+ airport lounges
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- Lufthansa Business Lounge access on Lufthansa Group
- Plaza Premium Lounge access at airports with Global Lounge
- Priority Pass Select with 1,300+ lounges globally
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- Delta Sky Club access with unlimited visits after $75K spend
- Access to The Centurion® Lounge
- Hotel status & programs
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Hilton Gold with 80% bonus points and breakfast
- Leaders Club Sterling Status at Leading Hotels
- Marriott Gold with 25% bonus points and upgrades
- Fine Hotels + Resorts: $100 credits and upgrades
- Hotel Collection access with room upgrades and credits
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- MQD Headstart
- Access to Complimentary Upgrades
- MQD Boost
- Airline perks
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- International Airline Program 5-40% off premium cabins
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- Annual First Class or Comfort+ companion certificate
- First & second bags free (2nd bag domestic only)
- Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights
- Car rental
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Elite status with Hertz, National, Avis for upgrades
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card— - Other perks
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Amex Offers
- 24/7 premium travel assistance with medical transport
- Premium Events Collection™
- Early access to concerts and events
- 24/7 Platinum Concierge for travel and lifestyle help
- Free expedited card replacement in 24-48 hours worldwide
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- Entertainment access with exclusive presales and VIP events
- No foreign transaction fees on international purchases save
- Roadside assistance with up to 4 service calls per year
- Platinum Nights by Resy
- Platinum Travel Service
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- Amex Offers
- 24/7 premium travel assistance with medical transport
- Early access to concerts and events
- 24/7 global travel assistance
- Concierge Services
- Upgrade Priority
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- No foreign transaction fees
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $10,000 trip cancellation coverage per covered trip
- $500 trip delay Cover for delays exceeding 6 hours
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- Trip cancellation coverage up to $10,000 per trip
- Trip delay coverage up to $500 after 6 hours
- Baggage
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $3,000 baggage insurance for lost or damaged bags
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- Baggage insurance up to $1,250 for carry-on items
- Rental car
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $100,000 primary rental car coverage for $20-$25/rental
- $75,000 car rental loss and damage insurance
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- Hertz President's Circle® Status
- Car rental insurance up to $75,000
- Purchase & returns
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $10,000 purchase Cover against theft and damage for 90 days
- $300 return Cover when merchants won't accept returns within
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- Up to $300 per item if merchant won't accept return
- Purchase protection for new items
- Extended warranty
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Extended warranty adds 1 year to warranties under 5 years
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- Extended warranty adds 1 year to manufacturer warranty
- Cell phone
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $800 cell phone protection with $50 deductible
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- $800 cell phone protection per claim
- Other protections
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
- Global Assist Hotline with 24/7 emergency help traveling
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Pros & cons
- Pros
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Access to 9 lounge networks including exclusive Centurion Lounges with 2 guests free
- $200/year Uber Cash plus a $120 Uber One membership credit
- $400/year Resy dining credit at select restaurants
- Automatic Marriott Gold and Hilton Gold status with room upgrades and breakfast
- 5X points on flights booked direct or via Amex Travel
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- 15 Delta Sky Club visits a year when flying Delta same-day, with unlimited access after $75,000 in card spend (estimated $600+ annual value)
- Annual First Class or Comfort+ companion certificate with no spend requirement
- MQD Headstart ($2,500 a year) plus MQD Boost ($1 Medallion Qualification Dollar per $10 spent)
- Free first checked bag for cardholder plus up to 8 companions on same reservation; second bag free on domestic flights
- Boosted upgrade priority to First Class and Delta One
- Cons
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $895 annual fee requires significant credit utilization to break even
- Many credits require specific merchants (Resy, Equinox, lululemon, Oura)
- Only 1X points on non-travel purchases limits everyday earning
- Secondary car rental coverage unless paying $24.95/rental for primary
- $195 authorized user fee after first 3 free cards
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- $650 annual fee is highest among Delta personal cards
- $175 authorized user fee adds significant cost for family travelers
- Sky Club access requires same-day Delta flight; no standalone entry
- Sky Club guest access is limited to four one-time guest passes a year
- Miles locked to Delta SkyMiles with limited transfer flexibility
Category-by-Category Winner
No unconditional category winner — 2 categories depend on how you earn.
Hotels
Depends: via amextravel
The Platinum Card from American Express earns 5X when conditions are met; Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Flights
Depends: via AmexTravel; up to $500,000/yr
The Platinum Card from American Express earns 5X when conditions are met; Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Year One vs Ongoing Value
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Both scenarios favor the The Platinum Card from American Express on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | The Platinum Card from American Express | Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $180 Credits (our usable estimate): $1,356 − Annual fee ($895) Ongoing: $641 Year one: $641 | Rewards: $144 Credits (our usable estimate): $317 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: -$189 Year one: -$189 | The Platinum Card from American Express | The Platinum Card from American Express |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $720 Credits (our usable estimate): $1,356 − Annual fee ($895) Ongoing: $1,181 Year one: $1,181 | Rewards: $576 Credits (our usable estimate): $317 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: $243 Year one: $243 | The Platinum Card from American Express | The Platinum Card from American Express |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The The Platinum Card from American Express costs $895/yr — that's $245 more than the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card ($650/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $245 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The The Platinum Card from American Express includes travel credits, dining credits, lounge access, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, complimentary hotel status. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $245 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $245 fee gap means the The Platinum Card from American Express needs roughly $245 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on hotels and flights and everyday spend.
What You Give Up
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing The Platinum Card from American Express means losing:
- -Free checked bags
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the The Platinum Card from American Express on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Published annual fees: The Platinum Card from American Express $895/yr, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card $650/yr — a $245 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the The Platinum Card from American Express worth the higher annual fee?
- The The Platinum Card from American Express costs $895/yr vs $650/yr for the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $245 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the The Platinum Card from American Express also lists lounge access, travel credits, dining credits).
- Which card earns more rewards, the The Platinum Card from American Express or Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card?
- Both cards earn 1X on everyday purchases. The difference is in bonus categories — check the earn rate comparison above for a full breakdown.
- What benefits does the The Platinum Card from American Express have that the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card doesn't?
- The The Platinum Card from American Express offers lounge access, travel credits, dining credits, cell phone protection. The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card offers lounge access, travel credits, dining credits, cell phone protection.
- Should I get the The Platinum Card from American Express or the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card has a lower $650/yr fee; the The Platinum Card from American Express must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $895/yr.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.