Aeroplan® Card vs Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
Annual fees: Aeroplan® Card $195/yr, Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card $350/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Aeroplan® Card on travel, Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card on hotels.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Aeroplan® CardChase · $195/yr
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express CardAmerican Express · $350/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Aeroplan® Card$195LowestDelta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card$350
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Aeroplan® Card75,000 pointsDelta SkyMiles Platinum American Express CardAs high as 90,000 miles — offers vary
- Rewards
- Aeroplan® CardAeroplan Loyalty ProgramDelta SkyMiles Platinum American Express CardDelta SkyMiles
- Foreign transaction fee
- Aeroplan® CardNoneDelta SkyMiles Platinum American Express CardNone
- Network
- Aeroplan® CardMastercard World EliteDelta SkyMiles Platinum American Express CardAmerican Express
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Hotels
- Aeroplan® Card1xDelta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card3xHighest
- Travel
- Aeroplan® Card3xHighestDelta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card1x
- Dining
- Aeroplan® Card2xDelta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card2x
- Gas Stations
- Aeroplan® Card2xHighestDelta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card1x
- Grocery Stores
- Aeroplan® Card2xDelta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card2x
- Everything else
- Aeroplan® Card1xDelta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Aeroplan® Card
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS · $120 every 4 years
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card- $150 Delta stays credit
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck
- 20% back Delta in-flight · $20 per transaction
- Rideshare & transit
- Aeroplan® Card—Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- $10/mo rideshare · $10 monthly
- Dining & delivery
- Aeroplan® Card
- DoorDash DashPass
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card- $10/mo Resy · $10 monthly
- Other credits
- Aeroplan® Card
- Up to $100 in Air Canada credits · $50 every 6 months
- Credit Journey
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card—
Perks & access— means none on record
- Hotel status & programs
- Aeroplan® Card
- Automatic Aeroplan 25K Status
- Aeroplan 35K Status at $75,000 spend
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card— - Airline perks
- Aeroplan® Card
- 15% off Air Canada flight redemptions
- Free First Checked Bags
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card- Annual companion certificate for domestic Main Cabin flights
- First checked bag free for cardholder plus 8 companions
- Zone 5 Priority Boarding for you and 8 companions
- Complimentary Upgrade List
- Other perks
- Aeroplan® Card
- No foreign transaction fees
- Mastercard 24/7 Concierge
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card- Amex Offers
- MQD Headstart and MQD Boost
- Early access to concerts and events
- 24/7 global travel assistance
- TakeOff 15
- No foreign transaction fees
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- Aeroplan® Card
- Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance · up to $1,500
- Trip Delay Reimbursement · up to $500
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card- Trip delay coverage up to $300 after 12 hours
- Baggage
- Aeroplan® Card
- Baggage Delay Insurance · up to $100
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card- Baggage insurance up to $1,250 for carry-on items
- Rental car
- Aeroplan® Card
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card- Car rental insurance up to $50,000
- Purchase & returns
- Aeroplan® Card
- Purchase Protection · up to $500
- 24/7 Fraud Monitoring
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card- Purchase protection up to $1,000 per occurrence
- Extended warranty
- Aeroplan® Card—Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- Extended warranty adds 1 year to manufacturer warranty
- Cell phone
- Aeroplan® Card—Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- Cell phone protection up to $800 per claim
- Other protections
- Aeroplan® Card
- Roadside Assistance
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Aeroplan® Card—Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- Annual Companion Certificate after card renewal (companion pays only taxes/fees on Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean or Central America)
- MQD Headstart ($2,500 a year) plus $1 MQD per $20 spent
- Free first checked bag for cardholder plus up to 8 companions on same reservation; second bag free on domestic flights
- Strong 2x earning on restaurants, hotels, and U.S. supermarkets
- Boosted upgrade priority to First Class and Delta One
- Cons
- Aeroplan® Card—Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- $350 annual fee is substantial if not utilizing premium benefits
- Companion Certificate arrives only after the first card renewal
- No lounge access included (must upgrade to Reserve)
- Miles are locked to Delta SkyMiles program with limited transfer options
- Amex cards are accepted at fewer merchants abroad than Visa or Mastercard
Category-by-Category Winner
The Aeroplan® Card wins in 2 of 3 categories. The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card leads in 1.
Travel
Aeroplan® Card earns 3X vs 1X
Gas Stations
Aeroplan® Card earns 2X vs 1X
Hotels
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card earns 3X vs 1X
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 Aeroplan® Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Aeroplan® Card | Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $250 Credits (our usable estimate): $93 − Annual fee ($195) Ongoing: $148 Year one: $1,123 | Rewards: $187 Credits (our usable estimate): $172 − Annual fee ($350) Ongoing: $9 Year one: $9 | Aeroplan® Card | Aeroplan® Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $998 Credits (our usable estimate): $93 − Annual fee ($195) Ongoing: $896 Year one: $1,871 | Rewards: $749 Credits (our usable estimate): $172 − Annual fee ($350) Ongoing: $571 Year one: $571 | Aeroplan® Card | Aeroplan® Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card costs $350/yr — that's $155 more than the Aeroplan® Card ($195/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $155 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card includes travel credits, dining credits, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, free checked bags. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $155 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $155 fee gap means the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card needs roughly $155 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on hotels and dining and everyday spend.
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the Aeroplan® Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Published annual fees: Aeroplan® Card $195/yr, Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card $350/yr — a $155 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card worth the higher annual fee?
- The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card costs $350/yr vs $195/yr for the Aeroplan® Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $155 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card also lists travel credits, dining credits).
- Which card earns more rewards, the Aeroplan® Card or Delta SkyMiles Platinum 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 Aeroplan® Card have that the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card doesn't?
- The Aeroplan® Card offers travel credits, dining credits. The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card offers travel credits, dining credits, cell phone protection.
- Should I get the Aeroplan® Card or the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Aeroplan® Card has a lower $195/yr fee; the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $350/yr.
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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.