Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card vs Hilton Honors American Express Card
Annual fees: Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card $350/yr, Hilton Honors American Express Card $0/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card on hotels, Hilton Honors American Express Card on dining.
Card data as of November 13, 2026.
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express CardAmerican Express · $350/yr
Hilton Honors American Express CardAmerican Express · No annual fee
Overview
- Annual fee
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card$350Hilton Honors American Express Card$0Lowest
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express CardAs high as 90,000 miles — offers varyHilton Honors American Express Card70,000 points
- Rewards
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express CardDelta SkyMilesHilton Honors American Express CardHilton Honors
- Foreign transaction fee
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express CardNoneHilton Honors American Express CardNone
- Network
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express CardAmerican ExpressHilton Honors American Express CardAmerican Express
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card2xHilton Honors American Express Card5xHighest
- Gas Stations
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card1xHilton Honors American Express Card5xHighest
- Grocery Stores
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card2xHilton Honors American Express Card5xHighest
- Hotels
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card3xHilton Honors American Express Card3x
- Everything else
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card1xHilton Honors American Express Card3xHighest
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- $150 Delta stays credit
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck
- 20% back Delta in-flight · $20 per transaction
Hilton Honors American Express Card— - Rideshare & transit
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- $10/mo rideshare · $10 monthly
Hilton Honors American Express Card— - Dining & delivery
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- $10/mo Resy · $10 monthly
Hilton Honors American Express Card—
Perks & access— means none on record
- Hotel status & programs
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card—Hilton Honors American Express Card
- Automatic Hilton Honors Silver Elite Status
- Airline perks
- 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
Hilton Honors American Express Card— - Other perks
- 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
Hilton Honors American Express Card- Amex Offers
- Early access to concerts and events
- 24/7 global travel assistance
- No foreign transaction fees
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- Trip delay coverage up to $300 after 12 hours
Hilton Honors American Express Card— - Baggage
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- Baggage insurance up to $1,250 for carry-on items
Hilton Honors American Express Card— - Rental car
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- Car rental insurance up to $50,000
Hilton Honors American Express Card- Car rental insurance (secondary coverage)
- Purchase & returns
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- Purchase protection up to $1,000 per occurrence
Hilton Honors American Express Card- Up to $1,000 per item against damage or theft
- Extended warranty
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- Extended warranty adds 1 year to manufacturer warranty
Hilton Honors American Express Card— - Cell phone
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- Cell phone protection up to $800 per claim
Hilton Honors American Express Card— - Other protections
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Hilton Honors American Express Card- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Pros & cons
- Pros
- 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
Hilton Honors American Express Card- No annual fee ever
- Automatic Hilton Silver status with 20% bonus points and late checkout
- Path to Gold status after $20,000 annual spend
- Solid 7X earning at Hilton properties, 5X at restaurants/supermarkets/gas
- No foreign transaction fees
- Cons
- 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
Hilton Honors American Express Card- Only Silver status (lower than Surpass/Aspire Gold grants)
- Lower earn rates than premium Hilton cards (7X vs 12X at Hilton)
- No annual credits or free night rewards
- Points locked to Hilton with no transfer flexibility
- Amex network less accepted internationally than Visa/Mastercard
Expert Analysis
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card and Hilton Honors American Express Card represent two different tiers within the same card family. The core question is whether the premium card's benefits justify the higher annual fee — and the answer depends on your spending habits and travel frequency.
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card's strongest category is Delta Purchases at 3X, while the Hilton Honors American Express Card leads with 7X on Hilton Properties. Overall, the Hilton Honors American Express Card wins in more bonus categories (6 vs 0) — so the better choice depends on where you spend the most.
At $0/yr vs $350/yr, the Hilton Honors American Express Card is the more accessible option. The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card needs to deliver at least $350 in annual value through its premium benefits to justify the gap. It offers a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, free checked bags, which can cover that gap for active users.
Key Differences
- Hilton Honors American Express Card earns 3X on Hotels vs 2X for the other
- Hilton Honors American Express Card earns 5X on Dining vs 2X for the other
- Hilton Honors American Express Card earns 5X on Grocery Stores vs 2X for the other
- The Hilton Honors American Express Card costs $0/yr vs $350/yr — a $350 annual gap
- Only the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card offers a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit and free checked bags
- Hilton Honors American Express Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 1X on non-bonus spending)
Spending Scenarios
Which card wins in real-world spending situations?
$200/month on hotels
Hilton Honors American Express CardHilton Honors American Express Card earns 3X vs 2X. Over a year, that's 7,200 vs 4,800 points — a 2,400-point advantage.
$400/month on dining
Hilton Honors American Express CardHilton Honors American Express Card earns 5X vs 2X. Over a year, that's 24,000 vs 9,600 points — a 14,400-point advantage.
Mixed everyday spending, 2 trips/year
Hilton Honors American Express CardWithout heavy spending in the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card's premium categories, the $350 fee difference is hard to recover. The Hilton Honors American Express Card delivers better overall value for moderate spenders.
Who Should Get Which?
Get the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card if:
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card is ideal for cardholders who prioritize maximizing premium card benefits. At $350/yr, it delivers solid return on the annual fee investment for its target audience.
Get the Hilton Honors American Express Card if:
The Hilton Honors American Express Card is ideal for cardholders who prioritize spending heavily on hotels and dining and keeping annual costs low and earning more on everyday purchases. At $0/yr, it delivers strong no-fee value for its target audience.
Upgrade & Downgrade Path
Many cardholders start with the Hilton Honors American Express Card and upgrade to the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card as their delta purchases spending increases. You can often hold both cards simultaneously to maximize earn rates across all categories.
If you're considering downgrading from the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card, tally up how much value you actually extract from its delta purchases earn rates and benefits each year. If you're consistently leaving credits unused, the Hilton Honors American Express Card likely delivers better value per dollar of annual fee.
Category-by-Category Winner
The Hilton Honors American Express Card wins in 4 of 4 categories. The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card leads in 0.
Dining
Hilton Honors American Express Card earns 5X vs 2X
Grocery Stores
Hilton Honors American Express Card earns 5X vs 2X
Gas Stations
Hilton Honors American Express Card earns 5X vs 1X
Everyday purchases
Hilton Honors American Express Card earns 3X on all other spending 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 Hilton Honors American Express Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card | Hilton Honors American Express Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $187 Credits (our usable estimate): $172 − Annual fee ($350) Ongoing: $9 Year one: $9 | Rewards: $182 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $182 Year one: $462 | Hilton Honors American Express Card | Hilton Honors American Express Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $749 Credits (our usable estimate): $172 − Annual fee ($350) Ongoing: $571 Year one: $571 | Rewards: $730 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $730 Year one: $1,010 | Hilton Honors American Express Card | Hilton Honors American Express Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card costs $350/yr — that's $350 more than the Hilton Honors American Express Card (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $350 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 $350 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $350 fee gap means the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card needs roughly $350 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on hotels and dining and everyday spend.
What You Give Up
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Hilton Honors American Express Card means losing:
- -Free checked bags
- -Global Entry credit
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Hilton Honors American Express Card if you:
- +Prefer a high flat rate across all spending
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the Hilton Honors American Express Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 3X on the Hilton Honors American Express Card vs 1X on the other card.
Published annual fees: Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card $350/yr, Hilton Honors American Express Card $0/yr — a $350 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 $0/yr for the Hilton Honors American Express Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $350 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 Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card or Hilton Honors American Express Card?
- The Hilton Honors American Express Card has a higher base earn rate (3X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
- What benefits does the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card have that the Hilton Honors American Express Card doesn't?
- The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card offers travel credits, dining credits, cell phone protection. The Hilton Honors American Express Card focuses more on earn rates than premium perks.
- Should I get the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card or the Hilton Honors American Express Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Hilton Honors American Express Card has a lower $0/yr fee; the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $350/yr.
Related Comparisons
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published November 13, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.