If you’re reading reviews of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, you’ve probably already know the basics. It earns SkyMiles, includes a Companion Certificate, and helps you earn Medallion Status.

But after actually using the card for over a year, I think the story is a little more nuanced.

I started with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card. It was an easy recommendation because I primarily wanted free checked bags and priority boarding. Eventually, though, I wanted to work toward Medallion Status, and that’s what ultimately pushed me to upgrade to the Platinum card.

Was it worth it?

For me, yes.

For everyone else?

Not necessarily.

Here’s my honest review.

Quick Summary

• ✅ Excellent if you’re trying to earn Delta Medallion Status
• ✅ Best for travelers flying Delta roughly 6 to 8+ times per year
• ✅ Annual credits can effectively offset much of the annual fee
• ✅ Companion Certificate can provide significant value, but isn’t as flexible as many expect
• ⚠️ Much harder to justify if you don’t naturally use the monthly credits
• ⚠️ If you’re only flying a few times each year, the Gold card may actually be the better choice

At a Glance

✈️ Medallion Mafia Tip

Don’t evaluate this card based solely on the Companion Certificate. For many travelers, the real long-term value is accelerating Medallion Status.

Table of Contents

• Why I Upgraded from Gold
• What I Like
• Where the Economics Work
• The Companion Certificate Reality
• Every Major Benefit
• Who Should Get It
• Final Verdict

Why I Upgraded from the Gold Card

This was honestly a pretty simple decision.

The Gold card is excellent if you simply want airline perks.

You get:

• Free checked bags
• Priority boarding
• Ability to earn SkyMiles

But after flying Delta more frequently, I realized I wanted something different.

I wanted Medallion Status.

The Gold card simply doesn’t move the needle very much toward earning status. Once Delta shifted to an MQD-based qualification system, I wanted every dollar I spent to contribute toward qualifying.

That made the Platinum card the logical next step.

For me, that has been the biggest difference.

The Biggest Benefit Isn’t What Most People Think

Most marketing focuses on the Companion Certificate.

I actually think that’s the wrong way to look at this card.

The biggest benefit is that it makes earning Medallion Status materially easier.

If you fly Delta around 6 to 8 times per year, the Platinum card starts making a meaningful difference.

Between:

• MQD Headstart
• MQDs earned through eligible card spending
• Flying activity

…getting to Silver Medallion suddenly becomes realistic.

Without the card?

It becomes significantly more difficult unless you’re purchasing a lot of airfare.

🛫 Best For

Travelers who already expect to fly Delta several times per year and want a realistic path toward Silver or Gold Medallion.

The Economics Only Work if You Actually Use the Credits

This is probably my biggest takeaway.

For me, the annual fee is largely offset automatically.

Why?

Because I naturally use the included monthly statement credits.

I live in a city where I regularly:

• Use rideshare services
• Eat at eligible Resy restaurants

I’m not changing my behavior to use these credits.

They simply happen every month.

That makes the effective cost of the card much lower than the sticker price.

If I lived somewhere with limited rideshare availability or few eligible restaurants, I’d feel very differently.

Then I’d be paying much more of the annual fee out of pocket, and the value proposition becomes a lot harder to justify.

💰 Money Saver

Never value statement credits at 100% unless you’d actually spend that money anyway. Credits only offset the fee if they replace spending you already planned to make.

The Companion Certificate Is Great…But Has Limits

The Companion Certificate gets a lot of attention.

It’s definitely valuable.

But I think expectations need to be realistic.

Many reviews make it sound like it’s basically free airfare every year.

That’s not always how it works.

In my own experience, I tried booking a trip from New York-LaGuardia (LGA) to West Palm Beach (PBI) and couldn’t use the certificate on the dates I wanted.

That’s because Companion Certificates are subject to fare class availability and other restrictions. Some high-demand routes, peak travel periods, or popular flight times may have limited or no eligible inventory.

That doesn’t make the certificate bad.

It just means I wouldn’t buy this card assuming the certificate alone will offset the annual fee every year.

If it works for your trip, that’s fantastic.

If not, the rest of the card still needs to justify itself.

⚠️ Watch Out

Companion Certificates aren’t valid on every seat or every flight. Before assigning full value to this benefit, think about where and when you typically travel.

Every Major Benefit

Besides helping earn status, here’s what comes with the card.

Who Should Get This Card?

This card is a great fit if you:

• Fly Delta six or more times annually
• Are actively pursuing Medallion Status
• Naturally use rideshare credits
• Already dine at eligible Resy restaurants
• Value Delta-specific perks over general travel rewards

You may want to skip it if you:

• Only fly Delta once or twice each year
• Live somewhere without easy access to rideshare or eligible restaurants
• Won’t use the monthly credits
• Don’t care about Medallion Status

In those cases, I’d probably recommend staying with the Delta SkyMiles Gold card.

My Honest Verdict

Looking back, I don’t regret upgrading.

The Platinum card accomplished exactly what I wanted it to.

It made earning Medallion Status much more realistic.

The monthly credits naturally offset most of the annual fee because they match how I already spend money.

But I also recognize that’s a very personal equation.

If I lived in a smaller town without regular rideshare usage or participating restaurants, I’m not sure I’d reach the same conclusion.

Without those credits, the economics become much tighter.

And while the Companion Certificate is absolutely a nice perk, I wouldn’t count on it fully paying for the card every single year.

If my goal wasn’t earning Medallion Status, I honestly think I would have stayed with the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card.

For me, though, the ability to earn MQDs was enough to make the upgrade worthwhile.

Key Takeaways

• The Delta Platinum card shines for travelers pursuing Medallion Status.
• Flying roughly 6 to 8 Delta trips per year is where the value starts to become compelling.
• The annual fee is much easier to justify if you naturally use the rideshare and Resy credits.
• Don’t assume the Companion Certificate will always save you hundreds of dollars. Availability matters.
• If status isn’t important to you, the Gold card may offer better overall value.

Final Verdict

Rating: 9.0/10

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card isn’t the perfect card for everyone, but it’s an excellent upgrade for Delta loyalists working toward Medallion Status.

Just make sure the economics work for your lifestyle, not someone else’s.