By its partnership with American Specific, Delta Air Strains gives one of the complete airline bank card portfolios available on the market, which incorporates entry-level, mid-tier and premium playing cards (in addition to enterprise card variations of most).
In the event you resolve that now’s the time to use, your subsequent query will doubtless be: How do you select which Delta bank card is best for you?
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Specific Card is a superb alternative for anybody looking for a card with stable advantages for an affordable annual payment. Nonetheless, extra frequent Delta flyers ought to do some math to find out whether or not the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Specific Card may supply higher journey advantages for its worth.
Let’s do a deep dive and evaluate these two Delta playing cards so you possibly can resolve primarily based on our evaluation and your wants.
Delta Gold Amex vs. Delta Platinum Amex comparability
Profit | Delta Gold | Delta Platinum |
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Welcome supply | Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. This supply ends July 16. | Earn 90,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. This supply ends July 16. |
Annual payment | $0 introductory annual payment for the primary 12 months, then $150 (see charges and charges) | $350 (see charges and charges) |
Incomes charges |
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Baggage |
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Key advantages |
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Companion certificates | None | U.S, Mexico, Caribbean or Central American Primary Cabin round-trip companion certificates annually at renewal |
Standing enhance | None |
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Associated: Present gives on the Delta SkyMiles playing cards
Delta Gold Amex vs. Delta Platinum Amex welcome supply
New Delta Gold Amex cardmembers can earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. This supply ends July 16.
This bonus is value $920, primarily based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations. This matches the best welcome supply we have seen on the cardboard which we noticed about 9 months in the past.

With the Delta Platinum Amex, you possibly can earn 90,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. This supply ends July 16.
These bonus miles are value $1,035, primarily based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations. This supply is barely under the best we have seen on the cardboard however an incredible supply to think about in the event you’ve been eyeing this card.
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When you’re getting extra worth out of the welcome supply on the Delta Platinum, make sure to issue the annual payment into your equation.
The Delta Platinum has a $350 annual payment, whereas the Delta Gold has a extra modest $0 introductory annual payment for the primary 12 months after which a $150 annual payment each subsequent 12 months.
Additionally, needless to say American Specific limits cardmembers to one welcome supply per card per lifetime. It is essential to make sure you get the perfect welcome supply out there. Since American Specific limits welcome gives on playing cards throughout the similar household, in the event you’ve acquired a suggestion for the Delta Platinum previously, you is probably not eligible to obtain one on the Delta Gold.
Winner: Delta Platinum Amex. Its welcome supply is extra helpful.
Associated: The last word information to bank card software restrictions
Delta Gold Amex vs. Delta Platinum Amex advantages
The first long-term advantages that set the Delta Platinum aside from the Delta Gold are the MQD enhance and incomes potential.
Delta Platinum cardmembers will obtain 2,500 MQD towards elite standing at first of every Medallion Qualification 12 months and earn 1 MQD for each $20 spent in a calendar 12 months. The Delta Gold doesn’t embody any elite standing headstarts.

Each the Delta Platinum and Delta Gold supply assertion credit.
The Delta Platinum has a slew of assertion credit, together with:
- As much as $120 Resy credit score every calendar 12 months on eligible purchases within the U.S. (as much as $10 month-to-month)
- As much as $120 ride-hailing credit score with choose U.S. suppliers each calendar 12 months (as much as $10 month-to-month)
- As much as $150 Delta Stays credit score per calendar 12 months
- Hertz 5 Star standing
- Enrollment is required for choose advantages, and phrases apply.
In the meantime, Delta Gold cardmembers obtain:
- As much as $100 Delta Stays assertion credit score per calendar 12 months
- A $200 Delta Flight Credit score after spending $10,000 on purchases in a calendar 12 months
The Delta Platinum Amex companion certificates will be put towards a second seat in Primary Cabin (L, U, T, X and V fares, however not Fundamental Financial system “E” fares) on a round-trip itinerary on Delta or Delta Connection to the 50 U.S. states, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. You simply pay the taxes and charges of not more than $80 on home itineraries and $250 on worldwide itineraries.

That may quantity to large financial savings in the event you put it towards an in any other case costly ticket.
As well as, the Delta Platinum Amex gives a World Entry/TSA PreCheck payment credit score, which is accessible as soon as each 4 to 4½ years. Cardmembers will obtain a $120 World Entry credit score each 4 years or an as much as $85 TSA PreCheck credit score each 4½ years.
Enrollment is required for choose advantages, and phrases apply.
Winner: Delta Platinum Amex. Due to its number of assertion credit and MQD enhance and incomes capabilities, it wins in opposition to the Delta Gold Amex.
Incomes miles on the Delta Gold Amex vs. Delta Platinum Amex
Each playing cards earn Delta SkyMiles, which TPG’s July 2025 valuations peg at 1.15 cents a chunk
The Delta Gold earns:
- 2 miles per greenback spent on purchases made straight with Delta (2.3% return)
- 2 miles per greenback spent on eating at eating places worldwide (together with takeout and supply within the U.S) and at U.S. supermarkets (2.3% return)
- 1 mile per greenback spent on different eligible purchases (roughly a 1.2% return)
In the meantime, the Delta Platinum earns:
- 3 miles per greenback spent on purchases made straight with Delta and resorts worldwide
- 2 miles per greenback spent on purchases made on eating at eating places worldwide (together with takeout and supply within the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets (2.3% return)
- 1 mile per greenback spent on different eligible purchases (roughly a 1.2% return)

Each playing cards have virtually an identical incomes charges, with simply two exceptions. The Delta Platinum earns a further mile per greenback spent on Delta purchases (3 miles per greenback versus 2). The Delta Platinum additionally earns 3 miles per greenback spent on purchases made straight with resorts worldwide (versus 1 mile per greenback with the Delta Gold).
Each playing cards earn the identical variety of miles on eating at eating places worldwide (together with takeout and supply within the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets.
In the event you spend affordable quantities with Delta and at resorts, it is smart to go together with the Delta Platinum.
Winner: Delta Platinum Amex. The elevated incomes charges in choose classes enable cardmembers to earn SkyMiles at a sooner price.
Associated: Is the Delta Platinum well worth the annual payment
Redeeming miles on the Delta Gold Amex vs. Delta Platinum Amex
With each the Delta Gold and Delta Platinum, essentially the most easy method to redeem your miles is by reserving award flights on Delta and its companions. Since Delta makes use of a dynamic award pricing system, redemption charges can range and fluctuate at any time.
This implies you possibly can’t actually intention for a set quantity of miles to guide a particular award.
That stated, the Delta SkyMiles program nonetheless has some candy spots. For instance, probably the greatest methods to redeem Delta SkyMiles is to guide a SkyMiles deal. Delta continuously has mileage flash gross sales with considerably discounted financial system and even Delta One award flights.

You may also redeem Delta SkyMiles to fly on Delta’s companion airways, together with SkyTeam alliance companions like Air France and Korean Air and nonalliance companions.
Moreover, you possibly can redeem SkyMiles for a lot of issues apart from flights — together with premium drinks in Delta Sky Golf equipment. Most of those redemptions yield a decrease return than when redeeming for flights.
TPG bank cards author Chris Nelson likes to redeem his SkyMiles for last-minute home flights, particularly transcontinental routes from the Pacific Northwest, as you possibly can rating nice offers and save 15% off the price utilizing the TakeOff 15 profit supplied by each playing cards.
Winner: Tie. The playing cards’ redemption choices are the identical.
Associated: Is the Delta Gold Amex annual payment value it?
Ought to I get the Delta Gold Amex or Delta Platinum Amex?
In the event you can benefit from the extra perks and advantages the Delta Platinum gives, you must go together with that. Nonetheless, in case you are aiming to maintain your prices low or solely fly with Delta a couple of times annually, the Delta Gold is the higher alternative.
The best way to improve from the Delta Gold Amex to the Delta Platinum Amex
The Delta Gold is the youthful sibling of the Delta Platinum card, and it is pretty easy to improve. As a result of each are private playing cards, you possibly can name American Specific customer support and request an improve. You may must do the identical factor to downgrade your Delta Platinum to a Delta Gold.
When upgrading your card, you forgo incomes the welcome supply on the Delta Platinum card. Subsequently, my recommendation is to attend for an improve supply earlier than altering your Delta Gold to a Delta Platinum.
Do not forget that American Specific has a once-per-lifetime coverage for awarding welcome bonuses and has restrictions on incomes welcome bonuses for playing cards throughout the similar household.
Backside line
In the event you fly Delta usually, the Delta Platinum is an effective way to spice up your SkyMiles account whereas having fun with a number of glorious perks, such because the annual companion certificates at card renewal and varied assertion credit. Nonetheless, even rare Delta flyers will get worth from the Delta Gold due to a stable welcome supply and primary advantages.
To study extra, try our full critiques of the Delta Gold and Delta Platinum.
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Gold card, click on right here.