Pro Tips for Upgrading From the Delta Gold Card to the Delta Platinum Card [2026]

This page is for Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card holders considering an upgrade to the Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card. There are 2 ways to upgrade: calling American Express directly or applying for a new card. Each method has different implications for welcome offer eligibility. The sections below cover both methods, the main differences between the 2 cards, and when each approach makes sense.

Quick Overview of Upgrading From Delta Gold to Delta Platinum

The Delta Gold card carries a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (rates & fees), and the Delta Platinum card costs $350 a year (rates & fees). Upgrading directly by calling Amex avoids a hard inquiry but forfeits the welcome offer. It may affect eligibility for a future welcome offer on that card.

Applying for a new card preserves eligibility for the welcome offer but triggers a hard inquiry and counts toward Amex’s limit of 5 open credit card accounts. Targeted upgrade offers sometimes appear in the Amex app or online account and can provide a welcome offer without a new application. The Delta Platinum card offers benefits not available on the Delta Gold card: a Main Cabin companion certificate, up to $120 in annual Resy credits after enrollment, cell phone protection up to $800 per claim, and a $2,500 MQD Headstart.

Delta Gold Card vs. Delta Platinum Card

Before choosing an upgrade method, the first question is whether to upgrade at all. The 2 cards share several perks, but the Delta Platinum card carries an extra tier of benefits that the Delta Gold card does not.

Delta Gold Card Benefits

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This card provides bonus SkyMiles on all purchases, along with free checked bags, priority boarding, and discounted award flights.

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card

This card provides bonus SkyMiles on all purchases, along with free checked bags, priority boarding, and discounted award flights.

Welcome Offer

You may be eligible for as high as 80,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.

As High As 80,000 Miles. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $960

Annual Fee

$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.

APR

19.49%-28.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

Frequent Delta flyers will love the Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card. The card offers great benefits that will help save you money, effectively mimics low-level elite status with Delta SkyMiles, and helps you earn miles even faster, all for a low annual fee. Let’s dive into the benefits to see if the Delta Gold card is a good fit for your needs.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• $100 Delta Stays Credit: You can earn up to $100 back annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
• Receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel after you spend $10,000 in purchases in a year.
• Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.

Cons

• Moderate annual fee
• Earn rate for Delta flights is relatively low compared to other travel cards

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• You may be eligible for as high as 80,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
• Enjoy a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.
• Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
• $120 Rideshare Credit: With your $120 Rideshare Credit, earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after your first Card renewal when you use your Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
• When you use your Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card, you can earn: 2X miles on Delta Purchases, 2X miles at restaurants, 2X miles at U.S. supermarkets, 1X miles on all other eligible purchases. Every mile you earn brings you closer to the places you want to go. Turn them into your next trip, use them for seat upgrades, and more.
• Check your first bag for free on Delta flights worldwide and get a second bag free when flying domestically.
• Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
• $100 Delta Stays Credit: Get up to $100 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
• Want even more flexibility? Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
• Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
• Send money, split purchases, and focus on the moments that matter – with Send & Split^®. Powered by Venmo and PayPal. Enrollment Required. Terms apply.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.49%-28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Delta SkyMiles Frequent Flyer Program

The Delta Gold card includes a first checked bag free on Delta-operated flights worldwide and a second checked bag free on domestic Delta-operated flights, Zone 5 priority boarding, and 20% back on inflight purchases. It earns a $200 Delta flight credit after you spend $10,000 on the card in a calendar year and charges no foreign transaction fees (rates & fees). As of the June 2026 refresh, the card also includes an up-to-$120 annual U.S. ride-share credit ($10 per month with certain providers) after your first card renewal.

On the redemption side, the Delta Gold card lets you use SkyMiles for award travel on Delta or partner airlines or use Pay With Miles for any cash-available flight at a fixed rate of 1 cent per mile. The card’s TakeOff 15 benefit provides 15% off award travel prices when booking a Delta or Delta Connection-operated flight. The card also includes up to $100 in Delta Stays credit each year on prepaid hotels or vacation rentals booked through delta.com.

Delta Platinum Card Benefits

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Frequent Delta travelers will enjoy this card's bonus categories, benefits, and ability to reach higher levels of elite status.

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card

Frequent Delta travelers will enjoy this card's bonus categories, benefits, and ability to reach higher levels of elite status.

Welcome Offer

You may be eligible for as high as 90,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.

As High As 90,000 Miles. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $1,080

Annual Fee

$350

APR

19.49%-28.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card can be a great option for those seeking additional ways to obtain a higher level of status — or to maintain their current status — with the airline.

A key feature of this card is the ability to earn bonus Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) that are essential for earning Delta status. This could help you get closer to earning a handful of valuable benefits with the airline.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 3x SkyMiles per $1 spent on Delta purchases
• 3x SkyMiles per $1 spent on purchases made directly with hotels
• 2x SkyMiles per $1 spent at restaurants (including takeout and delivery) and U.S. supermarkets

Cons

• $350 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Does not earn transferable rewards

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• You may be eligible for as high as 90,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
• Receive a Companion Certificate on a Delta Main round-trip flight within the U.S. and to Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
• Receive $2,500 Medallion^® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $20 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
• Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
• Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
• Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
• $120 Resy Credit: Earn up to $10 in statement credits each month at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay with your enrolled Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card for eligible purchases.
• $120 Rideshare Credit: With your $120 Rideshare Credit, earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment Required.
• Check your first bag for free on Delta flights worldwide and get a second bag free when flying domestically.
• Receive either a $120 statement credit for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 for a TSA PreCheck^® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee every 4 years, when charged to your Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.§
• Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• $350 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.49%-28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Delta Air Lines SkyMiles

The Delta Platinum card has additional benefits: up to $120 in annual Resy credits, up to $120 each year in U.S. ride-share credits, up to $150 annually in Delta Stays credits, and a credit of up to $120 for Global Entry (every 4 years) or up to $85 for TSA PreCheck (every 4 1/2 years).

After your first year with the card and on each card anniversary thereafter, you receive a Main Cabin companion certificate, which covers numerous destinations, including Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean, and the continental U.S.

The Delta Platinum card also provides a $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars boost each year and earns an additional $1 MQD for every $20 in eligible purchases. These perks are not available on the Delta Gold card.

Hot Tip:

The annual fee difference between the Delta Gold card and the Delta Platinum card is $200 in years 2 and beyond. The Resy credit and Main Cabin companion certificate on the Delta Platinum card can offset much of that difference, before accounting for the card’s other benefits.

Benefits Comparison

How To Upgrade Your Delta Gold Card

Call American Express

One way to upgrade is to call American Express at the number on the back of your Delta Gold card and ask to upgrade to a Delta Platinum card. A phone agent checks your eligibility. Your account must be in good standing, and your existing card must have been open for at least a year. If you qualify, the agent can approve the upgrade in a few minutes, and the new card arrives within 7 to 10 business days. You then pay a prorated annual fee for the remainder of your membership year.

This is the simplest method, but it has drawbacks. You generally do not receive a welcome offer for upgrading directly, so you forfeit any welcome offer bonus you might qualify for by applying for a new Delta Platinum card. You also forfeit any future welcome offer on the Delta Platinum card, because Amex allows a welcome offer only on a card you have never held and upgrading without one counts as having held the card. If you later cancel and reapply, you will not be eligible for the welcome offer then, either.

Apply via a Targeted Offer

At times, you may be targeted for an upgrade offer. These offers are not available to everyone, but when you’re targeted, they typically appear when you log in to your online American Express account or the Amex app or arrive by email. Delta business cards can be upgraded the same way as personal Delta cards. Upgrade offers are usually smaller than standard welcome offers, but they can make a direct upgrade worthwhile in some cases.

Additional Reasons To Upgrade

A direct upgrade generally does not create a new inquiry on your credit report, but a new application likely will. And if you have held a Delta Platinum card before, you are probably not eligible for the welcome offer again under Amex’s application rules. In that case, upgrading without a welcome offer or using a targeted upgrade offer can make sense.

Bottom Line:

A direct upgrade makes sense in some situations, but it typically forfeits the new card’s welcome offer and can make you ineligible for it later. In most cases, applying for a new card is the better path.

Apply for a New Delta Platinum Card, Then Cancel Your Delta Gold Card

To earn a welcome offer bonus, apply for a new Delta Platinum card instead of upgrading your Delta Gold card. Apply for the new card before canceling the Delta Gold card, so you confirm approval and the welcome offer before giving up the old one. Amex places no restriction on holding both a Delta Gold card and a Delta Platinum card at the same time, so applying while you still hold the old card is fine.

There are 2 caveats.

First, Amex limits customers to 5 open American Express credit card accounts at a time. This includes personal and business credit cards, but not cards without a preset spending limit. If you already hold 5 Amex credit cards, you need to close one before applying. Second, if your credit score has dropped since your last application, for example, after taking on a car loan or mortgage, you may not qualify for a new card, though you may still qualify for an upgrade. If you’ve already reached the maximum credit Amex will extend to you, opening a new card without closing the old one first can be difficult, though Amex will sometimes move existing credit to open a new account.

In either case, you can close the Delta Gold card before applying for the new Delta Platinum card, or apply first and then call Amex to close a card or transfer credit if an issue arises.

Hot Tip:

Closing your Delta Gold card does not affect the SkyMiles already in your Delta SkyMiles account. Those miles remain in the account, and miles earned on the new Delta Platinum card post to the same account.

How Much Is the Delta Platinum Card Welcome Offer Worth?

A welcome offer is the fastest way to earn a large number of miles right away. Beyond the everyday earnings on purchases, meeting the minimum spending requirement in the allotted time provides a head start toward an upcoming trip.

The welcome offer changes regularly. The current offer is:

• You may be eligible for as high as 90,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.

Delta SkyMiles are worth about 1.2 cents each, which means the welcome offer is worth up to $1,080.

Who Should Upgrade to the Delta Platinum Card?

If you are unsure whether upgrading from the Delta Gold card to the Delta Platinum card is a good fit for your situation, here are 5 questions to consider.

Are You a Regular Delta Flyer?

The Delta Platinum card fits travelers who fly Delta more than a few times a year. If you switch airlines often and are not loyal to Delta, the Delta Gold card and its benefits may be enough.

Can You Use the Monthly Credits of the Delta Platinum Card?

Getting full value from the Delta Platinum card depends on using as many benefits as possible, especially the monthly credits, which return money directly. If you are unlikely to use most of the credits, the Delta Gold card may be the better fit.

Are You Chasing Delta Elite Status?

Following changes to the Delta elite status program, cardholders can earn an unlimited number of Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) through credit card purchases. The Delta Gold card does not offer this; it is only available on higher-end Delta cards, such as the Delta Platinum card. If you are aiming for a higher tier of Delta status, an upgrade may help.

Do You Need Cell Phone Protection?

The Delta Gold card does not provide cell phone coverage. The Delta Platinum card does. It reimburses the cost of repairing or replacing a damaged or stolen cell phone for up to $800 per claim with a $50 deductible, if you paid your cell phone bill with the card the month before the incident.

Will You Fly With a Companion?

Starting in your second year, the Delta Platinum card provides an annual companion certificate. It covers a round-trip Main Cabin flight for a companion to destinations across the U.S. (including Alaska and Hawaii), the Caribbean, or Central America. You pay only the taxes and fees for your companion, with a maximum of $80 for round-trip domestic flights and $250 for round-trip international flights. The Delta Gold card does not include this benefit.

Final Thoughts

Delta Gold cardholders who are eligible for a welcome offer should apply for a new Delta Platinum card rather than upgrade directly, since upgrading forfeits the welcome offer bonus and can affect future welcome offer eligibility on the same card. For travelers who fly Delta regularly, the Delta Platinum card’s added benefits can justify its higher annual fee.