Is the Delta Platinum Business card worth it?

If your business involves traveling on Delta Air Lines, the card can be worth it. First, you’ll save money on checked bags, inflight purchases, and with discounted Sky Club membership. The annual card anniversary companion certificate alone can deliver value beyond the cost of the annual fee, and if you’ll use the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit, you’ll save even more. If elite status is important to you, the ability to earn it faster by spending on your card may have value for you as well.

How does Pay with Miles work?

When you purchase a qualifying Delta ticket, you can use your SkyMiles to pay for the ticket. You need to use a minimum of 5,000 miles towards the purchase which results in a credit of $50. Each additional 5,000 miles receives another $50 in value towards the purchase. Unlike purchasing an award ticket with your miles, the Pay with Miles benefit allows you to earn bonus miles for your trip and Medallion Qualifying Miles on any portion of the ticket you paid for with your card.

How does the Delta companion ticket work?

At each Delta Platinum Business card anniversary you’ll receive a companion certificate that is good for a main cabin ticket with the purchase of another main cabin ticket. Purchase an eligible ticket with your Delta-branded card and you receive the companion ticket for just the cost of the taxes and fees, which cannot exceed $75. The companion certificate is good only for eligible flights within the contiguous 48 states and travelers must be fly the same itinerary.

Do Delta SkyMiles expire?

No, Delta SkyMiles never expire. At the end of each Delta-branded card statement period, any miles you earned will be transferred to your SkyMiles frequent flyer account. Even if you cancel your credit card, miles in your SkyMiles account will not expire.

28 Benefits of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business Amex Card [2023]

If you’re a business owner, even a small business owner, and you fly frequently on Delta Air Lines, a Delta-branded credit card should be on your list to consider. Delta-branded cards can save you money during your travels, make your journey more comfortable, and provide a faster path to Delta Medallion elite status.

American Express issues several personal and business Delta-branded cards, each of which provides a unique level of benefits for frequent Delta travelers.

Our focus in this article is the mid-level Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card. The card offers plenty of Delta travel benefits without having a high annual fee.

Today we’ll cover:

How you’ll earn SkyMiles on the card
Which Delta-specific travel benefits you can expect with the card
Options for redeeming your SkyMiles
The business, travel, and shopping benefits that come with the card

Let’s embark on our journey to discover if the Delta Platinum Business card could be the right Delta-branded card for your business.

Table of contents

Earning Delta SkyMiles
Delta Travel Benefits
Redeeming Your Miles
A Faster Path to Delta Medallion Elite Status
- Earn MQMs with Status Boost
- Waive the Medallion Elite Revenue MQD Requirement
Business Benefits
- Benefits for Businesses
Travel Protection and Benefits
Shopping Protections and Benefits
Final Thoughts

Table of Contents

Earning Delta SkyMiles
Delta Travel Benefits
16. Redeeming Your Miles
A Faster Path to Delta Medallion Elite Status
- 17. Earn MQMs with Status Boost
- 18. Waive the Medallion Elite Revenue MQD Requirement
Business Benefits
- 19. Benefits for Businesses
Travel Protection and Benefits
Shopping Protections and Benefits
Final Thoughts

Earning Delta SkyMiles

There are so many ways to earn Delta SkyMiles on your Delta Platinum Business card.

1. A Generous Welcome Bonus

As with most travel rewards credit cards, the Delta Platinum Business card offers a welcome bonus of tens of thousands of SkyMiles for meeting minimum spending requirements in the first 3 months after you’re approved for the card.

In addition to these bonus miles, however, you may also receive Medallion Qualifying Miles, which will count towards achieving Medallion elite status.

Offers vary, however, and the current welcome bonus may include any or all of these.

2. Earn More on Delta Purchases

Every Delta purchase you make earns 3 Delta SkyMiles for every dollar spent on your card. Eligible purchases include Delta flights, Delta vacation packages, upgraded seats, fees, Sky Club membership, inflight Delta purchases, and purchasing miles.

3. Earn More on Hotel Purchases

Traveling includes booking both flights and hotels so earning 3 miles per dollar spent on your card at hotels could result in a lot of extra SkyMiles in your Delta frequent flyer account.

4. Earn More on Large Purchases

Most businesses have a lot of expenses. Get rewarded for those large purchases of $5,000 or more with earnings of 1.5 miles per dollar spent on up to $50,000 in purchases each calendar year.

5. Earn on Every Purchase You Make

All other purchases made on your Delta Platinum Business card will earn 1 mile per dollar spent.

6. No Limit on Earning Miles

There is no limit to the amount of Delta SkyMiles you can earn by spending on your card.

7. Earn for Referring a Friend

When you’re happy with your Delta-branded credit card, you may want to refer others! American Express will reward that referral with 10,000 to 20,000 Delta SkyMiles deposited in your account once your referral is approved for the card.

8. Additional Users

Adding authorized users to your card can help you accumulate miles faster. There is no additional charge for adding additional users to your card (see rates and fees). They also receive the cell phone protection offered by the Amex Delta Platinum Business card.

Bottom Line: There are dozens of ways to earn Delta SkyMiles and we go into detail on all the ways that we know in this Delta SkyMiles earning guide.

Delta Baggage Handler — Receive a free checked bag for you and up to 8 traveling companions, plus other money-saving benefits, with the Delta Platinum Business card. Image Credit: Delta

Delta Travel Benefits

Having the Delta Platinum Business card can save you money on Delta Sky Club access, checked bag fees, inflight purchases, and more.

Here are the travel benefits you can expect when flying with Delta.

9. Discounted Access to Delta Sky Club Airport Lounges

Pay for Sky Club access with your card and receive a discounted rate of $39 per person, per visit. Normally, access to the Sky Club costs $59 per person, per visit, so you’ll be saving big if you use this card benefit often.

10. Priority Boarding

Board the plane early as cardmembers and up to 8 additional travel companions on the same reservation receive complimentary Main Cabin 1 priority boarding.

11. Free Checked Bag

Save on checked baggage fees with a free checked bag for you and up to 8 traveling companions on the same reservation.

12. Delta SkyMiles Companion Certificate

At each card anniversary, you’ll enjoy a companion flight certificate you can use to receive an additional main cabin Delta ticket when you purchase a ticket.

You need only to pay for taxes and fees on the additional ticket, which cannot exceed $75. Select itineraries within the 48 contiguous United States are eligible.

13. Inflight Discounts

Use your card for inflight purchases such as headsets, food, and beverages and receive a 20% statement credit.

14. Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit

Your Delta Platinum Business card offers a statement credit when you charge your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee with your eligible card. One credit is provided every 4 years for Global Entry ($100) or every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck ($85).

15. Discounted CLEAR Membership

No need to wait in line to show your boarding pass and ID. Just approach the CLEAR kiosk, validate your ID with just your fingerprints or eyes, and you’re done.

CLEAR expedited security membership costs $189 per year but Delta Platinum Business card members receive a discounted membership fee of just $149.

Bottom Line: The Delta Platinum Business card offers travel benefits that can save you money, such as a free checked bag for you and your travel companions, discounted lounge access, and inflight purchase credits. You’ll also have the privilege of priority boarding and receive a companion flight certificate at each card renewal.

Delta One Suites A350 — Redeem your SkyMiles for a Delta One business class experience. Image Credit: Delta

16. Redeeming Your Miles

You’ll be earning so many miles on your Delta Platinum Business card that we want to make you’re aware of all the great redemption options.

Pay with Miles is a specific benefit of having this card but there are many other ways to redeem the miles you earn on your card.

Pay With Miles

Delta Platinum Business cardholders can use their SkyMiles towards flight purchases. You must redeem at least 5,000 miles which results in a $50 credit towards the cost of your flight. Redeem for a portion of your flight cost or the entire amount.

You’ll earn bonus miles on your entire flight and Medallion Qualifying Miles on any portion paid for with your card.

Redeem Miles for Delta Award Flights

Delta award flights can be purchased for as little as 10,000 miles one-way. Although Delta doesn’t publish an award chart, premium international flights cost much more.

Delta does run flash sales, however, when award flights are discounted.

We’ve put together several examples for maximizing your miles for award flight purchases to give you some ideas!

Redeem Miles for Flights With SkyTeam Alliance Partner Airlines

Use your miles to purchase award tickets on partner airlines and other SkyTeam Alliance airlines.

Redeem for Seat Upgrades and Ticket Fees

Use your miles during the flight booking process to upgrade your seat with the “Upgrade with Miles” benefit or purchase Mileage Upgrade Awards for upgrades on an eligible existing reservation.

In addition, you can use your miles to pay for ticket change fees, mileage deposit charges, and same-day confirmed flight fees.

Redeem for Sky Club Membership and Premium Drinks

If you’re a frequent Delta flyer, then Sky Club lounge access could be important. You can use your SkyMiles to purchase either an Executive Sky Club Membership for 84,500 miles or an Individual Membership for 54,500 miles.

An Executive Membership includes access for 2 additional guests at no charge while an Individual Membership allows up to 2 guests for $39 per person, per visit.

House drinks are complimentary at the Sky Club but you can use your miles to purchase premium drinks. Try a glass of Dom Perignon Champagne, for example, by spending just 1,750 miles.

Redeem Miles at the SkyMiles Marketplace and More

Rent a car, book a hotel, or redeem your miles for merchandise, gift cards, or magazines. While not usually the best value for your miles, you’ll find thousands of choices in the SkyMiles Marketplace.

Bottom Line: Delta Platinum Business cardmembers have the option to pay for their flights with the Pay with Miles benefit. Each 5,000 miles redeemed results in a $50 credit towards your flight cost. You’ll also find dozens of additional ways to redeem your SkyMiles.

A Faster Path to Delta Medallion Elite Status

Each calendar year, in order to qualify for Medallion Elite frequent flyer status, Delta requires that you reach a specific level of miles or flight segments flown (MQM/MQS) and that you generate a specific amount of revenue from purchasing Delta flights (MQD).

Spending on your Delta Platinum Business card will help you reach Delta Medallion elite status faster by giving you the ability to earn MQM and to waive the MQD requirement.

17. Earn MQMs with Status Boost

Spend $25,000 on your Delta Platinum Business card in a calendar year, and earn 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs), up to 2x per year getting you closer to Medallion Status.

18. Waive the Medallion Elite Revenue MQD Requirement

Once you have spent $25,000 on your card in a calendar year, the MQD requirement for Medallion elite status is waived for Silver, Gold, and Platinum Medallion elite status levels.

In order to waive the MQD requirement for top Delta Diamond Medallion status, you must spend $250,000 on your card in a calendar year.

For more information on the value of Silver, Gold, and Platinum Medallion elite status, see our related articles.

Bottom Line: The Delta Platinum Business card makes it easier to qualify for Medallion elite frequent flyer elite status by spending on the card. You can earn up to 20,000 Medallion Qualifying Miles and waive the elite MQD revenue requirement needed to attain elite status.

Business Benefits

The Delta Platinum Business card has several benefits designed specifically for tracking and organizing your business expenses.

19. Benefits for Businesses

Free employee cards
Ability to set spending limits and approved categories for employee cards
Year-end statements
Connect to Quickbooks
American Express business app
Ability to designate an account manager other than the cardholder
Digitally pay vendors

Hot Tip: Be sure you’re up to date on all of the benefits of earning and using points and miles with your business.

Travel Protection and Benefits

20. Trip Delay Insurance

When your flight is delayed 12 hours or more, you could receive up to $300 in reimbursements for covered expenses.

21. Baggage Insurance Plan

Whether you’re checking bags or going with a carry-on, the baggage insurance plan has you covered. Receive up to $1,250 for carry-on or $500 for checked baggage if your bags are damaged or stolen.

Coverage is secondary to any other coverage you might have.

22. Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

Pay for your rental car with your eligible card, decline the rental car agency’s collision/loss damage waiver, and receive secondary coverage for your rental car.

Car rental insurance on your Delta Platinum card covers your rental car for theft or damage. Secondary coverage means you must file a claim with any other applicable car insurance first.

23. Global Assist Hotline

When you’re traveling 100 miles or more from home, you’ll have access to assistance 24/7 with the Global Assist Hotline. Receive help with arranging emergency transportation, finding an English-speaking doctor, legal referrals, and much more.

24. No Foreign Transaction Fees

No worries here — your purchases abroad will not incur any foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees).

Cell Phone in hand Unsplash — The Delta Platinum Business card comes with 90 days of damage and theft protection for eligible items. Image Credit: @felix_kolthoff via Unsplash

Shopping Protections and Benefits

25. Purchase Protection

Purchase an eligible item with your card and receive coverage for damage or theft for up to 90 days from the date of purchase. Coverage is limited to $1,000 per purchase, up to $50,000 per card.

26. Extended Warranty

Manufacturer’s warranties of 3 years or less on eligible items purchased with your card will be extended 1 additional year.

27. The American Express Auto Purchasing Program

Receive favorable pricing on your new auto purchase, receive up to $2,000 in post-purchase benefits, and have the ability to charge at least $2,000 of the purchase price (or more) on your Delta Platinum Business card.

28. Cell Phone Protection

Delta Platinum Business cardholders now receive up to $1,600 in cell phone protection (2 claims per year with up to $800 for each claim) against theft and damage, including cosmetic damage (like a cracked phone screen). Each claim has a $50 deductible and your monthly phone bill should be paid with your Delta Platinum Business card to receive coverage.

Final Thoughts

Delta has several branded credit cards, each of which may be a fit for a different level of Delta traveler. If your primary airline is Delta, chances are there’s a card that matches your spending profile, your travel benefit preferences, and an annual fee with which you’re comfortable.

Here are some additional Delta-branded cards:

If you travel only occasionally on Delta and frequent other airlines, you might consider The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. Both cards offer access to over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide, including Delta Sky Clubs. You’ll also find a long list of premium travel benefits including hotel elite status, travel statement credits, and an International Airline Program that can save you money on flight purchases.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, please click here.