Delta Reserve vs. Amex Platinum: A Comprehensive Analysis
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Picking the right travel credit card can be tough, especially when you have great choices like the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card (Delta Reserve) and The Platinum Card from American Express (Amex Platinum). Both cards come with awesome perks that can make your trips better, but they’re really aimed at different types of travelers. I wrote this to break down the differences between these two cards so you can figure out which one fits you best.
Overview of Delta Reserve vs. Amex Platinum Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card:
- Annual Fee: $650
- Best For: Frequent Delta Airline travelers
- Key Benefits: Delta Sky Club access, annual companion certificate, first checked bag free, priority boarding, MQD Headstart and MQD Boost (earn $1 MQD per $10 in purchases; plus $2,500 MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year), and complimentary upgrades.
The Platinum Card from American Express:
- Annual Fee: $895
- Best For: Luxury travel and access to a broad range of airport lounges
- Key Benefits: Extensive lounge access (including Centurion Lounges), annual travel credits, Uber credits, hotel elite status, Fine Hotels & Resorts benefits, and concierge service.
Amex Platinum and Delta Reserve Comparison Table
| Feature/Benefit | Amex Platinum | Delta Reserve |
| Annual Fee | 895 | 650 |
| Current welcome offer | 175,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 within the first 6 months | 125,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 within the first 6 months (Offer ends 10/29/25.) |
| Earning Rates | 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 per calendar year), 5x points on prepaid hotels booked via Amex Travel, 1x on other purchases. | 3x miles on Delta purchases, 1x on other purchases |
| MQD Headstart | None | $2,500 for each Medallion qualifying year and move closer to upgrading status for the following year |
| MQD Boost | None | Earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your card (applies toward the next Medallion Year) |
| Lounge Access | Global Lounge Collection (Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass (non-restaurant), Escape, etc.). When flying Delta: 10 Delta Sky Club visits per Medallion Year; additional visits may be purchased after the 10-visit allotment. | Delta Sky Club access: 15 visits per Medallion Year, when flying Delta; unlock unlimited visits after $75,000 calendar-year spend on the card. Four (4) one-time Delta Sky Club guest passes, issued annually while traveling together on Delta. Centurion Lounge & Escape Lounge access when you book your Delta flight with your Reserve Card. |
| Travel Credits | Up to $400 Resy Dining Credit, up to $600 Hotel Credit (FHR & The Hotel Collection, enrollment/terms apply), $300 Lululemon Credit ($75 quarterly), $200 Uber Cash (monthly), $120 Uber One Credit, and $200 Airline Fee Credit. | Up to $200 Delta Stays Credit per year (prepaid hotels/vacation rentals booked through Delta Stays); 20% back as a statement credit on eligible in-flight purchases; $240 Resy Credit ($20/month); $120 Rideshare Credit ($10/month). |
| First Checked Bag Free | None | Yes (check in the first suitcase on Delta flights for free) |
| Hotel Benefits | Hilton Honors Gold status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold status (enrollment required) plus Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection benefits. | None |
| Car Rental Benefits | Complimentary Hertz President’s Circle, National Emerald Club Executive, and Avis Preferred Plus | None |
| Travel Insurance | Trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay insurance, baggage insurance plan, car rental loss and damage insurance | Trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay insurance, baggage insurance plan |
| Purchase Protection | Purchase protection, extended warranty, and return protection | Extended warranty, purchase protection |
| Additional Benefits | Premium status for Avis, Hertz, National car rental; $300 Equinox credit, access to Global Dining Collection, exclusive experiences with By Invitation Only; Uber VIP customer status; Access to exclusive reservations from Resy; Platinum Travel Service | Companion Certificate each year after renewal (valid for Delta First, Premium Select, Comfort+, or Main Cabin on eligible round-trip itineraries in the U.S., Caribbean, or Central America); Hertz President’s Circle status (enrollment required); Baggage Insurance Plan; upgrade priority on eligible tickets; TakeOff 15 (15% award discount on Delta-operated flights when booking with miles). |
| Premium Global Assist Hotline | Yes | Yes |
| Trip Delay Insurance | Yes | Yes |
| Points Transfer Partners | An extensive list of airline and hotel partners | Delta SkyMiles program only |
| Transaction Fees | No Foreign | No Foreign |
Comparative Analysis Of Cards In Detail
Amex Platinum and Delta Reserve Travel Benefits
Delta Reserve
- Delta Sky Club Access: 15 visits per Medallion Year when flying Delta; unlock unlimited after $75,000 calendar-year spend on the card.
- Annual Companion Certificate: A domestic first-class, Delta Comfort+, or main cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal.
- Priority Boarding and First Checked Bag Free: These perks can save time and money for frequent Delta travelers.
- Status Earning: $2,500 MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year, plus MQD Boost of $1 MQD per $10 in purchases on the card.
Amex Platinum
- Lounge Access: Global Lounge Collection (Centurion, Priority Pass (non-restaurant), Escape, etc.). Delta Sky Club: 10 visits per Medallion Year when flying Delta; additional visits may be purchased after the 10-visit allotment.
- Travel Credits: Up to $400 Resy Dining Credit, $600 Hotel Credit, $300 Lululemon Credit ($75 quarterly), $200 Uber Cash, $120 Uber One Credit, and $200 Airline Fee Credit
- Hotel Benefits: Automatic Gold status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy, plus benefits through the Fine Hotels & Resorts program.
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit: Up to $100 statement credit every 4 years for Global Entry or every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck application fee.
Delta Reserve vs. Amex Platinum: Earning and Redeeming Points
Delta Reserve
- Earning Rates: 3x miles on Delta purchases, 1x mile on all other purchases.
- Redeeming: Miles can be used for Delta flights, partner flights, seat upgrades, Delta Sky Club membership, and other travel-related expenses.
Amex Platinum
- Earning Rates: 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 per calendar year), 5x points on prepaid hotels booked via Amex Travel, 1x on other purchases.
- Redeeming: Membership Rewards points can be transferred to a variety of airline and hotel partners, redeemed for travel through Amex Travel, used for statement credits, gift cards, and more.
Can you transfer Amex Membership Rewards points?
Yes, you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to a variety of airline and hotel loyalty programs. Here are common U.S. transfer partners (always confirm live ratios and availability on Amex before transferring):
Airline Partners
- Aer Lingus AerClub
- AeroMexico Club Premier
- Air Canada Aeroplan
- Air France/KLM Flying Blue
- All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club
- Asia Miles
- Avianca LifeMiles
- British Airways Executive Club
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
- Delta SkyMiles
- El Al Matmid Frequent Flyer Club
- Emirates Skywards
- Etihad Guest
- Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles
- Iberia Plus
- JetBlue TrueBlue
- Qantas Frequent Flyer
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Hotel Partners
- Choice Privileges
- Hilton Honors
- Marriott Bonvoy
Transferring points? Sweet! Just a heads-up: the rate and minimum amount you can transfer can be different for each partner. You’ll often find a 1:1 transfer rate from Membership Rewards to many airlines, but check the fine print for each one. Things like rates and special deals can always change.
Additional Benefits
Delta Reserve
- Complimentary Upgrades: Cardholders who are Medallion members have access to complimentary upgrades.
- In-Flight Savings: 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible in-flight purchases.
- Travel and Purchase Protections: Includes trip delay insurance, baggage insurance plan, and purchase protection.
Amex Platinum
- Concierge Service: 24/7 concierge service to assist with travel bookings, dining reservations, and more.
- Fine Hotels & Resorts: Exclusive benefits such as room upgrades, daily breakfast for two, early check-in, late check-out, and unique property amenities.
- Purchase and Travel Protections: Extensive protections including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage insurance, and purchase protection.
Ideal User Profile
Delta Reserve
- Frequent Delta Flyers: Those who fly Delta frequently and can take full advantage of Delta-specific perks like Sky Club access and MQD boosts.
- Companion Travelers: Individuals who can utilize the annual companion certificate for domestic travel.
- Medallion Status Seekers: Travelers looking to earn and maintain Medallion Status with Delta.
Amex Platinum
- Luxury Travelers: Those who value premium travel experiences, including extensive lounge access and luxury hotel benefits.
- High Spenders: Individuals who can maximize the card’s earning potential and annual credits.
- Diverse Travelers: Those who prefer flexibility in travel benefits across multiple airlines and hotel chains.
Conclusion
Both cards remain strong for Delta flyers, but the value calculus changed in 2025: Amex Platinum’s fee is now $895 (offset by richer lifestyle/travel credits), and Delta lounge access is capped (Platinum: 10 Sky Club visits; Reserve: 15 visits—unlimited after $75k spend).
The question of choice becomes this: How do you want to use your loyalty points?
Choose Delta Reserve if you want the Companion Certificate, MQD Headstart ($2,500), MQD Boost ($1 MQD per $10), and more Sky Club access (15 visits, with a path to unlimited after $75k spend).
Pick Amex Platinum if you want broad lounge networks plus flexible points and can reliably use the new credits (Resy $400, Hotel $600, Lululemon $300, Uber $200 + Uber One $120, Airline Fee $200).
