UPDATE: This offer has expired.
Three of the Delta American Express credit cards are currently offering a limited time welcome offer through July 6, 2016. These offers are a significant increase from the normal offer.
- Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express: Earn 50,000 miles after you make $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within your first 3 months. You can also earn a $50 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 3 months.
- Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express: Earn 50,000 miles after you make $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within your first 3 months. You can also earn a $50 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 3 months.
- Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express: Earn 60,000 bonus miles, 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs), and a $100 statement credit. $195 annual fee. Expires 7/6/2016.
With three different offers, which card is the best for you?
All three offers are similar in nature, although both the personal and business version of the Gold Delta SkyMiles card gives you a $50 statement credit and the Platinum card gives you a $100 statement. To receive the statement credit it must spend the respective $50 or $100 on a Delta purchase within the first three months of cardmembership. Additionally, the Platinum Delta SkyMiles card gives you 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) by meeting the minimum spend requirements. This is a one time perk for signing up for the card, and they only count as MQMs, not redeemable miles. The Platinum card also has a slightly higher welcome offer in terms of the miles you’ll receive. All three cards also give you 2x miles on Delta purchases and 1x mile on everything else.
So here are the main benefits of the card:
- Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express: First checked bag for free for both you and 8 other passengers on the same itinerary. You’ll also get priority boarding, a 20% in-flight savings, and discounted SkyClub access. The benefits are pretty basic, but free checked baggage can really save you money depending on how you fly. $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95; no annual fee for additional card holders
- Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express: The benefits are the exact same as the personal version, but you have access to OPEN Savings. This gives you anywhere between 3% and 10% savings on many business expenses, such as FedEx, Hertz, Office Max, Hyatt, etc. $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95
- Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express: Same benefits of the Gold card, but you also can earn bonus miles and MQMs annually! With this card you’ll earn 10,000 miles and MQMs for the first $25,000 in spend during the calendar year, and then another 10,000 miles and MQMs after you spend $50,000 total in the calendar year. You also earn an annual companion certificate. Similar to the Gold business card, there are also no foreign transaction fees. $195 annual fee.
So while all three cards have the same basic benefits, the Platinum card has some enhanced perks that will ultimately cost you an extra $100 a year due to the annual fee difference. However, if you are able to take advantage of the statement credit perk of the welcome offer, this will give you another $50 for the Platinum card. The main reason to get the Platinum card over the Gold card is if you are looking to earn additional miles and MQMs. While you will get an additional 10,000 MQMs upfront as part of the welcome offer, there is the ability to get more miles and MQMs on an annual basis. If you are able to put that much spend on your card, however, then the $100 difference could be worth it. Also, the Platinum card comes with an annual companion certificate upon account renewal (domestic economy class that can be used within the 48 contiguous states + you have to pay applicable taxes/fees). But, if you are just looking for the basic perks and a good welcome offer, then the Gold card is probably best.
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Does anyone have a definitive answer as to whether Amex views the Gold and Platinum as the same product for bonus purposes. In other words…if you have the Gold can you get the bonus on the Platinum? If you have the Platinum but never had the Gold can get get the Gold bonus? I guess it might extend to the Reserve as well…if you have the Reserve Card can you get the Platinum? Seems like a lot of confusion on the web regarding this issue.