Differences in the Four Delta Credit Cards

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UPDATE: This offer has expired.

As you may or may not be aware, Delta is offering an increased limited time offer on all of their credit cards. These are great offers for those looking to increase their Delta balance and expires November 8, 2017! If you are interested in one of these Delta co-branded cards, there are actually four different ones! There’s the Gold Delta SkyMiles card, both a personal (Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express) and business (Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express) version, and then the Platinum Delta SkyMiles card, again both a personal (Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express) and business (Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express) version. The limited time offer, benefits, and perks vary between all four cards. So if you are wondering what the differences are of one card over the other, here you go:

Limited Time Offer: The Platinum personal and business card will give you higher bonus miles after you meet the minimum spend requirement. This will be 10,000 more miles then the Gold personal and business card.
Statement Credit: All four cards will give you a statement credit after you make a Delta purchase on the card within the first three months. The Gold personal and business card will give you a $50 statement credit, while the Platinum personal and business card will give you a $100 statement credit.
Annual Fee: The Gold personal and business card have a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, and then you’ll be charged $95 annually. The Platinum personal and business card come with a $195 annual fee (not waived the first year).
Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) Bonus: Only the Platinum personal and business card will allow you to earn MQMs without actually flying. From the limited time offer, you’ll receive a one time bonus of 10,000 MQMs after meeting the minimum spend requirement for the respective card. On an annual basis, however, you can also continue to earn 10,000 MQMs after spending $25,000 on the card in the calendar year, plus another 10,000 MQMs after spending $50,000 on the card in that same year. You are eligible to earn the bonus for both the personal and business card!
Bonus Miles: On an annual basis, for just the Platinum personal and business card, you can earn 10,000 bonus miles after spending $25,000 on the card in the calendar year, plus another 10,000 bonus miles after spending $50,000 on the card that same year. Again, you are eligible to earn the bonus for both the personal and business card!
Companion Pass: Only the Platinum personal and business card come with the companion certificate. On an annual basis (starting 12 months after your apply for the card), you’ll receive a companion certificate where another passenger can fly with you and you’ll only pay the applicable taxes and fees. It is a once a year certificate and can be gifted to a friend or family member as well.
American Express OPEN Benefits: The Gold business and Platinum business cards will give you access to American Express OPEN savings. This gives you a 5% statement credit when you use your card at many merchants, including: FedEx, Hertz, etc. You can read more about AMEX Open savings here.

Unfortunately though, all four cards are limited to one bonus offer in a lifetime. So if you’ve received this offer in the past, you technically are not eligible again. With that being said, each card counts as its own offer, so if you’ve only received the offer for one of these cards in the past, you are still eligible for the other three cards/offers.

Essentially, the Platinum card has some enhanced perks that will ultimately cost you an extra $195 for the first year ($195 annual fee for the Platinum card minus $0 annual fee for the Gold card) and then an extra $100 a year thereafter due to the annual fee difference ($195 annual fee for the Platinum card minus the $95 annual fee for the Gold card).

There are two main reasons to get the Platinum card over the Gold card:

If you are looking to earn additional miles and MQMs. While you will get an additional 10,000 MQMs upfront as part of the sign on bonus, 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, then the annual fee difference could be well worth it.
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).

Now, if you are just looking for the basic perks with a increased limited time offer, then the Gold card might be your best bet. Since I personally have applied for both Delta Gold cards in the past, the Delta Platinum cards are on my radar!

Key Links:

Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express: Limited Time Offer: Earn up to 60,000 miles -> Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases with your new Card within your 1st 3 months and a $50 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card in your 1st 3 months. Plus, earn an additional 10,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $1,000 in purchases within your first 6 months. $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95. Offer expires on 11/8/2017. *Terms Apply.
Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express: Limited Time Offer: Earn 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Earn a $100 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 3 months. $195 annual fee. Offer expires on 11/8/2017. *Terms Apply.
Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express: Limited Time Offer: Earn up to 60,000 miles -> Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases with your new Card within your 1st 3 months and a $50 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card in your 1st 3 months. Plus, earn an additional 10,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $1,000 in purchases within your first 6 months. $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95. Offer expires on 11/8/2017. *Terms and limitations apply.
Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Expres s: Limited Time Offer: Earn 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Earn a $100 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 3 months. $195 annual fee. Offer expires on 11/8/2017. *Terms and limitations apply.

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