Same airline, same issuer, a $200 fee gap. The Delta Gold ($150 after a $0 first year) earns 2x on Delta and covers the free-bag basics; the Delta Platinum ($350) adds a third point per dollar on Delta + hotels, a Companion Certificate, and a Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) head start toward status. Neither card includes complimentary Delta Sky Club access — that's a common assumption worth correcting before you compare fees.
Scored against our published methodology · Updated July 23, 2026
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American Express
Travelers who fly Delta 2-4 times a year, want a free checked bag (~$70 saved per round trip per bag), and don't want to commit to a Platinum or Reserve tier annual fee.
Find your matchAmerican Express
Delta flyers who take 4-8 round trips a year and will use the annual Companion Certificate (Main Cabin domestic round-trip for a partner) — at one transcontinental redemption a year, the cert clears the AF on its own.
Find your matchBest for — by the numbers
Per-spec leads are computed from each issuer's published facts and our scored methodology — there is no single overall winner. Reviewed July 23, 2026. ClearValue Cards earns compensation solely through our CardRatings partnership, paid when a reader clicks out to CardRatings from our match tool. This compensation does not influence editorial scoring or ordering.
| Spec | Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express | Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $150 | $350 |
| 0% intro APR period | None | None |
| Ongoing APR (from) | 19.49% | 19.49% |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Rewards score | 14/20 | 14/20 |
| Fee-structure score | 13/20 | 13/20 |
| ClearValue score | 76/100 | 75/100 |
| Late fee | Up to $40 | Up to $40 |
A check marks the card that leads that spec on published figures. Rows with no marker are either tied or judgment calls (fee wording, late-fee terms) where a single "winner" wouldn't be honest to the data.
Tap the spec you care about — we'll show which card leads on it.
For Annual fee, the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express leads ($150).
Delta flyers taking 2-4 round trips a year who want the free bag and boarding without a status-chasing commitment
2x earning plus the free checked bag and Zone 5 boarding clear the $150 fee in about two round trips with a bag checked. The $200 flight credit (after $10,000 in annual spend) is realistic for many households, all without needing a Companion Certificate redemption to break even.
See your matchesDelta flyers taking 4-8+ round trips a year who can reliably book one qualifying Main Cabin Companion Certificate flight within the year
The Companion Certificate is the load-bearing value — one transcontinental round trip on it can clear the $200 fee gap over Gold by itself. Add 3x on Delta + hotels and the 2,500 MQD head start toward Medallion status, and frequent flyers come out ahead. Skip it if you can't realistically use the certificate; the earning-rate bump alone doesn't close the gap.
See your matchesTravelers expecting complimentary Delta Sky Club access — neither card includes it. Lounge entry is pay-per-visit on both; free Sky Club access requires the general (non-Delta-co-branded) Amex Platinum instead. Occasional flyers who won't check a bag or use the Companion Certificate should compare against a flexible transferable-point card (Sapphire Preferred, Venture X) before committing to a single-airline co-brand.
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Take the 60-second quizAnnual fee
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express: $0 first year, then $150
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express: $350 — no first-year waiver
Delta + hotel earning
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express: 2x on Delta purchases; 1x elsewhere
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express: 3x on Delta purchases and on hotels booked directly; 1x elsewhere
Dining + grocery earning
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express: 2x at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express: 2x at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets — same rate as Gold
Checked bag + boarding
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express: First bag free (Delta-operated, worldwide), second bag free on domestic flights, Zone 5 priority boarding
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express: Same first/second-bag-free policy and priority boarding — not a Platinum-exclusive upgrade
Companion Certificate
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express: None
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express: One Main Cabin round-trip companion ticket per year (U.S. plus Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America); cardholder pays $22-$250 in taxes/fees; excludes Comfort+, First, and Delta One
Medallion Qualification Dollars
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express: Can't earn MQDs on this card
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express: 2,500 MQD head start each Medallion Qualification Year, plus 1 MQD per $20 spent
Airport extras
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express: None
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express: Global Entry ($120) or TSA PreCheck ($85) application-fee credit every 4 years — no complimentary Sky Club access; lounge entry is pay-per-visit even on this card
Foreign transaction fee
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express: None
Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express: None
Neither is universally better — it depends on how you spend. On our published 100-point methodology the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express scores 76/100 (Worth considering) and the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express scores 75/100 (Worth considering). Delta flyers taking 2-4 round trips a year who want the free bag and boarding without a status-chasing commitment should lean Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express; delta flyers taking 4-8+ round trips a year who can reliably book one qualifying Main Cabin Companion Certificate flight within the year should lean Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express. Take the 60-second quiz to see which fits your profile.
The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express carries $150, sourced from the issuer's published Schumer Box as of July 17, 2026. The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express carries $350, as of July 16, 2026. Fees change — confirm the current number at the issuer before you decide.
Delta flyers taking 2-4 round trips a year who want the free bag and boarding without a status-chasing commitment tend to do better with the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express; delta flyers taking 4-8+ round trips a year who can reliably book one qualifying Main Cabin Companion Certificate flight within the year with the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express. If neither describes you cleanly, take the 60-second quiz for a match.
We score every card across five dimensions — effective rewards, fee structure, audience fit, transparency, and the weakness named — 0–20 each for a 100-point total. The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express earned 76/100 and the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express earned 75/100. Scoring follows our published methodology and is never influenced by compensation.
Independent editorial comparison. ClearValue Cards is not a card issuer, a bank, or a lender. ClearValue Cards earns compensation solely through our CardRatings partnership, paid when a reader clicks out to CardRatings from our match tool. This compensation does not influence editorial scoring or ordering. Card facts are sourced from each issuer's published Schumer Box and terms — confirm current numbers at the issuer. See disclosure.
