whatmakes

I travel - on average - once a week for my job, and I've been primarily flying Delta (although it will be a little bit before I make Silver). I was looking at getting an AMEX card to help boost my status. I see there is the gold or the platinum. I'm not sure which one I should get, or if I should get either since Delta has recently made some devaluations.

I like the idea of getting priority boarding with either card. Does that mean I can get a priority tag on my luggage so that it will come out first, as well? Also, how valuable is the companion pass on the Platinum? It doesn't seem like it offers that much more for the added fee.

Please advise.

samonyc

The Platinum card comes with an MQM signup bonus that could get you to Silver Medallion status faster, and if you think you will spend $25,000 on the card within this calendar year, the 10,000 MQM bonus the Platinum card offers is a great perk.

For the Sky Priority baggage tags you need to reach Gold Medallion (or fly first class or business, I think). If you're concerned about baggage, you might consider one of the Delta cards for the free bag benefit. Those savings alone could justify the annual fee. All the Delta cards offer this benefit.

keeton

How much you spend a year could influence your choice:

Reserve - 15,000/30,000 MQMs for spend of $30,000/60,000 respectively. The card will get you SkyClub access. $450 annual fee. If you fly domestically, can churn a lot of your business expenses through the card and know you won't make Diamond (where SkyClub access would already be included), this may be a good choice.

Platinum - 10,000/20,000 MQMs for spend of $25,000/50,000 respectively. I believe the annual fee is around $175. If you are Diamond, or know you won't be spending more than $30,000 per year, this would be your choice.

There are also signup bonuses for each of the cards. None of the other AMEX cards (Gold, Blue) offer MQMs (just bonus miles, which don't count towards status).

Of course, you can always go to www.americanexpress.com for all of the T/Cs of each card.

whatmakes

I'm not exactly sure how much I will be spending on the card. I will definitely put any Delta purchases on it, but I get more points with other credit cards I have for other purchases.

$450 seems kinda steep, which is why I wasn't even looking at that card. Is the lounge access really all that great?

cottonpatch

I'm sitting in a SC near gate 12 at JFK because the SC near my gate is closed. The one I'm sitting in is a crowded dump.

Renes Points

I love Skyclubs for wifi, snacks, showers now and then, also keep in mind the Reserve card breaks ties for upgrades in same fare class!

http://cwsi.net/mupc/

cottonpatch

DL AMEX Reserve comes with BOGO companion ticket benefit that includes FC. The platinum card includes a BOGO companion ticket benefit that doesn't include FC.

samonyc

The chief (perhaps only) advantage to putting non-Delta purchases on the Delta card is reach the MQM bonus threshholds. The RDMs aren't too valuable. If you think your travel pattern will continue for a few years, the $25,000 annual spend would also exempt you from the new MQD requirements.

I kept the Reserve card for year, mostly for the MQM bonuses, and I enjoyed the lounge access. Much of the time I felt like I was using the lounges just because I could, but if you're traveling for business the access may prove more beneficial to you. Of course, the Amex Platinum card (not the Delta branded one) gets you club access and more.

I've had the Delta Gold, Platinum, and Reserve cards, and not once in 7 years could I make use of the companion certificates that came with any of them. Some people do find them valuable, however.

GRALISTAIR

I had the DL Gold Amex and then got a DL Platinum Amex. I now have closed the Gold account. I really love the DL PLat Amex and that would be my recommendation. MQMs, RDMs, Travel Companion pass, double miles for DL purchases etc, annual fee not too hefty.

whatmakes

I was considering getting the gold card now, since I saw an offer for 45,000 bonus miles. Is that still not that valuable?

I figured I could upgrade to the platinum at a later date.

GRALISTAIR

Sounds good - that is exactly what I did - start with the Gold and then get the Platinum.

Powers106

How long did you wait before asking for Platinum? I would like to get it but then also don't want the hassle of a FR with Amex. I got the great 70k + $200 credit when I got Delta Amex Gold 6 months ago, so that is probably enough time to wait? Any opinions? Is there an income level required?

Cheers, Powers

MSPeconomist

I've been told that new "consumer protection" legislation says they cannot give you the upgraded card within a year.

jamesteroh

When I upgraded from the gold to the Platinum a couple years ago, I had to have the gold card for either 12 months or 13 months before they would do the upgrade or was told I would have to apply for a new card. The Am Ex rep told me that the credit card "reform" law passed a few years back prohibited a credit card issuer from raising the annual fee on a card the first year, and even though you are upgrading the card, American Express at that time was probably covering themselves by telling me I had to have the card 12 or 13 months.

Something else I was told by Am Ex was that if I was going to convert the card to keep the spending at under $20K on the gold card. I am not sure if the gold card still has this benefit, but at that time if you spent $20K on the card you received a RDM bonus. I was told that if I spent over $20K and it triggered a mile boost on the card, the current YTD spend wouldn't count towards the $25K spend for the 10K MQM boost since they already issued a bonus but my spend would count towards the $25K for the MQM's otherwise. I kept the spend down until I could upgrade and the current YTD did count towards the $25,000 for the first 10K MQM boost.

I simply had to call and ask for the card to be upgraded after I had it the required period so income shouldn't matter since the card number and credit line stays the same.

fti

If you do consider the Reserve card, I would suggest you also consider the unbranded AmEx platinum card. Same $450 fee but you gain access not only to DL lounges but also to AA and US lounges when you fly them, to AS and international lounges through Priority Pass Select, you get a $100 credit when applying for Global Entry and you get a $200/calendar year credit for many smaller charges by the airline you choose each year. Just the first year's benefits means you in effect pay nothing for the AmEx Platinum. You would earn Membership Rewards points for all charges, which can be transferred 1:1 to Delta Skymiles. No MQM with this card, but when you figure you are making at least $50 the first year, that might or might not be a factor.