Personally, I do NOT find it hard to recoup my annual fee on the Platinum. The hardest one for a budget traveler is the $200 hotel fee, since it tends to apply only at expensive properties. But I did it last year. The airline credit ($200) just takes a little finagling by booking partially with Delta gift cards. The $150 Uber credit I use for UberEats, and do pick-up, so no delivery fees. The Clear credit ($109) is automatic now that I've signed up. Right there you're already beyond the fee cost, and that doesn't include all the cash-back "offers" or the $100 annual Saks credits (gift cards).

And you have to consider the actual value you're getting from Skyclub access as well. Eating in there instead of the airport restaurants is also a savings.