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Should I Get the Delta Platinum Amex or the Starwood Amex?

Feb. 22, 2015
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3 min read
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Should I Get the Delta Platinum Amex or the Starwood Amex?
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TPG reader Mike sent me a message on Facebook to ask:

"I currently have the Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express, and have been offered an upgrade to the Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express. I'm a bit apprehensive due to the lack of transparency Delta now has regarding its award travel structure. I'm also a Platinum member with SPG, but don't have their co-branded credit card. My question is: Should I upgrade my Delta Amex to the Platinum version, or get a Starwood Preferred Guest card from American Express?"

Good points Mike, I understand your dilemma. Delta just pulled its award charts, because why would anyone want to know how many miles it might cost to go somewhere?

This is a classic example of points vs. perks. The Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express is going to give you much more valuable points. Delta no longer wants you to know how many miles you'll need for award travel, so most likely you'll need fewer Starpoints (which you can transfer to any of the 32 SPG airline partners, most with a 25% bonus) than Delta SkyMiles to get somewhere.

With the Delta Platinum Amex, you're banking all your miles to Delta. Over time, Delta has shown that it will continue to increase the number of SkyMiles needed for awards. There are now five unknown tiers per award, and Delta won't even tell us how many miles are needed for each!

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Why would you ever want to put all of your miles in one program that won't even tell you how you can redeem them? The only reason I would recommend getting the Platinum Delta Amex would be for the MQMs. If you spend $25,000 you can get 10,000 MQMs, and another $25,000 in spending will earn you 10,000 more MQMs for 20,000 total. Plus, you'll get the MQD requirement waived, and some perks like the annual companion ticket that can easily pay for the $195 annual fee.

The SPG Amex or the Delta Platinum Amex: points or perks? Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

That being said, there's a huge opportunity cost of banking only Delta SkyMiles, since you''ll lose the flexibility that Starpoints offer. I actually used to have both of those cards, but have long since canceled my Delta Platinum Amex, since I no longer fly Delta and don't care about the perks.

Of course, you could always get both. You could use the SPG Amex for most of your spending, and maximize the perks as needed for the Delta Amex. That's probably the best advice I could give you without knowing how much spending you put on credit cards annually.

The answer also depends a bit on the upgrade bonus you were offered. At one point last year the sign-up bonus for the Delta Platinum Amex was 50,000 miles, so don't settle for much less than that if you decide to upgrade. Check for targeted offers and use the card match tool, but if the offer is sub-par, skip it.

The sense I'm getting from your question is that your gut is telling you not to trust Delta, and probably for a good reason.

If you have any other questions, please tweet me @thepointsguy, message me on Facebook, or send me an email at info@thepointsguy.com.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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Go to review

Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
3XEarn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
2XEarn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
1XEarn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.