Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business card review: A worthy business card contender

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card Overview

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card is a worthy card contender for frequent flyers of Delta. While its bonus categories of three miles per dollar are valid only for hotels and Delta purchases, this card offers a suite of perks that make it worth its $250 annual fee (see rates and fees). These benefits include free checked bags, priority boarding and an annual companion certificate. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐½

*Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card is the mid-tier Delta Business card. It can help you earn Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) toward elite status alongside perks that offer a better passenger experience for a $250 annual fee (see rates and fees).

The Delta Platinum Business Amex is currently offering 60,000 Bonus Miles after spending $3,000 in purchases on your card in the first three months of card membership.

But is it the right card for you? Let’s take an in-depth look at how its features stack up.

Delta Platinum Business Amex welcome offer

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business card allows new cardmembers to earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after spending $3,000 in purchases on your card in the first three months of card membership.

This isn't the best offer we've seen on this card, but it's still excellent. TPG values SkyMiles at 1.41 cents each, making this welcome offer a value of $846.

Earning miles on the Delta Platinum Business Amex

With the Delta Platinum Business card, you’ll earn 3 miles per dollar spent directly with hotels and on eligible Delta purchases, including reservations, Delta Vacation packages, seat upgrades and selection, Delta Sky Club membership or passes, pre-purchased and inflight meals, inflight alcoholic beverages and audio headsets (but not Wi-Fi).

The higher miles per dollar spent don’t include popular business spending categories such as internet, shipping and office supplies.

However, you can give employees their own cards, allowing you to earn miles on their spending for your business.

In addition, you’ll also receive 1.5 miles per dollar for purchases over $5,000 (up to 50,000 additional miles per calendar year). This can be nice if your business frequently makes large purchases, but it’s still not the best return on these purchases.

This card is also handy for earning Delta elite status, as you’ll earn 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year, up to two times per year.

Finally, the card also features no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees), making it a great option when traveling outside of the U.S.

Related: The best business credit cards with no foreign transaction fees

Redeeming miles on the Delta Platinum Business Amex

Your best option is almost always to redeem SkyMiles for air travel. Not only can you use your miles on Delta, but they’re also good on Delta’s other SkyTeam airline partners, along with non-alliance carriers including Virgin Atlantic and WestJet.

It does take extra work to find bargain redemptions on Delta, since it doesn’t publish award charts (and regularly adjusts prices on many routes), but they’re out there. Check out Delta’s SkyMiles Deals page for deep discounts on round-trip tickets in economy class and Delta One between specific city pairs.

Redemptions for seat upgrades are also an option, but there’s no award chart, so you won’t know how many miles it will cost until you book your ticket. (It’s typically not good value.)

You can also use your miles for upgrades on flights operated by partners Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic and Aeromexico, but know that you’re not getting the best value for them. Choose this option only if you really need an upgrade for a longer flight — such as Atlanta (ATL) to Johannesburg (JNB) via Europe on Air France or KLM — and want to save your cash.

Related: How to maximize your Delta SkyMiles redemptions

Since the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Card doesn’t come with a Delta Sky Club airport lounge membership, you could also redeem SkyMiles for one, though frankly, it’s a terrible value.

However, the card does allow you to buy your way into the Sky Club for $50 per person when traveling on a same-day Delta or Delta partner flight. You can also bring up to two guests or immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21 years of age) for $50 per person, per location.

Other redemption options include online shopping, gift cards, magazines and unique SkyMiles Experiences. You can also transfer or gift your miles or donate them to charity. But again, redeeming your miles on Delta and partner flights will typically offer you the best value.

Delta Platinum Business Amex benefits

Even without free lounge access, the Platinum Delta Business Amex has a number of features that make it a worthwhile look for regular Delta business flyers:

• Award flight discount: Get 15% off award redemptions for Delta flights (when paying taxes and fees with this card).
• Companion certificate: Take someone along on your next round-trip on Delta using this certificate, good for a domestic main cabin round-trip flight every year you renew the card. Note this is valid on eligible paid fares and not valid on all flights. Additionally, you’ll need to pay up to $80 in government-imposed taxes and fees on the certificate — depending on your destination.
• Earn elite status miles: Earn 10,000 MQMs after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year, up to two times per year.
• Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) waiver: When you spend at least $25,000 on the card in a calendar year, you’ll waive the MQD requirements for earning Silver, Gold and Platinum Medallion (you’ll still need to complete the required flying, either with MQMs or segments). Note that to earn a Diamond Medallion MQD waiver, you’ll need to spend $250,000.
• Free checked bag: You and up to nine travelers on the same reservation will get their first checked bag free when flying Delta. At a regular price of $30 a bag in each direction, even if you’re traveling alone, that saves you a minimum of $60 on every round-trip where you would’ve checked a bag.
• Priority boarding: Enjoy Main Cabin 1 boarding on Delta flights for you and up to nine travelers on the same reservation.
• Inflight discount: Receive a 20% statement credit on purchases, including pre-purchased meals, and inflight purchases of food, alcoholic beverages and audio headsets, when using the card. The one major inflight expense not included in this discount is Wi-Fi.
• Sky Club and lounge access: Pay $50 each for a single-day pass for you and up to two guests to more than 50 Sky Clubs and more than 250 partner and airport lounges worldwide when you are on same-day Delta flights.
• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit: You get a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit (every 4 years for Global Entry, every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck) — which can save you up to $100.

Which cards compete with the Delta Platinum Business Amex?

If you're looking for a low annual fee or airport lounge access, some other cards may be a better fit.

• If you want Delta perks with a lower annual fee: The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card is a good choice for getting Delta perks but with a lower annual fee of $99 ($0 introductory annual fee the first year, see rates and fees). You’ll still earn bonus points on Delta purchases, but you’ll also earn bonus points on U.S. restaurant, shipping and advertising purchases. And you’ll still get Delta perks like a free checked bag and a $100 flight credit after you spend $10,000 on your card in a calendar year. For more information, check out our full review of the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Amex.
• If you want Delta Sky Club access: The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card has a higher annual fee of $550 (see rates and fees) but comes with complimentary Delta Sky Club access for you as well as two one-time guest passes each year. You’ll also get perks like an annual companion certificate, a free checked bag and upgrade priority as well as a credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. For more information, check out our full review of the Delta Skymiles Reserve Business Amex.
• If you want a card with more flexible rewards: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offers excellent travel benefits and earns rewards that you can transfer to Delta as well as any of American Express’s other travel partners. It offers comprehensive lounge access and over $1,500 in annual credits but comes with a higher annual fee of $695 (see rates and fees). For more information, check out our full review of the Amex Business Platinum.

For additional options, check out our full list of best travel cards and best American Express cards.

Read more: The best business credit cards

Is the Delta Platinum Business Amex worth it?

This is a great card if you want Delta perks like an annual companion certificate and a free checked bag. It's also good for earning bonus miles on your Delta purchases and business-related purchases. However, the $250 annual fee may be hard to justify if you don't fly Delta often enough to maximize the value of this card's benefits.

Bottom line

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card is a solid choice if you’re loyal to the Atlanta-based carrier and like having perks exclusive to the airline. Its $250 annual fee can be worth it if you take advantage of earning bonus MQMs that move you toward elite Medallion status and can also utilize the yearly companion certificate.

Apply for the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card with a 60,000-mile bonus.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Card, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum Card, please click here.

Additional reporting by Emily Thompson, Ed Pizzarello and Christina Ly.