✈ The Easiest Way to Access Delta Sky Clubs, a 10-Day Stay For $0 & More from TPG ✈

May 8, 2026

Which premium card is best for Delta flyers?

by Sean Cudahy, Senior aviation reporter

Delta Sky Club may be the nicest airline lounge network in America, with food, beverages and amenities that tend to beat the competition.

But which credit card is best if you want to get in?

Let’s do a quick showdown between two of the most popular cards travelers tend to consider: the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and the American Express Platinum Card®.

What they have in common: Both cards can help you accumulate Delta SkyMiles (either directly or through transfers), and both can get you into Delta Sky Clubs.

With the Delta Amex Reserve, you get 15 visits per Medallion® year (between Feb. 1 and Jan. 31) to the Delta Sky Club when flying Delta Air Lines, plus four one-time guest passes. Spending on this card will earn you SkyMiles.
With the Amex Platinum, you get 10 Sky Club visits annually when flying Delta, plus access to the Global Lounge Collection, which includes the beautiful Centurion Lounge network. You can transfer the Membership Rewards points you earn with this card to SkyMiles or to any of Amex’s other airline and hotel partners.

Which has a higher annual fee? The Amex Platinum, at $895 per year (see rates and fees). The Delta Amex Reserve annual fee is lower, at $650 (see rates and fees).

Who’s the Delta Amex Reserve right for? Delta loyalists. On top of Sky Club access, you’ll get Delta-specific perks like a head start toward elite status and your first checked bag free on Delta flights.

Who should get the Amex Platinum instead? Travelers who fly with a wider range of airlines and who want hotel benefits. You’ll get biannual hotel statement credits of up to $300 on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel® using the card (The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay), plus complimentary Gold status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy (enrollment required). And Amex Platinum members get a host of other lifestyle benefits.

Read more:

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Photo Credit: JASON DEWEY VIA DELTA AIR LINES.

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