Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express

At a Glance:

Issuer: American Express Intro APR: 0% Regular APR: 13.99% APR Type: Variable APR Annual Fee: $150. There is currently a promotion waiving the annual fee for the first year. Application Fee: $0

Rewards: Miles Online Application: Yes View More Rewards Cards See More Cards Issued By American Express View Cards With Better Ratings

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Review:

The Platinum Delta Airlines SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express, is by far the best of all Delta Airlines SkyMiles® Cards and is designed for those who have a very good credit history. Card users receive one mile for every dollar spent on general purchases and two miles for every dollar spent at numerous retailers and merchants (including Delta Airlines Air Lines related purchases). Twenty thousand additional bonus miles are awarded to new applicants with their initial purchase, 5,000 of which are Base Miles to be applied towards the Medallion Status program for upgrade opportunities, mileage bonuses, and more. Miles do not have an expiration date (if travel is made through Delta Airlines Air Lines at least once every two years) and there is no yearly limit, unlike the gold and standard cards that do have yearly limits (dependent on total annual spending). Although the annual fee of $150 is not an attractive feature, it is reduced to $95 for those who already have an American Express® Charge Card. The APR for purchases and balance transfers is above average for a reward card. Card users can expect many of the common benefits and services provided by American Express®, such as auto rental insurance, travel accident insurance, year-end financial statements, and various purchase protection related services. Therefore, those who plan to spend at least $3,000 or more a month due the card's high annual fee, frequently fly on Delta Airlines Air Lines, and will use the card at numerous retailers and merchants (to accumulate additional miles) will benefit most from what the Platinum Delta Airlines SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express has to offer.

Second Opinion:

For the avid traveller, this card just about rewards you for every move you make as you fly your merry way round the globe. First of all, you get a very generous 20,000 SkyMiles on your first purchase, plus you get another 2500 points for ordering an additional card. You gain a SkyMile per dollar every time you use the card, miles which never expire, miles which (with your welcome bonus) you can redeem to meet the cost of part or all of your plane ticket.

You also get a companion coach-class ticket every year the card’s renewed. Hmm. Can you smell a whiff of high-interest rates with a hint of berry-flavoured late payment fees? Let’s see: a 12-month introductory APR of 3.90% on balance transfers. 14.99% on purchases. Seems about average. A-ha! The annual fee’s $150, there’s a gluttonous 19.99% APR on cash advances (plus a 3% fee), and a late-payment fee of $19 (on balances under $400) or $38 (on balances over $400).

Another observation: although SkyMiles don’t expire, there’s a condition – you have to travel via Delta Airlines once in every two years (which might be a bit of a bummer if you can’t stand that particular airline). One must travel a lot to really feel the benefits of the Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card. If not, you’re looking at receiving huge points with one hand only to have it swallowed up by a high APR.

Head over to our Airline Miles to Monetary Value Conversion Tool to see how much SkyMiles are really worth.

Rates and Fees:

• Introductory Rates: The Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express has an introductory rate of 0%, which applies to none and is effective for up to months.
• Purchase APR: After months, when the introductory rate ends, the APR for purchases will be 13.99%. This APR is variable.
• Cash Advance APR: The cash advance APR is 22.99%. Please note that the introductory rate does not apply to cash advances and that the cash advance APR for this particular card is variable. Please also note that the cash advance fee is .
• APR Type: The APR on purchases for this card is variable and the APR on cash advances for this card is also variable. A fixed APR means that it is guaranteed for the life of the credit card and a variable APR means that it could change according to market conditions.
• Balance Transfer Fee: This card does not charge an extra fee for balance transfers at this time. However, this policy may change in the future. Please contact card services if you plan on making balance transfers in the future.
• Annual Fee: The annual fee is $150. Currently, they annual fee for the first year is free!
• Payment Grace Period: The grace period for this credit card is 20 Days. This means you have 20 days to pay for your purchase before interest accrues.
• Late Payment Fee: The fee for a late payment is n/a.
• Over-The-Limit Fee: The fee for spending over this card's limit is $35.
• Application Fee: There is no application fee.

Rewards:

• You will earn Miles for using this card.
• For every dollar you spend, you will earn 1 mile.
• What's the expiration policy for miles? 2 years (miles do not expire as long as the frequent flyer account is active during a 2-year time-period.)
• Is there a yearly point limit? none
• of the 20,000 additional bonus miles applied to new accounts, 15,000 are skymiles and 5,000 are medallion® qualification miles. card users will receive 2,500 additional bonus miles after adding an additional cardmember.

Card Features and Perks:

• Full Featured Online account management tools.
• Complimentary domestic coach companion certificate with credit card renewal each year.
• Year-end financial statement.
• Up to double the warranty on merchandise bought with card.
• No liability for unauthorized Internet transactions.
• Fraud protection.
• Don't worry. Merchandise purchased with credit card will be automatically insured.
• Complimentary car rental insurance.
• Card replacement in case of emergency.
• Complimentary emergency and travel assistance services.
• Medical referral services.
• Legal referral services.
• Guaranteed hotel and motel reservations.
• Free travel insurance for up to $100,000 just by being a cardmember.
• Details and more benefits and perks can be found at the card's website.