The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card offers lots of perks similar to other travel rewards cards, plus one really unique strength: It’s a powerful tool to quickly earn elite status in Delta’s SkyMiles loyalty program.

Throw in the card’s generous welcome bonus offer, free checked bags and an annual certificate that lets a companion fly with you practically for free, and savvy users can enjoy benefits worth far more than the card’s $250 annual fee. Here’s how to get the most out of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. Terms apply.

Earn the welcome bonus offer

One of the best reasons to apply for the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is the stack of miles and fast track to status you can earn as a welcome bonus offer. Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months. Terms Apply.

Save on bag fees

When you book your Delta flight with the card, you and up to eight companions on the same itinerary get one free checked bag each. Without the card, it costs $30 each way to check a bag. So for just one trip with friends or family, the free bag benefit could more than earn back the $250 annual fee. Terms apply.

Keep in mind that SkyMiles elite members can already check one bag for free (and passengers in premium cabins also get free bags). This means the free bag perk is valuable only to those without status.

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Spend your way to elite status

(Editor's note: Big changes are coming to Delta's SkyMiles program in 2024, including how members can earn elite status. The carrier will also be cutting back Sky Club lounge access. Read more on these upcoming changes here.)

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is one of the few airline credit cards that can get you to elite status with less flying and more spending.

Without the card, the only way to become an elite Medallion member in the SkyMiles program is by flying Delta to earn two types of currency: Medallion Qualifying Miles, or MQMs, which are based on actual distances flown, and Medallion Qualifying Dollars, or MQDs, which are tied to your spending with the airline. The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card can help you with both.

If you spend $25,000 within a calendar year on this card, you receive 10,000 MQMs toward the next level of status. Terms apply.