Delta skymiles platinum american express card credit score

Are you thinking about applying for any of the following Delta SkyMiles Cards?

  • Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
  • Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
  • Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
  • Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

The minimum recommended credit score for these credit cards is 640. However, generally, you will need a credit score of 690 or higher to be approved.

Delta skymiles platinum american express card credit score

How to Increase Your Chances of Getting Approved for a Delta SkyMiles Card

Getting approved for a Delta SkyMiles Card requires a little planning. Most credit card offers require very good credit. So, when applying for new credit, it’s essential to know your credit scores and what’s on your credit reports.

Credit card issuers want to see a strong credit history, steady income, and low credit utilization. If you’re using too much of your existing revolving credit, it’s a sign that you may not pay them back. You’ll also want to make sure you haven’t applied for too much credit in the recent past. Having too many credit inquiries can lessen your chances of getting approved.

Need help improving your credit score?

One of the best ways to improve your credit scores is by removing negative items from your credit report. Lexington Law can help you dispute (and possibly remove) the following items:

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They have over 18 years of experience and have removed over 7 million negative items for their clients in 2020 alone. So if you’re struggling with bad credit and want to increase the likelihood of getting approved for new credit, give them a call at (800) 220-0084 for a free credit consultation.

That's because after your first year it comes with an annual companion certificate — a rare and valuable perk that covers the cost of a round-trip domestic economy ticket for someone flying with you. Such a benefit could save you hundreds of dollars a year, regardless of how much you spend with the card.

For Delta Air Lines devotees, this certificate alone is reason enough to pounce on this card. But if you're on the fence, here's what you need to know.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Basics

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, see this page.

Annual fee: $250.

Welcome offer:Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months. Terms Apply.

Rewards:

  • 3 miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta.

  • 3 miles per dollar spent directly with hotels.

  • 2 miles per dollar at restaurants.

  • 2 miles per dollar at U.S. supermarkets.

  • 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

  • Terms apply.

NerdWallet values Delta miles at 1.5 cents each. This is a baseline value, drawn from real-world data on hundreds of economy routes, not a maximized value. In other words, you should aim for award redemptions that offer 1.5 cents or more in value from your Delta miles.

Benefits: 

  • Annual companion certificate upon renewal (good for one round-trip domestic flight in main cabin for someone traveling with you, less some taxes and fees).

  • First checked bag is free for you and up to 8 other passengers traveling on the same reservation.

  • Priority boarding.

  • 20% savings on eligible in-flight purchases.

  • Fee Credit for TSA Precheck or Global Entry.

  • Terms apply.

Status Boost bonuses: Earn up to 20,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending $25,000 or more in eligible purchases on your card in a calendar year, and another 10,000 MQMs after spending $50,000 that same calendar year. Terms apply.

Why you might want the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

Companion certificate

This card’s most valuable feature, by a long shot, is its annual companion certificate, which becomes available when you renew your card membership every year.

The certificate gets you one main cabin round trip for someone traveling on the same itinerary as you within the 48 contiguous states. The only expenses you'll have to cover for that flight are taxes and fees, but those are capped at $80. Those living in Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands can also use it to cover flights originating in their home state or territory to the mainland and back, as long as their address is on their account.

Used strategically, this certificate could save you over $1,000 each year, especially if you tend to travel during peak season when flights get expensive.

A way to work toward elite status

Not all airline cards help you get closer to elite status — which gets you several perks reserved for loyal flyers — but the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card does. It starts out with a generous welcome offer: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months. Terms Apply. With that bonus, you could book an ambitious round-trip international flight.

Big spenders can also earn additional miles, including MQMs. After spending $25,000 or more in eligible purchases on your card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs. After hitting $50,000 in spending that same year, you'll get another 10,000 MQMs. Terms apply.

How it compares with other Delta cards

In the Delta credit card family, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is the second-most-premium option. It offers plenty of rich benefits, but doesn't carry the highest annual fee. If you're looking for a Delta card with a different mix of benefits, you have plenty of options. Check out NerdWallet's comparison of Delta credit cards for more information.

Here's how these cards stack up at a glance. (Table shows current earning rates and benefits. See this article for changes taking effect in January 2020.)

  • 2 miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta and at restaurants worldwide plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.

  • 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

  • No foreign transaction fees.

  • 2 miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta, at restaurants worldwide plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.

  • 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

  • No foreign transaction fees.

  • First checked bag free.

  • Priority boarding.

  • 3 miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta, and on eligible hotel purchases.

  • 2 miles per dollar at restaurants plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets.

  • 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

  • No foreign transaction fees.

  • First checked bag free.

  • Priority boarding.

  • Companion certificate (main cabin).

  • 3 miles per dollar on eligible purchases made directly with Delta.

  • 1 mile per dollar on other eligible purchases.

  • No foreign transaction fees.

  • First checked bag free.

  • Priority boarding.

  • Companion certificate (first class, Delta Comfort+ or main cabin).

  • Complimentary Delta Sky Club access for you, plus two one-time guest passes annually, plus complimentary access to American Express Centurion Lounges when you use the card to book a Delta flight.

  • Fee Credit for TSA Precheck or Global Entry.

Why you might want a different card

A lower annual fee

The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card has a markedly lower fee, and it earns points in similar categories. You get 2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining purchases, and 1.5 points for every dollar spent on all other purchases. It also offers $200 in statement credits, including up to $100 for a Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fee and up to $100 for airline incidentals, such as seat upgrades, checked bags and day passes to lounges. This card won't get you into a Delta Sky Club, but it could help you cover the cost of staying in a different lounge. There's also a great bonus offer.

Lounge access isn't free

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is full of razzle-dazzle, but its lounge benefits are a little underwhelming. With its relatively high annual fee, you might expect at least a few one-time lounge passes to be included. Instead, the card only allows you to purchase day passes to Delta's Sky Club lounges for $39 a person. (To be sure, you wouldn't be able to purchase day passes at all if you didn't have a qualifying Delta card; the airline stopped offering these to the general public in late 2018.)

If lounge access is your top priority, go with another Platinum card instead — namely, The Platinum Card® from American Express. It offers access to more than 1,200 airport lounges worldwide, including Delta's Sky Club lounges (when you're flying Delta), along with a bevy of other benefits. The annual fee is huge, but for perpetual travelers who can take advantage of everything it offers, it could be worth the cost. Terms apply (see rates and fees).

For more options, check out NerdWallet's list of best credit card offers.

Is the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card right for you?

For those who can't make good use of its companion certificate benefit and rewards categories, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card likely isn't a good fit. But if you can use the certificate to cover one big trip each year, and if the rewards and benefits you'd get on the card outweigh the annual fee, it should be at the top of your list.

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, see this page.To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, see this page.To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, see this page.To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, see this page. To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, see this page.

What is the minimum credit score for American Express Platinum?

The Platinum Card® from American Express requires good to excellent credit to qualify. This is typically defined as a credit score of 690 or better.

Is it hard to get approved for Amex Platinum?

Most Amex Platinum cardholders have a credit score of 670 or better, and relatively high income. But your score alone does not fully decide whether or not you will be approved. If you have a strong credit score with a few years of credit history and a decent annual income, you stand a good chance of being approved.

Can I get American Express with 600 credit score?

Based on American Express' judgment of credit ratings, it's unlikely that American Express will approve applications with a 600 credit score, as they classify these borrowers as "less likely to be approved for loans.” This falls into the “Fair to Poor” range.

Can I get an Amex card with a 650 credit score?

This means you need a credit score of at least 700. If you're hovering around the 700 mark, it may be best to wait to apply when your score increases as the average applicant has a score of 715. Although, some applicants have been approved with a credit score as low as 643.