American Express Delta SkyMiles Gold vs American Express Delta SkyMiles Platinum
On an illustrative household's spending, American Express Delta SkyMiles Gold comes out about $178 a year ahead once both annual fees are paid.
The short version
- Over a year: Delta SkyMiles Gold nets $283 and Delta SkyMiles Platinum nets $104, after fees of $150 a year and $350 a year.
- Where it flips: Below about $20,417 a month of spending, Delta SkyMiles Gold comes out ahead; above it, Delta SkyMiles Platinum does.
- Category by category: Delta SkyMiles Gold earns more on 0, Delta SkyMiles Platinum on 1 — the table below. Pick by where most of your money goes.
- What they pay in: both earn Delta SkyMiles, so the rates compare directly.
Priced on a household spending $2,205 a month on a card — the assumption, in full. Credits, perks and welcome offers are not priced; each card's page lists them.
Where each one earns more
| Spending on | Delta SkyMiles Gold per $100 |
Delta SkyMiles Platinum per $100 | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotels | $1.20 base rate |
$3.60 3x |
Delta SkyMiles Platinum |
Only categories where the two differ and at least one pays a bonus, plus everything else. No rotating or chosen categories are switched on, and a rate that needs the issuer's travel portal is not counted.
Side by side
| Delta SkyMiles Gold | Delta SkyMiles Platinum | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | American Express | American Express |
| Annual fee | $150 a year | $350 a year |
| Foreign transaction fee | none | none |
| Earns | Delta SkyMiles | Delta SkyMiles |
| A year, before the fee | $433 | $454 |
| A year, after the fee | $283 | $104 |
| Rates checked | 2026-08 | 2026-08 |
Protections one has and the other does not
| Benefit | Delta SkyMiles Gold | Delta SkyMiles Platinum |
|---|---|---|
| Global Entry / TSA PreCheck | — | Yes |
From each issuer's benefit summary (Delta SkyMiles Gold: 2026-09; Delta SkyMiles Platinum: 2026-09). Summaries leave out exclusions — read the full guide to benefits before relying on one.
Each card on its own
- American Express Delta SkyMiles Gold — every rate, where it ranks, what the issuer lists besides rewards
- American Express Delta SkyMiles Platinum — every rate, where it ranks, what the issuer lists besides rewards
- Every airline card, ranked
- Which card adds the most to your own wallet