Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business AMEX: Catering to Delta enthusiasts

It's a middle-of-the-road option among Delta Amex business cards, with a $1,000 annual fee and some valuable (and sometimes hard-to-find) travel benefits. $350You also don't have to run a full-fledged business with a storefront and employees to qualify — a side job may qualify.

This card doesn't offer as much flexibility in earning and redeeming points as a typical travel card, but if you're flying Delta for business, this card is a great option. Accompanying certificate The various perks and rewards not only reduce travel costs and hassle, but also give you a big boost towards earning elite frequent flyer status.

Welcome Bonus: Earn 95,000 bonus miles after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in the first 6 months of Cardmembership. Offer expires 7/17.

• When you purchase directly with Delta, you earn 3 miles per dollar.

• Earn 3 miles for every dollar you spend on hotels.

• 1.5 miles on U.S. carrier shipments and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $100,000 in total eligible purchases in any one year).

• All other purchases earn 1 mile for every eligible dollar.

Foreign Transaction Fee: none.

April: The current APR is a variable APR ranging from 20.99% to 29.99%..

• Accompanying certificate: Travel partners are also eligible. Terms and conditions apply.

• A boost to elite status. This card can help you meet the flight and spending requirements required for elite status. After January 1, 2024, this benefit will no longer be available and the card will add a new way to earn Medallion status. For more information, delta.com/skymilesprogramchanges.

• Your first checked bag is free This room can be used by the reserved guest and up to 8 other guests.

• Priority boardingwhich will allow you to board the plane earlier.

• Application fee deduction TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry. Cardholders are eligible to receive one $100 statement credit every four years toward their Global Entry application fee, or one $85 statement credit every 4.5 years toward their TSA Precheck application fee.

of Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card is one of the few airline cards that offer an Annual Companion Certificate that covers your travel companion's airfare, and this valuable perk alone more than makes up for the card's annual fee.

For example, let's say you buy round-trip airfare for you and a coworker for $800 each, plus taxes and fees. With this perk, you don't have to spend more than $1,600 on your trip. After taxes and fees on the airfare (capped at $75), you're essentially traveling for half the price.

Companion Awards may be redeemed for round-trip Main Cabin air travel to and from the lower 48 states. (There are exceptions to this rule for Cardholders who reside in Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands.) You must book the same flight times and dates as your companion, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express CardThis benefit is available annually upon card renewal. Terms and conditions apply.

Not all airline cards offer a fast track to elite status, however. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card You can earn Medallion Qualification Dollars You can earn elite status with Delta by using your credit card. You can earn elite status by spending money (called Medallion Qualification Dollars or MQDs) and flying with Delta. With 25,000 MQMs, you can qualify for Silver, the minimum level of elite status.

This card gives you a head start and stat boosts:

• You will receive $2,500 in MQDs for each Medallion qualification year.

• Earn $1 MQD for every $20 you spend Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card.

of Checked baggage The perks are especially generous: the first checked bag for you and up to eight people in your reservation is free. Conditions apply. You might not travel with that many people, but if you take full advantage, you could save up to $540 on a round-trip ticket ($30 per person each way). Assuming you'll have to pay checked baggage fees, it only takes a couple of travelling companions to recoup the annual fee.

If you don't usually check bags, the priority boarding that comes with the card is a nice perk. Priority boarding allows you to board the plane earlier – in this case, Zone 5 priority boarding. Conditions apply, which means you're more likely to get overhead space for your carry-on baggage. Some passengers like to board early so they can settle into their seats before the plane fills up. Either way, priority boarding is a nice perk.

New cardmember bonuses may change periodically, but the card will usually give you enough miles to earn domestic reward tickets, provided you meet the required spending threshold. Current bonuses: Earn 95,000 bonus miles after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in the first 6 months of Cardmembership. Offer expires 7/17.

Please note that if you have held this American Express credit card in the past, you will most likely not be eligible for the bonus, and your other account history with American Express may also cause you to be denied the bonus.

• In-flight discounts. You'll receive a 20% discount in the form of a statement credit on in-flight purchases such as meals, beverages and audio headsets. Please note that the discount does not apply to in-flight wireless Internet access.

• $120 rideshare credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits each month when you sign up. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card Payments for US rideshare purchases with certain providers.

• There are no foreign transaction fees. A good travel card doesn't typically charge this fee (3% is typical) for purchases abroad, and neither does this Delta card, but it operates on the American Express network, which isn't as widely accepted abroad as Visa or Mastercard.

Like all Amex business credit cards, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card There is a suite of benefits designed for business owners, including:

• American Express Business App. This feature allows you to add receipts and notes to your transactions on desktop or mobile.

• Employee card. There's a $0 fee for adding employee cards to your account, and you can set individual spending limits on these cards and set up various alerts to monitor spending.

• End of year summary. This report is typically available in January and shows purchases made on your account during the previous calendar year.

These features make it easy to track your company's expenses, which can come in handy when it comes time to pay taxes.

Delta and American Express offer three credit card options for business owners, each with significantly different annual fees, so a side-by-side comparison of the cards' features can help you make a choice.

The annual fee is $350 This is mid-range for this type of business airline card. It's not the fee associated with a basic card, but it's also not the hefty $500+ fee you'll find on premium credit cards or credit cards with airport lounge access. Terms and conditions apply. Make sure you're getting more value out of the card than you're paying to have it.

Examples of travel credit cards with low annual fees include: Ink Business Preferred® Credit CardYou'll earn 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 you spend on travel and certain business categories each year, and 1 point per dollar on all other spend. Points are worth 1.25 cents. Chase Ultimate Rewards® Portal. Huge welcome bonuses and more affordable fees.

Typically, your best redemption options for Delta SkyMiles are award tickets and seat upgrades on Delta and SkyTeam partners, which is limited compared to popular travel business credit cards that allow you to apply rewards to a wide range of travel-related expenses.

If you fly with an airline other than Delta, a general travel card may be a better choice.

A good option for small businesses Capital One SparkMiles for BusinessEarn unlimited 5 miles per dollar on hotel and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel, and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases. Use your miles as a statement credit on any travel purchase. Book how you want and pay with your miles. There are no blackout dates or restrictions.

As of January 1, 2024, this card will no longer include lounge benefits (it previously offered discounted access). To access Delta Sky Clubs and Centurion Lounges, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Cardannual fee is $650(Day passes to the lounge are no longer open to all Delta passengers, but they previously cost $59.)

of Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card For frequent Delta flyers, this card is a great value, especially if you're working towards elite status with the airline, but you'll need to get enough value out of the card to justify the annual fee. If you fly multiple airlines, consider a general business travel card.