As the dust finally settles on Delta's deeply unpopular changes to earning status and entering Sky Clubs lounges, the airline and American Express are making another big move: Raising annual fees on their most popular SkyMiles credit cards while adding some new perks, too.
Early Thursday morning, Delta and Amex quietly increased annual fees on all but one of those cards:
- The entry-level *delta skymiles gold card* with benefits like free checked baggage will jump from $99 a year – aside from a $0 introductory fee for the first year – to $150 a year (see rates & fees).
- The *delta skymiles platinum card*, with its annual companion certificate, jumps from its current $250 annual price tag to $350 a year (see rates & fees).
- And the top-tier *delta reserve card* will move from $550 a year all the way up to $650 annually (see rates & fees).
Delta's line of small business Amex credit cards will see identical annual fee increases. Only the no-annual fee *delta blue* will escape unscathed: That remains free.
For the rest, those hefty fee increases are already in effect. New applicants will pay them today, while the higher annual fees for existing cardholders kick in for renewals from May 1 and onwards.
While this no doubt stings, it's not all bad news: Delta is adding a slew of new perks to these cards while improving some existing benefits – especially for top-tier Delta Reserve cardholders. Let's dive into all the changes: annual fee hikes, new and improved benefits, and more.
Higher Fees But New (& Improved) Perks
Nobody likes paying annual fees on credit cards, and nobody likes paying even more of them.
From a $51-a-year hike on the Delta Gold Card to $100 increases on Delta's top two cards, here's how it shakes out.
| Card Name | Old Annual Fee | New Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Delta SkyMiles Blue Card | $0 | $0 |
| Delta SkyMiles Gold Card | $0 for the first year, then $99 | $0 for the first year, then $150 |
| Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card | $250 | $350 |
| Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card | $550 | $650 |
Existing cardholders won't pay these higher fees until their next renewal – and not until May 1 and onwards. So if you've got a Delta Gold, Platinum, or Reserve Card set to renew anytime before May, you'll pay another year at the lower rate.
At the same time, the airline is trying to soften the blow with bigger welcome bonuses of up to 100,000 SkyMiles and an array of new benefits you can take advantage of today – even before paying these higher fees. That includes:
- $100 or more to put toward select hotel stays each year booked via Delta Stays, part of the airline's dedicated booking portal for hotels, rental cars, and more.
- Monthly credits for restaurants and rideshare companies on the *delta skymiles platinum card* and the *delta reserve card*
- Making new Delta companion certificates eligible not just for domestic flights in the mainland U.S. but for trips to Hawaii, Alaska, and even Central America and the Caribbean, too … though sadly, your current companion certificates won't benefit from this just yet.
- *delta reserve card* members now get four, one-time passes to bring guests into Sky Clubs for free each year – up from the two they previously received.
Top Delta Reserve cardholders are also getting a few extra treats from Delta. According to emails sent to current cardholders Thursday, the airline is giving them a free $100 flight credit to use starting April 2, completely offsetting the annual fee increase. And they'll also get an extra 1,000 MQD Headstart bonus, for a total of 3,500 MQDs to kick off the chase for Medallion status.
But negative changes are also on the horizon for some of these cards … if they haven't hit already. A year from today on Feb. 1, 2025, the Delta Reserve Card will lose its unlimited Delta Sky Club access, capped at visiting Sky Clubs just 15 days per year. And Delta Platinum cardholders are already shut out: They lost the ability to purchase a Sky Club day pass on Jan. 1 of this year.
Delta began sending cardholders emails about new benefits and higher fees on Thursday morning.
Read more: FAQs for Getting into the Delta Sky Club in 2024 and Beyond
For some Delta cardholders, the new benefits will be more than enough to outweigh paying another $50 or even $100 in annual fees each year. That's Amex's entire playbook: Raise annual fees in exchange for some potentially valuable (though tedious) money-saving credits that cardholders may or may not use, trusting that they'll forget or simply let them go to waste.
And at a time when many once-diehard Delta flyers are still rethinking their loyalty to the airline and their SkyMiles credit cards, any hike in annual fees stings.
It's the latest reminder for Delta flyers about what matters most to the airline: credit cards and American Express.
The saga started last fall, when Delta unveiled plans so drastic to retool earning status and accessing Sky Clubs that it caused a national uproar. The outcry eventually forced CEO Ed Bastian to admit they “went too far” and eventually backtrack on some of the most painful changes.
While some travelers may find it's easier to earn Delta status in 2024 and beyond thanks to those adjustments, the fact remains: Delta made holding its top-tier credit cards all but essential for earning status. And they're forcing Medallion members to spend even more each year to get there, too, by raising annual spending requirements by as much as 66% and eliminating a popular workaround to bypass those spending thresholds altogether.
Go deeper: Delta Tweaks Medallion Status Requirements & Sky Club Policies After Uproar
But even for Delta Gold cardholders who care about free bags more than status, the math gets harder. For years, it's been easy to justify that card's $99 annual fee: Take two roundtrip Delta flights a year, save $30 (or more) each way checking a bag, and you're coming out ahead. As that annual fee increases to $150, it'll take a few more flights each year to justify paying that fee.
It's the second time Delta and Amex have raised annual fees in just over four years, and the first hike since before the pandemic. Just last year, Delta added a new benefit to many of its credit cards: TakeOff 15, giving cardholders an automatic 15% discount redeeming SkyMiles on any Delta-operated flight.
Here's a deeper, card-by-card look at what's changing with your Delta SkyMiles credit cards – and what's not.
Delta SkyMiles Gold Card
Beyond a higher annual fee in year two and beyond, there's not much changing on the airline's most-popular *delta skymiles gold card*
But a few new or improved perks could outweigh that annual cost. And some of the most important benefits on this card aren't going anywhere.
What's New?
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then pay $150 a year. Existing cardholders will pay that higher fee upon their next renewal.
- $100 Delta Stays Credit: Earn up to $100 in statement credits each year when you make a Delta Stays prepaid hotel or vacation rental booking on the Delta Stays platform. These credits reset each calendar year, so you've got until Dec. 31 to put it to use.
- Earn a $200 Delta eCredit: You'll now get a $200 credit to use toward Delta flight purchases when you spend $10,000 or more in a calendar year. Previously, Delta Gold cardholders would only earn a $100 Delta eCredit for that same spending threshold.
What's Not Changing?
- Get a free checked bag for yourself and up to eight others on the same reservation – and there's no need to use your Delta card to book your flight for that free bag.
- Get Priority Boarding (in Delta's Main Cabin 1 zone)
- Get a 15% discount when redeeming SkyMiles on all Delta-operated flights with the TakeOff 15 benefit
- You still earn SkyMiles the same as always: 2x SkyMiles per dollar spent on all eligible Delta purchases, 2x per dollar at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and U.S. supermarkets, and 1x SkyMiles per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
- Get 20% off in-flight purchases such as food & drinks in the form of a statement credit
- No foreign transaction fees
Learn more about the *delta skymiles gold card*.
Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card
The *delta skymiles platinum card* is a frequent choice for frequent Delta flyers. Its annual fee is going from $250 a year to $350. Ouch.
But that increase also comes with some upside: Use up all the new benefits added to the card, and there's an extra $390 a year in value now on the table. Oh, and the card's single-best benefit is getting even better.
What's New
- $350 annual fee, up from the previous $250 a year. Existing cardholders will pay that higher fee upon their next renewal.
- $150 Delta Stays Credit: Earn up to $150 in statement credits each year when you make a Delta Stays prepaid hotel or vacation rental booking on the Delta Stays platform. These credits reset each calendar year, so you've got until Dec. 31 to put it to use. Business owners with the *Delta SkyMiles Platinum Biz* get $200 a year.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Get up to $120 in statement credits (doled out in $10 monthly installments) a year when you use your card to pay for a ride with Uber, Lyft, Curb, Revel, or Alto.
- $120 Resy Credit: Get up to $120 in statement credits each year (doled out in $10 chunks each month) when you use your card to pay for eligible purchases via Resy, Amex's restaurant reservation platform. This is also a use-it-or-lose-it benefit: Any unused balance won't roll over to the following month.
- New Annual Delta Companion Certificates can now be used for Main Cabin roundtrip travel to destinations throughout the U.S. (including Hawaii, Alaska, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico) as well as many destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. Previously, you could only use companion certificates on flights within the mainland U.S.
- Any current companion certificates you've got won't benefit from this expansion, sadly: A Delta spokesperson confirmed that only companion certificates issued after Feb. 1, 2024, can be used on flights outside of the mainland U.S.
- Join the complimentary upgrade queue: Even if you don't have Delta Medallion status, your Platinum Card now makes you eligible for complimentary upgrades to Delta One (within the U.S.), first class, and Delta Comfort Plus on tickets purchased on or after Feb. 1, 2024. But based on how Delta determines its upgrade order, any upgrades will be a long shot – and unavailable if you bought a Delta basic economy ticket.
- Hertz Five Star Status: Get complimentary Hertz Five Star elite status upon enrollment.
What's Not Changing
- Get a free checked bag for yourself and up to eight others on the same reservation – and there's no need to use your Delta card to book your flight for that free bag.
- Get Priority Boarding (in Delta's Main Cabin 1 zone)
- MQD Headstart: Get a head start on earning Medallion status with an automatic 2,500 Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) each year starting this year
- Earn 1 MQD for every $20 you spend on your card, helping spend your way to Delta Medallion Status
- Get a 15% discount when redeeming SkyMiles on all Delta-operated flights with the TakeOff 15 benefit
- Get up to a $100 credit to cover the cost for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck once every 4 1/2 years for the application fee for TSA PreCheck and every four years for Global Entry
- You still earn SkyMiles the same as always: 3x SkyMiles per dollar spent on all eligible Delta purchases, 3x on hotels, 2x per dollar at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and U.S. supermarkets, and 1x SkyMiles per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
- Get 20% off in-flight purchases such as food & drinks in the form of a statement credit
- No foreign transaction fees
Learn more about the *delta skymiles platinum card*
Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card
Delta's priciest, premium travel card is getting even pricier.
The annual fee on the *delta reserve card* is jumping from $550 up to $650 – a higher price point than any other top-tier airline credit card. With that hike comes even more valuable money-saving credits than what you get on the Delta Platinum Card, a stronger annual Delta companion certificate, and better Sky Club access when traveling with friends and family … at least for now.
Plus, Delta is completely offsetting that increase this year with a one-time gift of a $100 flight credit, which should hit cardholders' SkyMiles accounts on April 2.
What's New
- $650 annual fee, up from the previous $550 a year. Existing cardholders will pay that higher fee upon their next renewal.
- $200 Delta Stays Credit: Earn up to $100 in statement credits each year when you make a Delta Stays prepaid hotel or vacation rental booking on the Delta Stays platform. These credits reset each calendar year, so you've got until Dec. 31 to put it to use. Business owners with the *delta reserve business* get $250 a year.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Get up to $120 in statement credits (doled out in $10 monthly installments) a year when you use your card to pay for a ride with Uber, Lyft, Curb, Revel, or Alto.
- $240 Resy Credit: Get up to $240 in statement credits each year (doled out in $20 chunks each month) when you use your card to pay for eligible purchases via Resy, Amex's restaurant reservation platform. This is also a use-it-or-lose-it benefit: Any unused balance won't roll over to the following month.
- Annual Delta Companion Certificates can now be used for economy, Delta Comfort Plus, and first class roundtrip flights to destinations throughout the U.S. (including Hawaii, Alaska, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico) as well as many destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. Previously, you could only use companion certificates on flights within the mainland U.S.
- Any current companion certificates you've got won't benefit from this expansion, sadly: A Delta spokesperson confirmed that only companion certificates issued after Feb. 1, 2024, can be used on flights outside of the mainland U.S.
- Sky Club Guest Passes: Cardholders get four one-time guest passes to bring a friend or family member into the Sky Club each year – up from the two-a-year passes previously.
- Hertz President's Circle Status: Receive complimentary top-tier Hertz President's Circle elite status upon enrollment.
What's Not Changing
- Get a free checked bag for yourself and up to eight others on the same reservation – and there's no need to use your Delta card to book your flight for that free bag.
- Get Priority Boarding (in Delta's Main Cabin 1 zone) on every flight
- MQD Headstart: Get a head start on earning Medallion status with an automatic 2,500 Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) each year starting this year
- In 2024, Delta Reserve cardholders will get an extra 1,000 MQD boost for a total of 3,500 MQDs
- Earn 1 MQD for every $10 you spend on your card, helping spend your way to Delta Medallion Status
- Get a 15% discount when redeeming SkyMiles on all Delta-operated flights with the TakeOff 15 benefit
- Unlimited Sky Club access … but only until Feb. 1, 2025, when Delta Reserve cardholders will be capped at visiting Sky Clubs just 15 days per year.
- Get up to a $100 credit to cover the cost for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck once every 4 1/2 years for the application fee for TSA PreCheck and every four years for Global Entry
- Complimentary space-available upgrades, even for non-Medallion members. Don't count on a free upgrade if you don't have status, but this is a great way to improve your upgrade chances.
- You still earn SkyMiles the same as always: 3x SkyMiles per dollar spent on all eligible Delta purchases and 1x SkyMiles per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
- Get 20% off in-flight purchases such as food & drinks in the form of a statement credit
- No foreign transaction fees
Learn more about the *delta reserve card*.
Bottom Line
Death, taxes, and higher annual fees on travel credit cards. Those are the certainties in life, and Delta and Amex are seeing to it.
Coming just a month after Delta's unpopular changes for earning status and Sky Clubs took effect, this hike will surely (and understandably) rub some Delta cardholders the wrong way. While there are plenty of new money-saving credits and improving benefits in tandem with this increase, putting all of them to use each year – or even each month – can be a serious chore.
So what say you, travelers? Are you keeping or canceling your Delta cards with these changes?
Thrifty Traveler’s Credit Cards & Award Travel Editor Jackson Newman contributed to this story.
Keeping, keeping, keeping my t Reserve card and I might add a Platinum card. Well worth the extra $100. Great new benefits!
Delta knows what they are doing. They are locking in loyalty with the smart, high net worth consumer/traveller.
I’m all in!
Does the annual companion certificate changes (travel outside Mainland US) go into effect now, or only after I pay the additional fee for next year? In other words, can I use my existing companion ticket to go to Hawaii? Thanks!
It’s our understanding that you can use that companion certificate for Hawaii, Mexico, etc now. That’s how it’s written into the terms and conditions, at least. But I’d be interested to hear if that’s the case today!
if already issued not eligible for the new places. see T&C’s
Goodbye Delta Gold Card.
Thanks for the heads up and the great article! For all those like me that only travel a few times per year, and not through an employer that pays for the cost of flying, the changes made by Delta and now the increase in AMEX CC fees is making it harder to excel in what I got the card for. Trying to use the credits and take advantage of the new benefits can be a challenge. Not to mention justifying the increase in the annual fee. Granted, the AMEX SkyMiles Platinum card annual fee is easier to swallow than other cards, I’m actually starting to think that maybe the SkyMiles Gold card is more in line for myself in relation to how often I fly. Also, did something change around the free checked bag benefit? I thought you had to pay for your flight on Delta using the SkyMiles card to get the free checked bag. Now, as stated in the article, you don’t need to anymore, and you can still get a free checked bag. What happened?
Amex and Delta are out of their minds. None of these cards is worth paying for anymore. Only the Delta Blue is somewhat useful, and that’s only because it gets you Pay With Miles, which will allow you to finally rid yourself of any residual Skymiles and move on.
I was going to drop to Gold from my current Platinum card but with the new benefits (companion ticket for Hawaii, Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico), along with the Uber/Lyft benefit, I think I may keep Platinum. I spend $120 + in just 2 business trips with Uber/Lyft and that would easily make up for the higher fee and plus some.
Keep in mind on the ride share credit, you only get $10 a month. That means you have to use it every month to get the full $120.
Ahhh, gotcha. I use rideshares quite often though so I still think this would work out favorable.
Hmmm. I mostly fly AA now, so downgrading to Blue might be in my future.
Cancel. No question about it. Moved from Minneapolis, so without the Delta hub as my home base it already made no sense to hold the Delta SkyMiles Gold card. Then this. Plus I can’t transfer miles to any other carrier. I’m done with Delta-branded cards.
I have been waiting over a decade to be able to use my companion certificate to fly to Hawaii. Maybe now I can finally ditch Alaska Airlines, which is an inferior flying experience compared to Delta. And now I’m contemplating adding the Delta Reserve card to my arsenal (already have Platinum) to help me get higher medallion status. I had platinum medallion status last year and it was amazing with the upgrades, lounge access, and customer service.
Cancelling my Platinum card. Don’t fly enough anymore to justify. Used to be brand loyal but every single trip I took last year had overnight delays.
How does the Delta Stays benefit work? Cannot find any details. Is it a one time $100 credit or a little bit off each booking?
Onetime $100 statement credit after booking.
I think it might be $150? That is what my email says.
Cancelling the Gold Card when it comes up for renewal. It’s not worth $150. The Venture X is far better.
Agreed. I’m dropping the Delta Gold card when it comes due this year. I already have the VX card so I guess I’ll keep my Delta miles for when I can’t find a flight elsewhere that meets my needs, not that I fly much anyway.
I have Delta Platinum and only fly once or twice a year , not worth the increase. Will be cancelling it.
Who is getting the $100 flight credit starting April 2, and the 1,000 MQD headstart? I got the email from Amex about the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express new benefits and those two are not included. Does this come in a separate email? Maybe just for top tier Medallion with the Reserve card? Lowly Silver here with Reserve, first time hitting Gold in the next two months after my trips.
Right now you earn MQDs for booking a hotel through delta. If my hotel stay then earns a statement credit, will I still earn the MQDs?
Excellent info about the Delta Stays benefit. Getting the onetime $100 credit helps off-set the new increase in the annual fee for the Platinum SkyMiles card.
I called them and complained about this. 100 more for fluff and buff is not ok with me. I don’t even have this card – platinum for more than 6 months and already a 100-dollar increase? If I was in the business of flying maybe but I am just a regular Joe who will soon drop Delta and their ridiculous cards. Even the guy on the phone told me he has received multiple calls from people complaining about this.
The outsourced manager who will take your call won’t care. He or she won’t even know the delta product. When I canceled my delta reserve card the manager thought delta domestic 1st class was better than delta one business. She assumed 1st > business. She also incorrectly told me to use my companion certificate on a delta one flight which you cannot do which I knew and had to argue with her about it.
I applied for a gold card the other day, mainly to get the free checked bags. But when I made the reservation with a Chase card, I was still being charged thirty dollars to check a bag when I checked into my flight. I called Amex and they told me that I do in fact need to use the Amex card to purchase the ticket in order to get a free checked bag. This article indicates that you do not need to use the card to purchase the ticket in order to get the free checked bag. Can someone confirm which is accurate?
You have to add the card to your Delta wallet, you don’t need to actually use it
Hard to believe there are any positive comments about Delta raising the annual fees on their branded AmEx cards. I’ll downgrade to the Blue and let it sit in my desk drawer. What other plans does Delta have for a cash grab!?! Seems like they’re endless.
I will be ditching my Delta Platinum Card. There’s no way to justify the $350 annual fee
There are so many gotchas with all of the benefits they’re offering.
I was literally about to apply for the Delta Gold card two weeks ago, happy I didn’t. I only care about the free checked bags for my family and travel once or twice a year. The old annual fee I could justify, the new one not so much. What a bummer.
Well since in their earnings call they indicated that their cc charges = 1% of the gdp of the usa in thinking they will grab as much as they can. They’ll lose some of the savvy flyers but will cater to the ones that don’t pay attention to the cost or just don’t care to make up the difference.
This card is my longest held card, since ’97, and I’ll likely downgrade it to the no annual fee version. As a WN Companion Pass holder I rarely fly Delta. If that changes I may pick up the Plat card again. For now it’s just not worth the cost
I managed to end up signing up for all 3 cards since 2022. It started with the 80k mile bonus with the gold, then I started traveling more for work and saw the benefits of the platinum card for the MQD earning and more miles per dollar, then I went to the new skyclub that just opened in Nashville, and I applied for the Reserve right there. I haven’t used the platinum since but hung on to it. Then Delta made their announcement of changing everything. I figured I’d hang onto the platinum for the 2500 MQD for 2024 and with the one time MQM rollover from 2023 (36000 MQM at 10 to 1 = 3600 MQD for me) plus the one time 1k 2024 MQD reserve bonus I’ll have 9600 MQD before any flights or spending and I might pick 500 MQD’s as my 2023 Platinum gift. Since they raised annual fees on all 3 I’m paying $251 more a year. So the gold will get canceled before the renewal date, the platinum will probably get canceled next year. The one time bonuses won’t be here next year and my chances of hitting anything more than Platinum medallion in 2025 will be slim. I’ll wait and see if Delta makes more changes at the end of 2024 but there is a good chance I might end up canceling the ugly purple card too.
Absolutely asinine changes, especially at a time all US citizens are feeling the burn. I don’t care what your tax bracket it – I have the Delta Platinum and I travel – increase $100 per year and then dole out crappy rewards in $10 monthly increments? I have a car, I don’t need $10 in Lyft credits a month. I call restaurants directly, or just walk in! I do not need “Resy” credits. And hotels on delta.com are already way more expensive than they should be – we use Airbnb anyways. Unsurprising, can’t wait for them to brag about “record profits” and how they “made shareholders so happy!”
I’ve been informed that inflation is down and the economy is good. Joe is doing a great job at helping us Build Back Better.
I dropped from Delta Plat to Delta Gold immediately once I saw the email. I only got the Plat to get into skyclubs, and they axed that benefit; I was planning to drop down anyhow, this just prompted me to do it right away. I might do Amex regular platinum, since I’d get club access that way & the cost is basically the same as the membership fee for skyclub. I hit gold medallion for 2024, will ride it out and see if sticking with Delta makes any sense at all – a lot of upcoming travel is more likely to be on American, so we’ll see what shakes out.
Enlightening to read these comments.
Contrary to what some who posted feel I personally am thrilled with these new benefits and more than happy to pay an additional amount towards my annual fee. I hold the reserve card and I’ve already been notified I’m receiving the $200 stays credit as I booked rooms the night before that posted on 1 February. Amazing.
The expansion of companion tix destinations, great!
A total of four guest passes for the lounge, excellent!
Unrelated, I’ve already racked up nearly $2500 MQDs with stays and car rental this year alone and it just turned February. I’m well on my way to retaining Platinum status.
It’s a net win no question, my loyalty to Delta has not waivered a bit. It’s actually increased.
This is what it means to have a far superior product when compared to your competitors. Delta leaves them in the dust.
Well done Delta and AMEX.
We smart and savvy know what we’re doing and so do you.
Bravo.
If they had not expanded the companion cert coverage, I’d be cancelling mine today. But, since my better half and I routinely visit Central America and the Caribbean for leisure trips, that addition alone makes the additional fee worth it for us.
When do all these new credits (Lyft, Resy, Delta Stays) kick in?
Immediately or at some future date? And are the Delta Stays credits per each calendar year or annual fee year?
All three are available immediately. Delta Stays credit resets with the calendar year.
If you are a multimillion flyer then this really doesn’t make sense. If I’m platinum for life it seems I get a lot of the same benefits (checked bag and boarding). Without MQM’s I was thinking of dropping the card anyway and just going with Amex or Chase miles. Am I missing something?
Is there a spend amount that will allow for unlimited lounge visits in 2025? I thought I saw $75k with the reserve card somewhere??
That’s correct, spending $75,000 on a Reserve Card in a calendar year unlocks unlimited lounge access.
Do you get the free bag if you downgrade to the Delta Blue card?
No, the Delta Blue Card does not offer free checked bag benefits.
Curious how many of you are able to use the companion certificates. I almost never am able to use them due to the lack of “seats” in that class. Now they won’t have seats to more places than I can’t use?
Reading these posts I’m also likely in the minority, but I REALLY like these added benefits for my higher end Reserve card, and will gladly pay the $100 as I’ll easily score well over $1,000 annually with all these benefits. I’m a long term Platinum level flyer taking typically 15-20 round trips out of MSP every year, and I’m definitely looking forward to having Delta ‘flush out’ all the status holders who earned most all of their status without hardly ever flying !
I’ve tried all the other discount airlines once, and have been overwhelmingly disappointed with the service, added fees, and numerous mechanical and flight delays. These changes make me much more likely to keep flying with DL !
Regarding Gold Card– (1) $100 Delta portal hotel credit, when I almost universally use points, is effectively worthless to me, (2) extra $100 flight credit AFTER $10K SPEND: who can get excited about this if they don’t otherwise spend that much in the ordinary course for, say, lots of business travel, and (3) higher signup bonus is worth something only to a new customer (or one who has “arisen from the dead” after 6 or 7 years without the card). These lame excuses may even be worse than one of AMEX’s justifications for the price increase (and loss of Priority Pass) on the Hilton Surpass Card–i.e. 4X on online retail purchases, which heretofore have been 3X (arguably a 1/2 cent improvement per point/dollar spent), which, admittedly, can result in recouping the $51 fee increase, without regard to the other great benefits, by spending $10,200 on that category. Reason for this latter irrelevant comment–AMEX is pressing the cost envelope on multiple cards pretty hard these days.
I really don’t get these comments. These changes are obviously big wins compared to the old versions of these cards. Are you guys actually doing the math here?
Delta Gold: AF up $50, while offsetting with a $100 Delta Stays credit = $49 effective AF, $50 LOWER.
Delta Platinum: AF up $100, offset by $150 Delta Stays credit = $200 effective AF even if you ignore the companion pass and other credits, $50 less than before. The companion pass has expanded usage, now including Hawaii and Alaska, not to mention the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America. I have already used my companion pass for this year for a value of $250, and I personally love Resy restaurants, so I can make use of that at least 6x/year ($60 value), and I can also use the rideshare credit for trips to and from the airport at least 5x/year ($50 value). Total effective cost of this card for me is well below -$100.
Delta Reserve: similar story – AF up $100, offset by $200 Delta Stays credit = $450 effective AF, minus again the companion pass, worth AT LEAST $300 to me, and again I can use Resy at least 6x/year ($120 value), rideshare at least 5x/year ($50 value), again for an effective AF of below zero.
Overall, doing the math, there are so many ways to get these cards for a less than zero marginal cost now, even if you don’t use up all the credits,
So, would it work (I have two Delta AMEX and my wife has one) to book a hotel property for three consecutive nights individually and use one card for each booked night to trigger the Delta Stays credit?
Sure would!