topic Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum in Credit Cards

Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

KJinNC — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 01:20:23 GMT

I have a Delta Gold card. I want a Delta Platinum card, partly for the welcome offer, but also for the annual companion certificate. The current welcome offer ends this spring. I doubt I will get an invitation to upgrade my Delta Gold card by then, because I've only had it since August.

So my question mainly amounts to: will Amex hold it against me if I cancel the Gold card a month after the AF hits in August? It wouldn't be cost-effective to keep both cards, since the benefits overlap and the AFs stack. Thanks!

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

wasCB14 — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 01:35:55 GMT

@KJinNC wrote:
I have a Delta Gold card. I want a Delta Platinum card, partly for the welcome offer, but also for the annual companion certificate. The current welcome offer ends this spring. I doubt I will get an invitation to upgrade my Delta Gold card by then, because I've only had it since August.

So my question mainly amounts to: will Amex hold it against me if I cancel the Gold card a month after the AF hits in August? It wouldn't be cost-effective to keep both cards, since the benefits overlap and the AFs stack. Thanks!

Potentially. Some suggest keeping Amex cards for at least 2 years if you want to be eligible for bonuses in the near future. But closing in August 2020 won't stop you from getting the Delta Platinum bonus now.

A lot can depend on your overall Amex spend.

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 02:32:33 GMT

I upgraded from Delta Gold to Delta Platinum on my 1 year anniversary of the Gold card. I got a new Minimum Spend bonus and all the Platinum benefits. Amex even reversed the Gold card Annual fee they charged me. Ask them, the worst thing they can do is say "no".

BTW, I run all my household spending through the Platinum Card so I get a 50% boost in points every month for having 30 transactions (I would be spending this money anyway, and with my credit union debit card I got nothing from them as a reward). I pay off the card every weekend. My signup to Platinum was just a couple of days before the switch over in benefits, so I charged a $2100 airline ticket to the Platinum card to get the 35,000 points under the old benefits and I am also eligible for the 100,000 points for $2,000 minimum spend in the first 90 days of the new benefits which will pay for a cruise I have already booked but not yet paid for. 135,000 points is not a bad bonus for $4,200 in spend in 3 months.

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

wasCB14 — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 02:36:43 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I upgraded from Delta Gold to Delta Platinum on my 1 year anniversary of the Gold card. I got a new Minimum Spend bonus and all the Platinum benefits. Amex even reversed the Gold card Annual fee they charged me. Ask them, the worst thing they can do is say "no".

BTW, I run all my household spending through the Platinum Card so I get a 50% boost in points every month for having 30 transactions (I would be spending this money anyway, and with my credit union debit card I got nothing from them as a reward). I pay off the card every weekend. My signup to Platinum was just a couple of days before the switch over in benefits, so I charged a $2100 airline ticket to the Platinum card to get the 35,000 points under the old benefits and I am also eligible for the 100,000 points for $2,000 minimum spend in the first 90 days of the new benefits which will pay for a cruise I have already booked but not yet paid for. 135,000 points is not a bad bonus for $4,200 in spend in 3 months.

I'm really confused. I thought the only 30-transaction card was the EveryDay Preferred.

The Business Platinum MR-earning charge card gives 1.5x on transactions over $5k, or at least used to.

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

KJinNC — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 02:38:31 GMT

If I could upgrade now, it would be fair to pay back the SUB I got for Delta Gold or take it out of the new SUB. I don't remember what it was. 35,000 miles or whatever the standard offer was last August. That would be ok with me, but I don't know if they have the ability to do that. So, I suspect they may refuse until the 1-year anniversary. But hey, I'll ask.

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 02:39:12 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
I upgraded from Delta Gold to Delta Platinum on my 1 year anniversary of the Gold card. I got a new Minimum Spend bonus and all the Platinum benefits. Amex even reversed the Gold card Annual fee they charged me. Ask them, the worst thing they can do is say "no".

BTW, I run all my household spending through the Platinum Card so I get a 50% boost in points every month for having 30 transactions (I would be spending this money anyway, and with my credit union debit card I got nothing from them as a reward). I pay off the card every weekend. My signup to Platinum was just a couple of days before the switch over in benefits, so I charged a $2100 airline ticket to the Platinum card to get the 35,000 points under the old benefits and I am also eligible for the 100,000 points for $2,000 minimum spend in the first 90 days of the new benefits which will pay for a cruise I have already booked but not yet paid for. 135,000 points is not a bad bonus for $4,200 in spend in 3 months.
I'm really confused. I thought the only 30-transaction card was the EveryDay Preferred.
The Business Platinum MR-earning charge card gives 1.5x on transactions over $5k, or at least used to.

In the new rules (which became effective January 30) Delta Platinum does 150% points if you have 30 or more transactions in a billing period. When I had the gold card It was 110% for 20 transactions. Knowing I could do 30 every month is one reason I upgraded (there are lots more).

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

K-in-Boston — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 02:41:13 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
@KJinNC wrote:
I have a Delta Gold card. I want a Delta Platinum card, partly for the welcome offer, but also for the annual companion certificate. The current welcome offer ends this spring. I doubt I will get an invitation to upgrade my Delta Gold card by then, because I've only had it since August.

So my question mainly amounts to: will Amex hold it against me if I cancel the Gold card a month after the AF hits in August? It wouldn't be cost-effective to keep both cards, since the benefits overlap and the AFs stack. Thanks!
Potentially. Some suggest keeping Amex cards for at least 2 years if you want to be eligible for bonuses in the near future. But closing in August 2020 won't stop you from getting the Delta Platinum bonus now.

A lot can depend on your overall Amex spend.

I agree with this completely. If anything, it will impact future Amex welcome offers. You would not have an upgrade offer until after August, and upgrade bonuses are usually quite small compared to new card offers. I'd go for the Platinum SkyMiles now while the welcome offer is incredible.

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 02:42:27 GMT

@KJinNC wrote:
If I could upgrade now, it would be fair to pay back the SUB I got for Delta Gold or take it out of the new SUB. I don't remember what it was. 35,000 miles or whatever the standard offer was last August. That would be ok with me, but I don't know if they have the ability to do that. So, I suspect they may refuse until the 1-year anniversary. But hey, I'll ask.

I think the difference is the rollout of new benefits for the various cards, enticing new cardholders and also trying to entice current cardholders to upgrade. I got the SUB for the Platinum card under the old benefits last month and I confirmed that because of the rollout of the new benefits and I am still within the first 90 days of having the Platinum card I also qualify for the new SUB. If they are not holding this rollout and you ask on your own, you get less. When they are trying to get you to jump, you get more.

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

K-in-Boston — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 02:48:45 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@wasCB14 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
I upgraded from Delta Gold to Delta Platinum on my 1 year anniversary of the Gold card. I got a new Minimum Spend bonus and all the Platinum benefits. Amex even reversed the Gold card Annual fee they charged me. Ask them, the worst thing they can do is say "no".

BTW, I run all my household spending through the Platinum Card so I get a 50% boost in points every month for having 30 transactions (I would be spending this money anyway, and with my credit union debit card I got nothing from them as a reward). I pay off the card every weekend. My signup to Platinum was just a couple of days before the switch over in benefits, so I charged a $2100 airline ticket to the Platinum card to get the 35,000 points under the old benefits and I am also eligible for the 100,000 points for $2,000 minimum spend in the first 90 days of the new benefits which will pay for a cruise I have already booked but not yet paid for. 135,000 points is not a bad bonus for $4,200 in spend in 3 months.
I'm really confused. I thought the only 30-transaction card was the EveryDay Preferred.
The Business Platinum MR-earning charge card gives 1.5x on transactions over $5k, or at least used to.
In the new rules (which became effective January 30) Delta Platinum does 150% points if you have 30 or more transactions in a billing period. When I had the gold card It was 110% for 20 transactions. Knowing I could do 30 every month is one reason I upgraded (there are lots more).

You have completely lost me as well. I don't recall seeing this change anywhere. It sounds like you are describing the Amex EveryDay and EveryDay Preferred cards. The only changes I am aware of offering a bonus for transactions like that is that the SkyMiles Platinum Business now earns 1.5 miles per $ on purchases over $5000 like the Platinum Business charge card, and you will earn 1.5 miles on all purchases after the first $150,000 per year on the Delta Reserve Business card.

And am I reading that correctly that you received a new cardholder bonus for an upgrade? You don't mean that you closed the Gold and opened a new Platinum?

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 02:59:25 GMT

@K-in-Boston wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@wasCB14 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
I upgraded from Delta Gold to Delta Platinum on my 1 year anniversary of the Gold card. I got a new Minimum Spend bonus and all the Platinum benefits. Amex even reversed the Gold card Annual fee they charged me. Ask them, the worst thing they can do is say "no".

BTW, I run all my household spending through the Platinum Card so I get a 50% boost in points every month for having 30 transactions (I would be spending this money anyway, and with my credit union debit card I got nothing from them as a reward). I pay off the card every weekend. My signup to Platinum was just a couple of days before the switch over in benefits, so I charged a $2100 airline ticket to the Platinum card to get the 35,000 points under the old benefits and I am also eligible for the 100,000 points for $2,000 minimum spend in the first 90 days of the new benefits which will pay for a cruise I have already booked but not yet paid for. 135,000 points is not a bad bonus for $4,200 in spend in 3 months.
I'm really confused. I thought the only 30-transaction card was the EveryDay Preferred.
The Business Platinum MR-earning charge card gives 1.5x on transactions over $5k, or at least used to.
In the new rules (which became effective January 30) Delta Platinum does 150% points if you have 30 or more transactions in a billing period. When I had the gold card It was 110% for 20 transactions. Knowing I could do 30 every month is one reason I upgraded (there are lots more).
You have completely lost me as well. I don't recall seeing this change anywhere. It sounds like you are describing the Amex EveryDay and EveryDay Preferred cards. The only changes I am aware of offering a bonus for transactions like that is that the SkyMiles Platinum Business now earns 1.5 miles per $ on purchases over $5000 like the Platinum Business charge card, and you will earn 1.5 miles on all purchases after the first $150,000 per year on the Delta Reserve Business card.

And am I reading that correctly that you received a new cardholder bonus for an upgrade? You don't mean that you closed the Gold and opened a new Platinum?

Yes, it was an Upgrade because the points I had on the Gold card carried over to the Platinum. Yes, it was the DELTA PLATINUM, not the Everyday or Everyday Preferred cards. Not needing both cards (Delta Gold and Delta Platinum, which would essentially be competing with each other on the monthly transaction boost), I later cancelled the Gold, but not until after I recommended my wife to get the Delta Gold, for which I got 10,000 points for referring her and she gets 60,000 on a $1,000 minimum spend which will be spent on tickets to London to be used in September. The 1.5 miles is on all purchases as long as I use the card 30 times in a billing month, regardless of monthly or annual spend. I am unclear if the 1.5 is carried over to the purchases that pay 3x (Delta travel, US Supermarkets and worldwide restaurants) or not but I will find out soon enough. I also have the Everyday card but the benefits of the Delta Platinum are so superior that I have now relegated that to my sock drawer. I must admit, Amex did a very poor job of advertising this on their web site, but Delta did a great job of advertising it on theirs.

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

K-in-Boston — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 03:12:50 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Yes, it was an Upgrade because the points I had on the Gold card carried over to the Platinum. Yes, it was the DELTA PLATINUM, not the Everyday or Everyday Preferred cards. Not needing both cards (Delta Gold and Delta Platinum, which would essentially be competing with each other on the monthly transaction boost), I later cancelled the Gold, ...

Okay, you did NOT upgrade your Delta Gold SkyMiles Card to a Delta Platinum SkyMiles Card. That is a very clear distinction that needs to be made. You opened a new credit card and closed another one. Getting a new cardmember bonus on an upgrade is unheard of with Amex, and you have clarified that this is not the case. Your SkyMiles are not stored with American Express, they are stored with Delta. No matter what your status on your credit cards is, you will always keep your points, and by providing the same SkyMiles account number, they will always pool to the same SkyMiles account. Again, there is no transaction boost other than the new one for purchases over $5000 on the Business Platinum SkyMiles card and the 1.5 SkyMiles per dollar after the first $150,000 of spending on the Business Delta Reserve card.

@Anonymous wrote:
The 1.5 miles is on all purchases as long as I use the card 30 times in a billing month, regardless of monthly or annual spend. I am unclear if the 1.5 is carried over to the purchases that pay 3x (Delta travel, US Supermarkets and worldwide restaurants) or not but I will find out soon enough. I also have the Everyday card but the benefits of the Delta Platinum are so superior that I have now relegated that to my sock drawer. I must admit, Amex did a very poor job of advertising this on their web site, but Delta did a great job of advertising it on theirs.

Neither Delta nor American Express show anything about bonuses for using any of their cards a specific number of times per month. Here is the Delta page:

https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles/airline-credit-cards/american-express-personal-cards

Before continuing to use the card, I would strongly suggest that you familiarize yourself with the actual earnings of the various cards to prevent disappointment on the actual earnings you receive.

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

FinStar — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 04:19:43 GMT

@K-in-Boston wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Yes, it was an Upgrade because the points I had on the Gold card carried over to the Platinum. Yes, it was the DELTA PLATINUM, not the Everyday or Everyday Preferred cards. Not needing both cards (Delta Gold and Delta Platinum, which would essentially be competing with each other on the monthly transaction boost), I later cancelled the Gold, ...
Okay, you did NOT upgrade your Delta Gold SkyMiles Card to a Delta Platinum SkyMiles Card. That is a very clear distinction that needs to be made. You opened a new credit card and closed another one. Getting a new cardmember bonus on an upgrade is unheard of with Amex, and you have clarified that this is not the case. Your SkyMiles are not stored with American Express, they are stored with Delta. No matter what your status on your credit cards is, you will always keep your points, and by providing the same SkyMiles account number, they will always pool to the same SkyMiles account. Again, there is no transaction boost other than the new one for purchases over $5000 on the Business Platinum SkyMiles card and the 1.5 SkyMiles per dollar after the first $150,000 of spending on the Business Delta Reserve card.

@Anonymous wrote:
The 1.5 miles is on all purchases as long as I use the card 30 times in a billing month, regardless of monthly or annual spend. I am unclear if the 1.5 is carried over to the purchases that pay 3x (Delta travel, US Supermarkets and worldwide restaurants) or not but I will find out soon enough. I also have the Everyday card but the benefits of the Delta Platinum are so superior that I have now relegated that to my sock drawer. I must admit, Amex did a very poor job of advertising this on their web site, but Delta did a great job of advertising it on theirs.
Neither Delta nor American Express show anything about bonuses for using any of their cards a specific number of times per month. Here is the Delta page:
https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles/airline-credit-cards/american-express-personal-cards

Before continuing to use the card, I would strongly suggest that you familiarize yourself with the actual earnings of the various cards to prevent disappointment on the actual earnings you receive.

Thanks for clarifying and confirming what I had known and learned from the K Master 😁

I thought I was missing something based on the recent revamp/refresh announcement until you cleared it all up. I knew I had taken good notes! Because I'm ready for my next Delta CC adventure 😜

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

KJinNC — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 04:41:27 GMT

Thanks. Does Amex look more kindly on downgrading to a no-AF card than they do on closing a card, or is it basically the same? I could downgrade Gold to Blue in September, if that would be better. Although, I don't foresee getting any Amex cards with big SUBs after the Delta Platinum, so it may not matter that much in my case.

I'm currently working on the Platinum (charge card) SUB, so I plan to hold off getting the Delta Platinum until late March. As long as I get the Delta Platinum by April 1, it should get the current SUB, right? Thanks again!

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

NRB525 — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 05:47:30 GMT

The Delta Platinum now gets 3 miles on Delta and hotels, 2 miles on dining and groceries.

but I doubt that is the earn structure as it sounds like the EDP is being discussed.

Too many cards!

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

redpat — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 08:27:34 GMT

Lol! The best earn rates for airline miles isn't by using their cards. Since the change of spending 30k for 15k MQM and not getting also 15k miles, I'm reasessing putting that kind of spend on my reserve.

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

wasCB14 — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 08:38:10 GMT

@redpat wrote:
Lol! The best earn rates for airline miles isn't by using their cards. Since the change of spending 30k for 15k MQM and not getting also 15k miles, I'm reasessing putting that kind of spend on my reserve.

I could potentially qualify for Delta Gold status if I focused on cobrand spend...but flying between LAX/SFO/JFK I'd probably have a slim chance of an upgrade...too many Platinums and Diamonds.

I figure it makes more sense to get a lot of MRs, add 30% via a transfer bonus, and book premium awards via VS.

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 11:02:16 GMT

I have the delta gold, I am downgrading to Blue after AF hits. Don't want to risk future offers by closing it after just 1 year, but gold is truly useless to me, and more so after refresh, so downgrade seems a reasonable option to me.

I am not based near a delta hub, companion cert is useless to me, so upgrading to plat will be a waste of money in my situation.

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

K-in-Boston — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 16:45:39 GMT

@KJinNC wrote:
Thanks. Does Amex look more kindly on downgrading to a no-AF card than they do on closing a card, or is it basically the same? I could downgrade Gold to Blue in September, if that would be better. Although, I don't foresee getting any Amex cards with big SUBs after the Delta Platinum, so it may not matter that much in my case.

I'm currently working on the Platinum (charge card) SUB, so I plan to hold off getting the Delta Platinum until late March. As long as I get the Delta Platinum by April 1, it should get the current SUB, right? Thanks again!

Like @Anonymous said, it's probably best to downgrade it. And yes, that is the expiration of the current offers. This refresh changed up the pattern that they had been using for quite a while now (big public offer, big referral offer, mediocre offer across all channels, repeat, repeat, repeat) as after the big referral offers just ended they launched the revamped cards with both big referral offers and big public offers. No educated idea what Amex will do next, but most likely the public offers will be significantly reduced after the 1st of April.

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

K-in-Boston — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 16:57:28 GMT

@redpat wrote:
Lol! The best earn rates for airline miles isn't by using their cards. Since the change of spending 30k for 15k MQM and not getting also 15k miles, I'm reasessing putting that kind of spend on my reserve.

I agree, and unless someone either a.) doesn't have any other cards that earn better for travel purchases, b.) is going for status or increased status, or c.) is able to get value from SkyMiles outside of the norm, there's no reason to ever spend on these cards. With the change from Mileage Boost to Status Boost (loss of bonus miles when hitting spending targets, but two additional targets added at $75k/$100k for Platinum and $90k/$120k for Reserve), I really had to run the numbers myself since effectively 1.5 miles per dollar for non-category spend was easier to justify than 1 mile per dollar.

In the end, I have chosen to continue using Delta Reserve for $30k of non-category spend this year. I would typically be buying Comfort+ or First seats anyway (I'm tall), so the fare differences from being able to just buy Main Cabin and immediately go in and select a C+ seat as a PM makes a significant monetary difference and easily overcomes the difference in base credit card earnings. The slightly increased mileage earnings from higher status also adds up.

Re: Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum

K-in-Boston — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 17:12:06 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
I could potentially qualify for Delta Gold status if I focused on cobrand spend...but flying between LAX/SFO/JFK I'd probably have a slim chance of an upgrade...too many Platinums and Diamonds.

I figure it makes more sense to get a lot of MRs, add 30% via a transfer bonus, and book premium awards via VS.

Flying between those three cities, yes they're Medallion heavy, but as a Gold you still have free access to preferred seats like exit rows. As a Gold, I technically had a 100% upgrade rate to at least Comfort+ last year, but there were 2 or 3 flights where I declined the Comfort+ "upgrade" to a middle seat. Of the other 30 or so flights, they were pretty evenly split between me being upgraded to First, upgraded to Comfort+, or either originally purchasing or upgrading myself to First. I didn't make Platinum Medallion until December (November statement closed on the 1st rather than the 2nd for the first time ever, and thanks to an Amex Offer credit of $3 or so I had $29,999 TYD spending LOL), so almost all of that upgrade activity was as a Gold Medallion and more than 2/3 of the flights were on Medallion-heavy Delta hub to Delta hub flights.

But I agree that booking First/Delta One awards via Virgin is a great way to go if you don't want to gamble the upgrade, since riding in F isn't as likely depending on the times and routes of the flights.