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Upgrade from AMEX Delta Gold to Platinum?

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DrJim
Frequent Contributor

Upgrade from AMEX Delta Gold to Platinum?

So I'm preapproved for an upgrade from the Gold Delta AMEX to the Platinum.  I can't tell too much difference in the rewards other than the Gold has a $99 Companion Ticket and the Platinum has the annual Companion Certificate.  I fly Delta a good deal and they are my rewards card of choice.  This deal also gives 15K miles and 5K MQM after the first purchase.  The difference in the AF is from $90 for the Gold to $150 for the Platinum.  There is also a spending bonus on the Platinum which I will probably not reach.

 

All in all, it sounds okay.  Nothing great, but nothing lost either.  Any way you look at it I will get the AF back through the Companion Certificate and do even better when you add in the miles earned.

 

Any comments?  Anyone have any experience with this upgrade?

 

Thanks for your thoughts.



Starting Score: TU 672 EQ 654 10/20/09
Current Score: TU 775 EQ 783 EX 799 (PLUS)
AMEX Delta Platinum $35K, NFCU Visa Signature $30K, HHonors Reserve Visa $35K, WF $13.5K, IHG Rewards Club MC $25K
Message 1 of 13
12 REPLIES 12
jamesdwi
Valued Contributor

Re: Upgrade from AMEX Delta Gold to Platinum?


@DrJim wrote:

So I'm preapproved for an upgrade from the Gold Delta AMEX to the Platinum.  I can't tell too much difference in the rewards other than the Gold has a $99 Companion Ticket and the Platinum has the annual Companion Certificate.  I fly Delta a good deal and they are my rewards card of choice.  This deal also gives 15K miles and 5K MQM after the first purchase.  The difference in the AF is from $90 for the Gold to $150 for the Platinum.  There is also a spending bonus on the Platinum which I will probably not reach.

 

All in all, it sounds okay.  Nothing great, but nothing lost either.  Any way you look at it I will get the AF back through the Companion Certificate and do even better when you add in the miles earned.

 

Any comments?  Anyone have any experience with this upgrade?

 

Thanks for your thoughts.


Just apply for the platimum if you want it, and keep the delta card if its a value to you. Its really not hard to get approved for a charge card. Personally unless you travel enough to make the airport lounge perk a value worth $400,  The Premier Rewards Gold with polnt multipliers and your first year of AF waived,  The main reason to just add another card instead of upgrading is  the free backdating goodness. 

Cards: Chase Southwest 20k & CSR 17k & CSP 10k & FNBO 30k Oregon Duck 5k, & AMEX BCP 32.5k & Amex Magnet 15k&amg; Hilton Surpass 7.5k & Delta Gold 12k & Zync NPSL, Fidelity AMEX 17k Commerce5.9k & Cash Forward 7.5k & Sams Club MC 20k, Paypal Extras MC 10k, Paypal Credit 7.25k CapOne Venture 15k, QS 2.5k, QS 750, Amazon 10k, Walmart 10k, Citi Simplicity 18k, Discover IT 23k and a nice stack of store cards.
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Message 2 of 13
DrJim
Frequent Contributor

Re: Upgrade from AMEX Delta Gold to Platinum?

I'm sorry, I wasn't very clear.  This is an offer to upgrade from the Delta Gold to the Delta Platinum.  They are both revolvers and is basically a PC.



Starting Score: TU 672 EQ 654 10/20/09
Current Score: TU 775 EQ 783 EX 799 (PLUS)
AMEX Delta Platinum $35K, NFCU Visa Signature $30K, HHonors Reserve Visa $35K, WF $13.5K, IHG Rewards Club MC $25K
Message 3 of 13
jamesdwi
Valued Contributor

Re: Upgrade from AMEX Delta Gold to Platinum?

Accept the offer if your spending  and perks justifies the increased AF  If you travel enough they will probably be happy to PC to the Delta Reseve, it looks like they all have the same underwriting qualifications, APR's are the same on all cards.  

 

Cards: Chase Southwest 20k & CSR 17k & CSP 10k & FNBO 30k Oregon Duck 5k, & AMEX BCP 32.5k & Amex Magnet 15k&amg; Hilton Surpass 7.5k & Delta Gold 12k & Zync NPSL, Fidelity AMEX 17k Commerce5.9k & Cash Forward 7.5k & Sams Club MC 20k, Paypal Extras MC 10k, Paypal Credit 7.25k CapOne Venture 15k, QS 2.5k, QS 750, Amazon 10k, Walmart 10k, Citi Simplicity 18k, Discover IT 23k and a nice stack of store cards.
Landmarkcu Personal Loan 10k
Message 4 of 13
hemi961
Regular Contributor

Re: Upgrade from AMEX Delta Gold to Platinum?

I don't have either card but was looking at them a couple of weeks ago as I might be flying with Delta a few times this next year.  It looked to me like the Platinum would be my choice for the reasons you mentioned.  The $60 extra annual fee is more than offset by the $100 savings in the cost of the companion certificate, making it a cheaper card to own.  I have 3 Amex cards right now but plan on closing my Platinum charge card when the annual fee comes due and picking up the Delta Platinum.  I see no downside to upgrading.

Message 5 of 13
jamesdwi
Valued Contributor

Re: Upgrade from AMEX Delta Gold to Platinum?

My research showed the the companion cert is almost worthless unless someone else is reimbursing you on the primary ticket, The companion cert requires a non-discount fair on the first ticket and most of the time you can buy a disounted ticket for less than 1/2 the full price ticket plus you have the hassle of using the cert. 

 

 

Cards: Chase Southwest 20k & CSR 17k & CSP 10k & FNBO 30k Oregon Duck 5k, & AMEX BCP 32.5k & Amex Magnet 15k&amg; Hilton Surpass 7.5k & Delta Gold 12k & Zync NPSL, Fidelity AMEX 17k Commerce5.9k & Cash Forward 7.5k & Sams Club MC 20k, Paypal Extras MC 10k, Paypal Credit 7.25k CapOne Venture 15k, QS 2.5k, QS 750, Amazon 10k, Walmart 10k, Citi Simplicity 18k, Discover IT 23k and a nice stack of store cards.
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Message 6 of 13
HiLine
Blogger

Re: Upgrade from AMEX Delta Gold to Platinum?

What exactly does a "non-discount ticket" mean? If you find a flight on Travelocity, is it a discount ticket or not?

Message 7 of 13
scenery_guy
Established Contributor

Re: Upgrade from AMEX Delta Gold to Platinum?

Are you a Delta Medallion now? If so the MQM are desired as they allow you to keep or raise your status. If you are not you will never reach Medallion status just by getting the card. If you won't reach the $25,000 spending bonus that nets you 10,000 MQM it's not worth the upgrade. If I am not mistaken you don't earn ANY MQM with the Gold version, just Platinum and Reserve. However of you can actually USE the companion cert. then it's worth considering. 

Honestly I gave up on playing the Medallion game for free bags and hoping for upgrades. I spend a lot on my Delta cards for the miles and I use the miles to purchase first class tickets (as a Delta AMEX cardholder you can opt to pay for all or part of flights with miles - not MQM just the regular ones you earn). I just hit the $25,000 spend for the year on my Platinum to get 10,000 MQM and just got the Reserve for Business and earned 10,000 MQM on my first purchase. Now I have 20,000 MQM that are useless as the Reserve card gets me lounge access, free bag and priority boarding above what my Medallion gives. 


Message 8 of 13
grtgirl
New Visitor

Re: Upgrade from AMEX Delta Gold to Platinum?

I have had the platinum card for a few years and I find the companion certificate to be completely worth it.  There is a 135 dollar fee I believe for the card but you get a free companion certificate.  There is no roundtrip that is less than that.  We fly from the east coast to the west and last time I got 2 tickets from Atlanta to San Diego in March (flying Fri - Sun -- 10 days) for 280 rt.  That is using the certifcate and includes the taxes for the second person.  That was an amazing deal.  I also got a similar deal to San Fran, Las Vegas, etc.  The certificate is great.  Also their customer service is amazing and differs when you use a free Amex card vs a paid one you can see the difference in the service as well.

Message 9 of 13
injustifiiable
Valued Contributor

Re: Upgrade from AMEX Delta Gold to Platinum?


@HiLine wrote:

What exactly does a "non-discount ticket" mean? If you find a flight on Travelocity, is it a discount ticket or not?


It usually depends on the fare code the ticket is issued under.

 

There's a list of fare codes here. http://www.delta.com/components/help/apps/booking/fare_class.jsp

 

Those certificates typically work on higher priced tickets that are refundable.

Scores 5/15/2016 (clean reports!): TU Walmart FICO: 696 | EQ FICO: 679 | EX AMEX FICO: 680

In my new wallet: American Express Green EMV: PSL $2000 | BankAmericard Cash Rewards Visa EMV: $2500 | Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World MasterCard: $6400 | Barclaycard Arrival World MasterCard: $1000 | Discover IT: $2500 | Amazon Rewards Visa Signature: $1500 | Chase Freedom: $1500 | Capital One QuicksilverOne MasterCard: $2100 | Target: $2800 | J.Crew $21,550 | Marvel (Captain America) MasterCard: $6000
Message 10 of 13
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