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There are two travel cards I value more than all others as a Delta frequent flyer. The first, despite the hefty annual $450 fee, is the Delta Reserve card. Clearly Delta values those who hold the card as well as those who spend a large amount of money each year on this card.
Beyond that the value of the relationship with AMEX is one of the most lucrative that Delta has and that enriches $DAL shareholders. I like this arrangement very much and am happy to “play” along to enjoy and benefit from the partnership including bonus MQMs each year, more upgrades and more.
The next card that just keeps getting better and better each year, not in a small part due to the “death” of SkyMiles is the non-Delta AMEX Platinum Business card. Not only does it provide so much value in travel but also in all the other perks like:
- 35% Points back on 1 airline of choice bookings
- Centurion club access (for you and +2)
- 10 International Gogo passes
- Priority Pass individual membership
- Sky Club access day of travel
- Gold SPG & Hilton status
- Every 5 years $100 Global Entry + PreCheck credit
Plus much more!
….and the key to this post a $200 in incidentals credit. If you have selected Delta as your preferred airline, like I have, then one of the nice choices to lock in this credit is buying $50 Delta e-Gift cards. I have tested, like I do every year, both $100 and $50 ones and the only ones that do work are single purchase $50 cards (either digital or physical cards) like last year.
Bottom line is there is real value, not just in the sign-up bonus points (after minimum spend), but in holding the non-Delta AMEX Platinum Business card and I am again pleased that I can use this perk to offset $200 of the yearly fees on Delta tickets (via gift cards) that I will be paying for anyway! – René
Editorial Note: This content is not provided by American Express. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by American Express. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact how and where card products appear on the site. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of the links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.
Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
That’s a glowing review with a glaring blind spot. Checked bags can easily exceed $50 per transaction if you’re hauling several. I read the headline very differently! Seemed like bad news to me.
@Mndska – You are looking at this in the wrong way. This is NOT meant to be for bags as Delta gift cards can not be used to pay for bag fee’s. They are for tickets (including say tax on awards etc). If you are wanting free bags you need to have or also have the Delta AMEX Gold, Platinum or Reserve card!
I have business platinum but wanted to use the $200 for AA cards (since I have a pile of them already) but would like to be able use the 50% back for Delta tickets. From your experience do you think I am able to use up the $200 airline credit w/ AA and then switch my preferred airline to Delta?
@Jeremy – You can only choose and airline once a year and get 50% back on that airline (for coach tickets that is).
@rene – thanks, I knew that was their rule but I was hoping it was one that they tend to bend 🙁 Guess maybe I just go w/ Delta upfront and try to find someone who wants to trade $200 in Delta cards for $200 in AA cards!
Thank you for doing this. I got greedy and made that mistake last year, then I didn’t think about it and forgot to use the rest of the credit. Does anyone have experience with the PRG?
@Garrett – Should be same for PRG. It was last year
@Rene, on the Business Plat 50% MR refund, do those tickets (in coach) on DL qualify for GUCs? I assume yes, if they’re treated as revenut tickets, but didn’t want to risk it, so checking with the experts 🙂
@skdelta – All AMEX 50% back tickets qualify as long as you don’t end up in an E BASIC fare or a consolidator fare. Otherwise just like buying with cash so GUCs no issue.
@Rene, thanks – had forgotten about the watch-out for the E/consolidator fares!
@Rene, do you know if purchasing Comfort+ for a friend would qualify for the $200 incidentals credit?
@Tim – May. Not a question of paying for a friend more a question of coding and will a C+ code as a credit option for you or for a friend. Clear?
@Rene, right. I was wondering if you or any reader had experience with how a C+ upgrade purchase coded?
So, buying 4 X $50 GC in a single transaction wouldn’t trigger the credit?
@Ashker – Reports are if 4 individual $50 you get full credit. I would NOT run them on one transaction no.
@rene @ashiker – if you purchase 4X $50 eGCS from Delta (not $200, but ‘add more GCs’ to do 4×50), they end up getting charged as 4 transactions on the credit card for $50 each and hence get credited…I decided to try it based on FT info since it was painful to do $50 transactions, and it worked…ymmv?
@skdelta – Really? Too painful to do 4 transactions? OK…
@rene – at least 10 transactions for myself (2x prg, 4x plat, 4x biz plat), and some more for other accounts I manage, so the shortcut was handy 🙂
@Rene Well, thought I’d try the C+ upgrade for a friend and sure enough, the AMEX credit came though the next day. This was upgrading a friend’s ticket using their confirmation number durning a call with the Delta Diamond line, so at least that way it was coded correctly.
Rene,
I have an AMEX PLATINUM Personal CARD (not business card). Does the $200 credit on that card work using $50 Gift cards from Delta like you had it work on the “business card”? Did you ever try it with that card? Did you get the credit back from delta??
@Nick – Works with either card.
Does It only work for Ecerts or does it also work for regular gift cards from delta.com?
@Zach – Either is fine. Just buy 1x at a time.
Purchased three $50 Delta eGift cards on 12/9 and was reimbursed today (12/13). Just wanted to keep the confirmation train going.
@Peter – Thanks for data point! Well done.