Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex Payoff Calculator 2026

Card data, May 13, 2026

• Issuer: American Express
• Network: Amex (proprietary)
• Card type: Revolving credit card, co-branded with Delta Air Lines
• Purchase APR: 20.99-29.99% variable
• Annual fee: $350
• Balance transfer intro APR: not offered on this card
• Rewards:
  • 3x SkyMiles on Delta purchases
  • 3x at hotels booked directly with hotels
  • 2x at restaurants worldwide
  • 2x at U.S. supermarkets
  • 1x everywhere else
• Travel benefits:
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights (cardholder plus up to 8 companions on same reservation)
  • Main Cabin 1 priority boarding
  • 20% in-flight credit on eligible purchases
  • Annual Companion Certificate (domestic Main Cabin round-trip)
  • Up to $120 statement credit per year for Resy reservations ($10 per month)
  • Up to $120 statement credit per year for rideshare ($10 per month, U.S. only)
• Card-spend bonus to MQDs: $1 MQD per $10 spent
• No foreign transaction fees
• Late fee: up to $40
• Minimum payment formula: 1% of balance plus interest and fees, $40 minimum
• Typical FICO floor: 700

Source: Delta SkyMiles Platinum terms, verified 2026-05-13.

TL;DR

The SkyMiles Platinum sits between the Gold ($150) and the Reserve ($650) in the Delta consumer stack. The $350 fee is anchored by the Companion Certificate, which is by far the most valuable single benefit and the central reason cardholders renew this card.

Math worked example

$5,000 balance at 25.49% APR (midpoint):

• $200 per month: 32 months, $1,558 interest, plus 3 years of $350 fees ($1,050)
• $300 per month: 19 months, $935 interest, plus 2 years of fees ($700)
• $500 per month: 11 months, $522 interest, plus 1 year of fee ($350)

Companion Certificate math

The Companion Certificate is valid for a Main Cabin domestic round-trip ticket for a companion when the primary ticket is purchased. Typical redemption values:

• Short-haul domestic ($150-250 base fare): about $150-200 value
• Mid-haul domestic ($250-400 base fare): about $250-350 value
• Long-haul transcontinental Main Cabin ($400-600 base fare): about $400-500 value

The cardholder pays only the companion’s taxes and fees (typically $80-100). The certificate cannot be used on partner-operated flights or in higher fare classes; Main Cabin Delta-marketed and Delta-operated routes only.

Run your specific SkyMiles Platinum numbers

The pillar tool accepts the Delta Platinum APR. Add $350 to total cost for each year held.

Net annual fee scenarios

The Companion Certificate is the swing benefit. If it goes unused, the card barely produces net value above the cost.

Card spending and Medallion qualification

The simplified Delta Medallion program counts $1 MQD per $10 of card spend on most consumer cards. The SkyMiles Platinum at $350 fee earns the same $1/$10 ratio as the Gold. The Reserve ($650) earns $1 MQD per $10 with no cap on bonus tiers. For users seriously pursuing Medallion status through card spend, the Reserve has structural advantages; the Platinum is for users who want the Companion Certificate without committing to Medallion chasing.

Avalanche priority

The SkyMiles Platinum APR (20.99-29.99%) is at the upper end of typical credit card ranges. If your specific rate is 26% or above, this is likely your highest-APR card and the avalanche method starts here.

When the SkyMiles Platinum math works

The card is structurally net positive for users who:

• Fly Delta 2-plus times a year and use the Companion Certificate annually
• Travel with a companion on Main Cabin domestic Delta-operated routes
• Use the $10 monthly Resy credit at restaurants (annual $120 if claimed every month)
• Use the $10 monthly rideshare credit in the U.S. (annual $120 if claimed every month)
• Check bags on Delta flights with companions

For this profile, net annual fee lands at $0 to -$300 (cash positive). For users who do not use the Companion Certificate, the card becomes a worse-value version of the Gold ($150 fee, similar checked-bag benefit).

Should you keep SkyMiles Platinum during payoff?

The $350 fee is a real cost while you carry a balance. Three options:

1. Downgrade to Delta SkyMiles Gold ($150) or Delta SkyMiles Blue (no annual fee). Amex permits product change within the Delta family. The Companion Certificate is lost on downgrade.
2. Cancel after the balance is cleared. Closes the credit line.
3. Keep open if the Companion Certificate value still exceeds the fee differential ($350 minus $150 Gold equals $200 differential to clear with the certificate).

Domestic Companion Certificate value calibration

The Companion Certificate is most valuable on:

• Transcontinental routes (JFK-LAX, JFK-SFO, BOS-LAX): typical Main Cabin fares $450-700, certificate value $400-600
• East Coast hub-to-hub (BOS-MIA, JFK-ATL): typical fares $250-450, certificate value $200-350
• Short-haul (within 700 miles): typical fares $150-250, certificate value $100-200

Best practice: use the certificate on the longest Main Cabin round-trip you will book in the year. Pairing it with a transcontinental booking maximizes value.

Sibling Delta co-brand cards

• Delta SkyMiles Gold payoff calculator

Other premium co-brand cards

• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant payoff calculator
• Hilton Honors Aspire payoff calculator
• Hilton Honors Surpass payoff calculator

Related

• Credit card payoff calculator (home) , pillar tool
• Credit card payoff by card type , full hub
• Balance transfer calculator

Frequently asked questions

What is the APR on the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex?

The variable Purchase APR is 20.99-29.99% as of May 13, 2026, per American Express pricing. The rate is set at application based on credit profile and prime rate at the time, then floats with the prime rate published by the Federal Reserve. The SkyMiles Platinum shares the same APR range as the SkyMiles Gold, Reserve, and Blue cards.

Is the $350 SkyMiles Platinum annual fee worth it?

If you fly Delta 2-plus times a year with a companion and use the annual Companion Certificate, yes. A typical mid-haul domestic Main Cabin certificate redemption is worth $250-400, which covers most or all of the fee. Add $120 in Resy credits (claimed monthly) and $120 in rideshare credits (claimed monthly) and the card produces $100-400 in net annual value above the fee. If you do not use the Companion Certificate annually, the SkyMiles Gold ($150 fee) is the better tier.

How does the Delta Companion Certificate work?

The Companion Certificate is issued each card anniversary and is valid for one Main Cabin round-trip ticket for a companion when the cardholder books a paying Main Cabin ticket on the same itinerary. The cardholder pays the companion’s taxes and fees (typically $80-100). The certificate is only valid on Delta-marketed and Delta-operated domestic flights (50 U.S. states); partner flights, codeshares, and international routes are excluded. The certificate has a 12-month validity from issue.

Can I do a balance transfer to the Delta SkyMiles Platinum?

No. The SkyMiles Platinum does not offer a 0% intro APR balance transfer promo. Intro offers are typically SkyMiles-only (50,000-90,000 bonus SkyMiles after meeting spend). For balance transfers, look at the Amex EveryDay (15-month 0% intro on transfers), the Blue Cash Everyday (also 15 months), or a Visa/Mastercard 0% offer.

How do the Resy and rideshare credits work?

The Resy credit is $10 per calendar month (up to $120 a year) applied as statement credit on dining purchases booked through Resy or charged to a Resy-participating restaurant. The rideshare credit is $10 per calendar month (up to $120 a year) applied to qualifying U.S. rideshare purchases. Both credits are use-it-or-lose-it monthly; unused increments do not roll over. A cardholder who eats at one Resy restaurant a month and takes one rideshare a month claims the full $240 in face value.