Businesses that have a lot of travel expenses need to be able to make the most of things. If you can find an appropriate travel credit card for your business to use, then you can really improve your overall experience. Being able to find a good credit card offers many rewards and perks. You might be able to save your business a bit of money while gaining access to a convenient way to pay for travel costs.
There are actually a large number of different travel credit card options to consider. Some people choose to go with a more generic travel credit card but many flock to the airline-based credit cards. These cards will allow you to earn miles for using your card to pay for various purchases. It can definitely come in handy but figuring out which one to choose may wind up taking some time.
Thankfully, we are here to help you out with everything now. Today we are going to be reviewing the Platinum Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card from American Express. This is a credit card that has been getting a bit of attention lately. It is a good option for Delta customers to consider but is it going to be a worthy option for your business?
Join us as we examine this card from every angle. You will be able to see everything that you need to know about the fees, the perks that it offers you, and the rewards potential of the card. Once you are armed with the necessary information, it will be simple to figure out if your business will be able to use this card to its full potential. Just read on and we will come to a conclusion together.
Prices and Fees
The annual membership fee of this business travel credit card is set at $195. This card is going to be higher than some annual fees that are associated with airline-based credit cards but lower than others. It sort of falls somewhere between the standard card rates and the luxury credit card rates. Overall, the annual fee is not bad at all when you consider what you will be gaining access to.
You will also have many other types of fees that you will have to be aware of when signing up for this card. For example, the card has a cash advance fee of 3% with a $5 minimum fee. This is pretty standard when it comes to cash advance fees but it is also not likely a feature that your business will be using. Many businesses will never use their cards in this way so it is not really worth worrying about this one.
Late payment fees may be up to $38 with this credit card. Once again, this card falls in line with most other credit cards of this type with the potential late fees. Returned payment fees are set at a flat $38. Keep these in mind when you are paying your monthly credit card bills for the business.
One extremely positive thing is that you will not be dealing with foreign transaction fees when you sign up for this credit card. It is going to make it very practical to travel abroad on business trips. If your business regularly travels outside of the country, then the lack of foreign transaction fees is going to be a real boon for you. You will be able to use your credit card whenever you deem it necessary and you won’t have to worry about getting bombarded by fees.
Features and Benefits
This credit card comes with a pretty decent welcome bonus if you want to take the time to qualify for it. Much as with many other credit cards, you will be able to earn some bonus miles if you spend a certain amount of money within the first three months of being a cardholder. The spending threshold for earning the bonus miles is not all that high so this is something that most businesses will be able to earn. Keep it in mind if you want to get some easy bonus miles for your business.
You will be able to enjoy various perks when you sign up for this credit card too. One easy-to-obtain perk is that you will receive $100 in statement credit if you make a Delta purchase within the first three months of being a cardholder. Being that most businesses will be using this card almost exclusively to buy flights from Delta Airlines, this is a simple one to earn. It helps to basically halve the annual fee for your first year.
One perk that you will be taking advantage of all of the time is being able to check your first bag for free on a Delta round-trip flight. Whenever you are traveling, you will be able to avoid those pesky checked bag fees for your first bag if you have a round-trip ticket. If you only ever take one bag with you that is going to be checked, then you can almost entirely avoid baggage fees when traveling with Delta Airlines. This is very useful and could wind up saving you about $50 per flight.
Cardholders will also receive priority boarding when they pay for their Delta flights with this credit card. Main cabin priority 1 boarding allows you to board earlier so that you can find a nice spot. It gives cardholders time to put their bags in the overhead compartment and get settled before the plane gets too claustrophobic. It is a useful perk that makes your traveling experience just a little bit nicer.
You will also love being able to save 20% on your in-flight purchases. If you travel a lot on business, then you may spend quite a bit of money on in-flight purchases each year. This card allows you to receive 20% of what you spend on in-flight purchases back in the form of statement credit. Depending on your spending habits, this could wind up saving you a lot of money on a yearly basis.
Your business will also be able to take advantage of the annual companion certificate. This certificate allows a companion to fly with you for free. You will only be responsible for paying for the taxes and fees of this seat. This is good for one round trip and can be redeemed for many different flights. The potential value of this companion certificate makes the annual fee seem to be nothing in comparison.
It is also possible to gain access to the Delta Sky Club at a discount. Normally, you would need to pay $59 for a pass to get into this lounge. As a cardholder, you will just have to pay $29 for a pass. You can even bring up to two guests with you and they will also be able to pay the $29 rate to gain entry to the lounge. If you use airport lounges often, then this will equate to big savings.
Rewards Program Info
The rewards program of this credit card comes across as a little bit middling. You will be able to earn an increased number of bonus miles when you use your credit card to buy flights from Delta Airlines directly. It is possible to earn two miles for every $1 spent on Delta Airlines purchases that are directly purchased from Delta. This means that you cannot pay for airfare through any type of third party or you will be forfeiting your potential bonus miles.
All of the other purchases that you make with this credit card can earn you one mile per $1 spent. This is not an exceptional rewards rate when you consider what the competition has to offer. Even so, this is still going to work out pretty well for loyal Delta customers. If you fly with Delta exclusively, then you will be earning that 2X miles per $1 spent rate all the time. It will allow you to mitigate some of your business travel expenses with your earned rewards.
Redeeming rewards is going to be fairly simple with this program as well. You can redeem your earned rewards to pay for Delta Airlines flights or seat upgrades. For the most part, the only good way to redeem your rewards is going to be to use your earned miles to pay for the flights. This is how you will get the most value out of your miles.
Pros:
- No foreign transaction fees
- First checked bag free
- Priority boarding
- Savings on in-flight purchases
There are many things to like about the Platinum Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card from American Express. One good feature is that it will not be charging you any foreign transaction fees. When you operate a business that has dealings abroad, you do not want to have to deal with fees for using your card outside of the country. If your business deals take you outside of the United States often, then you will at least know that this card will still be practical to use.
Being able to get that first checked bag for free whenever you are traveling on a round-trip with Delta is nice too. This is something that can potentially save you up to $50 per flight. If you are looking for ways to justify that annual fee, then this goes a long way toward doing that. If you fly once per month, then you are going to come out far ahead in savings.
Priority boarding is always very good when you travel a lot too. Being able to get on the plane before everyone else in order to get comfortable is nice. You can find your seat and place your bags in the overhead compartment before the cabin starts to get crowded. It is a nice perk that you will love making use of over the years.
Saving money on in-flight purchases is a great reason to own the card too. You can enjoy getting 20% of your money back in the form of statement credit. Many businessmen and businesswomen make use of this perk regularly and save a lot of money each year. It makes it more practical to buy drinks or food while you are flying with Delta so keep this perk in mind when you are trying to justify the annual fee.
Cons:
- Annual fee
- No free lounge access
- Rewards rate less than some competitors
- Lack of luxury perks
The annual fee of this credit card is one of the things that will hold it back. Overall, when you consider what the card is giving you, the fee is pretty reasonable. Even so, it is a lot higher than many other credit card annual fees. You will have to make sure that you can use this card often enough to make the annual fee problem a moot point.
One of the biggest complaints that people have with this business credit card is the lack of free lounge access. Being able to get a discount on lounge passes is nice but cardholders want to be able to gain free access as a perk for paying the annual fee. It is not likely to completely sour your experience but there are cards out there that do come with lounge access as a free perk. Consider how important airport lounges are to you before deciding to apply.
The rewards rate of this credit card is not exactly amazing either. You will be able to earn two miles for every $1 you spend on Delta purchases. You must purchase things directly from Delta in order to receive those two miles as well. All of your other purchases will only earn you one mile per $1 spent. There are credit cards with much higher rewards rates out there.
A lack of luxury perks makes this credit card a bit less desirable than it should be. This card is in the awkward position of falling somewhere between a normal credit card and a traditional luxury credit card. You will not be getting any perks that you would normally associate with luxury cards. Free lounge access, concierge services, and other types of VIP treatment would make this card stand out from the pack. As it stands, this card may not offer enough for people who want to have access to the best airline perks.
Credit Score Needed for Approval
In order to be approved for this credit card, you will need to have a pretty good credit score. Scores in the 700s are going to give you the best chance of being approved. If you are concerned about whether or not you will qualify, then you should take some time to check your credit score first. It is better to know what your score is ahead of time to avoid any sort of disappointment.
Who Does This Credit Card Appeal to?
This credit card is going to have the most appeal for regular Delta Airlines customers. If your business travels with Delta exclusively, then this is a business credit card that will work well for you. You can make the most out of the rewards miles and will use the perks regularly. It makes your Delta traveling experience nicer and should be a handy card to keep in your wallet.
You will also find that this card appeals to businesses with significant travel expenses. If your business does not travel often enough, then having access to this credit card may not seem as worthwhile. You need to be able to use the perks and earn the miles in order to be comfortable with the annual fee. If you travel a lot on business, then this card is made for a business such as yours.
An Alternative to Consider
For many business travelers, this credit card may not offer quite enough. If you are seeking better overall perks, then you may wish to sign up for the Delta Reserve Business Credit Card. This credit card is another card that is great for frequent Delta customers but it offers different perks. You will get many of the same perks but you will also have new ones such as free lounge access.
If you want an experience that is closer to being premium, then you will likely be pleased with what the Delta Reserve Business Credit Card brings to the table. It has a much higher annual fee of $450 but it may be worth it for many businesses to consider it. Think about what you want out of your traveling experience and then make a decision between the two credit cards. Either way, you will be able to enjoy an improved Delta Airlines traveling experience.
Conclusion
The Platinum Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card from American Express is going to be a good fit for some people. It is not a perfect credit card, however. This will be a good option for some businesses but others may wish that it had more perks. The perks that are there are very nice, though.
You can easily earn enough rewards miles to justify the annual fee if you travel a lot. Many of the perks also serve to save you money. Take a look at what this card offers and then decide if it is a good fit for your business. It just might save you money each year if you can use this card in the right ways.
