Should I Get A Delta Reserve Card To Go With My Amex Platinum Card?

This is an email I got recently from a reader.

Hello. I currently have an AMEX platinum card and love the > concierge/travel perks, etc. We use this for our personal expenses and of course enjoy the membership rewards, etc.

The firm I work at is no longer going to utilize corporate credit cards and so I have to get my own card which I’d like to use only for business expenses to keep things separated. My friends have told me I should get the Delta Reserve Card as I’m a Delta guy and spend about 30 – 50K/year in business/travel expenses. My only question is that there seems to be a TON of crossover between platinum and reserve card services. My business is willing to pay the freight of my Reserve card so should I still do it or is there another card that’s less money that gets me equally as good perks, etc since I already have a platinum amex card?

Thank you,
Jesse

I asked him a few more questions in a reply to his email:

And also, how many MQMs do you earn a year? and do you fly enough to earn elite status on Delta? if so what level?

Trying to find out the best card for you..so am asking these questions.

And this was his reply:

Thanks, we spend about 3+K/month on platinum and I have roughly the same (give or take 1-2K)/ month in biz expenses.

And yes delta is now the official airline of our household unless it just makes no sense whatsoever.

I don’t have status as of now but am basically setting myself up to do so.

10 or so trips to nyc from dc/year, 3 trips to boston, 2 to memphis plus other travel will put me at 20 trips easily this year. Have to go west coast 3 times as well.

Answer: – First, let’s get a few facts straight.

Now’s let’s look at some of the facts of the credit card you are considering (Delta Reserve) and the American Express Platinum Card (which you have right now).

So should you get the Delta Reserve Card? Most definitely yes.

The more tricky question is what should you do with the Amex Platinum Card since the Delta Reserve has features like concierge service which the Amex Platinum also has?

I would actually keep your Platinum card (at least initially) because you do not know what will your credit line be on the Delta Reserve Card. If you have a credit line of at least $60,000, then I would actually downgrade the Platinum Card to the Gold Card. In fact, I would consider the Premier Rewards Gold Card if you find you are spending more on tickets other than Delta because you can earn triple points for airline ticket purchases with that card.

The only reason I would keep the Platinum Card is if you fly international with Delta in business class and you want to make use of the Platinum’s “get a free international business class companion ticket” feature with Delta (which is one of the international airline program parter).

So the conclusion is : Get the Delta Reserve Credit Card. Keep your American Express Platinum Card for a year. Then downgrade to the Gold Card or American Express(R) Premier Rewards Gold Card. Link both cards and pay a lower annual fee on the Delta Reserve.