Delta, American Express up card fees and add more perks

Cardholders of American Express and Delta’s six co-branded credit cards will receive new benefits and increased annual fees in changes the companies revealed Thursday.

Delta SkyMiles American Express credit cardholders can already make use of the new benefits, the companies said. 

Under the updates, people who use their co-branded cards for some Resy restaurants, certain rideshares and prepaid Delta Stays accommodations can earn annual statement credits of varying amounts depending on their card type, according to American Express. The total value of the credits range from up to $300 for Gold to $610 for Reserve Business.

Platinum, Platinum Business, Reserve and Reserve Business card holders will get a leg up on meeting the qualifications for Silver Medallion status in Delta’s loyalty program with $2,500 medallion qualification dollars each year.

Delta said last month customer engagement with its SkyMiles program “reached an all-time high, with record membership growth, co-brand spend and revenue from travel-adjacent services.”

In another travel-related perk, the companies have added Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America as destinations that cardholders can get companion certificates for, they said.

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Platinum Business and Reserve Business customers will see “new everyday business spending categories” as well as an “expanded buying power” feature that gives them “flexibility to spend above their credit limit” to a point, according to American Express.

They add to the benefits already offered with the Delta Skymiles American Express credit cards.

Meanwhile, existing cardholders will see the higher annual fees that accompanied the new perks come into force “at their next renewal dates on or after May 1, 2024,” American Express said.

The companies upped the annual fees for Reserve, Reserve Business, Platinum and Platinum Business credit cards by $100, making them $650 for the Reserve ones and $350 for the Platinum ones. The Gold and Gold Business cards fees went up by $51 to $150.

American Express and Delta said they sought to “improve the travel experience and deliver everyday value to consumers and business owners” with the co-branded credit card changes.

The two companies have worked together on credit cards since 1996.