Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
vs. Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®

Shield Insurance

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The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card and the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® are both excellent choices for frequent travelers, offering valuable airline rewards and perks. The Delta SkyMiles Gold Card is the better choice for Delta loyalists due to its higher rewards on Delta flights and lower credit score requirement. It offers 2X miles on Delta purchases, U.S. groceries, and dining, along with a generous bonus miles offer.

However, the Citi AA Platinum Select Card should still be considered for its high rewards on American Airlines purchases and no foreign transaction fees, making it a strong contender for American Airlines travelers.

MoneyGeek's card comparison breaks down the card details, rewards and perks to help you decide which is right for you.

Credit Card logo for Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Credit Card logo for Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
MoneyGeek Rating
4.7/ of 5
MoneyGeek Rating
4.6/ of 5
On Issuer's Site
On Issuer's Site

Who Delta SkyMiles Gold Is Best For

The Delta SkyMiles Gold Card is likely to be better for frequent Delta flyers who want to maximize their rewards. It offers 2X miles on Delta purchases, U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide. The card also provides a $200 Delta Flight Credit after $10,000 in purchases annually, making it a good choice for those who can meet this spending threshold. However, if you rarely fly Delta, the card's benefits may not be as valuable.

Who Citi AA Platinum SelectIs Best For

The Citi AA Platinum Select Card is likely to be better for frequent American Airlines travelers who want to earn more miles and enjoy standard airline perks. This card offers 3X miles on American Airlines purchases and provides benefits like free checked bags and priority boarding. However, it requires high spending to claim the two companion certificates each year. If you don't frequently fly with American Airlines or can't meet the spending threshold, this card may not be the best fit.

Head-to-Head Comparison: Card Details and Features

Point-by-point comparisons of APRs, fees, required credit, rewards, introductory offers and other features help you determine which card best meets your needs. For instance, if you're focused on airline rewards, Delta SkyMiles Gold offers 2X miles on Delta purchases, while Citi AA Platinum Select provides 3X miles on American Airlines purchases, making Citi more rewarding for AA travelers.

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    Regular APR: Delta SkyMiles Gold

    Delta SkyMiles Gold is better for regular APR, offering a lower range of 20.49% to 29.49% compared to Citi AA Platinum Select's 21.24% to 29.99% variable.

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    Annual Fee: Citi AA Platinum Select

    Citi AA Platinum Select is better for annual fees, offering a $99 fee waived for the first year, compared to Delta SkyMiles Gold's $150 fee after the first year.

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    Introductory 0% APRs: Tie

    Neither Delta SkyMiles Gold nor Citi AA Platinum Select offers an introductory 0% APR on purchases or balance transfers.

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    Rewards: Delta SkyMiles Gold

    The Delta SkyMiles Gold card is better for rewards, offering 2X miles on Delta purchases, U.S. supermarkets and restaurants. In contrast, the Citi AA Platinum Select card provides 2X miles on American Airlines purchases, restaurants and gas stations.

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    Welcome Offers: Delta SkyMiles Gold

    Delta SkyMiles Gold is better for welcome offers, providing 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in six months. In contrast, Citi AA Platinum Select offers 75,000 miles after spending $3,500 in three months.

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    Recommended Credit Score: Delta SkyMiles Gold

    Delta SkyMiles Gold is better for those with a wider range of credit scores, from 670 to 850, making it more accessible than Citi AA Platinum Select, which requires a score of 740 to 850.

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    Penalties and Fees: Delta SkyMiles Gold

    Delta SkyMiles Gold is better for penalties and fees due to a slightly lower late fee of up to $40 compared to Citi AA Platinum Select's up to $41. Both cards have similar penalty APRs and cash advance fees.

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    Issuer Satisfaction: Delta SkyMiles Gold

    The Delta SkyMiles Gold card is better for issuer satisfaction, with American Express scoring higher than Citibank. This reflects a more favorable customer experience with American Express.

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    Card Benefits: Delta SkyMiles Gold

    Delta SkyMiles Gold is better for card benefits, offering a higher expected value of $911. It includes perks like a $200 Delta Flight Credit and 15% off Award Travel, making it more valuable than Citi AA Platinum Select's $503.

Rewards Comparison

Both the Delta SkyMiles Gold and Citi AA Platinum Select cards offer valuable rewards, but the Citi AA Platinum Select Card provides a slightly better rewards value due to the higher estimated value of its AAdvantage miles, valued at approximately 1.6 cents. Delta SkyMiles, on the other hand, are valued at approximately 1.4 cents.

For those indifferent to the loyalty programs, the Citi AA Platinum Select card's rewards structure may offer more value, especially with its higher earning potential on dining and gas purchases. Meanwhile, the Delta SkyMiles Gold card stands out with its rewards on groceries and dining. Below is a table summarizing the bonus categories for each card.

Category
Delta SkyMiles Gold
Citi AA Platinum Select

Airfare

2X miles on Delta purchases

2X AAdvantage® miles on eligible American Airlines purchases

Dining

2X miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.

2X AAdvantage® miles at restaurants

Groceries

2X miles at U.S. Supermarkets

1X AAdvantage® mile on all other purchases

Gas

1X mile on all other eligible purchases

2X AAdvantage® miles at gas stations

All Other

1X mile on all other eligible purchases

1X AAdvantage® mile on all other purchases

Redeeming Rewards

Delta SkyMiles can be redeemed for flights and upgrades with no expiration, offering flexibility for Delta flyers. AAdvantage miles, slightly more valuable, can be used for flights to over 1,000 destinations, expiring only with inactivity. Both cards focus on airline-specific redemptions, limiting broader use.

Card Benefits Comparison

The Delta SkyMiles Gold Card offers better perks for travelers, with free checked bags and priority boarding providing substantial savings and convenience. The Citi AA Platinum Select Card also offers these perks but adds a Global Entry Credit, enhancing airport security efficiency. Both cards cater to different traveler segments, with Delta appealing to budget-conscious users and Citi to American Airlines frequent travelers.

Delta SkyMiles Gold Perks

Travel Perks

  • Free checked first bags for you and up to eight companions on Delta flights
  • Priority boarding for you and up to eight companions
  • 20% savings on eligible in-flight purchases as a statement credit

Status

  • 15% off when booking Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app
  • Take 15% off anytime you book Award Travel with miles on Delta flights using delta.com and the Fly Delta app

Insurance & Protections

  • Secondary coverage for damage or theft of rental cars
  • Coverage for lost, damaged or stolen baggage, with up to $1,250 for checked baggage and $500 for carry-on baggage

Credits & Discounts

  • $200 Delta Flight Credit after $10,000 in purchases in a calendar year
  • $100 back per year as a statement credit after booking prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com
  • Free enrollment for a complimentary ShopRunner membership, offering free 2-day shipping and free return shipping on eligible items

All Other Perks

  • Global Assist® Hotline for emergency assistance and coordination services when traveling more than 100 miles from home

Citi AA Platinum Select Perks

Travel Perks

  • Free checked first bags for you and up to eight companions on domestic American Airlines flights
  • Priority boarding for you and up to eight companions on American Airlines flights

Status

  • Earn one Loyalty Point for every eligible mile earned from purchases, contributing to higher AAdvantage status

Credits & Discounts

  • $125 American Airlines Flight Discount after spending $20,000 annually
  • 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases

FAQ: Citi AA Platinum Select vs. Delta SkyMiles Gold

What are the main differences in rewards between these two cards?
Which card offers better travel perks for frequent flyers?
How do the annual fees compare after the first year?
What are the introductory offers for each card?
Are there any foreign transaction fees with these cards?

Methodology

MoneyGeek's scoring process evaluates each card based on multiple use cases, ensuring the scores reflect the cards' strengths. In this comparison, the scores shown represent the best performance of each card in the 'Airline' category. Several factors determine this score:

  • Expected value for travelers: Measures the monetary value of rewards and perks minus the annual fees for frequent travelers.
  • Airline scope: Rates the number of destinations the airline flies to, which helps inform the breadth of travel options for the airline program.
  • Introductory offer ROI value: Assesses the return on investment (ROI) from the card's sign-up bonus.
  • Airline rewards rate for travelers: Evaluates the rewards earned on airline expenditures for frequent travelers.
  • Issuer satisfaction: Based on customer satisfaction ratings from studies like J.D. Power.
  • Foreign transaction fees: Rates the card's fees for international transactions.
  • Recommended credit: Indicates the credit score range required for approval.

For more details on our scoring process, review our ranking methodology.

About Doug Milnes, CFA


Doug Milnes, CFA headshot

Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.

Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.


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