How do I activate the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card travel benefits?

Benefits activate automatically when you use the card to pay. For trip delay coverage, charge the full Common Carrier ticket to the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card. For CDW, charge the full rental to the card and decline the collision damage waiver at the counter. For baggage insurance, the ticket must be charged to the card. For purchase protection and extended warranty, charge the item to the card. No pre-registration is required for any benefit.

Who is covered under the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card benefits?

The primary cardholder, their spouse or Domestic Partner, unmarried dependent children up to age 19 (or 26 if full-time students), and Traveling Companions whose transportation is charged to the card are covered for trip delay. For rental car CDW, the cardholder and Authorized Drivers listed on the rental agreement are covered. Trip delay is capped at 2 claims per 12 consecutive months per card.

How does the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card trip delay benefit work?

If your Common Carrier is delayed 12 or more consecutive hours by inclement weather, terrorist action, carrier equipment failure (documented), or lost and stolen travel documents, AIG reimburses up to $300 per trip for meals, lodging, toiletries, and personal-use items. Charge your ticket to the card. File within 60 days at aig.claimnotify.com/americanexpress or call 1-844-933-0648. Submit the carrier delay statement and all itemized receipts. Coverage is limited to 2 claims per 12 consecutive months.

Does the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card cover lost or damaged luggage?

Yes. AMEX Assurance covers lost, stolen, or damaged luggage when the ticket is charged to the card. Carry-on bags are covered up to $1,250 per trip and checked bags up to $500 per trip. Coverage is secondary: Delta's settlement applies first and AMEX Assurance covers the remaining gap. File a Property Irregularity Report with the carrier before leaving the airport, then contact AMEX Assurance via americanexpress.com/protectionbenefits or 1-800-338-1670.

How does the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card rental car coverage actually work?

The card provides secondary CDW coverage through AMEX Assurance Company, up to $50,000 per rental. Secondary means your personal auto insurance pays first in the event of a collision or theft, then the card covers what remains. To use it: charge the full rental to the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card and decline the rental company's collision damage waiver at the counter. Maximum rental period is 30 consecutive days. Rentals in Australia, Italy, New Zealand, and OFAC-sanctioned countries are excluded.

How do I file a claim with the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card?

For trip delay, call AIG at 1-844-933-0648 or file at aig.claimnotify.com/americanexpress within 60 days. For baggage and CDW claims, contact AMEX Assurance at americanexpress.com/protectionbenefits or 1-800-338-1670. For baggage, file a Property Irregularity Report with the airline before leaving the airport. For CDW, submit the rental agreement, damage report, and card statement within 30 days of the incident.

What does the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card travel insurance NOT cover?

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card does not include trip cancellation or interruption insurance. Non-refundable bookings are out of pocket if you cancel for any reason, including illness. There is no emergency medical coverage abroad and no evacuation benefit. The trip delay threshold is 12 consecutive hours: most domestic disruptions resolve before that. CDW is secondary in all covered territories. Cell phone protection is not included.

Is the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card enough for international travel?

Not for medical protection. The Delta Platinum includes trip delay at $300 after 12 hours and baggage insurance, but no trip cancellation and no emergency medical coverage abroad. A serious hospitalization overseas can easily exceed $50,000. At $350 per year, the card's value centers on the companion certificate and Delta Medallion Qualification Miles, not on insurance depth. For international trips with non-refundable bookings, a standalone policy covering at least $100,000 in emergency medical and trip cancellation is necessary.

Does the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card cover trip cancellation?

No. The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card does not include trip cancellation insurance. If you cancel a trip for any reason, including illness, injury, or family emergency, non-refundable flights, hotels, and prepaid tours are entirely at your expense. This is the card's most significant travel insurance gap for travelers who book non-refundable reservations.

What benefits does the Delta American Express Platinum card actually offer?

American Express·$350/year·American Express

Pauline LauroreAuthor of HelloSafe's card insurance reviewsUpdated June 11, 20268 min read

1,2/5Travel Insurance gap.Independent review · verified June 2026

Travel Insurance

0,4

Car Rental

2,8

Protection

1,9

Our Verdict · Travel Insurance

Our take on travel insurance for the American Express Delta SkyMiles Platinum

Expert review · Pauline LauroreAuthor of HelloSafe's card insurance reviews

12h delay only. No cancel, no medical. Here's what $350 a year actually buys on a Delta flight. The delta skymiles platinum card benefits run a single AIG-backed benefit: trip delay at $300 per trip after 12 consecutive hours, capped at 2 claims per year. Most cardholders assume any significant disruption qualifies. It does not: Delta's disrupted flights typically resolve in 4 to 8 hours, well below the 12-hour trigger, meaning you sleep at the gate with nothing back. No trip cancellation, no emergency medical abroad, no evacuation: Global Assist coordinates logistics only, with no financial guarantee behind any cost. If you book non-refundable international travel on this card, the gap between what it covers and what you actually need runs into the thousands.

What works on travel

$300 trip delay after 12 hours: covers meals, lodging, toiletries, and medication via AIG (4 covered causes)
$1,750 baggage loss coverage: $1,250 for carry-on bags, $500 for checked bags, via AMEX Assurance
Centurion-style Global Assist Hotline available 24/7 for emergency coordination
Baggage insurance is secondary to airline compensation, adding a recovery layer above the airline's settlement

Where travel breaks down

No trip cancellation: non-refundable flights and hotels are entirely out of pocket if you cancel for any reason
12-hour delay threshold is the highest among major travel cards, eliminating coverage on most real-world disruptions
$300 delay cap is low: a single hotel night plus meals in a hub city typically exceeds this
No emergency medical or evacuation coverage abroad despite the $350 annual fee
No travel accident insurance (AD&D) and no missed connection benefit

Notre méthodologie

Chez HelloSafe, notre expert examine chaque année les contrats, les avis clients et les tarifs du marché. Analyse indépendante, sans influence commerciale sur les notes attribuées.

Travel Insurance · 11 guarantees

What does my Delta SkyMiles Platinum card's travel insurance cover?

Quality, not just caps

Guarantee

Status

Limit · Cap

Trip cancellation

Not covered

No trip cancellation insurance. A $2,000 non-refundable Delta vacation package is entirely at your expense if you cancel for illness, weather, or any other reason.

Medical fees abroad

Not covered

No emergency medical insurance despite a $350 annual fee. A serious ER visit abroad runs $10,000 to $80,000. Every dollar is yours.

Medical repatriation

Not covered

Trip interruption

Not covered

Transport delay

Trigger: 12 hours · Max 2 claims / 12 months

$300

Covered

$300

The 12-hour bar is the card's biggest practical weakness. Most domestic Delta disruptions resolve in under 8 hours. You must wait 12 full consecutive hours before a single dollar is reimbursable.

Missed connection

Not covered

Lost luggage / theft

Not covered

Baggage delay

Not covered

Baggage loss

$1,250 carry-on / $500 checked · Secondary coverage

$1,750

Covered

$1,750

Personal liability

Not covered

Hotel theft protection

Not covered

View all guarantees and assistance (PDF)

We source benefits from official card guides, but PDFs are sometimes hard to obtain or update. Spotted something off?

Report an error Send updated PDF

Coverage Radar

Where the American Express Delta SkyMiles Platinum wins, and where it loses

An 8-dimension snapshot compared to the Sapphire Reserve and the average premium travel card.

Compare

Delta SkyMiles PlatinumThis card1.2/5?

$350/yr

With travel insuranceIdeal

Complete coverage · 5.0 / 5

Premium card avg.

$150 avg. annual fee

Sapphire Reserve

Chase · $550/yr

Click a layer to highlight its scores on the radar.

Side-by-side comparison

Alternatives to the American Express Delta SkyMiles Platinum

HelloCard.sideBySide.subtitle

Card	This card Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express · $350/yr 1.2/5?	Hilton Honors Aspire American Express · $550/yr 2.9/5?	Ritz-Carlton Chase · $450/yr 3.6/5?	Sapphire Reserve Chase · $795/yr 3.9/5?
Trip cancellation Per person, per trip cap	N/A Cover this gap →	$10,000 per trip 7 covered reasons	$10,000 per person All prepaid travel (hotels + flights)	$10,000 per person 13 covered reasons
Emergency medical Hospital bills abroad	N/A Cover this gap →	Not covered	$2,500 Reimbursement only, $50 deductible	$2,500 \| $50 deductible $50 deductible
Emergency evacuation Air ambulance + repatriation	N/A Cover this gap →	Not covered	$100,000 Pre-authorization required	$100,000 \| pre-auth required Pre-authorization required
Trip delay trigger Hours before benefits kick in	12h / $300 Trigger: 12 hours	6h / $500 Trigger: 6 hours	6h / $500 Trigger: 6 hours or overnight stay	$500 after 6 hours Trigger: 6 hours
Rental CDW Primary or secondary	Secondary / $50,000 Secondary coverage	Primary (intl) / $75,000 Primary outside US	Primary / $75,000 Primary coverage worldwide	Primary / $75,000 Primary coverage

StrongLimited / misleadingNot covered

Data verified against each card's Guide to Benefits, May 2026.

r/delta

2024

Trip delay and baggage both paid out on a Europe trip

Flight to Amsterdam was canceled and rerouted. Delay exceeded 12 hours. Filed the trip delay claim with AIG and got $295 back for hotel and meals. Also had a carry-on bag damaged in transit. AMEX Assurance covered it under the baggage plan. Two separate claims on the same trip, both approved. Process took about 5 weeks for the baggage claim.

r/amex

2024

12-hour threshold is the real weakness

The trip delay benefit exists but 12 hours is a very high bar. I fly Delta a few times a month and have had several 4-8 hour delays. None triggered the benefit. The Reserve has a 6-hour threshold. If you are choosing between the Platinum at $350 and the Reserve at $650, the insurance quality difference is significant.

cardsandpoints.com

2024

Good for Delta loyalists, limited insurance

The companion certificate and Delta status benefits justify the $350 fee for frequent Delta flyers. The insurance is better than the Gold tier with baggage coverage added, but no trip cancellation at this price is a noticeable gap. The 12-hour delay threshold limits real-world usefulness.

US Assistance

1-800-228-6855

24/7

International Assistance

collect: +1-715-343-7977

Collect calls accepted · 24/7

Benefit administrator: New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company (trip delay) | AMEX Assurance Company (CDW, baggage, purchase protection, extended warranty)

Claims & pre-authorizations

How to file a Delta SkyMiles Platinum card claim

Step 1: Trip delay claims via AIG

Call 1-844-933-0648 or file at aig.claimnotify.com/americanexpress. Notify AIG within 60 days of the covered loss. Submit a statement from the Common Carrier confirming the delay, your charge receipt, Common Carrier tickets, and itemized receipts for all covered expenses: meals, lodging, toiletries, and medication.

Step 2: Baggage claims via AMEX Assurance

Before leaving the airport, file a Property Irregularity Report with Delta or the carrier. Then contact AMEX Assurance at americanexpress.com/protectionbenefits or call 1-800-338-1670. Submit the PIR, your card statement showing the ticket charge, and documentation of the loss.

Step 3: CDW claims via AMEX Assurance

Visit americanexpress.com/protectionbenefits or call 1-800-338-1670 within 30 days of the incident. Submit the rental agreement, damage report from the rental company, and your card statement. Proof of loss must be submitted within 60 days.

Step 4: Purchase protection and extended warranty

File at americanexpress.com/benefits or call 1-800-228-6855. Submit the original purchase receipt, a description of the damage or loss, and photos if applicable. For extended warranty claims, have your original warranty documentation available.

Benefits activate automatically when you use the card to pay. For trip delay coverage, charge the full Common Carrier ticket to the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card. For CDW, charge the full rental to the card and decline the collision damage waiver at the counter. For baggage insurance, the ticket must be charged to the card. For purchase protection and extended warranty, charge the item to the card. No pre-registration is required for any benefit.
The primary cardholder, their spouse or Domestic Partner, unmarried dependent children up to age 19 (or 26 if full-time students), and Traveling Companions whose transportation is charged to the card are covered for trip delay. For rental car CDW, the cardholder and Authorized Drivers listed on the rental agreement are covered. Trip delay is capped at 2 claims per 12 consecutive months per card.
If your Common Carrier is delayed 12 or more consecutive hours by inclement weather, terrorist action, carrier equipment failure (documented), or lost and stolen travel documents, AIG reimburses up to $300 per trip for meals, lodging, toiletries, and personal-use items. Charge your ticket to the card. File within 60 days at aig.claimnotify.com/americanexpress or call 1-844-933-0648. Submit the carrier delay statement and all itemized receipts. Coverage is limited to 2 claims per 12 consecutive months.
Yes. AMEX Assurance covers lost, stolen, or damaged luggage when the ticket is charged to the card. Carry-on bags are covered up to $1,250 per trip and checked bags up to $500 per trip. Coverage is secondary: Delta's settlement applies first and AMEX Assurance covers the remaining gap. File a Property Irregularity Report with the carrier before leaving the airport, then contact AMEX Assurance via americanexpress.com/protectionbenefits or 1-800-338-1670.
The card provides secondary CDW coverage through AMEX Assurance Company, up to $50,000 per rental. Secondary means your personal auto insurance pays first in the event of a collision or theft, then the card covers what remains. To use it: charge the full rental to the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card and decline the rental company's collision damage waiver at the counter. Maximum rental period is 30 consecutive days. Rentals in Australia, Italy, New Zealand, and OFAC-sanctioned countries are excluded.
For trip delay, call AIG at 1-844-933-0648 or file at aig.claimnotify.com/americanexpress within 60 days. For baggage and CDW claims, contact AMEX Assurance at americanexpress.com/protectionbenefits or 1-800-338-1670. For baggage, file a Property Irregularity Report with the airline before leaving the airport. For CDW, submit the rental agreement, damage report, and card statement within 30 days of the incident.
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card does not include trip cancellation or interruption insurance. Non-refundable bookings are out of pocket if you cancel for any reason, including illness. There is no emergency medical coverage abroad and no evacuation benefit. The trip delay threshold is 12 consecutive hours: most domestic disruptions resolve before that. CDW is secondary in all covered territories. Cell phone protection is not included.
Not for medical protection. The Delta Platinum includes trip delay at $300 after 12 hours and baggage insurance, but no trip cancellation and no emergency medical coverage abroad. A serious hospitalization overseas can easily exceed $50,000. At $350 per year, the card's value centers on the companion certificate and Delta Medallion Qualification Miles, not on insurance depth. For international trips with non-refundable bookings, a standalone policy covering at least $100,000 in emergency medical and trip cancellation is necessary.
No. The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card does not include trip cancellation insurance. If you cancel a trip for any reason, including illness, injury, or family emergency, non-refundable flights, hotels, and prepaid tours are entirely at your expense. This is the card's most significant travel insurance gap for travelers who book non-refundable reservations.