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At a glance
- Best for: Delta Loyalists
- Annual Fee: $650
- APR: 19.99%-28.99% Variable
- Reward Rate: 1X-3X
- Recommended Credit: 670-850
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
100,000 Bonus Miles
Offer Details:
Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 4/2/2025.
Why we like it
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is built for frequent Delta fliers who want the most return from their loyalty. Regular business travelers will make the most from the card.
Enjoy complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club® when traveling on a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight. You’ll also receive complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card. Plus, there’s a bevy of other benefits, like up to $240 in statement credits for U.S. Resy restaurants, and up to $120 in statements credits for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers.
Reward details
3X Miles on Delta purchases.
1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
You’ll receive complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply.
Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
First checked bag free on Delta flights
No foreign transaction fees
Up to $120 in statement credits for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers.
Up to $240 in statement credits at U.S. Resy restaurants.
Cons
The high $650 annual fee is only worth it for very frequent Delta travelers or high spenders
Its miles-earning potential is relatively low for a high-end card; the only bonus spend category is 3X miles per dollar on Delta purchases
Overview
For many American travelers, the Delta Sky Club represents the pinnacle of luxury travel. However, the nation’s favorite airline and its most sought-after lounges are harder to enjoy today than ever before. Hefty restrictions on lounge admittance and a shift in loyalty priorities mean the average traveler can’t take full advantage of everything Delta has to offer.
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is the solution to that problem.
As one of the few cards with SkyClub access and a range of high-value perks, it’s the ultimate card for any Delta fan. But it doesn’t come cheap. Let’s see if the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card’s value matches that price tag.
Who is the Delta SkyMiles Reserve best for:
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve card is built for regular Delta fliers with an eye on premium travel. If elite status is the goal, no card will get you there faster. The high-end lounge access will help you get there in style, while handy credits and the companion pass make it easy to recoup value. That said, its $650 annual fee (see Rates and Fees) may be too steep for many.
The Bottom Line:
This is a premium travel card built for those with a soft spot for Delta. Its numerous travel credits and excellent perks, along with a sizeable intro bonus can more than offset that hefty annual fee. But less frequent travelers or those without specific airline habits may want to steer clear.
Intro Bonus
The card is offering a limited-time 100,000 SkyMiles after spending $6,000 within six months of opening the card. It’s not a bad offer, thanks mainly to its relatively approachable spending threshold. Note that this offer will end on April 2nd, 2025.
Those opening the card should consider whether it’s worth it, though. Its cheaper sibling cards offer 90,000 and 80,000 miles respectively and don’t carry such heavy annual fees.
While those miles can only be used on Delta and SkyTeam partner flights, they can still be immensely valuable with some patience. Just do your research on flights to ensure you don’t get thrown off by Delta’s dynamic pricing system.
Pros & Cons
The Delta Reserve is an impressive card, but it’s not without its flaws. Let’s take a look at the good, the bad, and the…well, that’s it.
Pros
- Delta Sky Club access
- Strong 100,000 mile intro bonus
- Companion certificate
- Strong MQD earning
- An array of valuable perks
Cons
- High annual fee
- SkyMiles earning is disappointing
Benefits & Perks
SkyClub and Lounge Access
The headline attraction is definitely the SkyClub access. The Reserve card is the only Delta card that allows free access. Cardholders are given 15 visits per Medallion Year when flying Delta. If you’re a big spender and hit $75,000 in a year, you’ll enjoy unlimited visits. You’ll also grab four one-time guest passes per year, too.
On top of the SkyClub, cardholders also get access to Amex’s Centurion lounges.
Annual Companion Certificate
Regarding value, the Companion Certificate is the Reserve’s strongest benefit. The perk allows the cardholder to bring a fellow traveler on a round-trip domestic or select international flight for no more than the taxes and fees. These fees are capped at $250.
Using this on a pricier flight represents a huge saving and could (potentially) offset the annual fee. It’s worth noting the benefit works on First Class, Delta Comfort+, and Main Cabin tickets. The benefit resets every cardholder year.
Upgrade Priority and Complimentary Upgrade List
Cardholders will enjoy Upgrade Priority in different ways depending on each individual situation. Medallion members will be prioritized over other members in the same Medallion tier. Those who aren’t Medallion members are still added to the list, although they’ll be below all the Medallion members.
First Checked Bag Free
Another strong benefit of the Reserve is the first checked bag-free perk. This simple add-on saves the cardholder up to $70 per person on a roundtrip. The benefit extends to anyone on the booking, making that $280 for a roundtrip for a family of four.
$200 Delta stays credit
The Reserve gifts cardholders a $200 statement credit after the card is used to purchase prepaid hotels or vacation rentals using Delta Stays or Delta.com. No activation is required—you just need to remember to use Delta’s portal. Assuming you spend $200 in hotels in a year, that’s directly offsetting some of that fee.
$120 Rideshare Credit
Like its cheaper sibling card, the Reserve comes with up to $120 statement credit for ridesharing. Simply enroll and book your ride. The credit is available in monthly $10 increments.
MQD Boost
Those looking to give themselves the best shot at elite status can take advantage of the MQD Boost. Cardholders earn $1 Medallion Qualification Dollar for every $10 spent on the card. There’s no limit beyond your own (hopefully, sensible) expenses.
On top of that, you’ll grab 2,500 MQDs each year as a little boost.
$120 Resy Credit
Operating similarly to the ride-sharing credit, users of the restaurant booking platform Resy will get up to $10 a month back in credits on reservations. Download the app and check out how many restaurants in your area are featured.
$120 Global Entry, TSAPrecheck, or NEXUS statement credit
This card offers up to $120 statement credit for Global Entry, TSAPrecheck, or Nexus. The credit is applied every four years after paying for the application on one of the services. It’s good to note that successfully applying for Global Entry can also grant you a TSAPrecheck membership.
Any of these services can expedite your travel days considerably by cutting down on the time you have to wait in security or customs.
TakeOff 15
One of the more underrated perks of a Delta is the TakeOff 15 benefit. It’s simple, if you own the card you get 15% off award travel bookings through Delta. This is a big deal for those still trying to squeeze value out of SkyMiles. With some rewards soaring past 100,000 miles, that would represent 15,000 miles in savings.
Best of the rest
- Hertz President’s Circle Status
- Baggage insurance plans
- 20% back on in-flight purchases
- Trip delay insurance*
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance*
- Car rental loss and damage insurance*
- Premium Global Assist Hotline*
- Return protection*
- Purchase protection*
- Extended warranty*
- Events with Amex
- Concierge
Earning rewards & redeeming points
Earning rewards
Frustratingly, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card is lacking in the earnings department. If your primary goal is racking up SkyMiles, it might be time to look elsewhere.
3x miles per dollar on Delta purchases
The Reserve offers 3x miles per dollar on purchases made directly with Delta. That could be anything from flights to Delta Vacation purchases.
Anything else will earn 1x mile per dollar.
A note on earning choices
If you’re still set on the card, at least for the perks, it’s a good idea to look elsewhere for your earning needs. Remember, Amex cards allow transfers to Delta. With that in mind, opening a card like the American Express® Gold Card could be a good bet. With 4x points per dollar on dining at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, then 1x) and US supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, then 1x), you’re giving yourself a far better rate than just 1x points per dollar.
Redeeming points
Delta’s SkyMiles program…well, it’s not great. It remains an infinite source of frustration that many new points and miles users hone in on Delta because it’s their favorite airline because SkyMiles are notoriously hard to squeeze value from.
Its dynamic system means a business class seat can soar to over 300,000 miles overnight, while its baseline redemptions aren’t too competitive with other stronger programs.
With that said, keeping an eye on domestic flights and some partner redemptions can reap dividends for patient travelers. It’s also handy to regularly check the Delta Sky Deals page where you’ll find specific routes at excellent rates. They won’t also apply to your needs but you’ll occasionally find an amazing deal.
Is this card right for you?
If you’re a Delta loyalist hellbent on Medallion status, you need this card in your wallet. From the MQD boosts to the SkyClub access, it’s got everything you need. For less enthusiastic Delta customers, do some calculations, and see if you’re better off with a general travel card instead.
- Best for: Delta Loyalists
- Annual Fee: $650
- APR: 19.99%-28.99% Variable
- Reward Rate: 1X-3X
- Recommended Credit: 670-850
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
100,000 Bonus Miles
Offer Details:
Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 4/2/2025.
Why we like it
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is built for frequent Delta fliers who want the most return from their loyalty. Regular business travelers will make the most from the card.
Enjoy complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club® when traveling on a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight. You’ll also receive complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card. Plus, there’s a bevy of other benefits, like up to $240 in statement credits for U.S. Resy restaurants, and up to $120 in statements credits for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers.
Reward details
3X Miles on Delta purchases.
1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
You’ll receive complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply.
Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
First checked bag free on Delta flights
No foreign transaction fees
Up to $120 in statement credits for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers.
Up to $240 in statement credits at U.S. Resy restaurants.
Cons
The high $650 annual fee is only worth it for very frequent Delta travelers or high spenders
Its miles-earning potential is relatively low for a high-end card; the only bonus spend category is 3X miles per dollar on Delta purchases
*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/
by your friends at The Daily Navigator
