The Delta Reserve Card from American Express is best if you often fly Delta, visit Sky Club airport lounges, and can utilize other premium perks.
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The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is one of the best airline credit cards for frequent Delta flyers who want premium benefits, including top-tier travel perks and protection. This card comes with access to the Delta Sky Club lounge network, which can make the $650 annual fee worthwhile.
American Express issues seven personal and small-business Delta credit cards. The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is the most premium of the personal cards, and new cardholders can earn a welcome bonus offer of 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card isn't for the casual Delta flyer, especially after the airline increased the annual fee to $650 in February 2024.
But the card is worth consideration if you can make use of perks such as access to the Delta Sky Club and Amex Centurion airport lounge networks when you fly Delta; Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs); complimentary upgrades when available; a 15% discount on Delta award flights; a free first checked bag; and an annual Delta companion certificate.
You'll earn 3x miles on Delta purchases, but just 1 mile per dollar on everything else — there are no other bonus categories. If you want to earn more Delta miles from your everyday spending, you'll want to look at other Delta cards or cards that earn Amex Membership Rewards points, such as the American Express® Gold Card. Delta is an American Express transfer partner, and you can convert Membership Rewards points to SkyMiles instantly at a 1:1 ratio.
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card currently offers a welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. The bonus miles are worth about 66000 in flights, based on Business Insider's points and miles valuations.
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card isn't a great pick for everyday spending outside of Delta purchases, because it doesn't offer any additional bonus categories. Cardholders earn:
Personal Finance Insider values Delta miles at 1.1 cents apiece, on average. You're getting a good deal if you get that 1.1-cent rate or better when you compare the cost of your award flight to that of a paid ticket.
You can redeem Delta miles for flights on Delta, SkyTeam alliance partners, and non-alliance partners, including Air France, KLM, and Korean Air. Delta no longer publishes an award chart, so the number of miles required for an award ticket varies depending on demand, paid ticket price, and time of year.
The airline occasionally runs surprise flash sales with award tickets priced as low as 2,000 miles one-way for domestic flights and as little as 9,000 miles for international routes. These Delta SkyMiles deals don't occur at specific times, so it's worth checking frequently to see if the route or destination you want is on sale.
All Amex Delta cardholders can use miles to fully or partially offset the cost of a paid ticket. The Delta Pay With Miles program allows members to redeem at a rate of 1 cent per mile in 5,000-mile increments, so 5,000 miles is worth $50 off the cost of a paid ticket. This is helpful if you don't have enough miles for an award or want to stretch your miles by combining them with cash.
If you don't want to redeem SkyMiles for flights, there are other options, but you'll typically get a poor value in comparison:
Because Delta miles don't expire, you don't have to stress about redeeming them if you're not ready to travel in the near future.
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is a premium credit card and comes with a wide variety of benefits that can help offset the hefty annual fee.
The most outstanding benefit of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is complimentary Delta Sky Club airport lounge access. If you fly through airports with Sky Club lounges frequently, this perk can make your travels more comfortable and save you money in the long run. Delta Sky Clubs offer a quieter place to work and relax, with free Wi-Fi, snacks, light meals, beverages, and other amenities.
Delta operates dozens of Sky Clubs at major US airports, and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card cardholders can access these lounges on the same day that they take a Delta-operated or Delta-marketed flight.
Current Reserve cardholders have unlimited Sky Club access until February 1, 2025, when they will be limited to 15 Sky Club visits a year. Cardholders who want to maintain unlimited access can earn it by spending $75,000 or more on the Delta Reserve in the previous calendar year.
Reserve cardholders also receive two one-time Sky Club guest passes each year, but can also bring in up to two guests at a discounted rate of $50 per person (as long as they're also flying Delta).
You can purchase Sky Club membership directly from Delta for $545 per year. But while the $650 annual fee is higher, you may find that the additional perks included on the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card offset the value for you.
Keep in mind you can also get Delta Sky Club access (when you fly Delta) if you have The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, so those cards may be a better fit if you prefer flexibility and the other perks they offer. Here's our comparison of the Amex Platinum versus Delta Reserve to help you decide if you're torn between these cards.
Amex Centurion Lounges are typically fancier than Delta Sky Clubs, and if you hold the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, you'll have access if you're flying Delta that day and used a U.S.-issued American Express card to pay for your ticket.
Cardholders can currently bring up to two guests into the Sky Club (if they're also flying Delta) at a rate of $50 per person. Centurion Lounges are known for offering premium food and cocktails and a more upscale atmosphere, but they're at far fewer airports, and some have long wait times to enter.
Similarly, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card members can access Escape Lounge — The Centurion Studio Partner U.S. locations when flying on a same-day Delta-operated or marketed flight. To be eligible for entry, you must have used a U.S.-issued Amex card to pay for your ticket. Additional guests are allowed but will be charged a guest fee that varies depending on the Escape Lounge location.
When you have the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, you'll get upgrade priority over non-cardholders with the same Medallion status level and fare class grouping. If you don't have Medallion status, you'll get added to the complimentary upgrade list after elite status holders.
Each year on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card anniversary, you'll receive a Delta companion certificate valid for round-trip, domestic first class, Delta Comfort+, or economy class travel within all 50 states, Mexico, and the Caribbean as of February 2024. (Before Delta's recent update in early 2024, companion certificates only worked for travel within the 48 contiguous states.)
If you buy an eligible paid ticket, a companion can join you for just the cost of taxes and fees on the same itinerary — and if you purchase an expensive fare, you could end up saving hundreds (or thousands) of dollars with that companion fare.
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card also comes with an annual companion certificate, but it's only valid for economy class travel — so the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is a better choice if you'll book Comfort+ or first-class tickets.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card cardholders get an automatic boost toward elite status qualification with this new benefit. Cardholders will receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQD) each Medallion Qualification Year toward their elite status qualification requirements, and earn $1 MQD per $10 spent on the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card.
Reserve Business cardholders can earn a statement credit of up to $20 a month when they use the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay their bill at participating U.S. Resy restaurants. You'll also have access to exclusive reservations if you link your Resy account to this credit card.
You have to enroll your credit card with American Express in order to qualify for this benefit.
You can get a statement credit of up to $10 a month when you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for your airport rideshare with select providers. You have to enroll your credit card before you can begin earning this benefit.
You can earn up to $200 per year as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com. Unlike the Resy and rideshare credits mentioned above, this benefit is calculated from your total spend with Delta Stays each year.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card members and up to eight companions on the same reservation receive a free first checked bag on Delta flights. Delta normally charges $30 each way for the first checked bag, so this perk can significantly offset the annual fee if you fly Delta often.
Families or groups, in particular, can get a huge value — four people with a checked bag each on a round-trip itinerary would normally incur fees of $240 for their luggage.
The Global Entry and TSA PreCheck trusted traveler programs can save you a ton of time at the airport. And if you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay the application fee, you'll be reimbursed up to $100 for Global Entry every 4 years, or up to $85 for TSA PreCheck every 4.5 years after you apply through any authorized enrollment provider.
Cardholders and up to eight companions on the same reservation receive Delta Main Cabin 1 priority boarding — even when flying Basic Economy — which means you'll have more time to get settled into your seat and find room in the overhead bins for your carry-on bag.
The Main Cabin 1 group boards after passengers flying in premium cabins and most elite members, but before other economy class travelers or those flying in basic economy.
When you link the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to your SkyMiles account, you can receive a 15% discount on award tickets booked on Delta-operated flights. With this new TakeOff 15 benefit, you'll need to book through Delta.com or the Fly Delta app to get the discount.
This is a convenient perk for folks who frequently use Delta miles to book award flights. But there are a few restrictions to be aware of: Partner award flights are excluded, and authorized users aren't eligible for the discount.
When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for inflight purchases like drinks, food, or audio headsets on Delta flights, you'll receive 20% back in the form of a statement credit.
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card offers secondary car rental insurance when you use the card to pay for your rental in full and decline the rental company's collision damage waiver. Coverage is for theft or damage only (not liability) and some rentals, vehicle types, and countries are excluded, so be sure to read the terms.
When you pay for an eligible item with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, you'll get purchase protection for loss or damage up to 90 days from the date of purchase, up to a maximum of $1,000 per occurrence and $50,000 per year.
Cardholders can also get an extended warranty on eligible items when they use their Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay — up to one additional year added to eligible U.S. manufacturer's warranties of five years or less.
If you purchased an eligible item with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and the merchant won't accept your return, you may get a refund of the full purchase price (excluding shipping and handling), up to $300 per item and a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year.
If you pay for a covered trip with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, you can be covered for baggage loss or damage, up to $500 per person for checked bags and $1,250 per person for carry-on luggage.
Like most other credit cards with travel insurance, there are exclusions for things like high-risk items. Some states have different limits, so check the terms and conditions for specific details.
The card's trip delay insurance can reimburse you up to $500 for meals, lodging, toiletries, medication, and other personal items if you've paid for a covered trip with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. Your flight must be delayed by six hours or more, and you can file a claim up to two times per consecutive 12-month period.
If you paid for a covered trip with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and it's canceled or cut short for a covered reason, you could be reimbursed up to $10,000 per trip and up to $20,000 per card per consecutive 12-month period.
Another powerful benefit of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is cell phone protection. When you use your card to pay your monthly wireless bill, you're covered for the cost of repair or replacement if your phone is damaged or stolen, up to $800 per claim and up to two claims per 12-month period.
There's a $50 deductible, and you must file your claim within 90 days of the incident. Coverage is secondary (it will pay out after any other insurance you have) and it starts the first day of the calendar month following payment of your monthly bill with your eligible card. It stays in effect as long as you continue paying your bill with the card.
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card comes with a little-known perk that can be a lifesaver if you have an emergency while you're away from home. Cardholders get access to Amex's Premium Global Assist Hotline, which can help arrange things like passport replacement, medical referrals, and translation services.
The service itself is complimentary, but you may be responsible for any third-party costs. One big difference from the regular (versus premium) Global Assist Hotline is emergency medical evacuation coverage — Amex may provide emergency medical transportation assistance at no cost if it's approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline.
Like other American Express cards, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card comes with targeted discounts or bonus miles at participating merchants through Amex Offers**. Taking advantage of these offers is a great way to save money on purchases you'd make anyway and can help you offset the card's annual fee.
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card annual fee increased to $650 in February 2024, so it's not for the occasional traveler. If you carry a balance on the card, you'll pay a 20.99% - 29.99% Variable APR, so try to pay your card in full each month to avoid high interest charges.
There are no foreign transaction fees to worry about, so this a good card to use for international purchases. However, there are other fees to be aware of, including:
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is a powerful addition to the right wallet.
But if you don't fly Delta often enough to maximize these benefits and justify the annual fee, here's a quick overview of two lower-tier credit cards that might be a better fit. All of these cards come with priority boarding and a free first checked bag for you and up to eight companions when flying with Delta.
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card has an annual fee of $350, which is nearly half that of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card.
The Delta Platinum actually offers more earning opportunities than the Delta Reserve, since the Delta Platinum earns 3X miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2X miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets, and 1X miles on all other eligible purchases.
Delta Platinum cardholders also enjoy many of the same perks and benefits of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. But there are several distinct differences:
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card currently offers a welcome bonus of 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
Read our full Delta Platinum American Express credit card review.
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is the lowest-tier Delta card that carries an annual fee. Delta Gold cardholders earn 2x miles at restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.), on groceries at U.S. supermarkets, and on purchases made directly with Delta, and1x miles on all other purchases.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card cardholders receive a $200 Delta flight credit after spending $10,000 or more on the card within a calendar year in lieu of annual companion certificates or airport lounge access.
Read our full Gold Delta Skymiles Amex card review.
Personal Finance Insider sources consumer opinions across a number of Internet forums such as FlyerTalk and Reddit for additional context. Here are some insights we saw regarding the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card.
Delta hiked annual fees on six Delta SkyMiles cards in February 2024, to loud outcries from current cardholders. Many Delta loyalists have been shaken by this change, which quickly followed on the heels of Delta's decision to limit Sky Club access for credit cardholders in late 2023.
Many current and potential cardholders agree that the Delta Reserve still makes sense for a specific demographic: People who frequently fly with Delta and value Sky Club access, who can maximize the full value of the Delta companion certificate, perhaps with a first- or business-class round trip ticket redemption. The certificate is particularly lucrative for travelers who might book a premium-class ticket for a work trip but can get reimbursed for the cost later on.
Most people who are approved for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card have a good to excellent credit score, which requires a FICO score of at least 670.
If you frequently fly Delta and want access to Delta Sky Club lounges, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card could be worth it for you. The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is a better choice for infrequent flyers because it has a lower annual fee, yet still offers perks like a free checked bag and priority boarding.
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card annual fee is $650.
The Delta Reserve's premium benefits include Delta Sky Club airport lounge access, as well as a round-trip Delta Companion Certificate each year, which allows a companion to travel with you on eligible flights for just the cost of taxes and fees.
Insider's experts assessed the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card in comparison to other premium travel credit cards and considered several factors, including:
For an in-depth look at Personal Finance Insider's methodology, read our guide to how we rate credit cards.
