Star FUNDSamentally Rating

Rates, fees, offers at a glance

	Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
Annual Fee	– $650
Rewards rates	– 1x-3x
Sign up bonus	– Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases on your new Card within your first 6 months
foreign transaction fee	– None
Ongoing APR	– 20.99% to 29.99% variable APR on purchases
Balance transfer fee	– N/A
Additional benefits	– Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months. – Enjoy complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club® when traveling on a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight. You will receive four Delta Sky Club One-Time Guest Passes each year. After that, you may bring up to two guests at a per-visit rate of $50 per person, per location. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter. -Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.

Detailed Overview

Card Type: Airline.

Annual Fee: $650.

Welcome Offer: Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first 6 months. Terms Apply.

Rewards:

• 3X miles per dollar on eligible purchases directly with Delta.
• 1X mile on all other eligible purchases.

We Estimate Delta miles at 1.2 cents each, based on real-world data. Aim for award redemptions offering 1.2 cents or more in value per mile.

Benefits:

• Earn 1 Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) for every $10 spent annually.
• $2,500 MQD head start annually.
• Complimentary access to Delta Sky Club and Amex Centurion Lounge, plus four one-time guest passes to Delta Sky Clubs yearly.
• Annual companion certificate upon renewal.
• Concierge service.
• Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck.
• First checked bag free for you and up to eight others on the same reservation.
• Priority boarding.
• 20% savings on eligible in-flight purchases.
• $20 monthly Resy statement credit (up to $240 per year).
• $10 monthly rideshare statement credit (up to $120 per year) on select U.S. rideshare purchases.
• $200 annual Delta Stays credit. Terms apply.

APR: The ongoing APR is 20.99%-29.99% Variable APR

Foreign transaction fees: None.

Benefits and Perks

Elite status qualification

Delta has revamped its credit card benefits for elite status, focusing on Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQD). Delta Reserve Amex holders earn 1 MQD for every $10 spent, with no cap on MQD earnings from card spending. Additionally, they receive an annual MQD boost of 2,500 MQDs.

Automatic credits

In 2024, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card members will enjoy automatic annual credits totaling $560, without activation:

• $240 yearly credit at Resy, issued monthly in $20 increments.
• $120 annual rideshare credit, provided as $10 monthly credits.
• $200 Delta Stays credit applicable to prepaid hotel bookings.

These credits, beneficial for urbanites utilizing rideshare and dining services, help offset the $650 annual fee. The Delta Stays credit adds further value for prepaid hotel bookings. Terms apply.

Drawbacks and Consideration

High annual fee

If the $650 annual fee is too steep for your liking, there are more budget-friendly alternatives offering lounge access. The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card, for instance, has a lower fee and provides up to $200 in travel statement credits, including $100 toward TSA Precheck or Global Entry and $100 for airline incidentals. While it doesn’t grant access to the Delta Sky Club, it’s a solid option for covering lounge expenses elsewhere, with a generous sign-up bonus to boot.

Lounge access is limited

Delta Sky Club lounges offer fantastic amenities, but they have limited availability. Although the Delta Sky Club program boasts a wide network of partner locations, entry to these spots isn’t included with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. This card only grants access to Delta Sky Club locations, which numbered just over 50 as of November 2023. Additionally, while the card provides access to American Express’ Centurion Lounges when flying Delta and using the card to book, there are only 13 of these lounges in the U.S. as of November 2023.

Is this card right for you?

For Delta enthusiasts seeking complimentary Delta Sky Club access and elite-like privileges, this card is an excellent fit. However, if you prioritize maximizing frequent flyer miles and don’t require extensive Delta-specific perks, a card earning transferable points like the Amex Platinum might be more suitable.