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finder.com’s rating: 4.3 / 5
★★★★★
The Delta Reserve‘s perks more than make up for the card’s annual fee. It comes with an assortment of travel perks, including an annual companion certificate worth hundreds of dollars or more. But the strength of the card lays in these perks: if you just want to earn Delta miles, you may be better served by a cheaper Delta offering.
100,000
Miles as welcome offer
Up to 3x
Miles
$550
Annual fee
17.24% to 26.24%
Purchase APR (variable)
Annual fee | $550 |
---|---|
Welcome offer | Limited Time Offer: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer ends 8/3/2022. |
Rewards | 3x miles on direct Delta purchases and 1x miles on other eligible purchases |
Purchase APR | 17.24% to 26.24% variable |
Balance transfer APR | N/A |
Minimum Credit Score | 670 |
Issuer | American Express |
Review by
Kliment Dukovski is a cryptocurrency and investments writer who has written over 700 articles to help readers find and compare the best financial options. Kliment has also written on money transfers, home loans and more. Previously, he ghostwrote guides and articles on foreign exchange and stock market trading.
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is the flagship luxury card from Delta. It carries a steep $550 annual fee, up to 3x miles on Delta purchases, and a bevy of travel benefits and features that more than make up for the cost of the card.
At $550 a year, we wish it offered more than 3x miles on eligible Delta purchases, a rate you’ll find with lower-priced Delta cards. However, there’s tremendous value in the card’s other perks, which notably include complimentary access to Delta Sky Clubs and Centurion lounges, and an annual companion certificate valid for Domestic First Class, Comfort+ or Main Cabin flights. Combined, these benefits can provide over $2,200 of value each year. This is by far the biggest complimentary value you can find on a Delta credit card and it more than makes up for the cost of the card each year. This card also offers a welcome offer of 100,000 Bonus Miles and 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases in your first 3 months.
One nitpick has less to do with the card itself and more with how Delta handles award flights: All fares require you to pay taxes and fees associated with the tickets. This includes a free flight booked with a companion certificate. Aside from that, this card is a terrific choice for travelers looking to take full advantage of the SkyMiles program and the card’s perks. If you simply want to earn SkyMiles on purchases, however, you’ll do just fine with a less expensive Delta card that earns similar miles, such as the Platinum or Gold versions.
American Express automates its online conditional approval, which means you could see a decision on your application in minutes. If further verification is needed, it could take a few business days up to a few weeks to get a decision.
After approval, you should receive your new card by mail within 10 business days.
To apply for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, you must be:
Prepare to provide such information as your:
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card has a lot to offer, so let’s break down the features you can expect with this card.
Here’s a look at how the Delta Reserve stacks up against two entry-level airline cards on the market. If you want to know more about how each Delta card compares against one another, check out our best Delta credit card page for more information.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card |
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card |
United℠ Explorer Card |
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★★★★★ |
★★★★★ |
★★★★★ |
|
|
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Minimum Credit Score 670 |
Minimum Credit Score 670 |
Minimum Credit Score 670 |
Annual Fee $550 |
Annual Fee $99 ongoing |
Annual Fee $95 ongoing |
Purchase APR Up to 26.24% variable |
Purchase APR Up to 26.24% variable |
Purchase APR Up to 24.24% variable |
Balance transfer APR N/A |
Balance transfer APR N/A |
Balance transfer APR 17.24% to 24.24% variable |
Rewards 3x miles |
Rewards 2x miles |
Rewards 2x miles |
Welcome offer Limited Time Offer: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer ends 8/3/2022. |
Welcome offer Limited Time Offer: Earn 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer ends 8/3/2022. |
Welcome offer
Up to 70,000 bonus miles: 60,000 miles after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months, plus 10,000 miles after you spend $6,000 total on purchases in the first 6 months months |
Compare even more credit cards
The following benefits could give you a stellar annual value of more than $2,321:
Benefit | Estimated annual value |
---|---|
Complimentary Delta Sky Club access | $545 |
Annual companion certificate | $1,261 |
First checked bag free | $300 |
Main Cabin 1 priority boarding | $150 |
In-flight savings | $40 |
Global Entry/TSA Pre✓® application fee credit | $25 , and it renews every four years.”] |
Note this is a conservative estimate, as it doesn’t include benefits like access to the Centurion lounge, Status Boost MQMs, travel insurance and purchase protection.
Back to topCustomers say they love the opportunity to boost miles, the card’s companion certificate and all the other airline rewards. Still, you’ll find complaints online about ultimately low credit limits, which customers say made reaching Medallion Status difficult. At least one Redditor warns that it’s only great if you spend a lot, given its steep annual fee.
The American Express Company has been accredited with the Better Business Bureau since 1948 and earns an overall A+ rating as of August 2021. However, 90% of its reviews are negative and it has nearly 3,400 customer complaints. Amex cardholders in general complain of rude customer service reps, missing statement credit and issues disputing charges.
The company earns a Trustpilot score of 1.9 out of 5 as of August 2021. Many negative reviews cite unhelpful customer service and inflexible company policies. Positive reviews say the company employs pleasant customer service representatives. Overall, your mileage may vary with American Express customer support.
Date | Before card update | After card update |
---|---|---|
March 3, 2022 | Welcome offer: Earn 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Plus, earn up to $100 back in statement credits for eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants with your card within the first 3 months of membership. | Welcome offer: Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. |
April 29, 2021 | Welcome offer: 80,000 bonus miles and 20,000 MQMs after you spend $5,000 in your first 3 months | Welcome offer:80,000 bonus miles and 20,000 MQMs after you spend $5,000 in your first 3 months and a $200 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 3 months |
July 29, 2021 | Welcome offer: 80,000 bonus miles and 20,000 MQMs after you spend $5,000 in your first 3 months and a $200 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 3 months | Welcome offer: 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 MQMs after you spend $3,000 in your first 3 months, and up to $100 back as statement credit on eligible purchases at US restaurants during that same time period. |
September 16, 2021 | Welcome offer: 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 MQMs after you spend $3,000 in your first 3 months, and up to $100 back as statement credit on eligible purchases at US restaurants during that same time period. | Welcome offer: 80,000 bonus miles, 20,000 MQMs and a $200 statement credit after you spend $5,000 in your first 3 months |
Travelers who are loyal to Delta should find the Delta Reserve worth it primarily for the travel perks, companion pass and boosted MQMs available through the card. It’s the best choice for taking advantage of Delta luxury perks while pushing to climb the Medallion status ranks as quickly as possible.
However, the Delta Reserve‘s mile earning rates aren’t especially impressive for a luxury card. For that reason, the mid-level Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card may be sufficient if you’re simply interested in building Delta SkyMiles without the need for excess luxury perks.
If neither card strikes your fancy, you can compare all airline cards to find one that offers the best combination of perks and rewards versus cost for your needs.
Back to topTo determine the average value of a Delta Skymile, we looked at the equivalent dollar value a redemption option would cost in the Delta Skymiles program. We calculated this average across all redemption options available through Delta to reach the approximate value you can expect when redeeming these points on average. In this case, the average value of a single Skymile came out to 1.4 cents per point.
Remember that your points could be worth more or less depending on what you redeem them on, so this figure should be used as a general guide.
Editorial note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.
Insurance benefit note: Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
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