Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- Best for: Frequent Delta flyers who will use the Sky Club visits and the companion certificate every year
- What Sets It Apart: 15 Sky Club visits a year; Centurion Lounge access on Delta trips; companion certificate good in first class
- Cost: $650 annual fee; no foreign transaction fees; 19.74% to 28.74% variable APR
- Features: 3X miles on Delta purchases and 1X on everything else; $2,500 in Medallion Qualification Dollars a year plus $1 per $10 spent; up to $240 in Resy, $120 in rideshare, and $200 in Delta Stays credits a year; first checked bag free for up to nine on your reservation
- Pros: Sky Club and Centurion Lounge access; companion certificate works in first class; fastest elite-status earning of Delta’s personal cards
- Cons: $300 a year more than the Delta Platinum; 1X at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets; guests cost $50 a visit after four free passes a year
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card is worth its $650 annual fee only if you fly Delta often enough to use its 15 yearly Sky Club lounge visits and its companion certificate. It seats a second traveler for only taxes and fees, even in first class. If you’d skip the lounges, get the $350 Delta Platinum card.
Often enough means about seven round trips a year, since each Sky Club visit covers one direction of a trip, connections included. Over the $350 Delta Platinum, the extra $300 buys those visits, first-class seats on the companion certificate, faster progress toward elite status, and $170 more in credits ($120 for Resy restaurants, $50 for Delta Stays hotels).
Key Features
- $650 annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and a 19.74% to 28.74% variable interest rate (APR) on purchases
- 50,000 bonus miles and two round-trip Delta Comfort (extra-legroom) tickets within the contiguous U.S. after $10,000 in purchases in 6 months (offer ends Nov. 4, 2026)
- 3 miles per dollar on Delta purchases and 1 elsewhere, with 5,000 miles worth up to $50 off a Delta fare
- 15 Sky Club visits a year, unlimited after $75,000 in purchases in a calendar year, and Amex Centurion Lounge entry on Delta flights booked with the card
- Up to $240 a year in statement credits at U.S. Resy restaurants, $120 for U.S. rideshares, and $200 for Delta Stays hotel bookings
Pros
- A companion certificate after each renewal, good in first class, Delta Comfort, or economy
- $2,500 a year in Medallion Qualification Dollars, which set Delta elite status, plus $1 per $10 spent, so $25,000 in purchases earns Silver status
- First checked bag free for up to nine people on your reservation, a second bag free for you on domestic trips, and Zone 5 priority boarding
Cons
- Only 1 mile per dollar at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, where the Platinum earns 2
- Guests cost $50 a visit after four free passes a year, and Basic Economy tickets get no club entry
- Resy and rideshare credits pay out up to $20 and $10 a month, and both need enrollment
- No companion certificate until your first renewal
Apply if you take seven or more Delta round trips a year and will use the certificate. Otherwise get the Platinum, or the Gold at $150 a year after a free first year, and business owners should look at the Reserve Business version.
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