Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card Review: Luxury Travel Perks for Delta Loyalists
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Key takeaway
Pros and cons
- Valuable welcome offer
- Annual companion certificate
- Airport lounge access
- $700+ worth of travel credits (enrollment required for some)
- Helps earn elite status
- Numerous Delta perks, including free checked bag and Zone 5 priority boarding
- Terms apply.
- High $650 annual fee
- Low earning rate on non-Delta purchases
- Limits you to 15 Delta SkyClub® visits per year unless you spend $75,000 in a year
Is the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card worth it?
If you’re a loyal Delta flyer who wants to elevate your business travel experience with luxury airline perks, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is definitely worth its $650 annual fee. The card delivers impressive benefits, like complimentary airport lounge access and an annual Companion Certificate, which can potentially make up for the card’s annual fee in a single trip (terms apply). It also helps accelerate your path to Medallion Status, which unlocks even more premium travel perks.
But this card isn’t for everyone. Casual Delta flyers or business owners who value flexible rewards across multiple airlines may find the high annual fee and limited non-Delta earning rates less appealing. Ultimately, if you don’t plan to take advantage of the card’s robust travel credits and airline-specific perks, you may be better off with a general travel card, like The Business Platinum Card® from American Express or the Sapphire Reserve for Business℠.
What’s this card worth?
We estimate that the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card provides the following value:
Overall first-year value: $1,845*
Overall ongoing value:) $2,140*
Quick facts
- Annual fee: $650
- Welcome offer: Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles after spending $10,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Rewards rate: Earn 3 miles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases.
- Regular purchase APR: 20.24% - 29.24% Variable
- Foreign transaction fee: None
- Other benefits:
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance1
- Car rental loss and damage insurance2
- Premium Global Assist® Hotline3
- Global Dining Access
- Return protection4
- Purchase protection4
- Extended warranty4
- Cell phone protection1
- Recommended credit: Good / Excellent
Compare the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card to similar cards
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Welcome Offer | Rewards Rate | Annual Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
|
80,000 miles
80,000 Bonus Miles after spending $10,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
| 3X miles
Earn 3 miles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases.
| $650 | ||
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
|
70,000 miles
Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after spending $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
| 1.5X miles
| $350 | ||
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
|
150,000 points
Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
| 1X - 5X points
| $695 | ||
Sapphire Reserve for Business℠
 Apply Now
on Chase's secure site Rates & Fees |
N/A | 200,000 points
Earn 200,000 bonus points after you spend $30,000 on purchases in your first 6 months from account opening and with more than $2,500 in annual value, there's no competition.
| 1X - 8X points
| $795 |
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site Rates & Fees |
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card benefits
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Valuable welcome offer
This card lets you earn a large welcome offer of 80,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 in purchases on your new card in your first 6 months of card membership. We estimate Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card miles to be worth approximately 1.1 cent each — making the welcome offer worth approximately $880*.
Compared to other premium travel cards, this is a good value. However, it is possible to get an even larger welcome offer, but those may come with a higher spend requirement. For example, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express lets you earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Depending on how you redeem your points, this welcome offer could be worth as much as $3,000. But, keep in mind, you’ll have to spend approximately nearly $7,000 each month for three months to earn it.
*Based on LendingTree’s value methodologyHow many flights can you get with this welcome offer?Ultimately, that depends on your destination, date of travel, cabin choice and other factors. For example, we found a one-way flight in Delta Main cabin from New York to Fort Lauderdale for as low as 4,800 miles in September 2025. In this case, the welcome offer could get you approximately 16 one-way trips.
On the other hand, we found a one-way flight from Philadelphia to West Palm Beach in Delta First on the same date for just over 70,200 miles (which would eat up most of the welcome offer with just one flight).
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Annual Companion Certificate
You’ll get a Companion Certificate on a First Class, Delta Comfort+® or Main Cabin round-trip flight within the U.S., or to Mexico, the Caribbean or Central America each year after renewing your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply.
This is a standout feature for this card that helps justify the high annual fee — especially since the certificate is available on First Class and Delta Comfort+ seats. By contrast, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card only offers the companion certificate on Main Cabin roundtrip flights in the same regions.
Note, you will be responsible for government-imposed taxes and fees ranging from $22 to $250.
Be aware: Some Reddit users have reported being frustrated by the limitations that come with using a companion certificate:
“You can’t just automatically apply it to any ticket. You have to have available eligible seats…. I even tried selecting First Class, and even those are ‘sold out’ despite the seats/tickets themselves being perfectly available to purchase.”
While others have cited having no issues, as long as they book their flights months in advance (to ensure seat availability):
“Go to the page that displays your companion certificate and select the certificate. The flight search tool will select two passengers and only display eligible fares (L,U,T,X,V for main cabin). You generally need to search months in advance to see decent availability. I usually search 6 to 8 months out when I use a companion certificate.”
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Complimentary airport lounge access
If you enjoy eating and relaxing at the airport lounge before boarding your flight, this benefit is another key reason to apply for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card. As a cardholder, you’ll receive 15 visits to the Delta Sky Club® each Medallion® year when flying Delta. Plus, get four one-time guest passes each Medallion year.
You’ll also receive complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge and Escape Lounges when you purchase your Delta flight using your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.
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Helps earn elite status
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card helps you achieve elite status faster by offering 1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar (MQD) for every $10 in purchases you make with the card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll get $2,500 MQDs each Medallion Qualification year.
How many MQDs do you need to reach each Medallion status level?
Silver Gold Platinum Diamond $5,000 MQDs $10,000 MQDs $15,000 MQDs $28,000 MQDs → Read more about the benefits that come with each elite status.
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Valuable travel credits
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card offers several valuable credits that can help cover the card’s annual fee each year, including:
- Up to a $240 Resy credit: Add your card to your Resy profile and get up to $20 each month in statement credits on eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants (enrollment required).
- Up to a $120 rideshare credit: Get up to $10 back in statement credits each month when you use your card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with eligible providers (enrollment required).
- Up to a $250 Delta Stays credit: Receive an annual statement credit of up to $250 when you use your card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Up to a $120 fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®: Receive a statement credit of $120 every four years to cover a Global Entry application fee, or up to $85 every four and a half years to cover a TSA PreCheck application fee.
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Numerous airline perks
You’ll also get access to a variety of Delta-specific benefits, including:
- 15% off on Award Travel: When you book Award Travel using miles, you’ll get a 15% discount. (Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.)
- Complimentary Upgrade list: If you aren’t a SkyMiles Medallion member, you can be added to the complimentary upgrade list (after Delta SkyMiles Medallion members) with an eligible ticket.
- Priority boarding: Receive Zone 5 priority boarding on Delta flights. This benefit is also available for passengers traveling on the same reservation (up to nine passengers per reservation).
- First checked bag free: Get your first checked bag for free on Delta flights for you and up to eight passengers traveling on the same reservation.
- Hertz President’s Circle® status: Receive complimentary Hertz President’s Circle status (enrollment in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program required).
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Variety of travel and purchase protections
Plus, get access to valuable travel and purchase insurances, including:
- Trip delay insurance1
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance1
- Baggage insurance plan4
- Car rental loss and damage insurance2
- Extended warranty4
- Purchase protection4
- Cellphone protection1
- Dispute resolution
While this list is extensive, it’s pretty on par with what’s offered by the other premium travel cards included in this post. But we should note that the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card does not offer cellphone insurance.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card drawbacks
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High annual fee
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card’s premium perks come with a premium price tag: a $650 annual fee. But that’s to be expected from a card that offers such valuable benefits.
If you want to earn a similar rewards rate and take advantage of some of the same travel perks — but for a $350 annual fee — you may want to consider the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card instead.
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Low earning rate on non-Delta purchases
With the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, you’ll earn 3 miles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases. You’ll also earn 1.5 miles per dollar on eligible transit, U.S. shipping and U.S. office supply store purchases, and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases. And — after making $150,000 in purchases on your card in a year — you can earn 1.5 miles per dollar on all eligible purchases for the remainder of that year.
Although this is a decent earning rate for Delta-related purchases, the earning rate on all other purchases is pretty lackluster. If you prefer to earn a higher rewards rate on business expenses, or if you don’t want to be limited to Delta Air Lines, the American Express® Business Gold Card may be a better option.
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High spend requirement to earn unlimited Delta Sky Club® access
While the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card offers unlimited complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge and Escape Lounges for the primary cardholder, it limits the number of visits to the Delta Sky Club® to just 15 per Medallion® year. You can only earn unlimited complimentary visits to the Sky Club after spending $75,000 in a calendar year on your card.
It’s worth noting that credit cards with airport lounge access typically don’t put a cap on the number of complimentary visits for the primary cardholder. However, some do put a limit on Sky Club access. For example, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express only offers cardholders 10 visits to Delta Sky Club or Grab and Go each year.
Alternate business travel cards
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card vs. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
If you want to take advantage of some premium Delta benefits while paying a considerably lower annual fee, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card is a great alternative.
For just a $350 annual fee, the card offers some of the same travel benefits and annual credits (though at lesser amounts) as the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card. And while the welcome offer is slightly lower, it’s still generous: Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles after spending $10,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
That said, the $350 doesn’t offer airport lounge access. But it does come with credits valued at more than $400 per year, as well as several travel benefits that can make up for the card’s annual fee:
- Annual companion certificate
- Up to $120 Resy credit (enrollment required)
- Up to $120 rideshare credit
- Up to $200 Delta Stays credit
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit
- 15% off Award Travel (discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees)
- Complimentary upgrade list (after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members)
- Zone 5 priority boarding
- First checked bag free
- Hertz Five® Star status
- MQD headstart and boost
- Several travel and purchase protections
- Terms apply
→ Read more about which Delta credit card is best.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card vs. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
If you’re not loyal to Delta Air Lines, you stand to get much more value from The Business Platinum Card® from American Express’ welcome offer, flexible rewards, travel credits, lounge access and elite statuses.
For a slightly higher $695 annual fee, you can earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. The welcome offer is worth approximately $1,500 when redeemed via the American Express travel portal. But you can transfer points to more than 15+ travel partners (including Delta SkyMiles) for potentially even more value.
You’ll also get access to premium travel benefits and more than $2,000 in credits each year with this card (after meeting qualifying spend thresholds), some of which include:
- Complimentary access to the Global Lounge Collection®
- Up to $200 Hilton statement credit*
- Up to $200 airline fee credit on baggage fees and other incidentals
- Up to $209 CLEAR® Plus credit (subject to auto-renewal)
- Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® some years
- Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite status*
- Hilton Honors™ Gold status*
- Car rental privileges
- Business Platinum Travel Service
- Several travel and purchase protections
- Terms apply.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card vs. Sapphire Reserve for Business℠
For an even higher welcome offer and more robust benefits, you may want to consider the Sapphire Reserve for Business℠. This recently launched luxury business travel card comes with an extremely valuable offer: Earn 200,000 bonus points after you spend $30,000 on purchases in your first 6 months from account opening and with more than $2,500 in annual value, there's no competition. Plus, earn 8x points on Chase Travel℠ for airline tickets, hotels, including The Edit℠, car rentals, cruises, activities and tours. Earn 5x total points on Lyft rides through 9/30/27. Earn 4x points on flights & hotels booked direct. Earn 3x points on social media & search engine advertising. Earn 1x points on all other purchases.
That said, this card also comes with one of the highest annual fees of any credit card: a whopping $795. Still, the benefits can easily help offset that amount:
- Up to $300 annual travel credit
- Up to $500 credit (up to $250 biannually) for prepaid stays with The EditSM
- Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Up to $420 DoorDash value
- Up to $200 Google Workspace credit
- Up to $400 ZipRecruiter credit (up to $250 biannually)
- Up to $120 Lyft credit (in monthly in-app credits)
- Up to $100 curated gift card credit (up to $50 biannually)
- Complimentary airport lounge access
- IHG® One Rewards Platinum Elite status
- Several travel and purchase protections
Is the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card right for you?
If you’re a Delta Air Lines loyalist who takes frequent business trips and plans to take advantage of the card’s numerous benefits, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is an easy choice. But if you want similar Delta benefits without a hefty $650 annual fee, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card may be a better fit.
Or, if you prefer a more general travel card that offers premium benefits, you may want to consider The Business Platinum Card® from American Express or the Sapphire Reserve for Business℠.
How we rate travel cards
We use calculations to estimate the value of each card for the average cardholder, based on LendingTree and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
- Average value over two years (80% of rating): We calculate the value of rewards and perks for the average cardholder using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and an annual spend of $20,000, minus the annual fee. This value includes the card’s sign-up bonus, annual bonus (including free night certificates) and travel perks like lounge access and travel credits. We look at the average rewards earned over two years to balance out a card’s ongoing value with its first-year value.
- Flexibility of rewards (15% of rating): We consider how easy the rewards are to use, looking at factors like expiration dates, minimum thresholds to redeem, blackout dates and the availability of flexible redemption options like travel statement credits and cash back.
- Other features (5% of rating): We also compare a card’s benefits, such as purchase protections, travel protections and elite status benefits against benefits from other cards.
2. 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. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
3. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.
4. 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.
To see rates & fees for American Express cards mentioned on this page, visit the links provided below:
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
- American Express® Business Gold Card
The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.