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The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card offers phenomenal benefits for frequent and high-net-worth Delta business flyers, as well as the ability to earn Medallion elite status through heavy credit card spending.
For business owners who do a lot of travel, business airline cards can pave the way to a more seamless travel experience, granting access to a world of rewards and VIP treatment.
We break down what we like about the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, what to watch out for, and compare it to another popular business card to help you decide if it’s a good match.
Note: enrollment may be required for some of these benefits:
Intro Purchase APR
N/A
Intro BT APR
N/A
Annual Fee
$550
Regular Purchase APR
15.74% - 24.74% Variable
Cash Advance Fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
Foreign Transaction Fee
None
Balance Transfer Fee
N/A
Lounge access
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card cardholders, including any additional users on the same account, get Delta Sky Club® access, which is a $545 yearly value based on the fee for one individual membership – that alone makes up for the $550 annual fee.
Cardholders also are welcome to enter Amex Centurion Lounges for free, provided that you have booked travel through Delta.
Plus, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card cardmembers are granted two one-time Delta Sky Club guest passes each year.
Companion pass
Cardholders will receive a digital companion certificate on each card anniversary as well as a companion certificate upon card approval that covers the cost of a second traveler on a round-trip flight, not including taxes and fees of up to $75.
Complimentary upgrades, preferred seating and more
Not only do Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card cardmembers get a plethora of travel benefits and protections, a free checked bag, preferred seating, but they also get access to complimentary upgrades and priority boarding.
Welcome bonus and MQM status boost
Earn 60,000 bonus miles, 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs), and a $100 statement credit after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Plus, there is ample opportunities to earn Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) needed to move you into higher Delta tiers (which provide better benefits the higher you go). These include the welcome offer that gives you 20,000 MQMs, and the 15,000 bonus MQMs after you reach $30,000 in eligible purchases on your card in the calendar year. And, throughout 2021, after you spend $30,000 on purchases with your card, you will earn an additional 3,750 MQMs, up to 4 times.
To see the rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please click here.
Annual fee
While the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card comes with an annual fee of $550, know that what you get in return, provided you take advantage of all the benefits, can more than offset the cost of carrying the card.
However, if you don’t think you’ll take advantage of all the card has to offer, then you may be better served with a lower-annual-fee Delta business card.
Low earnings rate on non-Delta purchases
With the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, you’ll earn 3 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta. Only very high spenders will reap the higher rewards rate on non-Delta purchases, and even then, 1.5x miles isn’t very generous.
To see the rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please click here.
If you’re not ready to take the plunge with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, the next best Delta business card is the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, which comes with a lower $250 annual fee.
Earn 60,000 bonus miles, 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs), and a $100 statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. For ongoing rewards, earn 3 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and on every eligible dollar spent on purchases made directly with hotels.
Plus, there is an intro APR offer with the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: 0% APR for 12 months, after which an APR of 15.74% - 24.74% variable will apply.
What you’ll lose in exchange for the lower annual fee is free lounge access, and a lower MQM earning opportunity. However, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card carries most of the same travel benefits and protections as the Delta Reserve for Business Credit Card.
To see the rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, please click here.
To see the rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please click here.
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| Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card | Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card | Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card | The Business Platinum Card® from American Express |
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Apply Now on American Express's secure site
Terms Apply
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Apply Now on American Express's secure site
Terms Apply
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Apply Now on American Express's secure site
Terms Apply
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Apply Now on American Express's secure site
Terms Apply
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| Annual Fee | |||
| $550 | $250 | $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99 | $595 |
| Welcome Offer | |||
| Earn 60,000 bonus miles, 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs), and a $100 statement credit after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. | Earn 60,000 bonus miles, 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs), and a $100 statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. | Earn 50,000 bonus miles and a $50 statement credit after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. | Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Platinum Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. |
| Rewards Rate | |||
| Earn 3 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta. | Earn 3 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and on every eligible dollar spent on purchases made directly with hotels. | Earn 2 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta, on every dollar spent on eligible U.S. purchases for advertising in select media, on every dollar spent on eligible U.S. shipping purchases, on every eligible dollar spent on dining at restaurants. Earn 1 Mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases. | 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com. Get 50% more Membership Rewards® points. That's an extra half point per dollar, on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more. |
| Intro Purchase APR | |||
| N/A | 0% APR for 12 months | N/A | N/A |
| Regular APR | |||
| 15.74% - 24.74% Variable | 15.74% - 24.74% Variable | 15.74% - 24.74% Variable | 14.24% - 22.24% Variable |
| Recommended Credit | |||
| Excellent/Good | Excellent/Good | Excellent/Good | Excellent/Good |
| Card Details | |||
| Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card | Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card | Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card | The Business Platinum Card® from American Express |
Before you apply for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, ask yourself a couple of questions: Is flying Delta convenient for you and your staff, and is it almost always your airline of choice? Will you actually use benefits like the Delta Sky Club®, free checked bag and companion ticket? If the answer to both is a resounding yes, then you’ll easily get a lot of value out of this card, even with its hefty annual fee. If not, then perhaps a more flexible and less costly business travel card option like the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card will better suit your business needs.