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Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card — Full Review [2023]

Name: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card — Full Review [2023]
Item: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
Rating: 4.25
Author: Jarrod West

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"With complimentary Delta Sky Club access!"

Delta loyalists will love the fast track to Delta elite status, lounge access, baggage benefits, and upgrade priority with the Delta Reserve card.

Learn More (at Amex's secure site)

Jarrod West

- Updated: May 21, 2023, 11:48pm CDT|

4Comments

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is a stellar option for frequent travelers who always fly with Delta thanks to its lounge access, status boost, annual companion certificate, and many other great benefits.

Here is a full look at everything the Delta Reserve card can offer to you to help you decide whether the card deserves a place in your wallet.

Pros

New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
3x SkyMiles per $1 on Delta purchases
1x SkyMile per $1 on all other purchases
Complimentary Delta Sky Club and Amex Centurion Lounge access when flying Delta
Delta Status Boost
Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) Waiver
Annual Companion Certificate
Access to Complimentary Upgrades and Upgrade Priority
Free checked bags
20% back on inflight purchases
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee statement credit
Travel and purchase protection

Cons

$550 annual fee (rates and fees)
No bonus categories other than Delta purchases

Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express - Snapshot

Welcome Bonus & Info (Partner Content)
- Earn 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club® for you when travelling on a Delta flight.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
- Earn up to 60,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) With Status Boost® per year. After you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 15,000 MQMs up to four times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion Status and are different from the miles you earn towards flights.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Receive a domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+® or domestic Main Cabin round trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- With your Card receive upgrade priority over other Medallion Members within the same Medallion level and fare class.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $550 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
Card Categories:
- Credit Card Reviews
- Best Airline Credit Cards
Rewards Center
Delta SkyMiles Airline Loyalty Program
Customer Service Number
1-800-297-3276
Login Link
https://www.americanexpress.com
Related Articles

Great Card If

You are a frequent flyer and Delta loyalist
You want Delta Sky Club access

Don't Get If

You are not a frequent traveler
You don’t fly with Delta

Delta Reserve Card — Fees

Annual Fee
- $550
Foreign Transaction Fees
None
Interest Rates
- 20.74% - 29.74% Variable
Late fees
- Up to $40
- Penalty APR: 29.99% variable
Cash Advance APR
- 29.99% Variable
- Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
Additional Info
Rates and Fees

Delta Reserve Card - Is It Worth It?

If you’re a frequent Delta flyer, the Delta Reserve card might just be a must-have card for you.

Thanks to its status boost ability, the card is a great option for those looking to qualify or re-qualify for high levels of Delta elite status. Plus, it offers complimentary Delta Sky Club and Amex Centurion Lounge access — a huge benefit for frequent travelers.

When you factor in the rest of the card’s benefits including the annual companion certificate, free checked bags, access to complimentary upgrades, and more, it’s easy to see how much value the card can offer to Delta flyers.

Delta Reserve Card Top Benefits

Delta Travel Benefits

The Delta Reserve card is loaded up with benefits that Delta flyers will love.

Complimentary Lounge Access: Visit Delta Sky Clubs and Amex Centurion Lounges when flying with Delta.
Status Boost: Earn 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year, up to 4 times per year.
Medallion Qualifying Dollar Waiver: Waive the MQDs requirement towards up to Platinum Medallion elite status after you make at least $25,000 in purchases in a year.
Annual Companion Certificate: Receive up to a domestic first class round-trip companion certificate each year you renew your card, including taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights.
Complimentary Upgrades: You’ll be added to the upgrade list on flights, even if you don’t have Delta status.
Upgrade Priority: Receive priority on the upgrade list for holding the Delta Reserve card over other flyers with the same status level as you.
Free Checked Bag: Get your first checked bag free for you and up to 8 traveling companions on the same flight.
Get 20% Back on Inflight Purchases: Applies to food, beverages, and audio headsets.

Card Protections

Trip Delay Insurance: If your flight is delayed by more than 6 hours, you can receive up to $500 in coverage towards items including food and lodging.
Trip Cancellation Insurance: If your trip is canceled or cut short for a covered reason, you can receive up to up to $10,000 per trip, up to $20,000 per year, in coverage for non-refundable expenses.
Rental Car Insurance: The card’s secondary insurance coverage covers accidental damage or theft of your rental car.
Baggage Insurance: If a carrier loses your luggage, you’re covered for up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage.
Return Protection: If the merchant you purchased an item from won’t accept a return within 90 days, you can receive coverage of up to $300 per item, up to $1,000 per year.
Purchase Protection: If an item is lost or damaged within 90 days of purchase, you can receive up to $10,000 in coverage per occurrence, up to $50,000 per calendar year.
Extended Warranty: Adds 1 year of warranty coverage to warranties of 5 years or less.

How To Earn and Redeem Your Delta SkyMiles

You won’t want to rely on your card alone to earn your Delta SkyMiles, and this is where our guide on the best ways to earn Delta SkyMiles can come in handy, as it will show you multiple options you might not have heard of before.

When you’re ready to start putting those SkyMiles to use, you’ll want to check out our top ways to redeem Delta SkyMiles to learn how you can get way more value than the standard flyer by being strategic with your SkyMiles.

Alternative Cards to the Delta Reserve Card

The Platinum Card® from American Express

If you’re not totally committed to Delta, but still want a card that offers premium perks, then the Amex Platinum card could be the one for you.

It still offers access to Amex Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs, but also takes that a step further by offering you access to several other airport lounge networks including Priority Pass and Plaza Premium Lounges.

Sure, the card has a steep annual fee of $695, but when you consider the amount of value you can get from the annual credits, it’s easy to see how you might come out way ahead by holding the card.

See our detailed comparison of the Amex Platinum card vs. the Delta Reserve card.

Business Owner?Check out our review of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.

We’ve also compared the Delta Reserve card to other popular cards:

For rates and fees of Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.

Featured Image Credit: American Express

Frequently asked questions

Is the Delta Reserve card worth it?

If you’re a frequent Delta traveler, then the card can be well worth it, even with the annual fee.

One of the key reasons for this is that you can accumulate rewards points right off the bat when you make your very first purchase; you'll get MQMs and bonus miles. Not to mention the card’s airport lounge access and annual companion certificate.

On top of that, you can save money while traveling by receiving free checked bags and 20% savings on your inflight purchases of food and other items.

But the perks don't end there! If you purchase an item and you want or need extra protection, your card can offer that, too. For example, purchase protection and extended warranty are also available to cardmembers.

Do the points on a Delta credit card ever expire or go away?

Because the SkyMiles earned will be transferred to Delta SkyMiles right away, the points on the card will not ever expire or go away, even if you cancel your card.

How does the Delta Reserve card compare to the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card?

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is better for earning SkyMiles on everyday purchases such as dining and groceries, or even on hotel purchases when traveling.

On the other hand, the Delta Reserve card is a much more benefits-focused card since it offers complimentary lounge access, upgrade priority, and the better annual companion certificate of the 2 cards.

What is a good card to use in conjunction with the Delta Reserve card?

You can use any of the other Membership Rewards cards, such as the Amex Platinum card or the American Express® Gold Card, and then transfer your Membership Rewards points to your Delta SkyMiles account.

What is the Delta Reserve card upgrade priority?

You will receive upgrades according to your current ticket and status. If you are an elite status member, you will get priority. Cardmembers get priority over regular customers.

About Jarrod West

Jarrod has been writing about the ins and outs of credit cards and loyalty programs, along with airlines and hotels, for over 6 years. He is regularly called upon to share his expertise on the latest news within the space, and has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, RetailMeNot, and Yahoo! Finance. Jarrod has over 20 credit cards in his wallet and has tested out dozens more in order to vet the very best card options for readers. As he is constantly sampling new cards, Jarrod also earns (and redeems) over 1 million points and miles each year. This allows him to book luxury travel experiences the world over, and save tens of thousands of dollars in the process.

tm July 10, 2018
How much would you have to fly in order to go from silver to gold status with the reserve card?
- Christine Krzyszton July 10, 2018
  The MQM (Medallion Qualifying Miles) requirement for Silver Medallion status with Delta is 25,000 MQMs. The MQM requirement for Gold Medallion status is 50,000 MQMs. If you had the Delta Reserve credit card and spent $30,000 on the card in a calendar year you would receive a total of 25,000 MQMs for that spending (10,000 MQMs for spending $3000 in the first 3 months and another 15,000 MQMs when you reach $30,000 in total spending).
  You could then reach Gold status by earning another 25,000 MQMs by flying or by spending an additional $30,000 (total of $60,000) to earn another 15,000 MQMs and that would leave you with only needing to earn 10,000 MQMs from flying. Keep in mind that all of this activity has to be completed in a calendar year. I hope this answers your question.
George B May 8, 2019
The real value of the card is the First Class companion certificate. I just got back from a MIA-SFO FC RT booking for $1,150. Now that price would be great, for an annual First Class transcon for two; to the West Coast or Vegas! That alone pays for the card, let alone for the Lounge Benefits, which can’t be bought (as of Jan 2019) for day pass, at any price!
- Christine Krzyszton May 8, 2019
  Hello George and thanks for sharing your experience with the card. The companion certificate and lounge access are valuable benefits.

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