36 Benefits of the Amex Delta Reserve Credit Card [Over $7,300 Value]

A Delta-branded card is logical to get if you fly often with the airline and want access to inflight benefits, better SkyMiles earnings, and more redemption options for Delta flights.

The Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card is packed with benefits for Delta flyers, making it a top choice for frequent travelers. The card has a $650 annual fee (rates & fees), but its perks and benefits can more than make up for that fee.

Let’s examine the long list of reasons this card stands out above the others and see if it’s truly the right Delta-branded card for you.

Earning Delta SkyMiles

1. Start Off With a Generous Welcome Offer ($1,200)

Welcome offers change, but you can count on jump-starting your earnings with tens of thousands of SkyMiles once you meet the minimum spending requirements within the specified period after card approval.

Here is the current welcome offer and an overview of the Delta Reserve card.

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

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

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Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card

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

Welcome Offer

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.

As High As 100,000 Miles. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $1,200

Annual Fee

$650

APR

19.49%-28.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card is a stellar option for frequent travelers who always fly with Delta thanks to its MQD Headstart towards status boost, lounge access, 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 & Cons

Pros

• 3x SkyMiles per $1 on Delta purchases.
• 1x SkyMile per $1 on all other eligible purchases.
• Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights.

Cons

• $650 annual fee (rates & fees)
• No bonus categories other than Delta purchases

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Card Highlights

• You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
• Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion^® Year to the Delta Sky Club^® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
• Receive $2,500 Medallion^® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
• Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main domestic, Caribbean, or Central American round-trip flight each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
• $240 Resy Credit: Get up to $20 in statement credits each month at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay with your enrolled Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases.
• Global Dining Access by Resy gives you special access to sought-after U.S. Resy restaurants when you add your Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card to your Resy profile. Access to exclusive reservations, premium dining experiences, Priority Notify, and more, all from Resy.com or the Resy app.
• $120 Rideshare Credit: With your $120 Rideshare Credit, earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment Required.
• Check your first bag for free on Delta flights worldwide and get a second bag free when flying domestically.
• Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express 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.
• With your Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
• Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
• $650 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.49%-28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Delta SkyMiles Airline Loyalty Program

2. Earn 3x Miles on Delta Purchases ($180)

Every purchase you make with Delta earns 3 miles per $1 you spend on the card. Qualifying purchases include flights purchased with Delta, upgrades, miles, seat selection, Delta Sky Club membership, and inflight Delta purchases of food, beverages, and headsets. Purchases made with Delta Vacations and Delta Stays also qualify for 3x earnings.

If you spend $5,000 annually with Delta, you would earn 15,000 SkyMiles, which we value at around $180.

3. Get Miles for Every Purchase You Make ($360)

Every eligible dollar you spend on the card earns 1 Delta SkyMile.

On an estimated monthly spending budget of $2,500, you’d earn 30,000 SkyMiles from 1x categories annually, which we value at around $360.

Hot Tip:

You will earn miles on every eligible purchase you make on your Delta Reserve card.

4. Earn Miles for Referring a Friend ($120)

Referral bonuses vary, but you typically earn 10,000 to 20,000 Delta SkyMiles when you refer a friend who is subsequently approved for the Delta Reserve card or another Delta-branded American Express card.

If you referred 1 friend each year, we estimate you’d earn 10,000 SkyMiles, which we value at $120.

Delta Travel Benefits

The Delta Reserve card offers benefits you can enjoy when traveling with Delta.

5. Access to Delta Sky Club Airport Lounges (Varies)

Delta Reserve card members receive 15 visits per Medallion year to the Delta Sky Club. To earn an unlimited number of visits each year, you’d need to spend $75,000 or more on your card in a calendar year.

6. Access Centurion Lounges (Varies)

Cardholders traveling on a Delta-operated or Delta-marketed flight booked with their Delta Reserve card can access Centurion Lounges. Centurion Lounges are typically nicer than Delta Sky Clubs. We value access to Centurion Lounges at around $200.

7. Receive Delta Sky Club Guest Passes (Varies)

After card approval and at each card anniversary, you receive 4 Delta Sky Club single-use guest passes. You can use up to 2 guest passes per visit.

Because single-visit passes have been discontinued and companion guest passes now cost $50, we value 4 single-use guest passes at a discounted rate of about $100.

8. Share Lounge Access With Authorized Users (Varies)

Add authorized users to your Delta Reserve card and earn miles when they spend on their card.

Authorized users do not receive most of the benefits that are offered to primary card users. However, they do get their own allotment of access to Delta Sky Clubs when flying on a same-day Delta flight and Centurion Lounges when they book a Delta flight with the Delta Reserve card.

The Delta Reserve card charges $175 for each additional authorized user per year — far less than you would pay for an annual lounge membership (rates & fees).

We value this benefit at around $100.

9. Use Priority Boarding ($50)

Make sure your Delta SkyMiles number is added to your reservation, and get Zone 5 priority boarding for you and up to 8 additional passengers traveling with you.

We estimate this benefit to be worth around $50 per year.

10. Save With Free Checked Bags ($100)

With the free checked-bag benefit available to you and up to 8 additional travelers on the same Delta flight reservation (up to 2 free bags for you, 1 bag each for your companions), you can save plenty of money. Most commonly, your first checked bag is around $45, so we estimate the value of this benefit at around $100 per year. Travel often and save much more.

11. Earn an Annual Delta SkyMiles Companion Certificate ($500)

Get a companion certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your card.

The companion certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees ranging from $22 to $250 (for itineraries with up to 4 flight segments).

Tickets must be for travel within the U.S., the Caribbean, or Central America. Since this certificate is valid for limited international tickets, we set this benefit value at around $500.

Hot Tip:

Read our article on how to use your Delta companion certificate.

12. Receive Upgrade Priority ($5)

Delta Reserve cardmembers who have Medallion elite status have priority for complimentary upgrades over other passengers within the same Medallion tier and fare class grouping. We value this benefit at $5 because the upgrade odds don’t change appreciably with it.

13. Get Upgrade Eligibility ($5)

Delta Reserve cardmembers who do not have Medallion elite status are eligible for complimentary upgrades after Medallion members. Having an upgrade priority is great, but you have the lowest possible upgrade priority. Unless you have elite status with Delta, you essentially get upgraded only ahead of travelers flying on Delta who don’t have SkyMiles accounts or a Delta Reserve card. We value this benefit at $5.

14. Save With Inflight Discounts ($20)

Receive 20% back as a statement credit when using your card for inflight Delta purchases such as food, beverages, and headsets. Assuming you spend $100 per year on inflight purchases, this benefit translates to a value of $20.

15. Use the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit ($120)

Receive a statement credit of up to $120 every 4 years for Global Entry or up to $85 every 4 1/2 years for TSA PreCheck.

Bottom Line:

Frequent Delta travelers get numerous Delta Reserve card benefits, including lounge access, free checked bags, priority boarding, and upgrade eligibility.

Statement Credits

By using your card for these purchases, you receive direct, easy-to-quantify economic value in the form of a statement credit. We like that these useful credits focus on purchases travelers would typically already be making.

16. Resy Dining Credits ($240)

Receive up to $240 each year, up to $20 monthly, when spending at more than 10,000 U.S. Resy restaurants. Enroll your card in your online card account before your first purchase to receive a statement credit.

17. Delta Stays Credits ($200)

Get an annual statement credit of up to $200 when purchasing eligible prepaid Delta hotels or vacation rentals.

18. Ride-Share Credits ($120)

Enroll your card to receive up to $120 annually, up to $10 monthly for qualifying ride-share purchases. You must use the card for each purchase, and credits do not roll over from month to month.

Redeeming Your Miles

You won’t have trouble using your SkyMiles, as there are many ways to redeem them. Having the Delta Reserve card allows you to earn more SkyMiles, so we’ve included additional redemption options for using those miles, not just those limited to cardholders.

19. Redeem Fewer Miles for Delta Award Flights ($50)

Delta doesn’t publish an award chart, but award flights generally start at 10,000 SkyMiles. Delta also runs frequent flash sales where award flights are discounted. Cardholders receive a 15% discount on award flights. We value the ability to redeem SkyMiles for Delta award flights at around $50.

20. Redeem Miles for Flights With SkyTeam Alliance Partner Airlines ($50)

You can use miles to book award flights on SkyTeam Alliance airlines and on other partner airlines. Over the years, Delta has since devalued its miles, making it more difficult to redeem with partners, so we now value this perk at $50.

Hot Tip:

For some of the best ways to redeem your SkyMiles, check out our list of creative ideas for award redemptions.

21. Pay With Miles ($25)

Cardmembers can use miles to pay for all or a portion of their qualifying Delta flight. A minimum of 5,000 miles is required, and every 5,000 miles is worth $50 toward the cost of an eligible fare.

In general, Delta SkyMiles award redemptions yield about 1.2 cents per mile, compared with 1 cent per mile for the Pay with Miles benefit. But in the event of blackout dates or other complications, having Pay with Miles can be useful. We value this benefit at $25.

22. Redeem Miles for Seat Upgrades and Ticket Fees ($50)

Use your SkyMiles to purchase an upgraded seat during booking or to upgrade a qualifying existing reservation.

In addition, you can use your miles to pay for ticket change fees, award redeposit fees, and same-day confirmation fees. We value this benefit at $50.

23. Redeem Miles on SkyMiles Shopping and More ($10)

Redeem your miles on SkyMiles Shopping and select from over 6,000 items, including appliances, electronics, apparel, accessories, and more. Your miles can also be used to purchase gift cards and magazines or make a charitable donation.

Because this is a pretty low-value way to redeem SkyMiles, we peg this benefit at $10. We’d only recommend it if you never intend to fly on Delta or SkyTeam partners again.

Bottom Line:

There are dozens of ways to redeem your SkyMiles, but the best value is generally for Delta and SkyTeam partner award flights. 

Faster Path to Delta Medallion Elite Status

To achieve elite status with Delta, each year, you must earn the specified number of Medallion Qualification Dollars, or MQDs.

Delta Reserve cardholders have additional benefits relating to a faster path to earning Delta elite status.

Hot Tip:

Wondering about the value of status with Delta? We have you covered with our full guides on Silver Medallion, Gold Medallion, and Platinum Medallion status with Delta. 

24. Earn MQDs With Spending via the MQD Boost ($1,250)

You can earn MQDs at a rate of 1 MQD per $10 spent on your Delta Reserve card. This benefit is the MQD Boost. By spending only on your card, you may find yourself nearing elite status. While the exact value of the benefit depends on how much you spend on your card, we estimate it at $1,250 when you can use it to boost your status.

25. Get an MQD Headstart ($750)

In addition to the MQD Boost, Delta Reserve cardholders also get an MQD Headstart. All Delta Reserve cardholders receive an MQD Headstart of $2,500 MQDs at the start of each current Medallion Qualification Year. That puts you halfway to Silver status before the year has even started. Since we value Silver status at around $1,100, we value this head start at $750, since you’re also getting closer to the benefits of the higher-value statuses of Gold, Platinum, and Diamond.

Bottom Line:

Spending on your Delta Reserve card can result in a faster path to elite status.

Travel Protection and Benefits

The Delta Reserve card comes with trip protections and benefits that can save you money and provide assistance when things go wrong during your travels.

26. Trip Cancellation and Interruption Coverage (Varies)

Pay for your round-trip ticket with your Delta Reserve card and receive up to $10,000 per trip, for up to $20,000 per calendar year. We value this coverage at around $100.

27. Trip Delay Coverage (Varies)

If your trip is delayed 6 hours or more, you could receive up to $500 reimbursement for incidentals, up to 2 claims per card per year. We value this coverage at around $200, as delays seem more prevalent than before.

28. Baggage Insurance Plan (Varies)

Receive up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and $500 for checked baggage that is lost, stolen, or damaged. We value this benefit at around $25.

29. Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance (Varies)

If you reserve and pay for your rental car with your Delta Reserve card and decline the rental agency’s collision damage coverage, you could be covered for damage and theft of your rental car.

This coverage is secondary to any other car insurance covering such a loss. We estimate the value of this benefit to be $50.

30. Premium Global Assist Hotline (Varies)

Get help with emergency transportation, finding an English-speaking doctor, a legal referral, or assistance with other travel emergencies.

The referral service comes at no extra cost. However, the cardholder is responsible for any actual services provided. By our estimates, this benefit is worth around $25.

31. Concierge Services (Varies)

Receive 24/7 assistance with dinner reservations, tickets to events, and more. If you maximized this benefit, you’d probably get a value of around $25.

32. No Foreign Transaction Fees ($100)

Take your card with you when you travel, as no foreign transaction fees will be charged on your purchases (rates & fees). Foreign transaction fees are usually around 3%, so we assume you’d get a value of $100 every year if you made around $3,333 of foreign transactions every year.

Shopping Protections and Benefits

33. Return Protection (Varies)

Purchase an eligible item with your card, and if the merchant won’t accept a return within 90 days of purchase, you could receive a return protection benefit of up to $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per cardmember account per year.

We value this benefit at around $30.

34. Purchase Protection (Varies)

For purchase protection, you can receive up to $10,000 per eligible item purchased with your card if the item is damaged or stolen. Coverage is for 120 days (90 days for New York residents) from the date of purchase, with a maximum benefit of $50,000 per year.

We value this benefit at around $100, though filing a claim on a valuable item can save you thousands of dollars.

35. Extended Warranty (Varies)

When you make a purchase with your card, any manufacturer’s warranty of 3 years or less on an eligible item is extended for 1 additional year. This warranty is worth around $100, by our estimate, but it depends on the types of purchases you make.

36. Cell Phone Protection (Varies)

Cardholders and authorized users receive up to $1,600 in cell phone protection (2 claims per year, up to $800 per claim) against theft and damage, including cosmetic damage (such as a cracked phone screen). Each claim has a $50 deductible, and your monthly phone bill should be paid with your Delta Reserve card to receive coverage.

Assuming you made 1 claim, you’d get $750 of value after the $50 deductible.

Final Thoughts

For the frequent Delta traveler, there can be significant benefits to having the Delta Reserve card, especially if you’re currently paying for a Delta Sky Club membership.

Access to Centurion Lounges is also valuable, and it’s a perk that cannot be purchased separately.

Travelers can also use statement credits for Resy, Delta Stays, or ride-sharing services to receive additional economic value.

Use the companion certificate, free checked bags, and other Delta-related benefits that come with the card to save money and make your trip more comfortable.

If you fly additional airlines frequently, you may consider the Platinum Card^® from American Express, which offers Centurion Lounge access and 10 visits to Delta Sky Clubs (when flying Delta) with the ability to unlock unlimited visits through spending, plus a long list of premium benefits, including hotel elite status and statement credits (some require enrollment).

To help you decide which card is best for you, take a moment to review our comparison of the Amex Platinum card and the Delta Reserve card.