Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card review

If you’re a frequent Delta flyer, the upscale Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card will help you climb the Delta Medallion ladder more quickly and claim exclusive benefits, such as unlimited complimentary seat upgrades, free checked baggage on Delta flights and priority boarding.

However, if you’re willing to spend three figures on an annual fee, you may be able to get more value from a super-premium card that offers stronger perks, such as the The Platinum Card® from American Express or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card. You could also enjoy some of the same benefits as the Delta Reserve card – such as priority boarding and waived baggage fees — with a smaller price tag by opting for a lower-tier Delta card such as the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card.

The Delta Reserve card’s benefits are relatively limited for a card of its caliber and its highest rewards rate isn’t hard to find among other travel cards. But it does offer some exclusive air-travel-related benefits – including a companion seat every year and special treatment for frequent fliers — that could make the card’s $650 upfront fee worth it for certain travelers. The Delta Reserve card’s value also skyrockets the more you spend thanks to its tiered bonus program.

So, if you fly Delta often enough and expect to charge at least $2,500 a month, the premier Delta Reserve could be a good fit. Here’s what to consider if you’re thinking about applying for a Delta Reserve card:

Latest welcome offer

The SkyMiles Reserve card recently lowered its welcome offer. You can now earn 70,000 Delta SkyMiles after you spend $5,000 in your first six months as a card member.

The welcome offer provides solid value. Bankrate’s latest airline mile valuations list Delta SkyMiles as worth around 1.2 cents per mile, making the miles from the current bonus worth around $840 in Delta travel which can help offset the card’s cost in the first year.

A good way to upgrade the quality of your flights

Additional Medallion miles may not appeal to everyone. But if you’re a frequent Delta flier, you know just how valuable those Medallion Qualification Dollars can be.

You’ll also receive unlimited free seat upgrades for yourself and one traveling companion, a free checked bag for yourself and up to eight other traveling companions (which is a nice perk for big families), priority check-in and more. The higher the Medallion ladder you climb, the better the benefits will be. For example, Platinum Medallion members get a free voucher for Global Entry status so they can zip through security lines more quickly, a $200 Delta gift card and a $200 gift card for the luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co.

Solid-value perks

While the Delta Reserve card offers a few high-value perks, they may only appeal to select cardholders. The Reserve card’s most valuable benefit is the Domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+® or Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate that cardholders receive each year. Depending on where you fly (the ticket must be for a flight within the U.S. or to Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America – taxes, fees and restrictions apply), that perk alone could be worth several hundred dollars, offsetting the cost of the annual fee.

If you’re a frequent Delta traveler who’s just looking for a card to help you upgrade your Medallion status, the card’s companion certificate could make the card’s high annual fee worth it since you’ll essentially be earning that money back each time you renew your card.

The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card also offers valuable credits for everything from rideshares to hotel bookings, including a $240 Resy credit each year (up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases – enrollment required), a $200 Delta Stays credit (up to $200 per year as a statement credit on eligible prepaid bookings through Delta Stays) and a $120 rideshare credit (up to $10 in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers – enrollment required).

Other cards to consider include the The Platinum Card® from American Express, which offers comparably lush perks, plus access to a wider selection of airport lounges, up to $200 worth of Uber Cash annually for U.S. rides and eats (Add your Amex Platinum Card to your Uber account and redeem with any Amex card; Terms Apply) and up to $200 in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel (when you pay with your Platinum Card; minimum two-night stay required). The Citi Prestige® Card* offers a fourth night free hotel benefit that can add up to thousands of dollars’ worth of savings for heavy travelers.

Limited rewards

The Delta Reserve card’s rewards program is also fairly limited. Cardholders earn 3 miles for every dollar spent on Delta purchases and 1 mile for every dollar spent on general purchases. The American Express Platinum card, by contrast, awards 5 points for every dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (earn 5 points per dollar on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) and 5 points for every dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

With such a low rewards rate, it could be tough for you to rack up enough miles to earn a significant number of free flights. As you climb the Delta Medallion ladder, you’ll earn more miles for Delta purchases. But you may have a hard time justifying using this card for everyday purchases – particularly since there are so many other cards available that award significantly more points for popular purchases, such as gas, restaurants and groceries. You don’t even have to pay an annual fee, for example, to earn 1.5X miles on every purchase, or 2% cash back, depending on the card.

Delta Reserve vs. Amex Platinum

Even if you’re a Delta loyalist, the Delta Reserve may not be the best fit for you. Depending on your priorities, The Platinum Card from American Express could offer more flexibility and long-term value. Here’s how the two compare.

To start, the Amex Platinum offers a higher rewards rate not only on Delta purchases, but also on airline and hotel purchases: You’ll earn 5 points per dollar on purchases made directly with the airline or with American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel, and 1 point per dollar on other purchases. The Delta Reserve only offers 3 miles per dollar on Delta purchases and 1 mile per dollar on other purchases.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the value of each card, based on our estimates of the average cardholder’s spending and Bankrate’s valuations of Membership Rewards and Delta SkyMiles:

Based on its current welcome bonus, the Amex Platinum beats the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card in both short- and long-term value. Not only is the current Amex Platinum card bonus worth far more than the Delta Reserve card’s by our estimates, but the Amex Platinum card’s higher average ongoing rewards rate also gives it an edge even after the first year, especially if you also take advantage of its many perks to help offset the higher annual fee.

Amex Membership Rewards are also much more flexible than Delta SkyMiles. While you can only use Delta SkyMiles with Delta or one of its SkyTeam partner airlines, you can transfer Membership Rewards to a number of Amex transfer partners and, in some cases, squeeze extra value out of your points. You can even transfer to Delta at a 1:1 ratio if that’s your focus.

That said, the Delta Reserve stands out with its Delta-specific perks. While the Amex Platinum gets you access to Delta Sky Club lounges when you fly with the airline, the card is otherwise thin on Delta-specific benefits. The Delta Reserve, on the other hand, offers free checked bag benefits, priority boarding, a companion certificate on your account anniversary, in-flight discounts, and a chance to earn elite status.

Our verdict: If you want to maximize your rewards and enjoy more flexible redemption, you should definitely consider the Amex Platinum. You can always transfer points to Delta if needed and will still enjoy generous lounge access and other luxury travel perks. If you see more long-term value in Delta perks (especially the annual companion certificate) and you’re willing to keep your rewards locked to Delta and its partner airlines, the Delta Reserve may be a better fit.

Why get the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card?

• You frequently fly Delta and want to boost your Medallion status.
• You care more about flight-specific benefits – such as priority boarding and free seat upgrades – than other travel perks.
• You plan to fly at least once round-trip per year with a companion and so would benefit from the card’s annual companion certificate.

How to use the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card:

• Maximize your savings by using your card for all your Delta purchases as well as for general purchases that don’t earn a higher bonus on other cards.
• Spend at least $5,000 in the card’s first six months to capture the introductory bonus.

For rates and fees of the Delta Reserve card, please click here.

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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.

*All information about the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by CreditCards.com. The issuer did not provide the content, nor is it responsible for its accuracy.