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Delta SkyMiles? Reserve American Express Card review — Enjoy complimentary upgrades and lounge access

Updated 7 min read

Frequent travelers who love to fly Delta and value elite status should consider the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card. This premium travel credit card offers unparalleled benefits when flying Delta, including complimentary upgrades, lounge access, and free checked bags. Cardholders can also accelerate their path to elite status and enjoy a 15% discount on award tickets. Learn more about the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card to decide if it's the best airline credit card for your wallet.

  • Annual fee: $650

  • Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 on your new Card in your first 6 months

The Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card earns rewards in two primary ways: a welcome bonus to new cardholders and miles on purchases. You'll earn a welcome bonus of 60,000 miles when you spend $5,000 within the first six months. Delta no longer publishes an award chart, but you can book multiple tickets with this bonus when domestic economy tickets start at just 4,000 miles.

Everyday purchases also earn miles when using the Delta SkyMiles Reserve. You'll earn 3x miles on Delta purchases and 1x miles on everything else. While the card doesn't offer many bonus categories, people who purchase Delta tickets regularly can maximize their rewards.

As a premium travel credit card, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve is loaded with features that justify its $650 annual fee. A majority of these benefits can only be redeemed when flying Delta, so it's perfect if this is your preferred airline. When flying Delta, you'll receive complimentary access to Delta Sky Club and the Centurion Lounge*, priority boarding, the first checked bag for free, and 20% off inflight purchases. It also comes with an annual companion certificate for a domestic roundtrip flight.

*Beginning Feb. 1, 2025, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club. To earn unlimited lounge visits each year, you must spend $75,000 or more on eligible purchases between Jan. 1, 2024, and Dec. 31, 2024, and each calendar year after that.

If you have elite status, you'll receive priority on upgrades. For those who don't, you'll be added to the complimentary upgrade list after elite members. The card also helps to earn and maintain elite status based on your annual purchases. You'll receive $2,500 Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) for holding the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card. Additionally, the card earns $1 MQD for every $10 spent on the card. This means Delta Reserve cardholders can earn entry-level Silver status by spending $25,000 and top-tier Diamond status by spending $255,000 in a calendar year (not counting MQDs earned from flying).

The card also includes travel and purchase protections at no extra charge*. Trips are protected against delay, cancellation, or interruption, and rental cars receive secondary coverage in case of damage or theft. Eligible purchases receive return and purchase protection, as well as an extended warranty.

Read more: See our picks for the best American Express credit cards

The welcome bonus and miles earned on purchases are deposited into your Delta SkyMiles loyalty program account. Typically, miles from purchases post after the close of each statement, and the welcome bonus is deposited a few weeks after it is earned. These miles combine with miles earned from flying or any of Delta's other partnerships toward booking award travel.

Redeeming miles is quick and easy through the Delta website or its mobile app (Apple, Google). Log into your account, then select your travel dates, departure and arrival cities, class of ticket, and number of passengers.

Check the "Shop with Miles" box and click search to see available flights, departure times, and prices. Use the filter and sort functions to narrow down the choices based on your trip details and budget. You can also toggle between cash, miles, and "Miles + Cash" to compare prices. When you have a Delta credit card, a 15% discount is applied to award ticket prices on eligible flights.

We value Delta SkyMiles at an average of 1.2 cents each. The value you'll receive may be higher or lower, depending on the type of class chosen, travel dates, and other factors.

  • High annual fee

  • Limited bonus categories

  • Most benefits only apply to Delta flights

  • Lack of an award chart makes it harder to value miles

As an American Express card, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve is accepted at 99% of places that accept credit cards in the U.S. This puts Amex cards in virtual parity with credit cards with the Visa or Mastercard logo for domestic purchases.

However, when traveling internationally, American Express does not have the same acceptance rates as Visa and Mastercard. If the Delta SkyMiles Reserve is your preferred credit card, it is wise to bring cash or a different type of card as a backup, just in case.

After making purchases to earn miles and the welcome bonus, you'll need to make payments to avoid late fees and interest on your balance. American Express offers numerous methods to make payments on your Delta SkyMiles Reserve credit card.

  • Online: American Express website

  • Mobile: Amex mobile app (Apple, Google)

  • Monthly auto-pay: Set up automatic payments from your linked bank accounts.

  • By mail: American Express, PO Box 96001, Los Angeles, CA, 90096 - 8000

  • Express mail: American Express, Attn: Express Mail Remittance Processing, 20500 Belshaw Ave., Carson, CA 90746

  • Over the phone: Call the number on the back of your Delta SkyMiles Reserve card or (800) 472-9297

  • Wire transfer: Initiate a wire transfer from your bank account with the following information:

    • Bank name: Chase Manhattan Bank

    • Account name: American Express Card Member Wire Depository

    • Address: 1 Chase Plaza New York, NY 10081

    • ABA number (Routing Number): 0210-0002-1

    • Account number: 910-2-753036

    • Please also include your Card Member name and American Express account number.

  • Customer service is available by phone or chat 24/7.

  • Phone number: (800) 528-4800

  • Customer service chat: Website or mobile app (Apple, Google)

  • Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card login page

*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.

Delta SkyMiles? Platinum American Express Card

Why we like it: While the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card has numerous benefits, it also has a price tag that is too high for some travelers. The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card has a more reasonable $250 annual fee and includes several bonus categories to earn additional miles (see rates and fees). You'll earn 3x miles on Delta purchases and hotel charges, 2x at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and U.S. supermarkets, and 1x everywhere else. It also includes travel benefits, an annual companion certificate, a 15% discount on award travel, and the opportunity to boost elite status.

The Platinum Card? from American Express

Why we like it: The American Express Platinum Card is a luxury travel card that earns flexible points instead of miles for a specific airline. It earns 5x on flights on any airline booked directly or through Amex Travel compared to just 3x on Delta flights with the Delta SkyMiles Reserve. It also earns 5x on prepaid hotels through Amex Travel and 1x everywhere else. Points can be redeemed for travel, statement credits, gift cards, and more. But the highest value tends to come from transferring points to one of its 21 partners, including Delta SkyMiles.

While it has a higher annual fee of $695, the card comes with $1,500 in value and credits that can offset some or all of the cost (see rates and fees). Cardholders also enjoy travel protections, lounge access and other perks when flying any airline. It also includes complimentary Marriott and Hilton Gold elite status and premium benefits when booking rooms through Fine Hotels & Resorts or The Hotel Collection.

Why we like it: For travelers who want rewards and perks without a large annual fee, they should consider the Capital One Venture Rewards card. This rewards credit card earns an unlimited 2x miles on every purchase and up to 5x miles on travel booked through Capital One. Miles can be redeemed for statement credits, to book travel, buy gift cards, or transfer to 15+ airline and hotel partners. While Delta SkyMiles isn't a Capital One transfer partner, you can redeem miles to book flights on Delta or any other airline without blackout dates.

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