The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is Delta’s top-tier business credit card designed specifically to cater to the needs of frequent Delta travelers.
It offers airport lounge access, the ability to earn elite miles, free checked bags, priority boarding, a companion certificate, and much more.
This article will cover everything you need to know about the Delta Business Reserve card.
We have a lot to cover so let’s dive right in.
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- 3x SkyMiles on Delta Air Lines
- Access to Delta SkyClub, Centurion Lounges, and Escape Lounge When Flying Delta
- Priority Boarding and Free First Checked Bag
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit
- $550 Annual Fee and No Foreign Transaction Fees (Rates & Fees)
Welcome Bonus
The Delta Reserve Business Amex currently offers the following welcome bonus:
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Earning SkyMiles
With the Delta Reserve Business Amex you will earn:
- 3 SkyMiles per dollar spent on Delta purchases;
- 1.5 SkyMiles per dollar on all non-Delta purchases after spending a total of $150,000 in a calendar year; and
- 1 SkyMile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Spending on Delta includes flight reservations, seat upgrades and selection, Delta Vacation packages, Delta Sky Club memberships or passes, inflight meals and beverages, and audio headsets. However, it does not include spending on in-flight WiFi.
Annual Fee
The Delta Reserve Business Amex has a $550 annual fee (rates & fees), which can be offset by taking advantage of the airport lounge access, free checked bags, priority boarding, and elite benefits.
Benefits When Flying Delta
There are many valuable benefits of the Delta Reserve Business Amex when you fly Delta Air Lines:
Access to Delta SkyClub Lounges
Delta Reserve Business cardholders and additional card members will enjoy complimentary Delta Sky Club memberships when flying on a same-day, Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight.
An individual Delta Sky Club membership typically costs $695 each year. This means having the Delta Reserve card at $550 with lounge access and other travel perks is a money-saving deal.
Plus, cardmembers get two free one-time guest passes each year. After that, the guest fee is $50 per person.
Delta Sky Clubs offer free Wi-Fi, light meals, snacks, and refreshments, and provide a quiet, comfortable place for relaxation before take-off.
Related Article: How To Access the Delta SkyClub.
Access to American Express Centurion Lounges
You’ll also have complimentary access to American Express Centurion Lounges when you use your Delta Reserve Business Amex to book your Delta flight.
You can invite up to two guests at $50 per person.
Annual Companion Certificate at Renewal
As the primary cardholder, you’ll get a companion certificate every year for a round-trip flight in Main Cabin, Delta Comfort+, or first class upon renewing your Delta Reserve card.
There are some things you need to be aware of for the Annual Companion Certificate:
- It is only valid for roundtrip travel within the 48 contiguous United States, unless you live in Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- It’s only valid for travel in the I and Z fare classes in first class, the W fare class in Comfort+, and the L, U, T, X, and V fare classes in economy.
- You have to pay the government taxes and fees for your companion, which are capped at $75.
- You must complete the travel by the expiration date of the certificate.
This is better than the companion certificate with the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (review) and Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express (review) because this certificate allows you to book Comfort+ and first class, in addition to the Main Cabin.
Earn Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQMs)
The Delta Reserve Amex allows you to earn Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) towards elite status by spending on this card.
With this Status Boost, you can:
- Earn 15,000 bonus MQMs after spending $30,000 in a calendar year
- Earn an additional 15,000 bonus MQMs after spending $60,000 in a calendar year
- Earn an additional 15,000 bonus MQMs after spending $90,000 in a calendar year
- Earn an additional 15,000 bonus MQMs after spending $120,000 in a calendar year
Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQD) Waiver
Delta elite status also requires you to meet certain spending requirements on Delta flights to obtain status called Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs).
Delta allows you to waive this MQD requirement by spending on the Delta Reserve card. To meet this MQD waiver, you need to:
- Spend $25,000 on the card within the qualification year to get an MQD waiver for Silver, Gold, or Platinum Medallion status.
- Spend $250,000 on the card within the qualification year to get an MQD waiver for Diamond Medallion status.
20% Back on In-Flight Purchases
You can get 20% back as a statement credit for eligible prepurchased meals and inflight purchases of food, alcoholic beverages and audio headsets on Delta-operated flights. However, it does not apply to Wi-Fi purchases.
Upgrade Priority
If you have Medallion status, you’ll receive upgrade priority over other Medallion members of the same elite status level and fare class grouping.
Having priority over other Medallion members can make a difference, especially when access to upgrades gets competitive.
Access to Complimentary Upgrades
You can still qualify for the Delta SkyMiles Complimentary Upgrade Program with your card, even if you’re not a SkyMiles Medallion member.
You’ll be part of the complimentary upgrade list, but you’ll be lower on the list than Medallion members. Still, you have the chance to score a Comfort+ seat or even a first-class seat.
Free First Checked Bag
This Delta card gets you a first checked bag free for you and up to eight companions traveling with you on your reservation on a Delta or Delta Connection flight.
This helps save you $30 per person one-way or $60 round-trip for a single traveler, or $240 for a family of four round-trip.
You also don’t have to pay for your flight with your Delta Amex, unlike United co-branded credit cards. All you need is your SkyMiles number your reservation.
Priority Boarding on Delta Flights
You can enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding on Delta flights, which is Group 5 in the boarding process.
This allows you to board before most of the main cabin customers and secure a overhead bin for your carry-on bag.
This benefit also applies to up to eight travel companions on the same reservation.
15% Award Discount
This card offers a 15% off award redemptions for Delta flights.
To get the discount:
- Search for Award Travel by selecting “Shop with Miles” in the search criteria on delta.com or in the Fly Delta app. Be sure to log into your SkyMiles account before searching for best results.
- Select an eligible flight. When you get to check out, you will see the miles savings applied for your itinerary.
- Use your Delta SkyMiles® American Express Card to earn miles with your Card on any taxes and fees for your itinerary.
Pay With Miles
Delta SkyMiles credit cards unlock the ability to ability to “Pay with Miles” allowing cardmembers to pay for flights with SkyMiles at a rate of 1.0 cents per mile (in increments of 5,000 miles per $50).
It’s not the best deal for your SkyMiles, but it does allow you to earn elite miles for those flights.
Travel and Purchase Protections
The Delta Reserve Business Amex offers the following travel and purchase protections:
Trip Delay Insurance*
This card offers trip delay insurance when you purchase your flight with this card.
This reimburses you for reasonable expenses things like hotels, food, transportation, and other necessary items.
Flights are increasingly delayed or canceled, and it is too risky to not use a card that offers free trip delay insurance.
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance*
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance reimburses you for non-refundable expenses if your trip is interrupted or canceled for a covered reason such as illness, severe weather, or an accidental injury when you pay for your travel expenses with this card.
Baggage Insurance Plan*
Lost luggage reimbursement covers the cost to repair or replace your luggage and the contents inside if your bag is lost or damaged during a covered trip.
You must purchase the trip with this card, and it will also cover immediate family members traveling with you.
Secondary Car Rental Insurance*
Secondary rental car insurance covers any damage to a rental car not covered by your primary insurance when you pay for the rental using this card.
Other credit cards offer primary rental car insurance, which pays before your insurance and saves you the hassle of filing multiple insurance claims.
You still need to maintain liability car insurance to cover damage to another person or property.
Extended Warranty*
Credit card extended warranty protection adds up to an additional year of coverage for eligible purchases on manufacturer’s warranties up to 5 years.
For example, if you bought a TV with a manufacturer’s warranty of three years, this card would extend the warranty for free to the fourth year.
90-Day Return Protection*
American Express offers return protection which allows you to return an item purchased in total with an eligible card when the retailer refuses to accept the item under its return policy.
Some items are excluded, such as jewelry, plants, perishable items, software, books, formal wear, tickets, and seasonal items.
This coverage is up to $300 per item with a maximum of $1,000 per cardmember year.
90-Day Purchase Protection*
Purchase protection could save you a lot of money if you bought an eligible item that is damaged or stolen within 90-days.
For example, if you accidentally dropped your new phone or laptop and broke the screen, you could file a claim to get it replaced if the item was purchased within the last 90 days.
*(Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/
Other Delta Reserve Business Benefits
The Delta Reserve Business Amex also offers these other card benefits:
Global Entry Fee Credit or TSA PreCheck
This card offers a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit like many other travel cards.
TSA PreCheck is a membership program offering dedicated airport security lines and faster security screening (typically 5 minutes or less) at more than 200 airports across the United States and includes over 81 airlines.
Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck and expedited immigration upon arrival from an international trip back to the United States.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
This card has no foreign transaction fees on purchases outside the U.S., which is helpful if you travel internationally to help you avoid paying a 3% fee on those international purchases.
Access to Amex Offers
This card has access to Amex Offers, which are deals that are linked to your card, allowing you to save money or earn extra points on shopping, dining, and travel.
For example, there could be an offer such as spending $200+ at Marriott Hotels and Resorts and receiving $50 cash back as a statement credit.
You can find all of your Amex Offers by signing into your American Express account. You will need to “Add to Card” each offer to be eligible for the special offer.
Redeeming Miles
Delta no longer publishes an award chart for its SkyMiles program.
Award flights are instead priced dynamically based on many factors, including routes, travel dates, airline partners, and how far in advance you book the flight.
It is generally very difficult for people to get outsized value when using SkyMiles for business class, like many other points programs.
The best ways to redeem SkyMiles is typically:
- Domestic economy flights starting as low as 4,500 SkyMiles.
- Booking one of Delta’s occasional flash sales.
- Flights to Canada on WestJet starting as low as 4,500 SkyMiles.
- Virgin Atlantic to London in Upper Class for 120,000 SkyMiles each way.
- Air France Business Class to Paris for 120,000 SkyMiles each way.
- LATAM Economy Class from the U.S. to South America starting at 25,000 SkyMiles each way.
Pros and Cons
Here’s a quick overview of this card’s advantages and disadvantages:
Pros
- Airport lounge access.
- Easier to earn elite status with spending.
- Free checked bags and priority boarding for you and up to 8 travel companions.
- Travel and purchase protections.
Cons
- No extra earning categories like dining, groceries, gas, etc.
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (review) offers more credits and better airport lounge access.
Alternatives to the Delta Reserve Business
Now that you know about this credit card’s various benefits and pros and cons, it’s time to see its alternatives.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (review) is an outstanding choice for business owners who want airport lounge access including the American Express Global Lounge Collection, Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs, Escape Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, and more.
The Business Platinum card also offers several statement credits to offset the $695 annual fee:
- $200 Airline Fee: Annual airline fee credit of up to $200 on charges by the airline you select per calendar year.
- $400 Dell: Annual statement credit on all U.S. Dell purchases, up to $200 semiannually.
- $120 Wireless Phone Services: Annual statement credits for purchases made directly with any U.S. wireless telephone provider, up to $10 per month.
- $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR® Plus at 45+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per year on your membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Business Platinum Card.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck: Statement credits for Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85) every four years (4.5 years for PreCheck).
You can also earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, and 1.5x points on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year
The American Express Business Platinum comes with automatic Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold so that you can enjoy perks like room upgrades, late check-out, and a points bonus.
Additionally, the points you earn can be transferred to several Amex transfer partners such as Air Canada Aeroplan, Delta SkyMiles, and Marriott Bonvoy. This potentially increases the value of your points depending on how you redeem them.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
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- 2X SkyMiles on Delta, U.S. Advertising, U.S. Shipping Purchases, and Restaurants worldwide (including takeout & delivery in the U.S.)
- Free First Checked Bag on Delta Flights
- Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding
- 20% Statement Credit for Delta In-Flight Purchases
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- $0 Intro Annual Fee for the First Year, Then $99 Per Year (Rates & Fees)
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card (review) is a practical and affordable card for business owners who want solid travel perks for a minimal fee.
With a $0 intro annual fee for the first year ($99 thereafter), this card is a low-cost option that earns 2x SkyMiles on Delta purchases, advertising and shipping purchases in the U.S., and dining expenses.
The Delta SkyMiles Gold Business card generously offers free first checked bags for you and eight companions, Main Cabin 1 boarding, and a 20% in-flight savings.
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
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- Unlimited 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2x Miles On Every Purchase
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- $0 Intro Annual Fee for the First Year, $95 Thereafter
- Free employee cards which also earn unlimited 2X miles from their purchases
The Capital One Spark Miles for Business is one of the top travel rewards credit cards for small business owners.
The card earns unlimited 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. It also earns unlimited 2 miles per dollar on all purchases, which can be transferred to Capital One’s airline and hotel partners.
The Spark Miles also offers a statement credit for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application (up to $100) and no foreign transaction fees.
Is the Delta Reserve Business Worth It?
The Delta Reserve Business Amex is worth it if you are a Delta frequent flyer that can take advantage of the airport lounge access, the ability to earn elite miles, free checked bags, and the companion certificate.
If you aren’t Delta frequent flyer, a good combination to hold would be The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (review) and Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card (review) because it offers better lounge access than the Delta Reserve Business while also providing some benefits such as a first free checked bag and priority boarding.
- bonus_miles_full
- 3x SkyMiles on Delta Air Lines
- Access to Delta SkyClub, Centurion Lounges, and Escape Lounge When Flying Delta
- Priority Boarding and Free First Checked Bag
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit
- $550 Annual Fee and No Foreign Transaction Fees (Rates & Fees)
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card, please click here.
