Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve Business American Express Card Review [2024]: Free Checked Bags and Other Travel Perks

Frequent Delta travelers should give the Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve Business American Express Card a close look. While this card charges a hefty annual fee, the cost isn’t out of bounds for a premium travel rewards card — and may be more than justified by the rewards and cardholder perks this card provides.

A generous welcome offer and the ability to earn Delta Medallion® Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) are just some of the features that help the Amex Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card stand out within a crowded field. But unless you’re a regular Delta traveler, you’re likely better off looking elsewhere for a card that offers more generous travel perks that aren’t specific to this particular airline.

Not sure if this card is the one for you? This Amex Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card review will tell you everything you need to know to decide if this is the best airline credit card for you.

Triple miles on Delta purchases

Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve Business American Express Card

4.9

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve Business American Express Card

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See rates and fees | Terms Apply

Current Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 in purchases in your first 6 months

Annual Fee

$650

Rewards Rate

3X miles for eligible purchases made directly with Delta; 1.5X miles on eligible transit, U.S. shipping, and U.S. office supply store purchases, plus all eligible purchases after you spend $150,000 in purchases in a year

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 in purchases in your first 6 months
• 3X points on eligible purchases made directly with Delta
• Complimentary Delta Sky Club and Centurion Lounge access
• $650 annual fee. Terms apply.

Drawbacks

• High annual fee

Card Details

• Welcome Offer: Earn 75,000 Bonus Miles after spending $10,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Enter Delta Sky Club® at no cost. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter.
• Earn 3 miles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases.
• Get closer to elevated Status next Medallion® Year with MQD Headstart and MQD Boost: receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 on purchases with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.
• Receive a Companion Certificate on First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
• With the $240 Resy Credit, earn up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card.
• Earn up to $10 back each month after using your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers.
• Save 15% when booking Award Travel on Delta flights. Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• Not a Medallion Member? Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members.
• As a benefit of Card Membership, you can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $60 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that’s a potential savings of up to $240 per round-trip flight. When you purchase a Delta flight with your Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card, you will receive complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge or Escape Lounge – The Centurion® Studio Partner.
• Receive Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
• Elevate your travel experience with an annual statement credit of up to $250  after using your Delta Reserve Business American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
• Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel overseas.
• Terms and limitations apply.

Key takeaways

• $650 annual fee is comparable to other high-end travel cards.
• Best for those who fly Delta frequently.
• Complimentary Delta Sky Club*, Centurion Lounge, and Escape Lounge access.

* Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter. Once all 15 Visits have been used, Eligible Card Members may purchase additional Delta Sky Club Visits (including Grab and Go) at a per-Visit rate of $50 per person using the Card.

Who should get the Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card

If you’re a business owner who flies often on Delta, wants elite status, and likes to travel in style, you should consider the Amex Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card. 

But if you don’t usually check bags, you don't care about airport lounge access, or you like to fly on different airlines, you might look elsewhere for a better deal. This card has a similarly large annual fee as more general-purpose travel cards that provide access to more airline lounges or offer much more flexibility in rewards earning and redemption. This card is likely worth getting only if Delta is your go-to airline for the vast majority of your flights.

Card basics

Why we like the Amex Delta SkyMiles Reserve: benefits and perks

• Generous welcome offer: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 in purchases in your first 6 months. 
• Medallion® Qualification Dollars (MQDs): The Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card lets you earn $1 MQD for every $10 spent. 
• Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck: Earn a statement credit of $100 for Global Entry or up to $85 for TSA PreCheck. 
• Free checked bags and priority boarding: With this card, your first checked bag is free on Delta flights. This provides as much as $60 in savings on a round-trip flight. You can also board with Main Cabin 1 priority boarding, which gets you to your seat sooner. 
• Delta Sky Club access: Delta Sky Club airport lounges offer perks like complimentary drinks and beverages, free Wi-Fi, and entertainment, including satellite TV. With Sky Club, access comes with entry not only to Delta lounges but also to more than 250 partner lounges worldwide. You also receive four Delta Sky Club one-time guest passes. 
  
• Centurion Lounge access: If you book a Delta flight with your Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card, you receive complimentary access to The Centurion Lounge or to Escape Lounge - The Centurion Studio Partner.
• TakeOff 15: New and existing cardmembers can get a 15% discount when booking Award Travel with miles on Delta flights. This discount does not apply to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees.
  
• Companion certificate: Each year, upon renewing your card, you’ll also receive a companion ticket. This ticket could provide a round-trip domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+, or main cabin flight for just the cost of fees, taxes, and baggage charges. Taxes and fees are capped at $80 for round-trip domestic flights and $250 for round-trip international flights, both for itineraries with as many as four flight segments.
• Cell phone protection: Your cell phones are covered against theft and damages when you pay your cell phone bill in full with this card. You get up to $800 per claim and up to two claims per card account per 12-month period. A $50 deductible per claim may apply.¹
  
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance: If your flight is canceled because of sudden illness, inclement weather, jury duty, or even terrorist activities, you’ll be entitled to up to $10,000 of reimbursement.²
  
• Trip delay insurance: If your flight is delayed more than 6 hours, you can also be reimbursed for up to $500 in unexpected expenses per trip.³
• Note that enrollment or activation may be required for select benefits. 

What we don’t like about this card: drawbacks

• High annual fee: While the Delta Reserve Business Amex does come with a lot of perks, the annual fee of $650 is still a bit steep.
• Limited use: This card is truly designed for Delta loyalists. If you like to change up your airline of choice, this card is not for you.

Earning & redeeming

Best ways to earn

Delta Reserve Business Amex cardholders earn 3X miles for eligible purchases made directly with Delta; 1.5X miles on eligible transit, U.S. shipping, and U.S. office supply store purchases, plus all eligible purchases after you spend $150,000 in purchases in a year. 

In addition, if you qualify for Delta Medallion status, you can earn bonus miles per dollar spent with Delta. Remember, these miles help you score generous perks every time you fly with Delta, including free upgrades. You can earn:

• 7 miles per dollar with Silver Medallion status
• 8 miles per dollar with Gold Medallion status
• 9 miles per dollar with Platinum Medallion status
• 11 miles per dollar with Diamond Medallion status

You could try to earn Medallion status as early as possible by using your card often and concentrating your flights at the beginning of each year. Signing up for the card right before large purchases or a big trip can be very helpful in earning Medallion status ASAP.

Maximizing your redemptions

You can redeem your points for free and get discounted flights on Delta Air Lines using Pay with Miles. Pay with Miles allows you to apply miles you have to lower the cost of your ticket so you don’t have to wait until you have enough miles for an entirely free ticket to redeem.

Miles can also be redeemed with partner airlines, including Virgin Atlantic, Air France, and KLM. Or you can use your miles to book vacations or buy gift cards, but these may not provide as much value as miles redeemed directly for trips with Delta or its partner airlines.

FAQ

Other cards to consider

Other cards you may want to look at if you’re considering the Delta Skymiles Reserve Business Card include:

• Delta SkyMiles^® Gold Business American Express Card: This card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $150 per year thereafter, which is lower than the Delta Skymiles Reserve Business Card. But you also get fewer bonus miles with the welcome offer — earn 55,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first 6 months.
• Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum Business American Express Card: This card offers a $350 fee. A free checked bag is also a perk of this card, as is a free companion pass — but it can’t be used for a first-class flight, unlike the Reserve’s companion pass.

Triple miles on Delta purchases

Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve Business American Express Card

4.9

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve Business American Express Card

4.9

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Apply Now

Why We Like It

Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 in purchases in your first 6 months

See rates and fees | Terms Apply

Apply Now

See how these cards compare:

Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

• Earn 55,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first 6 months
• Earn 2X points on purchases at Delta and restaurants, and on eligible U.S. shipping purchases and eligible U.S. advertising in select media up to $50,000 per category, per year
• First checked bag free + priority boarding
• No foreign transaction fees
• $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $150 per year thereafter. Terms apply.
• See rates and fees | Terms Apply

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card

• Earn 65,000 bonus miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases in your first 6 months
• Earn 1.5X points on eligible transit and U.S. shipping purchases, plus single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more
• Annual companion certificates
• Free checked bag + priority boarding
• No foreign transaction fees
• $350 annual fee. Terms apply.
• See rates and fees | Terms Apply