
Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex

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Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 in the first 6 months.
Only worthwhile if you actually use Delta SkyClubs, the access alone is worth the fee for frequent Delta flyers. The upgraded companion cert (can be used on First/Comfort+) is a big perk over the standard Platinum version.
Earning Rates
Key Benefits
- SkyClub access
- First/Comfort+ companion cert
- 100k miles bonus
- Centurion access
All Benefits
- Welcome offer: earn 100,000 bonus Delta SkyMiles after spending $5,000 in purchases on the new Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership (current public offer per One Mile at a Time as of May 2026; American Express markets the bonus as 'as high as 100,000 Bonus Miles' since some applicants are eligible for an elevated targeted offer via the issuer's CheckYourOffer flow, while others see the public 100,000 tier — welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer)
- $650 annual fee on the Basic Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card (current post-2024-refresh fee per the American Express product page and confirmed by The Points Guy and One Mile at a Time); Additional Delta SkyMiles Reserve Cards (authorized users) are available for an additional annual fee per Card
- Earn 3 miles per dollar on eligible purchases made directly with Delta (including Delta-marketed and Delta-operated flights, Delta Vacations, in-flight purchases, and other Delta-coded transactions on delta.com or with Delta directly)
- Earn 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases — the consumer Delta Reserve does not have an everyday transit or shipping bonus (the consumer 1.5x bonus on non-Delta spend only kicks in after $150,000 in calendar-year spend on the Card per The Points Guy, which materially differs from the Reserve Business 1.5x structure)
- Earn 1.5 miles per dollar on every eligible purchase (including the 3x Delta categories) after you spend $150,000 in purchases on the Card in a calendar year (the bonus rate resets each calendar year)
- Delta Sky Club access for the cardholder when flying Delta same-day: 15 Visits per Medallion Year (Feb 1 to Jan 31), and after $75,000 in eligible purchases on the Card in a calendar year you unlock an unlimited number of Sky Club Visits for the remainder of the program year (per the American Express product page and confirmed by One Mile at a Time and The Points Guy)
- Sky Club 'Visit' definition: multiple Sky Club entries within 24 hours of the first entry on the same trip count as a single Visit, so a connecting itinerary through ATL, DTW, MSP, or another Delta hub still draws only one Visit allotment (per The Points Guy)
- Once you have used your 15 Sky Club Visits in a Medallion Year, additional Visits (including Grab and Go locations) can be purchased at $50 per person per Visit, charged to the Card (per the American Express product page and One Mile at a Time)
- Four One-Time Delta Sky Club Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share Sky Club access with family, friends, or business associates when traveling on Delta together; additional guests beyond the four Guest Passes are charged at the gate per Delta's posted Sky Club guest policy
- Complimentary access to The Centurion Lounge (U.S. and select international locations), Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge (U.S.), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked on the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card; Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of departure for Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge and within 3 hours of departure for The Centurion Lounge (per the issuer terms quoted on The Points Guy)
- Annual Companion Certificate after renewal of the Card, valid for a round-trip itinerary in Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main domestic (including Alaska and Hawaii), Caribbean, or Central American flights; the Companion pays only government-imposed taxes and fees between $22 and $250 for itineraries with up to four flight segments (Delta Basic experiences are not eligible) — One Mile at a Time notes this Reserve-tier Companion is significantly more flexible than the Main-Cabin-only certificate on the Delta SkyMiles Platinum
- Up to $240 Resy Credit annually: earn up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants when paid with the enrolled Reserve Card (Global Dining Access by Resy benefits including Exclusive reservations, premium dining experiences, and Priority Notify are also included; enrollment required, and the credit is structured monthly so unused monthly increments do not roll forward)
- Up to $120 Rideshare Credit annually: earn up to $10 back each month in statement credits after using the enrolled Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers (enrollment required; benefit is structured monthly with no rollover)
- Up to $200 Delta Stays Credit annually: receive an annual statement credit of up to $200 after using the Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com (per One Mile at a Time; the consumer Reserve's $200 credit is $50 less than the $250 Delta Stays credit on the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business)
- MQD Headstart: receive $2,500 in Medallion Qualification Dollars automatically at the start of each Medallion Qualification Year, accelerating progress toward Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Medallion status
- MQD Boost: earn $1 MQD for every $10 in eligible purchases on the Card in a calendar year, with no cap on MQD Boost earnings, accelerating progress toward Silver ($5,000 MQD), Gold ($10,000 MQD), Platinum ($15,000 MQD), and Diamond ($28,000 MQD) Medallion status (per the American Express product page and One Mile at a Time; legacy 'Status Boost' MQM language is no longer the primary qualification mechanic since Delta's 2024 program changes made elite status MQD-only)
- First checked bag free on Delta-operated flights worldwide for the cardholder and up to 8 travel companions in the same reservation, potentially saving up to $70 round-trip per person on a 9-passenger itinerary (per The Points Guy)
- Main Cabin 1 priority boarding (Zone 1) on Delta-operated flights when the cardholder is the eligible Card Member on the reservation, so you board earlier and have a better shot at overhead bin space
- 20% savings on eligible in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and audio headsets on Delta-operated flights, refunded as a statement credit to the Card used (also applies to eligible pre-purchased meals per One Mile at a Time)
- Complimentary Upgrade priority: if you are not a Medallion Member, Reserve Card Members with an eligible ticket are added to the Complimentary Upgrade list after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members but ahead of non-cardholders; if you are a Medallion Member, your tier still drives upgrade priority but the Reserve Card improves upgrade ordering versus the same tier without the Card
- Pay With Miles: redeem SkyMiles toward eligible Delta flights starting at 5,000 miles (1¢ per mile) and combine with cash; only available to Delta SkyMiles credit card holders, including the Reserve
- Take 15% Off Award Travel (TakeOff 15): receive a 15% discount on Award Travel with miles on Delta-operated flights when booking on delta.com or the Fly Delta app; the 15% miles discount is reflected automatically at booking and does not apply to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees
- Complimentary Hertz President's Circle Status (the top published Hertz Gold Plus Rewards elite tier), compliments of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card; enrollment in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards is required and the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards account must be linked to the SkyMiles account associated with the eligible Card (per One Mile at a Time)
- Up to $120 statement credit every 4 years for the Global Entry application fee, or up to $85 every 4.5 years for the TSA PreCheck application fee, when the application fee is paid with the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- No foreign transaction fees on purchases made outside the United States with the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- Trip Delay Insurance (Premium Cards tier): when a round-trip is paid for entirely with the Card and a covered reason delays your trip more than 6 hours, you can be reimbursed for certain additional expenses (meals, lodging, toiletries) charged to the same Card, up to $500 per trip, with a maximum of 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period (coverage provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company)
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance: if a round-trip is paid for entirely with the Card and a covered reason cancels or interrupts the trip, you can be reimbursed for non-refundable travel expenses purchased with the same Card, up to $10,000 per trip and up to $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period (coverage provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company)
- Baggage Insurance Plan: when the entire fare for a common carrier vehicle ticket (plane, train, ship, or bus) is purchased with the Card, baggage can be covered for lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage up to $2,000 for checked Baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on Baggage in excess of the common carrier's coverage, subject to a $3,000 aggregate per Covered Trip limit (New York State residents: $2,000 per bag with a $10,000 per-trip aggregate)
- Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance: when you use the Card to reserve and pay for the entire rental and decline the rental company's collision damage waiver (CDW) at the counter, you can be covered for damage to or theft of a rental vehicle in a Covered Territory; coverage is secondary in the cardholder's country of residence and does not include liability coverage; Australia, Italy, and New Zealand are excluded (per Amex Premium Cards coverage tier)
- Purchase Protection: when you charge a covered purchase to the Card, your purchase can be protected for up to 90 days from the purchase date against theft or accidental damage, up to $10,000 per Covered Purchase and up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year (premium tier of Amex Purchase Protection applicable to the Reserve Card)
- Extended Warranty: extends the terms of the original U.S. manufacturer's warranty by up to one additional year on Covered Purchases in the U.S., applicable to warranties of 5 years or less; standard Amex caps on per-claim and annual maximums apply
- Cell Phone Protection: be reimbursed for the lesser of repair or replacement cost of a damaged or stolen cell phone, up to $800 per claim, with a $50 deductible per approved claim and up to 2 approved claims per 12-month period, when the cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid with the Eligible Card Account (coverage provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company)
- Global Assist Hotline: 24/7 access to medical, legal, financial, and other emergency coordination and referral services when traveling 100+ miles from home (third-party costs are paid by the cardholder; Amex's coordination service is complimentary)
- Amex Offers: targeted statement-credit offers on the Card account dashboard, frequently including elevated Delta-related promotions, hotel partner offers, and retail credits — typical 5%-15% back or fixed-dollar savings, with offers refreshed regularly (per One Mile at a Time)
- Dispute Resolution: if there is a fraudulent or incorrect charge on the statement, American Express works with the cardholder to help resolve the issue
- Pay Over Time and Plan It flexibility: eligible Card Members can move charges to a separate balance with interest using Pay Over Time, or split eligible purchases of $100 or more into fixed monthly payments with a fixed monthly fee (no interest) using Plan It
- Recommended credit profile: Excellent/Good, FICO 670-850 (per The Points Guy); variable purchase APR range is 19.49%-28.49% as of May 2026, with a 29.99% variable Penalty APR (per The Points Guy)
- Editorial framing: rated for 'Best for Elite Delta Flyers' by The Points Guy; One Mile at a Time concludes the Reserve is 'well worth considering if you're a frequent Delta flyer, and could benefit from lounge access, the companion ticket, improved upgrade priority, all of the credits, and the ability to earn status through credit card spending'
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