The Delta Reserve Credit Card from American Express is an excellent co-branded airline rewards card from AMEX and Delta Airlines. New accounts recieve 20,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) and 100,000 SkyMiles after spending $5,000 within the first three months. The card also earns 3x miles when booing directly with Delta and 1x miles for all other purchases. Cardholders can also expect exceptional perks and benefits, such as complimentary Delta SkyClub access, AMEX concierge service, status boost, and an annual Delta Reserve companion certificate – all for an annual fee of $550.
How It Works
Cardholders can expect the following from the Delta Reserve Credit Card from American Express:
How to Earn Rewards
Earn When Flying with Delta: The fastest way to earn miles with the Card is by spending with Delta. Get 3X miles on Delta.com. This includes flights, purchase seat upgrades, in-flight purchases, and even Delta Vacations® packages.
Earn On Everyday Purchases: Cardholders earn 1X SkyMiles on all other purchases made with the card.
Unlimited SkyMiles:Delta has no limits on the total number of miles that are earnable.
Rewards Don’t Expire:Once you earn miles, they never expire. This means cardholders don’t have to worry that they’ll miss out on that dream trip.
How to Redeem Rewards:
Travel: SkyMiles earned with the Delta Reserve Card are redeemable towards travel with Delta Airlines, as well as with the over 20 airlines that make up the SkyTeam Alliance – including Aeromexico, KLM, Air France, Korean Air, and more! The SkyTeam alliance reaches over 1,000 worldwide destinations, meaning the entire world is within cardholders’ grasps.
Hotels: SkyMiles are also applicable to stays with Delta or SkyTeam hotel partners, including Marriott Bonvoy, AirBnB, and more.
Other Ways to Redeem: Delta SkyMiles are also redeemable towards cruises booked through Delta, rental cars with Delta or SkyTeam partners, gift cards, or statement credits.
Today’s Bonus Offer
Earn 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and 80,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 On purchases in the first three months. Cardholders also get an additional 5,000 MQMs and 20,000 miles on their cardmember anniversary. Catch this generous bonus offer quickly before it flies away!
The Plane Facts
Can you expect a smooth flight from the Delta Reserve Credit Card, or will there be turbulence?
Annual Fee: The Delta Reserve Credit Card features a $550 annual fee. While $550 is a steep price to pay, the Reserve card offers exceptional value for its cost.
Airline and Airport Perks:
Free Checked Bag: Cardholders save money at the airport by checking their first bag for free when booking with Delta. This adds up to a savings of up to $60 on a round-trip Delta flight. Plus, to sweeten the deal, this fee is waived for up to 8 other people on the itinerary.
Delta Sky Club®: Cardholders access Delta Sky Club® at no cost. Up to two guests receive an exclusive rate of $29 per visit.
Companion Certificate: Each year, after renewal, Delta Reserve Credit Cardholders receive a Domestic First Class, Delta Comfort® or Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate. This certificate is good for a reduced travel fare when the cardholder flies with a friend or a family member, meaning all they’ll pay is the government-imposed taxes and fees, which typically total no more than $75 (depending on the itinerary).
Miles Boost: A unique feature that comes with the Delta Reserve Credit Card is the Miles Boost® program. You can earn special bonuses of up to 15,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles as well as 15,000 bonus miles after spending $30,000 on your card in a calendar year. If you spend a total of $60,000 or more in a calendar year, you’ll see your MQMs and Delta miles total soar as you’ll receive an additional 15,000 MQMs and bonus miles.
Priority Boarding: Cardholders get Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding on all Delta flights.
In-Flight Savings:When making a purchase on a Delta flight, Delta Reserve Credit Cardholders will be eligible for in-flight savings too. They’ll receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on all eligible purchases on all Delta-operated flights.
No Blackout Dates
Cardholder Protections:
Baggage Insurance Plan: Cardholders receive coverage for up to $1,250 for a carry-on and up to $500 for checked baggage when they use their card to purchase the entire fare.
Global Assist® Hotline: The Global Assist® Hotline gives cardholders 24/7 access to medical, legal, financial, and other emergency coordination and assistance services when they travel more than 100 miles from home. This includes anything from assistance with cash wires and passport replacement to medical and legal referrals, missing luggage, and much more. Cardholders will be responsible for any costs charged by third-party service providers as a result of using this Hotline.
Fraud Protection: American Express also provides comprehensive fraud protection to cardholders.
Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
Travel Accident Insurance
Additional Benefits:
No Foreign Transaction Fees: A nice perk of the Delta Reserve Card is the lack of foreign transaction fees, which make the card particularly useful when traveling overseas.
Pay It, Plan It: Pay It® is an option to pay down balances with small purchase amounts; Plan It® allows cardholders to split up large purchases for a fixed monthly fee.
Extended Warranties: American Express® cardholders are eligible to add up to two additional years added to the original manufacturer’s warranty when you use your card for eligible purchases. Some restrictions apply.
Purchase Protection: When attempting to return an item within 90 days of the date of its purchase and the merchant will not accept it, American Express will refund the full purchase price (excluding shipping and handling) up to $300 per item, for eligible purchases made entirely with an American Express® credit card.
Entertainment Access: Special ticket pre-sales and access yo exclusive Card Member-only events in cities across the country.
ShopRunner: Cardholders are eligible for free 2-day shipping when they purchase items from a growing network of 100+ online stores through ShopRunner.
The Perks That Make the Delta Reserve Credit Card Worthwhile:
What are some of the Pros that set this card ahead of the rest?
A Generous Bonus Offer: Earn up to 80,000 miles in the first three months of card use. The introductory offer with the Delta Reserve provides exceptional value for money. This sign-up bonus has a value of around $1,000, which is really quite nice.
Potential to Earn Rewards with Other Carriers: Delta SkyMiles reward points, as well as Medallion® Qualification Miles, are transferrable for use with any of Delta’s impressive SkyTeam network of partners. Delta currently features 31 partner airlines, including 19 through its SkyTeam® Alliance. Always speak with Delta to see what additional benefits or restrictions may apply to your booking.
Additional Rewards: Delta Reserve® cardholders are also eligible to receive additional rewards through Delta partners. Beyond SkyTeam® Alliance airlines, Delta also has partnerships with numerous other travel rewards programs. This provides members with extra chances for more miles.
Potential Turbulence with the Delta Reserve Credit Card
What are some of the Cons that take the wind from under this card’s wings?
High Annual Fee: The Delta Reserve® Credit card comes with a steep annual fee of $550. To some, this may seem sky-high. However, if that’s too much, there are other options available.
Introductory Offer: While the potential to earn a big bonus reward of 80,000 miles and 20,000 MQMs is tempting, it does come with a potential hiccup: American Express states that, in rare instances, the period of time allotted to meet the $5,000 threshold to earn the reward may be less than three months if there is a delay in receiving your credit card. Additionally, if there is a delay in merchants submitting transactions, or if the purchase date differs from the date of the transaction, this may affect purchases that count towards the bonus reward.
Blackout Dates on Other Carriers: Delta doesn’t have blackout dates. While this is great, the same can’t be said for SkyTeam partners. Before booking flights with a partner carrier, check out their blackout date policy.
Thoughts Before Takeoff
The Delta Reserve Card from American Express is an airline reward card geared toward the serious frequent flyer. The annual fee of $550 more than pays for itself. Complimentary access to Delta’s SkyClub, for instance, has a cash value that exceeds the annual fee. Further perks, such as a companion pass, priority boarding, and a free checked bag, add even more value for cardholders. If you frequently travel with Delta, the Reserve Card is an exceptional value. Forr everyone else, however, there are plenty of great travel rewards cards that come with a lower annual fee.