Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business card review: Complimentary Sky Club access
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card overview
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is Delta's top-tier cobranded business credit card, offering benefits best suited for high-budget businesses loyal to Delta. If Delta Medallion elite status and lounge access are important to you, there's a lot to love about this card. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐½
*Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
In February 2024, Delta refreshed its credit card lineup, increasing annual fees, introducing new perks, enhancing existing benefits and restricting lounge access across the board.
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card is Delta's top-tier business card and is a great option for business travelers looking for luxury benefits and a way to hit Medallion elite status faster through card spending.
However, the card does charge a $650 annual fee (see rates and fees), so you'll want to make sure you can take advantage of the card's offerings to justify the cost.
Here's what you need to know to decide if this premium business card is right for you.
Delta Reserve Business Amex pros and cons
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Delta Reserve Business Amex welcome offer
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Amex is currently offering a welcome bonus of 75,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
Based on the latest TPG valuations, Delta SkyMiles are valued at 1.2 cents per mile, making this welcome offer worth $900.
Remember that Amex does have a once-per-card-per-lifetime restriction when it comes to welcome bonuses. As a result, if you've ever had the Delta Reserve Business card in the past (even if you didn't earn a bonus), you won't be eligible for this welcome bonus. Luckily, Amex has an on-site tool to warn you if you are ineligible for any given bonus before submitting your official application.
Related: The ultimate guide to credit card application restrictions
Delta Reserve Business Amex benefits
There is a lot to love about the Delta Reserve Business Amex when it comes to the perks the card offers — especially for Delta travelers or those who live in a Delta hub or focus city.
Firstly, until Jan. 31, 2025, you get unlimited access to Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta. From Feb. 1, 2025, that will be reduced to 15 annual visits, or unlimited visits if you spend at least $75,000 in the prior calendar year.
Cardmembers also get four one-time guest passes, costing $50 per guest per visit after that.
You'll also enjoy a few new annual credits: up to $240 annually (up to $20 monthly) with Resy, the online restaurant reservation service; up to $120 annually (up to $10 monthly) on ride-hailing apps; and up to $250 annually with Delta Stays, Delta's hotel travel portal.
Related: How to maximize the new statement credits on the Delta Amex cards
Other benefits include complimentary Hertz President's Circle status, Expanded Buying Power to earn miles above your spend limit, 15% off award redemptions for Delta flights (when paying taxes and fees with this card), 2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) deposited automatically every calendar year, an earn rate of 1 MQD per $10 spent, an enhanced annual companion certificate for a domestic first-class, Premium Select, Delta Comfort+ or domestic main cabin round-trip flight each year, and $100 statement credit for Global Entry every 4 years or up to $85 for TSA PreCheck every 4.5 years.
Related: The ultimate credit card concierge test: 3 cards, $300 and 1 night in NYC
Earning miles on the Delta Reserve Business Amex
With the Delta Reserve Business Amex, you'll earn 3 miles per every eligible dollar spent on Delta purchases, including at delta.com, via phone reservations or at ticket counters. This also applies to Delta Vacation packages, seat upgrades, seat selection fees, Delta Sky Club membership or passes, pre-purchased and inflight meals, inflight alcoholic beverages and audio headsets.
Those with high annual spending habits will also benefit from earning 1.5 miles on transit, shipping and office purchases, plus all other purchases after spending a total of $150,000 in a calendar year. On all other eligible purchases, it drops to 1 mile per dollar.
Redeeming miles on the Delta Reserve Business Amex
If you're looking for bargains when it comes to redeeming your miles, go to the SkyMiles Deals page, where Delta regularly posts deep discounts on round-trip tickets in economy and Delta One between specific city pairs. Some notable Delta deals we've seen include Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., for 20,000 miles or Atlanta to New York City for only 13,000 miles.
TPG writer Ryan Wilcox likes to redeem his SkyMiles for upgrades to the next class of service on Delta, as well as certain flights operated by partners Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic and Aeromexico. While this isn't a particularly valuable use of SkyMiles, it'll save you from paying cash or trying to find premium cabin award availability.
Which cards compete with the Delta Reserve Business Amex?
If you want more flexibility or a lower annual fee, other cards may be a better fit for you.
- If you want a Delta card with a lower annual fee: The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card offers additional Delta perks like an annual companion certificate and a faster path to elite status that could be a better fit for regular Delta travelers. For more information, check out our full review of the Delta Platinum Business Amex.
- If you want a card with more flexible rewards: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offers excellent travel benefits and earns rewards that you can transfer to Delta as well as any of American Express's other travel partners. It offers comprehensive lounge access and over $1,500 in annual credits but comes with a higher annual fee of $695 (see rates and fees). For more information, check out our full review of the Amex Business Platinum.
For additional options, check out our full list of best travel cards and best American Express cards.
Read more: Who qualifies for a business credit card?
Is the Delta Reserve Business Amex worth it?
If you fly Delta regularly and Sky Club access is important to you, this card's perks make it well worth its hefty annual fee. However, other cards are a better option if you fly Delta less regularly or want broader bonus categories more than Sky Club access.
Bottom line
If you're in the market to earn Delta miles and elite status while enjoying a host of luxury Delta benefits, it doesn't get much better than the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Amex. The Sky Club access perk is the main attraction of this card, so if you are a business owner who flies with Delta regularly, it's a great choice.
Apply here: Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum card, click here.