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The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card charges an annual fee of $650 and earns 3 miles per dollar on Delta Air Lines purchases and 1 mile per dollar on other eligible purchases (see rates and fees ).
But those earning rates aren't really what you're paying for.
The card comes with a host of premium perks that can help you save money and elevate your travel experience, from companion certificates and airport lounge access to credits for Delta Stays bookings, rideshare trips and dining with Resy.
How you travel ultimately determines whether the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is worth your while. Here's when it makes sense and how it compares to other card options
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It's worth it if you visit the Sky Club 15 times a year
Delta gives Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card holders 15 Sky Club visits each Medallion Year, which runs Feb. 1 through Jan. 31, when flying Delta.
If you spend $75,000 on the card in a calendar year, that cap disappears for the rest of that Medallion Year and all of the next one. For instance, if you achieved unlimited Sky Club access on May 1, 2026, it'll stay in effect until Jan. 31, 2028. Terms apply.
Delta also counts visits generously. The clock starts when you enter your first club, and anything you enter over the next 24 hours falls under that same visit, however many airports you pass through. For example, if you fly Atlanta to Los Angeles to Honolulu and stop in the club at each one on the same day, Delta counts it all as one visit.
If you burn through the 15 visits and haven't met the spending threshold for unlimited access, Delta sells additional visits at $50 apiece — or $25 if you want Grab and Go access only. In other words, those 15 complimentary visits are worth up to $750.
Just keep in mind that basic economy fares don't qualify for Sky Club access, regardless of what you have in your wallet.
How the lounge benefit compares with the American Express Platinum Card®
If you like the idea of Delta Sky Club access but don't want to be limited to a single airline lounge, the American Express Platinum Card® could be a better choice. The card offers 10 Delta Sky Club visits each Medallion Year when you fly eligible Delta flights. Terms apply.
At first glance, that falls short of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. But the American Express Platinum Card® also offers access to The Centurion Lounge, Priority Pass (enrollment required), Escape Lounges and Plaza Premium networks, giving you a lot more options when you fly.
The card charges a steeper $895 annual fee (see rates and fees), but it comes with a long list of perks that could make the annual fee worthwhile. Terms apply.
If you're not sold on Delta but prefer the idea of loyalty to a single airline, here's a look at what other premium airline credit cards offer:
Annual fee | Lounge access | |
|---|---|---|
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card | $650. | 15 visits per Medallion Year; unlimited access when you spend $75,000 in a calendar year. |
$595. | Complimentary Admirals Club membership with no visit cap. | |
$695. | Complimentary United Club membership with no visit cap; earn All Access membership with guest access and Star Alliance partner lounge access when you spend $50,000 annually. | |
$395. | 8 Alaska Lounge passes every calendar year (2 per quarter). |
Delta gives you nearly twice the entries Alaska does and lets you use them whenever you want. However, American and United offer full access rather than a punch card, and the United Club℠ Card's spending component expands your access rather than simply giving you more of the same.
That said, there's a lot more to an airline credit card than lounge access, so take your time to compare all the rewards and benefits each card offers to determine the best fit for you.
It's worth it if you use the companion certificate
Every year after your renewal, Delta issues a certificate good for one round-trip companion ticket in Delta First, Delta Comfort or Delta Main. It covers flights within the U.S., as well as to Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. Your companion pays government taxes and fees, which run $22 to $250 depending on the number of itinerary segments. Terms apply.
That cabin list is what makes the certificate valuable, as even a domestic first class round-trip flight can run well past $1,000. Bringing someone along for just taxes and fees could give the certificate enough value to offset the annual fee on its own. If you redeem it for a main cabin fare, though, the value shrinks considerably.
The catch, of course, is that you have to pay cash for your ticket; the companion certificate isn't valid on award travel. Basic economy fares are also ineligible.
How the certificate compares with the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card has a $350 annual fee and comes with a companion certificate covering the same countries (see rates and fees ). The difference is that it's only good for Delta Main fares. Terms apply.
If you've never booked a first class flight and don't picture yourself starting anytime soon, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card may be a better fit. That's especially true if you don't fly often enough to be willing to pay extra for Sky Club access.
» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now
It's worth it if you need MQDs
Delta status now runs entirely on Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs). To earn Medallion status in 2026, you'll need to meet the following thresholds, depending on the tier:
- Silver: $5,000 MQDs.
- Gold: $10,000 MQDs.
- Platinum: $15,000 MQDs.
- Diamond: $28,000 MQDs.
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card provides $2,500 in MQDs at the start of each qualification year with its MQD Headstart benefit. That puts you halfway toward Silver Medallion status before you do anything else.
On top of that, the MQD Boost benefit gives you $1 MQD for every $10 you charge to the card. So, starting from the $2,500 Headstart, closing the gap to Silver takes $25,000 of card spend, and reaching Gold on card spend alone takes $75,000. Terms apply.
Depending on how frequently you fly, the benefits of Medallion status can be worth making the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card your primary spending card.
How MQD Boost compares with the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Headstart is identical on the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, with both depositing $2,500 MQDs at the start of each qualifying year.
Where the gap lies is in the MQD Boost benefit. While the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card earns $1 MQD per $10 spent, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card gives you $1 MQD for every $20 you spend. In other words, you have to spend twice as much if you're trying to earn Medallion status through card spending alone. Terms apply.
If status is why you're carrying a Delta card, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card does the job on half the spending.
The card carries three statement credit benefits, and two of them reset every month, while the third resets annually:
- $240 Resy credit: You get up to $20 back each month at more than 10,000 qualifying U.S. restaurants when you enroll your card.
- $120 rideshare credit:
- $200 Delta Stays credit: Book a prepaid hotel or vacation rental through Delta Stays, and you can get up to $200 back in credits per calendar year. Booking directly with the hotel won't trigger it.
Terms apply.
It's important to note that unused credits don't roll over, so if you don't stay on top of things, it'll be harder to make the card work for you.
Maximizing the Delta Stays credit can be easy, as you can use it up with a single hotel stay. But to make the most of the Resy and rideshare credits, you need one modest dinner and one rideshare trip every month. That's easy if you already eat at eligible Resy restaurants and use rideshare regularly, but it can turn into a chore if you don't.
Other benefits worth counting
Another perk you'll get with most Delta SkyMiles credit cards is TakeOff 15, which knocks 15% off the mileage price of award flights booked on delta.com or the Fly Delta app — though not on partner-operated flights and not on taxes and fees. Terms apply.
NerdWallet values SkyMiles at 1.2 cents each, so a 60,000-mile round-trip flight drops to 51,000, saving you an average of $108 in mile value. The more often you fly on miles, the more this becomes one of the card's better perks.
Here's a look at some of the other benefits you can expect:
- First and second checked bags free on domestic Delta flights; first bag free worldwide.
- Zone 5 priority boarding.
- Upgrade priority over others in your Medallion tier.
- A statement credit every four years after you apply for Global Entry ($120) or a statement credit after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck (up to $85).
- Hertz President's Circle status, which gives you guaranteed vehicle availability and one-car-class upgrades, plus bonus points on rentals and other offers. Enrollment Required.
- Four one-time Sky Club guest passes each Medallion Year, good for two per visit.
- 20% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases in the form of statement credits.
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay insurance, baggage insurance, and car rental loss and damage insurance.
Terms apply.
Checking the math
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card offers a ton of value potential, but if you're honest with yourself, you might not be up for maximizing every single benefit the card has to offer. Here's what a regular Delta flyer can realistically claim without changing how they spend:
- Sky Club visits: $50 per visit, up to $750 annually.
- Resy credit: up to $240.
- Rideshare credit: up to $120.
- Delta Stays credit: up to $200.
- Global Entry credit, averaged annually: about $30.
That's roughly $1,340 in value against a $650 annual fee, and it leaves out the companion certificate, the MQD benefits, free bags, TakeOff 15 and other perks that can push that figure even higher.
Strip the lounge visits out, though, and the remaining credits come to $590, which lands under the annual fee. Again, using other benefits that aren't easily quantifiable can still make it work for you. But Sky Club access is really what sets this card apart from other Delta SkyMiles cards.
Is the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card worth the yearly fee?
For a Delta loyalist who hits the Sky Club regularly and puts the companion certificate toward a first class seat, absolutely. The card's statement credits and other flight benefits also make it so you can comfortably get more than twice as much value as you pay every year.
But for someone who doesn't fly frequently or aspire to first class travel, it's a hard no. The Sky Club visits would go largely unused, and the savings you get from the companion certificate likely wouldn't offset much of the annual fee. And remember, the statement credits alone aren't enough to cover the yearly cost.
If you're not completely sure about the math, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card could give you similar benefits with a lower fee. And if you're looking for benefits that align with but don't limit you to Delta, the American Express Platinum Card® could be right up your alley.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, please visit American Express' rates and fees page.
To view rates and fees of the American Express Platinum Card®, see this page.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, please visit American Express' rates and fees page.
Insurance Benefit: Baggage Insurance Plan
- Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Eligible Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the entire fare for a Common Carrier Vehicle ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible Account. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on Baggage and up to $500 for checked Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus). For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip.
- Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.
- Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
- Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Insurance Benefit: Trip Delay Insurance
- Up to $500 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.
- Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.
- Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
- Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Insurance Benefit: Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance
- The maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.
- Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.
- Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
- Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Insurance Benefit: Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance
- Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply.
- Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.
- Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
- Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
American Express Insurance Benefit: Purchase Protection
- Purchase Protection is an embedded benefit of your Card Membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect Covered Purchases made on your Eligible Card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Coverage Limits Apply.
- Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.
- Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
- Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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