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Premium airline credit cards are known for their frequent flyer perks. However, some luxury airline cards also come with money-saving and shopper-friendly benefits. While the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card has a valuable welcome bonus offer and perks designed for Delta loyalists, it also offers purchase protections, airport lounge access and discounts on certain purchases.
If you tend to shy away from hefty annual fee cards, consider a few of the underrated benefits, like the Delta companion certificate, to assess whether or not the $650 annual-fee Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is a good fit for you.
1. Sizable welcome bonus
Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases with your new Card, and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card, both within your first 6 months. Ends 04/01/2026. Terms Apply.
2. Bonus miles on Delta purchases
Earn 3x SkyMiles per dollar spent on Delta purchases and 1 SkyMile per dollar on all other purchases. Terms apply.
3. First checked bag free
The primary cardholder and up to eight companions on the same reservation for a domestic flight can check a bag for free. Terms apply.
4. Priority boarding
The primary cardholder and up to eight companions on the same reservation can board the plane early with the Zone 5 boarding group. Terms apply.
5. TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee credit
When you pay for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, you'll get a statement credit to cover the cost. Terms apply.
» Learn more: How the Delta SkyMiles program works
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6. Annual companion certificate
If you plan on flying at least once a year with a friend, partner or family member, the Delta Companion Certificate can offset a large part of the card’s $650 annual fee.
Every year after renewing your card, you earn a certificate good for one round-trip main cabin, Delta Comfort+ or first class ticket for a companion who flies on the same reservation as yours. Terms apply, and you’ll have to pay government-imposed taxes and fees on your companion booking.
Obviously, your value will vary depending on the specific seat and flight you book, but it is not difficult to get several hundred dollars of value out of a round-trip companion certificate.
7. Head start toward Delta elite status
Delta has four Medallion elite status tiers: Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond. Each tier offers incremental benefits, like complimentary upgrades and fee waivers. To earn status, you typically must meet a spending requirement, expressed in terms of Medallion Qualification Dollars. Each $1 spent on Delta flights, for example, earns 1 MQD. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card holders get a head start on earning status, as the card comes with 2,500 MQDs each year, plus it earns 1 MQD for each $10 spent on the card. Terms apply.
8. Airport lounge access
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card holders can relax in any of the luxurious American Express Centurion Lounges when they book their flight with the card. Cardholders not flying out of an airport with a Centurion Lounge enjoy limited access to Delta SkyClubs (15 visits per year). You'll get unlimited visits if you spend $75,000 per year on the card.
Terms apply.
9. 15% off Delta award bookings
As with all co-branded Delta cards, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card comes with a benefit called "TakeOff 15," which gives you a 15% discount on award rates when you book with miles on Delta's website or app. That benefit makes it easier to stretch your miles further. Just keep in mind it doesn't apply to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees.
10. Save money shopping with AmEx Offers
As an American Express cardholder, you get exclusive access to AmEx Offers, which give you opportunities to earn statement credits or save money on purchases you might already be planning, including cell phone bill payments and dining out at local restaurants. Limited-time offers are added frequently. Just log in, browse the available offers and add them to your card.
Eligibility for this offer is limited. Enrollment is required in the AmEx Offers section of your account before redeeming. Enrollment required. Terms apply.
» Learn more: How to add money-saving travel offers to your AmEx card
11. Purchase protections
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card offers three complimentary protections for shoppers. Terms apply.
- Extended warranty: Get up to one extra year added to a manufacturer’s warranty on eligible purchases.
- Purchase protection: If an eligible item you bought with the card is accidentally damaged or stolen within 90 days of purchase, you’re covered up to $10,000 per incident and up to $50,000 per year.
- Return protection: If a merchant won’t take back an eligible item within 90 days from the date of purchase, American Express may refund the full purchase price, up to $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year.
The bottom line
While the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card has a steep $650 annual fee, it offers many valuable perks that can more than offset the cost.
Besides the welcome bonus offer, one of the most valuable features is the card’s companion certificate, which saves you round-trip airfare for a friend, partner or family member.
Delta loyalists looking to earn elite status without having to will enjoy the head start of 2,500 MQDs. Terms apply.
To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, see this page.
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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