Bottom Line

The Delta SkyMiles Reserve personal card is an excellent choice for anyone who flies Delta multiple times a year. Its first-class companion certificate, along with access to Delta SkyClub Lounges and Centurion Lounges, can offer significant value. The card also comes with various credits that help justify its high annual fee of $650, particularly for loyal Delta flyers. Although the welcome bonus of 70,000 points is solid, note that higher offers of 100,000 miles have appeared before. Because this is an American Express card, you may want to wait for a better offer if you haven’t received a bonus for it before, as you won’t be eligible for another sign-up bonus in the future.

Why You Might Want This Card

If you’re loyal to Delta and fly with them often, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card offers plenty of perks that make the $650 annual fee worthwhile. You can currently earn a 70,000-mile sign-up bonus by spending $5,000 in the first six months, but offers as high as 100,000 miles have appeared in the past.

Beyond the welcome bonus, this card is worth keeping for its annual companion certificate, which allows a partner to fly free with you in first class, Comfort+, or the main cabin within the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America. While you no longer receive unlimited Delta SkyClub access, you do get 15 annual passes and four one-time guest passes. You’ll also receive complimentary entry to the Centurion Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve card.

If these benefits aren’t enough to offset the annual fee, the card includes other credits, such as $120 in rideshare credits, $200 in Delta Stay credits, and $240 in Resy credits. You’ll also enjoy a free first checked bag, 15% off award travel, a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit, Hertz Presidential status, complimentary upgrades, and 20% back on in-flight purchases. This card also offers MQDs toward status; however, we typically prioritize earning sign-up bonuses from new cards over spending toward MQD status.

Exceptions To The Rule

Here are some exceptions where the card might not be good for you:

• If you only fly Delta once per year or typically travel alone, you may not get enough value from the companion certificate to justify the high annual fee.
• If you always fly in the main cabin, the first-class companion certificate may not be as valuable for you.

About Delta SkyMiles

• Delta SkyMiles are super easy to accumulate with American Express cards, whether they're specific for earning SkyMiles or American Express cards that have completely transferable and instant 1:1 ratio Amex points.

Redeeming SkyMiles isn’t difficult, but you might find that their value isn't as high as you'd think -- especially if you do a side-by-side comparison with our personal favorite, United. Delta’s redeeming quality, however, is the fact that they fly to over 325 locations. So sometimes when you want to go somewhere that United doesn't, you’ll find Delta’s got your back.

When Delta removed its online reward charts in 2015, no one was happy. Now, the more flexible you are, the more value you can squeeze out of your Miles -- especially when Delta runs one of its regular award sales that offer some deep discounts in economy and Delta One.

But the real ace up the sleeve here is booking international Business or First Class using alliances like China Eastern or one of their non-alliance partners like Virgin Atlantic. This can be done for fewer points than if you booked directly through the Delta website -- as long as the flight is operated by Delta, Delta Connections or Virgin Atlantic. Searching around for Delta’s flash sales based on region or utilizing one of their partners can get you a pretty impressive trip.

Where Delta SkyMiles Reserve Fits In This Point Ecosystem

American Express offers seven Delta-specific credit cards, including three business cards. Of the four personal cards, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve is the top-tier option, with the highest sign-up bonus, the most benefits, and the highest annual fee.

If you fly Delta only once or twice a year, consider the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. Its $350 annual fee is lower, yet it still offers a main-cabin companion certificate and several credits. The Delta SkyMiles Gold card has no companion certificate but includes a waived $150 annual fee for the first year. It can still be useful if you know you’ll fly Delta at least once soon. After your first annual fee appears, though, upgrading to the Platinum or Reserve might make more sense.

Lastly, the Delta SkyMiles Blue credit card has no annual fee, but it only offers a 10,000-mile sign-up bonus and limited benefits, making it less appealing and not worth using a 5/24 slot for.

Personal Experience