Delta SkyMiles Reserve Personal

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Award System

Delta SkyMiles

Delta SkyMiles »

Bank

American Express

Bank Details »

Reconsideration Phone
800.528.4800

Related Guides

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Breaking Points

September 12, 2024
American Express
American Express Delta Cards Making a Splash

- Delta Platinum Business - 100,000 miles after spending $8000 in 6 months, $350/annual fee.

- Delta Gold Business - 90,000 miles after spending $6000 in 6 months, $0/annual fee, then $150/annual fee.

- Delta Reserve Business - 110,000 miles after spending $12000 in 6 months, $650/annual fee.

- Delta Platinum Personal - 90,000 miles after spending $4000 in 6 months, $350/annual fee.

- Delta Gold Personal - 80,000 miles after spending $3000 in 6 months, $0/annual fee, then $150/annual fee.

- Delta Reserve - 100,000 miles after spending $6000 in 6 months, $650/annual fee.


Related: Delta Plat Biz Delta Gold Biz Delta Reserve Biz Plat Delta Delta Gold Delta Reserve

February 13, 2024
American Express
Mini Points - February 2024

- IHG Mastercard, earn 165,000 points after spending $3000 in the first 3 months, $99 annual fee.

- Delta Platinum Amex Business, 100,000 points after spending $8000 in the first 6 months, $350 annual fee.

- Delta Gold Amex Business, 80,000 points after spending $6000 in the first 6 months, $0 annual fee, then $150 after first year.

- Delta Reserve Amex Business, 110,000 points after spending $12,000 in the first 6 months, $650 annual fee.

- Delta Platinum Amex, 90,000 points after spending $4000 in the first 6 months, $350 annual fee.

- Delta Gold Amex, 70,000 points after spending $3000 in the first 6 months, $150 annual fee.

- Delta Reserve Amex, 100,000 points after spending $6000 in the first 6 months, $650 annual fee.


Related: Chase Delta Gold Biz Delta Gold Plat Delta Plat Delta Delta Reserve Biz Delta Reserve IHG Premier

July 3, 2023
Chase Ink Business Preferred
Mini Points - July 2023

- American Express Delta Skymiles Platinum Business - Limited Time Offer - 90,000 Miles after spending $4000 in 3 months, $250 annual fee.

- American Express Delta Skymiles Gold Business - Limited Time Offer - 70,000 Miles after spending $3000 in 3 months, $0 annual fee for the first year then, $99.

- American Express Delta Skymiles Reserve Business - Limited Time Offer - 100,000 Miles after spending $6000 in 3 months, $550 annual fee.

- American Express Delta Skymiles Platinum Personal - Limited Time Offer - 85,000 Miles after spending $4000 in 6 months, $250 annual fee.

- American Express Delta Skymiles Gold Personal - Limited Time Offer - 65,000 Miles after spending $2000 in 6 months, $0 annual fee for the first year then, $99.

- American Express Delta Skymiles Reserve Personal - Limited Time Offer - 85,000 Miles after spending $6000 in 6 months, $550 annual fee.

- Chase Ink Business Preferred - 100,000 Points after spending NEW LOWER $8000 requirement in the first 3 months, $95 annual fee.

Related: Delta Gold Biz Delta Gold Plat Delta Delta Plat Biz Delta Reserve Delta Reserve Biz Amex Chase

February 5, 2023
American Express
Amex gets Generous with Delta Points

Here is a fun list of Delta Amex cards that are offering limited time (ending 3/29/23) sign-up bonus:

- Amex Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card: 100,000 miles after spending $6000 in 3 months, $550 annual fee.

- Amex Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Card: 95,000 miles after spending $4000 in 3 months, $250 annual fee.

- Amex Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card: 75,000 miles after spending $3000 in 3 months, $0 intro annual fee, then $99.

- Amex Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card: 90,000 miles after spending $6000 in 6 months, $550 annual fee.

- Amex Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card: 90,000 miles after spending $4000 in 6 months, $250 annual fee.

- Amex Delta SkyMiles Gold Card: 70,000 miles after spending $2000 in 6 months, $0 intro annual fee, then $99.


Related: Delta Reserve Biz Amex Platinum Biz Delta Gold Biz Delta Reserve Amex Platinum Amex Gold

Bonus Points Minimum Spend Point Value Annual Value Annual Fee 1st Year Value
70,000 $5,000 1.2 ¢ $310 $650 $560
Best Value Differentiating Perks Rules
Delta flights Delta sky club access, annual companion certificate Amex 4 Credit , Amex 3/90 , No 5/24 , Amex 1/10
Most Recent Special Offer: 100,000 Bonus Points for $6,000 spend ended Oct 2024
Card Type: Personal, Airline

Spend Categories

Airfare - »

3X points
3.6¢ Per Dollar Spent

All Other - »

1X points
1.2¢ Per Dollar Spent

Apply Now »

Card Benefits

Lounge Access

Lounge Access »
Get unlimited Delta Lounge access, including 2 one-time guest passes annually. Also receive Amex Centurion® access if you book your flight with Delta using your reserve card.

Cell Phone Protection

Cell Phone Protection »
Your cell phone will be covered against damage or theft up to $800 — with a $50 deductible — up to $1,000 per 12-month

Companion Pass

Companion Pass »
Annual companion certificate, which gets you a main cabin, round-trip ticket to any domestic destination for free. Earned each year on anniversary.

TSA Pre Check

TSA Pre Check »
Get up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry, or an $85 fee credit for TSA PreCheck.

Preferred Boarding

Preferred Boarding »
Get zone 1 priority boarding for up to 9 travelers on the same Delta reservation.

Airline Incidentals

Airline Incidentals »
20% Back on In-Flight Purchases, eligible for complimentary seating upgrades.

Car Rental Insurance

Car Rental Insurance »
Using this card gives you secondary car rental insurance coverage up to $50,000 in collision damage and theft per incident.

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance »
Lost luggage insurance up to $1,250 on carried-on baggage; lost luggage protection up to $3,000; trip delay protection up to $300; and trip cancellation protection up to $10,000 per trip.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

No Foreign Transaction Fees »
You will pay no foreign transaction fees when you use your card for purchases made outside the United States.

Concierge

Concierge »
Call 1-800-525-3355 to get complimentary assistance making dinner reservations, buying theater tickets, getting travel guides, sending gifts/flowers, and dozens of other specific requests.

Statement Credits

Statement Credits »
Annual statement credit of up to $200 on hotels booked through Delta Stays on delta.com, get up to $10 back each month for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers and and up to $20 per month on eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants

Free Checked Bag

Free Checked Bag »
Your first checked bag is free on Delta flights, including up to 9 travel companions on the same reservation. Primary cardholder must be on the reservation.

Purchase Protection

Purchase Protection »
You're protected for up to 90 days from the purchase date up to $1,000 ($500 on natural disasters).

Extended Warranty

Extended Warranty »
Enjoy up to 1 additional year on the original manufacturer’s warranties of 5 years or less.
Apply Now »

Point Transfer Options

Transfer To Spouse/Partner Yes - $$

Transfer To Friends Yes - $$

Travel Partner Transfers

Outside Point System Delta SkyMiles

Transfers In From
Point Transfer Options
Amex Member Rewards

1:1 86% value retained

Point Transfer Options
IHG Rewards

5:1 40% value retained

Point Transfer Options
Marriott Bonvoy

3:1 67% value retained

Point Transfer Options
World of Hyatt

5:2 30% value retained

View All Point Transfer Options »

Why You Might Want This Card

What Do You Get (Or Not Get) For $550?

The unique thing about the Delta Reserve card is you can earn elite status on Delta flights (Medallion Miles aka MQMs), which includes complimentary Sky Club access, unlimited upgrades on paid tickets for you and a companion, and waived redeposit/reissue fees. You'll also get a 20,000 point bonus each anniversary year. That will take some of the sting out of the mammoth $550 annual fee. This really is a card for VIP status. But it does require big spending. For example, even with the 10,000 MQM sign-up bonus, you still need 25,000 MQMs total to reach Delta's lowest level tier (Silver). This is within reach if you're willing to spend $30,000 within a calendar year, at which point Delta will give you 15,000 MQMs. Status might be important to you if you're a regular Delta flyer.

Check out our Delta SkyMiles page for more details on how to best use Delta Points.

Bottom Line

This is the card to have if you're working toward becoming a Medallion member. It gives you that initial point boost, plus all the nice things that are attached to a Delta card, like first checked bag free, priority boarding and travel protections. Other Delta cards offer you a lot of the same benefits with a more reasonable annual fee than the $550 on this one. Plus the huge spends needed to gain "status" with Delta, are better leveraged collecting sign-up bonuses with other cards. Finally, as with any Amex card, since you're limited to a "once in a lifetime" bonus, it's a good idea to wait for special offers (80,000 points). The typical 40,000 point offer on this card is underwhelming.

Application Rules

Amex 4 Credit

Amex will decline your application if you already have 4 credit cards (not charge) and apply for a fifth

Amex 3/90

You'll be declined if you apply for a fourth Amex card in 90 days

No 5/24

Card approval not subject to 5-personal-cards-in-24-months rule

Amex 1/10

Amex allows only 1 bonus per specific card per lifetime (yours or that version of the card)

Ranking of Cards Offering Delta SkyMiles

#1
Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business
Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business »
#2
Delta SkyMiles Gold Business
Delta SkyMiles Gold Business »
#3
Delta Skymiles Reserve Business
Delta Skymiles Reserve Business »
#4
Delta SkyMiles Gold Personal
Delta SkyMiles Gold Personal »
#5
Delta Skymiles Platinum Personal
Delta Skymiles Platinum Personal »
#6
Delta SkyMiles Reserve Personal
Delta SkyMiles Reserve Personal »
#7
Delta SkyMiles Blue Personal
Delta SkyMiles Blue Personal »

Best for Series

Below is a snapshot of where this card performs best compared to the other cards in our database:

Rank 4th Honorable Mention
Best Cards For International Flights »

Breaking Points

September 12, 2024
American Express
American Express Delta Cards Making a Splash

- Delta Platinum Business - 100,000 miles after spending $8000 in 6 months, $350/annual fee.

- Delta Gold Business - 90,000 miles after spending $6000 in 6 months, $0/annual fee, then $150/annual fee.

- Delta Reserve Business - 110,000 miles after spending $12000 in 6 months, $650/annual fee.

- Delta Platinum Personal - 90,000 miles after spending $4000 in 6 months, $350/annual fee.

- Delta Gold Personal - 80,000 miles after spending $3000 in 6 months, $0/annual fee, then $150/annual fee.

- Delta Reserve - 100,000 miles after spending $6000 in 6 months, $650/annual fee.


Related: Delta Plat Biz Delta Gold Biz Delta Reserve Biz Plat Delta Delta Gold Delta Reserve

February 13, 2024
American Express
Mini Points - February 2024

- IHG Mastercard, earn 165,000 points after spending $3000 in the first 3 months, $99 annual fee.

- Delta Platinum Amex Business, 100,000 points after spending $8000 in the first 6 months, $350 annual fee.

- Delta Gold Amex Business, 80,000 points after spending $6000 in the first 6 months, $0 annual fee, then $150 after first year.

- Delta Reserve Amex Business, 110,000 points after spending $12,000 in the first 6 months, $650 annual fee.

- Delta Platinum Amex, 90,000 points after spending $4000 in the first 6 months, $350 annual fee.

- Delta Gold Amex, 70,000 points after spending $3000 in the first 6 months, $150 annual fee.

- Delta Reserve Amex, 100,000 points after spending $6000 in the first 6 months, $650 annual fee.


Related: Chase Delta Gold Biz Delta Gold Plat Delta Plat Delta Delta Reserve Biz Delta Reserve IHG Premier

July 3, 2023
Chase Ink Business Preferred
Mini Points - July 2023

- American Express Delta Skymiles Platinum Business - Limited Time Offer - 90,000 Miles after spending $4000 in 3 months, $250 annual fee.

- American Express Delta Skymiles Gold Business - Limited Time Offer - 70,000 Miles after spending $3000 in 3 months, $0 annual fee for the first year then, $99.

- American Express Delta Skymiles Reserve Business - Limited Time Offer - 100,000 Miles after spending $6000 in 3 months, $550 annual fee.

- American Express Delta Skymiles Platinum Personal - Limited Time Offer - 85,000 Miles after spending $4000 in 6 months, $250 annual fee.

- American Express Delta Skymiles Gold Personal - Limited Time Offer - 65,000 Miles after spending $2000 in 6 months, $0 annual fee for the first year then, $99.

- American Express Delta Skymiles Reserve Personal - Limited Time Offer - 85,000 Miles after spending $6000 in 6 months, $550 annual fee.

- Chase Ink Business Preferred - 100,000 Points after spending NEW LOWER $8000 requirement in the first 3 months, $95 annual fee.

Related: Delta Gold Biz Delta Gold Plat Delta Delta Plat Biz Delta Reserve Delta Reserve Biz Amex Chase

February 5, 2023
American Express
Amex gets Generous with Delta Points

Here is a fun list of Delta Amex cards that are offering limited time (ending 3/29/23) sign-up bonus:

- Amex Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card: 100,000 miles after spending $6000 in 3 months, $550 annual fee.

- Amex Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Card: 95,000 miles after spending $4000 in 3 months, $250 annual fee.

- Amex Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card: 75,000 miles after spending $3000 in 3 months, $0 intro annual fee, then $99.

- Amex Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card: 90,000 miles after spending $6000 in 6 months, $550 annual fee.

- Amex Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card: 90,000 miles after spending $4000 in 6 months, $250 annual fee.

- Amex Delta SkyMiles Gold Card: 70,000 miles after spending $2000 in 6 months, $0 intro annual fee, then $99.


Related: Delta Reserve Biz Amex Platinum Biz Delta Gold Biz Delta Reserve Amex Platinum Amex Gold

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