Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

This is an offer from our partner American Express.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Details and Benefits

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card may seem like a big investment due to its high annual fee, but you can get more than enough value in return thanks to a single perk it offers — Delta Sky Club access. This credit card gives you same-day access to over 50 Delta Sky Club locations worldwide when you fly Delta Air Lines or one of its partners.

This business credit card can also be a boon if you’re angling for elite status with the airline. You’ll earn 45,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in the first 3 months for starters, but you can also qualify for a Status Boost™ of 15,000 more MQMs when you spend $30,000 on your card within a calendar year, up to four times per year, getting you closer to Medallion status.

You also qualify for additional perks like Main Cabin 1 boarding, assistance from a Reserve concierge, 20 percent off select in-flight services when you pay with your card (appears as a statement credit), a first checked bag free and a Companion Certificate each year you renew your card.

Is the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card worth it for you?

If you plan on paying $545 for Delta Sky Club membership anyway, then you might as well apply for this credit card. You’ll get lounge access as a cardholder park, but you’ll also be able to earn miles for each dollar you spend and a significant welcome bonus. Frequent flyer perks, like priority boarding and free checked bags, also make this card excellent value for anyone who flies with Delta Air Lines often.

However, if you rarely fly Delta Airlines or its partners, or even if airports you frequent don’t have a Delta Sky Club, you may want to consider other cards. There are plenty of flexible travel credit cards that let you transfer points to airline partners or book travel directly, so you don’t have to commit to Delta if you don’t want to.

Get the most value from the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

To get the most bang for your buck with this business credit card, you’ll want to use it for as many purchases as you can each year. Spending $30,000 on your card within a calendar year will help you earn 15,000 additional MQMs after all, up to four times per year. These MQMs can help you reach elite status faster, which could help you receive perks such as complimentary upgrades and a dedicated customer service line.

Of course, you’ll also earn 1.5x more miles after you spend $150,000 on your card within a calendar year (not including Delta purchases). This could benefit really big spenders who have a lot of business expenses they can charge to a credit card.

How much are points worth?

Delta SkyMiles are worth an average of 1.2 cents each when redeemed for flights, but you’ll get a minimum of one cent per point when you redeem for flights using Delta’s Pay with Miles option.

In addition to redeeming your miles for award flights to more than 1,000 destinations, you can also cash in miles for seat upgrades, vacation packages, Delta Air Lines gift cards, magazine subscriptions and merchandise through the Delta SkyMiles marketplace. Redemption values will vary for each of these options, but you’ll generally get less then one cent per point.

How to redeem rewards

The great thing about Delta SkyMiles is the fact they never expire. This means you’ll never have to worry about using your miles in a hurry, and you can keep racking up more miles until you’re ready to redeem however you want.

To redeem your miles through Delta Air Lines, all you have to do is log into your account and search for flights using the “Shop with Miles” feature.

If you want to redeem rewards for other options, like magazine subscriptions or Delta Air Lines vacations, you can do so by logging into your account and heading to the “Redemption: How to Use Miles” page.

Should you upgrade?

If you have another Delta business credit card like the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, you may be wondering if you should upgrade to this card. There’s no right or wrong answer here, but it helps to consider each card’s benefits and how they stack up.

Applying for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card makes a lot of sense if you can maximize Delta Sky Club membership because you fly with Delta and its partners often. If you don’t, considering another Delta business credit card with a lower annual fee may be the more practical decision.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please click here.