Last Updated on January 3, 2021

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card features complementary access to Delta Sky Club and American Express’ The Centurion Lounge for card holders (primary plus any additional card holders).

Additionally, the card features:

• 3X miles on Delta purchases (1X on all other purchases)
• First Checked Bag Free (for you and up to 8 others traveling under the same reservation)
• 2 free Delta Sky Club passes each year
• Annual Companion Certificate (domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+ or Main Cabin round-trip)
• Status Boost – earn 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year (up to four times each year)
• Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) Waiver – MQD requirement (basically, the spending threshold on Delta flights required to achieve Medallion status) toward Platinum, Gold or Silver Medallion Status if you make at least $25,000 in purchases in a specific calendar year
• Up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre (first year and then once every four years)
• Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding
• No Foreign Transaction Fees

At present (during COVID), the card features an approximate purchasing yield of 1.38% (high for this card based on unusually good  reward flight options relative to the actual dollar cost of those same flights).

Objectively, this card offers impressive value but there are some pain points and the approximate values for this card fluctuate dramatically as the value of a Delta SkyMile fluctuate.

Pain Points:

• The card offers an annual Companion Certificate which can yield significant value (especially, when used for domestic First Class) but there is some hassle involved in utilizing the certificate whereas some other travel reward cards simply reimburse for the first several hundred dollars of flight costs each year.  If you’re up for the hassle, the Companion Certificate can be a great value.
• While access to SkyClub and Centurion Lounge is included, it does not offer complementary guest access as a standard benefit.  Once the two free guest passes are used, additional guests cost $39 each (up to 2 adults or one partner plus children under the age of 18) for Sky Club and $50 each (up to 2 adults or one partner plus children under the age of 18) for Centurion.  Additional cardholders also receive complementary access but each additional card costs $175 each year.

Overall, this card can be of significant value but if you’re not loyal to Delta, it may be worth considering other cards.

Currently, there are several bonus offers available online.  They range from:

• Earn 40,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases in your first three months (offer found on americanexpress.com), to;
• Earn 70,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles after you spend $5,000 in your first three months (offer found on America on Delta.com)

We’ve based our value estimates on the lower offer.

(Image: Delta / American Express)