The Delta Reserve Card is worth considering if you’re a big-spender with
good credit who likes flying with Delta and wants airport lounge access. Delta Reserve has a
$650 annual fee, but it offers complimentary access to certain airport lounges, along with a generous initial bonus offer and plenty of other perks.
If you’re not sure whether the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card will be worth the cost for you, the highlights below should help clarify the card’s value relative to the competition.
What I Like About the Delta Reserve Card
Exclusive Lounge Access
The Delta Reserve Credit Card is most worthwhile for people who would otherwise spend a fortune on airport lounge entry fees. It gets you complimentary access to Amex Centurion Lounge locations. Plus, you also receive 15 visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying with Delta, and you can unlock an unlimited number of visits after spending $75,000 on your card in a calendar year.
Entry to those exclusive lounges ordinarily costs hundreds of dollars per year. Don’t inflate the value of this benefit if you aren’t certain you’ll be in the position to use it frequently, though.
Other Comfortable Perks
The comfort that the Delta Reserve Amex gives air-travelers also extends beyond airport lounges and includes your first checked bag for free, priority boarding, and a 20% statement credit for in-flight purchases of food and beverages when flying with Delta. Plus, cardholders will get a statement credit for the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee, should they decide to apply.
Above-Average Initial Bonus Offer
The Delta Reserve Amex Card offers of
70,000 miles for spending
$5,000 within
6 months. This initial bonus offer is better than the average initial bonus from a credit card with points or miles:
37,069 points/miles.
Solid Ongoing Rewards on Delta Flights
At 3 miles per $1 spent, the Reserve Card’s Delta earning rate is nearly three times as high as the average rewards card’s base rate:
1.19 points/miles. That’s the only type of purchase you’ll get an above-average earning rate on, however. All other eligible purchases will get you just 1 mile per $1 spent.
Clear Path to Elite Status
With MQD Headstart, you receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to Medallion Status. Plus, for each $10 in purchases made on your card you earn $1 MQD. For context, one of the requirements for the lowest Medallion Status level, Silver, is to earn $5,000 MQDs in a year.
Lets You Travel with Company for Less
Amex Delta Reserve gives cardholders a companion ticket after renewing their account each year. That lets someone fly with you on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations and you only have to pay government-imposed taxes and fees of $22 - $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
The Delta Reserve Amex foreign transaction fee is
0%, saving you
1.58% compared to the average credit card offer.
What I Don’t Like About the Delta Reserve Card
High Annual Fee
The Delta Reserve annual fee is
$650. Our latest
Credit Card Landscape Report shows that the average credit card offer has an annual fee of just
$26.75.
Although the Delta Reserve Amex is much more expensive than most credit cards, it can still be worth getting if you take full advantage of its rewards and benefits as well as pay the bill in full every month to avoid expensive interest charges.
High APR
The Delta Reserve Card’s interest rate is
19.74% to 28.74% (V), depending on your overall credit profile when you apply. The average APR among credit card offers available right now is
22.76%, according to our research.
High Credit Score Recommended
This isn’t entirely unexpected, but it would be better if so many people weren’t priced out of getting this card by its minimum credit score, in addition to its high fee and APR. The Delta Reserve Card is available to people with
good or better.
You can
check your latest credit score for free here on WalletHub to estimate your chances.
Note: This review is not provided, commissioned or endorsed by any issuer. Opinions and ratings are our own.