2021 Review: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card — For Delta-Loving Business Travelers

Rewards
Balance transfers
Fees

How to Transfer a Balance on a Credit Card

Spending Rewards
3X SkyMiles per dollar for eligible purchases made directly with Delta Air Lines
1.5X SkyMiles per dollar on all other eligible purchases for the rest of the year after spending $150,000 in a calendar year
1X SkyMile per dollar on all other eligible purchases

Introductory Bonus
80,000 bonus miles, 20,000 MQMs, and a $200 statement credit for spending $5,000 in the first 3 months (offer expires 11/10/2021)

Balance transfers

A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.

Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
Regular Balance Transfer APRN/A
Balance Transfer FeeN/A

Fees

Penalty APR29.24% Variable
Late FeeUp to $39
Returned Payment Fee$39
Additional Cards Annual FeeN/A
Foreign Transaction FeeNone

The information related to Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.

Rounding out Delta Air Lines’ family of co-branded business credit cards, the Amex Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business serves up a plateful of premium benefits, with a decent reward structure that nevertheless looks a bit more like an appetizer than a meal.

The card doles out 3X SkyMiles per dollar on eligible purchases made directly with Delta, its only specific bonus category. If you spend $150,000 in a year, every eligible purchase (aside from Delta) after you meet that threshold earns 1.5X miles, rather than 1X.

The Reserve’s benefits are about what you’d expect of a premium card. Highlights include complimentary access to Delta Sky Clubs and The Centurion Lounge, an annual companion certificate, priority boarding, and waived baggage fees (among other things).

Altogether, the SkyMiles Reserve Business is a great option for business owners who remain loyal to Delta and don’t mind the card’s relatively high price tag.

Card	Annual Fee	Rewards
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card	$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99 (Rates & Fees)	2X SkyMiles for purchases made directly with Delta Air Lines, U.S. Shipping, U.S. Advertising in select media, and Restaurants 1X SkyMile for all other purchases 70,000 bonus miles and a $50 statement credit for spending $2,000 in the first 3 months (offer expires 11/20/2021)
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card (Review)	$250 (Rates & Fees)	3X SkyMiles for purchases made directly with Delta and Hotels 1.5X SkyMiles for purchases of $5,000 or more, up to 50,000 miles per year 1X SkyMile for all other purchases 90,000 bonus miles, 10,000 MQMs, and a $100 statement credit for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months (offer expires 11/20/2021)
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card (This review)	$550	3X SkyMiles for purchases made directly with Delta Air Lines 1.5X SkyMiles for all purchases for the rest of the year after spending $150,000 in a calendar year 1X SkyMile for all other purchases 80,000 bonus miles, 20,000 MQMs, and a $200 statement credit for spending $5,000 in the first 3 months (offer expires 11/10/2021)

Insider Advice: Getting the Most Out of Your Card

Travel with Delta: Book eligible flights with Delta and its partners to get 3X miles per dollar on top of what you already get as a SkyMiles member. Aside from flights, the card’s 3X category also covers other Delta purchases, including class upgrades, seat selections, and in-flight food and drinks.
Secure the welcome offer: The Reserve’s welcome bonus adds a lot of value, but avoid applying for this card if you’d have to spend unnecessary money to get it. Once you get the initial bonus, remain a cardholder for at least a year to get the additional bonus after your first anniversary of card membership.
Lounge while you travel: Relax before or between your flights with free access to Delta Sky Club and Centurion airport lounges. An individual Sky Club membership would cost you $545, which almost entirely offsets the Reserve Business card’s fee. Centurion Lounge access is tougher to assign a monetary value to, but it’d likely be even higher; it’s only available through select American Express premium credit cards.
Board early and check your first bag for free: Book your Delta itinerary with the same SkyMiles number that’s associated with your Reserve Business card for Main Cabin 1 priority boarding privileges and waived fees for your first checked bags (applies to you and up to eight additional passengers).
Apply for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck: The Reserve card covers the fee of either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry to help reduce the time you spend waiting around in airports. If you think you’ll qualify, Global Entry is the more valuable option, as it can include TSA PreCheck and typically costs $15 more.
Achieve Medallion status: Status Boost speeds Reserve Business cardholders along the path to Medallion status by granting 15,000 MQMs (Medallion Qualification Miles) for every $30,000 spent in a calendar year, up to four times annually. There are four Medallion tiers (Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond), and each tier offers extra rewards and perks.

The Rewards

Too busy to worry over a credit card with a complicated reward structure, but still looking to earn rewards to put toward business travel? The SkyMiles Reserve Business is a strong contender.

The card earns 3X SkyMiles on direct Delta purchases in addition to whatever you’re earning from your SkyMiles membership status (which starts at 5X miles).

SkyMiles are generally worth about 1–1.5 cents, so you’re usually getting a cash back equivalent of at least 8% on Delta purchases if you redeem for airfare. That’ll increase with higher SkyMiles membership tiers.

Earning

Spending Rewards
3X SkyMiles per dollar for eligible purchases made directly with Delta Air Lines
1.5X SkyMiles per dollar on all other eligible purchases for the rest of the year after spending $150,000 in a calendar year
1X SkyMile per dollar on all other eligible purchases

Introductory Bonus
80,000 bonus miles, 20,000 MQMs, and a $200 statement credit for spending $5,000 in the first 3 months (offer expires 11/10/2021)

The SkyMiles Reserve Business has a run-of-the-mill airline reward structure. Keep in mind that the Delta category includes not only airfare, but class upgrades, seat selection, and more.

You start off earning 1X mile per dollar on everything else, but if you spend $150,000 on the card in a calendar year, that rate is bumped up to 1.5X per dollar. This adds a lot of value if you’re working with a bigger business.

Redeeming

Earning with the Reserve Business is simple. Developing a strategic redemption strategy can be a bit tougher, especially if you’re looking to get the absolute best value possible.

Reserve cardholders have a rich variety of redemption options, but we recommend ignoring most of them, and swapping your Delta miles for airfare to get the most bang for your buck.

You can redeem your points with Delta and its partner airlines right on the Delta website.

If you really want to redeem for something else, there are quite a few options, including gift cards, Delta Sky Club access (which you’ll already have), seat upgrades, and more. But, again, we suggest you stick with flights.

Redeeming SkyMiles for Flights

Delta flight redemptions typically deliver a value between 1–1.5 cents per SkyMile, but there are plenty of exceptions that fall both higher and lower. With that said, we’ll outline a few examples of what you can usually expect.

Here’s a round-trip flight in basic economy from New York (JFK) to Chicago (ORD).

For this flight, you’d get a value of about 1.15 cents per SkyMile. Pretty normal.

Now, take a look at this Main Cabin flight between Los Angeles (LAX) and Orlando (MCO).

You’re getting a better value here, but nothing outlandish — around 1.36 cents. And that’s generally how most redemptions will look.

We’ve calculated a few more examples, too, to help provide a clearer picture. They’re all round-trip flights in varying classes, and sure enough, the value per mile falls within the expected 1–1.5 cent range.

Round Trip Route	Class	Cash Price	Miles Price	Value Per Mile
JFK to IAD	Basic Economy	$196.20	16,000 + $11.20	1.23 cents
DET to YYZ	Main Cabin	$406.28	28,000 + $51.78	1.45 cents
DEN to SEA	Comfort+	$274.20	21,000 + $11.20	1.3 cents
BOS to IND	First	$351.20	32,000 + $11.20	1.09 cents

Quick Guide

Miles + Cash vs. Pay with Miles

Delta offers two booking options that let you book using both points and miles — Miles + Cash and Pay with Miles. Both tend to provide a worse return on spend than if you just redeem with miles normally.

Miles + Cash lets you purchase airfare with both miles and cash using a cash surcharge to lower the flight’s mile price.

Pay with Miles is slightly different; it allows you to book airfare with SkyMiles in increments of 5,000, and then cover the rest with cash.

Miles + Cash flights are categorized as award tickets, so they don’t earn you any rewards. Pay with Miles fares are considered normal tickets, so they accumulate SkyMiles on whatever portion you pay in cash.

The Benefits

The SkyMiles Reserve Business features most of the same benefits as its consumer counterpart. That’s a good thing — some of these benefits are very valuable.

Delta Sky Club and Centurion Lounge access: Access Delta Sky Clubs for free, and bring up to two guests at $39 each. Complimentary Centurion Lounge access is also included, with up to two guests at $50 each. Two free Delta Sky Club one-time guest passes per year are included. Complimentary lounge access requires a boarding pass for a same-day Delta-operated or Delta-marketed flight. However, Reserve cardholders traveling with a partner airline on a flight that’s not marketed by Delta can still access Delta Sky Club lounges for $39 per person.
Annual Companion Certificate: Each year, upon card renewal, get a certificate for one Domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+, or Main Cabin round-trip flight. Certificate use requires the payment of applicable fees, not to exceed $75.
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit: Pay with the SkyMiles Reserve Business, and get a statement credit that covers the application fee of either Global Entry ($100 every four years) or TSA PreCheck ($85 once every four-and-a-half years).
First checked bag free on Delta flights: Baggage fees for your party’s first checked bags are waived when you book with your Delta SkyMiles number (covers the cardholder and up to eight additional passengers on the same itinerary).
Main Cabin 1 priority boarding: Board your flight earlier (with up to eight additional passengers on the same itinerary) when you book with your Delta SkyMiles number.
Complimentary upgrades: SkyMiles Reserve Business cardholders are added to the complimentary upgrade waitlist after Medallion members, even without Medallion status.
20% in-flight discount on Delta flights: Enjoy a 20% discount (in the form of a statement credit) on various in-flight purchases, including food, drinks, and headsets, but excluding WiFi.
Concierge service: Call for 24/7 non-emergency assistance with a variety of tasks, like arranging travel plans, making restaurant reservations, and locating hard-to-find gifts.
Shopping and travel protections: Including car rental loss and damage insurance, baggage insurance, the Global Assist Hotline, return protection, dispute resolution, and extended warranty protection

Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.

The Terms & Fees

Purchase APR	Balance Transfer APR	Cash Advance APR
15.74% - 24.74% Variable	None	25.24% Variable

Annual Fee	Foreign Transaction Fee
$550	None

Balance Transfer Fee	Cash Advance Fee
None	Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater

Penalty APR	Late Fee	Returned Payment Fee
29.24% Variable	Up to $39	$39

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card (Rates & Fees)

The Reserve’s annual fee is on par with most other premium travel cards — expensive, but not unusually so.

There’s no foreign transaction fee (again, normal for a business travel card), but Amex isn’t as widely accepted as networks like Visa or Mastercard, so this may not be your best pick for international business travel.

The Bottom Line

If you’re in the market for a business-focused travel card and you spend a lot of money with Delta, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is about as good as it gets.

The card’s rewards program is a great match for die-hard Delta customers — especially those whose businesses spend more than $150,000 a year without a second thought. Plus, the program’s simplicity could be a boon for busy businesspeople with no time to strategize a meticulous spending plan.

Though its rewards are fine, the SkyMiles Reserve Business card’s value is best demonstrated by its benefits. Complimentary Delta Sky Club access is great, but complimentary Centurion Lounge access is a rare treasure. The card’s other benefits are great, too — the annual companion fare, free checked bags, and priority boarding offer hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars in potential yearly value, depending on how much you fly.

And that’s about all there is to it. Love flying with Delta and relaxing in airport lounges before you board? This is the card for you. Prefer redemption flexibility, or a more diverse rewards program? Consider an alternative.

How to Apply for the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card

Click the “Apply Now” button below, and you’ll be taken to the American Express website. There, you can fill out a secure application for the SkyMiles Reserve Business card. You’ll be required to submit a variety of personal and business information.

After you’ve submitted your application, Amex will conduct a hard check on your personal credit. You’ll likely be either approved or denied instantly. If not, the issuer might ask for more information, or simply request you wait while the decision is made.

Read more How to Apply for Business Credit Cards (Even If You Don’t Think You Qualify)

What Credit Scores Do You Need to Get the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card?

The Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card is intended for cardholders with excellent credit.

VantageScore considers scores above 750 excellent. FICO isn’t quite as clear; scores between 740–799 are labeled exceptional, while 800 and up qualifies for excellent. You’re probably safe to assume anything in that range is good enough, though that’s not a guarantee.

Bear in mind that these are guidelines. You may be declined with very high credit scores, or approved with scores that aren’t great.

Qualifications and Requirements

Must be 18 to apply
Business information: Legal business name, business name on card, business address, business phone number, industry, company structure, years in business, employee count, annual business revenue, federal tax ID, role in company
Personal information: Name, date of birth, Social Security number
Address and contact information: Email address, home address, home phone number
Financial information: Total annual income, non-taxable annual income
Delta SkyMiles number (if you already have one)

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

Our rating:

Rewards
Balance transfers
Fees

How to Transfer a Balance on a Credit Card

Spending Rewards
3X SkyMiles per dollar for eligible purchases made directly with Delta Air Lines
1.5X SkyMiles per dollar on all other eligible purchases for the rest of the year after spending $150,000 in a calendar year
1X SkyMile per dollar on all other eligible purchases

Introductory Bonus
80,000 bonus miles, 20,000 MQMs, and a $200 statement credit for spending $5,000 in the first 3 months (offer expires 11/10/2021)

Balance transfers

A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.

Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
Regular Balance Transfer APRN/A
Balance Transfer FeeN/A

Fees

Penalty APR29.24% Variable
Late FeeUp to $39
Returned Payment Fee$39
Additional Cards Annual FeeN/A
Foreign Transaction FeeNone

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Alternatives to the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card

For business owners committed to flying Delta, there are few better credit card offers than the SkyMiles Reserve Business. But not everyone’s loyal to a single airline, and even if you are, you may not travel enough to justify such a large annual fee. Here are a few other options.

Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

Our rating:

Why We Picked It
Rewards
Key Features

Not every business owner spends enough to justify a premium airline card. The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card isn’t as pricey as the Reserve, so it lacks many of its more valuable benefits.

Even so, the card features strong, business-minded rewards and enough perks to help you get your money’s worth without much hassle.

Spending Rewards
2X SkyMiles per eligible dollar for: Purchases made directly with Delta Air Lines U.S. Shipping U.S. Advertising in select media Restaurants
1X SkyMile per dollar on all other eligible purchases

Introductory Bonus
70,000 bonus miles and a $50 statement credit for spending $2,000 in the first 3 months (offer expires 11/20/2021)

The Gold’s reward program could actually be more lucrative than the Reserve’s for businesses with big shipping and advertising budgets. And one fewer mile per dollar on Delta purchases probably won’t make a huge difference in your SkyMiles balance at the end of the day.

First checked bag free: Book flights using the SkyMiles number associated with your credit card, and Delta will waive the price of your first checked bag (usually $25). This perk applies to up to eight other passengers on the same itinerary.
Main Cabin 1 priority boarding: Board earlier (along with up to eight passengers on your itinerary, once again) when you book airfare with your SkyMiles number.
20% back on in-flight purchases: Get a 20% discount, in the form of a statement credit, on in-flight Delta purchases like food, drinks, and headsets (excluding WiFi).
$100 Delta flight credit: After spending $10,000 in a calendar year with your Gold card, you’ll get a $100 credit good for Delta flight and vacation package reservations.
Shopping and travel protections: Baggage Insurance Plan, Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty
No foreign transaction fee
Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99

Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.

Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card (Rates & Fees)

The information related to Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card

Our rating:

Why We Picked It
Rewards
Key Features

What do you care more about — rewards or benefits?

If you’re big on rewards but have no use for airport lounge access, you might prefer the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card over the Reserve.

Its reward structure is slightly more diverse, but it lacks the Reserve’s most luxurious perks. Its annual fee is much lower, though it’s still on the pricier side.

Spending Rewards
3X SkyMiles per dollar for: Eligible purchases made directly with Delta Eligible purchases made directly with Hotels
1.5X SkyMiles per dollar for single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more, up to 50,000 miles per year
1X SkyMile per dollar for all other eligible purchases

Introductory Bonus
90,000 bonus miles, 10,000 MQMs, and a $100 statement credit for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months (offer expires 11/20/2021)

The Platinum matches the Reserve’s reward rate on Delta purchases, and adds two additional categories to boot.

The hotel category bumps up the card’s appeal to frequent overnight travelers.

Its 1.5X category is a neat addition, but the 50,000-mile limit is a touch restrictive, given how the least you can earn for a single $5,000 purchase in that category is 7,500 SkyMiles.

Annual Companion Certificate: A certificate for a domestic, round-trip Main Cabin flight upon card renewal
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit: A statement credit for the application fee of Global Entry ($100 every four years) or TSA PreCheck ($85 once every four-and-a-half years)
First checked bag free: Covers you and up to eight traveling companions on Delta flights
Main Cabin 1 priority boarding: Board earlier alongside up to eight travel companions.
Delta Sky Club access: Visit Delta Sky Club airport lounges with up to two travel companions at an exclusive rate of $39 per person.
20% discount on in-flight purchases: 20% off purchases like food, beverages, movies, and audio headsets in the form of a statement credit (on Delta flights)
Status Boost: Earn 10,000 MQMs for every $25,000 in eligible purchases, up to twice annually.
Shopping and travel protections: Baggage Insurance Plan, Trip Delay Insurance, Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection
No foreign transaction fee
Annual fee: $250

Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card (Rates & Fees)

The information related to Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Our rating:

Apply Now

securely on the issuer's website

Highlights
Why We Picked It
Rewards
Key Features

Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
With Fraud Protection your card transactions will be monitored for possible signs of fraudulent activity using real-time fraud monitoring.
With Zero Liability you won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more – your points don’t expire as long as your account is open
Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
$95 Annual Fee

It’s no secret why the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is such a well-loved business credit card.

The card offers few high-value benefits, but its reward structure is fairly diverse. And any rewards you earn can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio to a plethora of airline and hotel loyalty programs. This point transfer feature, in particular, lends the card a lot of flexibility.

Ink Business Preferred cardholders also get a 25% point bonus when redeeming through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, which is a big plus if you’re not sure whether you’d like to transfer your points.

Spending Rewards
5X Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on Lyft rides (through March 2022)
3X Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent per year on: Travel Shipping Internet, cable, and phone services Advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines
1X Ultimate Rewards point per dollar on all other purchases

Introductory Bonus
100,000 bonus points for spending $15,000 in the first 3 months after account opening

The Ink Business Preferred is great because it rewards you for travel and various business essentials.

The main downside is that you can only earn in its 3X categories up to $150,000 in spending. For small businesses, that could be plenty, but bigger businesses might want to use this card alongside something less restrictive.

Redemption bonus: Get a 25% point bonus when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Point transfer: Transfer points at a 1:1 rate to a variety of airline and hotel loyalty programs, including British Airways, United, Marriott Bonvoy, and Hyatt.
Cell Phone Protection: Pay your monthly cell phone bill with your Ink Business Preferred for coverage against theft and damage, up to $600 per claim with a $100 deductible.
Shopping and travel protections: Other insurance perks include purchase protection, extended warranty protection, trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waivers, and more.
Purchase and Balance Transfer APR: 15.99%-20.99% Variable
No foreign transaction fee
Annual fee: $95

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

Our rating:

Why We Picked It
Rewards
Key Features

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is expensive, and it’s easy to see why.

Its benefits are among the best in the industry, bundling the most comprehensive airport lounge access available with elite hotel statuses, various statement credits, and much more.

Its rewards are less compelling than its benefits, but they’re still solid and comparable with the Reserve’s.

Spending Rewards
5X Membership Rewards points per dollar on Flights and Prepaid Hotels booked through Amex Travel
2X Membership Rewards points per dollar for other eligible purchases through Amex Travel
1.5X Membership Rewards points per dollar (up to $2 million spent per year) for eligible purchases of $5,000 or more, and eligible U.S. purchases from: Construction material and hardware suppliers Electronic goods retailers and software/cloud system providers Shipping providers
1X Membership Rewards point per dollar on other eligible purchases

Introductory Bonus
120,000 bonus points for spending $15,000 within the first 3 months

If you spend a lot on travel and don’t mind booking most (or all) of that travel through the Amex Travel portal, this could be a very lucrative card.

You get a decent bonus on points redeemed with Amex Travel, too, which ramps up the value of your rewards even further.