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October 24, 2024: The previous limited-time offers on the Delta credit cards have ended. But Delta has increased the standard offers on the personal Delta credit cards across-the-board, including on the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. For more on this change, see our take below.
Here’s the best Delta Reserve card welcome offer currently available:
Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full Learn more and apply.
(See Rates and Fees)
Here are all of the details on this best-ever welcome offer on the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card.
In this article…
Best current welcome offer: 70,000 SkyMiles after spending $5,000 in 6 months
Here are the details on the current Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card welcome offer.
Annual fee: annual_fees
See Rates and Fees
Best welcome offer online: bonus_miles_full
This bonus is earned as Delta SkyMiles.
Help out a friend: Use a referral link and earn points for your friend
American Express offers some cardmembers the ability to refer others to Amex cards and earn points. If you have a friend or a family member with an American Express card and they can generate a referral link, you may be able to get this same welcome bonus and earn some points for your friend.
Most American Express-branded and Delta-branded cards will allow you to refer someone to a Delta credit card and earn points if they are approved. But you won’t be able to refer a friend to the Delta credit card from another co-branded card like a Hilton credit card or Marriott credit card.
You are not allowed to apply through a referral link that you have generated yourself.
Eligibility: Are you able to get this welcome offer?
The new cardmember offer on the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card contains American Express lifetime language, which prohibits you from receiving a bonus on this card if you’ve ever had the same card previously.
However, even if you may have had the card before, it is generally safe to apply for a new American Express card. Prior to processing your application, Amex will notify you if you are ineligible for the welcome bonus and give you a chance to withdraw your application.
About the card: More on the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
Annual fee: annual_fees
Foreign transaction fee: foreign_transaction_fee
See Rates and Fees
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card signature benefit is its Delta Sky Club access. The card also offers a companion certificate usable for first class flights, plus a raft of other benefits.
Welcome offer
Best welcome offer online: bonus_miles_full
This bonus is earned as Delta SkyMiles.
Rewards
- 3x on Delta purchases made directly with Delta
- 1x on other purchases.
Rewards are earned as Delta SkyMiles.
Benefits
Delta travel benefits
- Complimentary Delta Sky Club Access
- Until 1/31/25: Enjoy complimentary Delta Sky Club Access when traveling with Delta.
- Effective 2/1/25: Receive 15 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club. Earn an unlimited number of visits when you spend $75,000 or more in a calendar year. You will receive unlimited visits for the year in which you spent the $75,000, plus unlimited visits for the subsequent year.
- Receive 4 one-time Delta Sky Club guest passes each year.
- Complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge when you book your Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
- Annual companion certificate each year after renewal of your card. First Class, Delta Comfort+® or Main Cabin. Domestic, Caribbean, or Central American round trip flights.
- $200 Delta Stays credit.
- MQD Headstart. Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year.
- MQD Boost. Earn $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $10 in purchases on your card.
- First checked bag free.
- TakeOff 15.
- 20% back on in-flight purchases.
- Upgrade priority. Receive upgrade priority over other Medallion Members within the same Medallion level and fare class grouping.
- Complimentary upgrades. Card members with an eligible ticket will be added to the complimentary upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
Consumer insurance benefits
- Extended warranty.
- Return protection.
- Purchase protection.
Travel insurance benefits
- Baggage insurance plan.
- Trip delay insurance.
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance.
- Car rental loss and damage insurance.
- Premium Global Assist® hotline.
Partner benefits and statement credits
- Hertz President’s Circle Status. Enrollment required.
- ShopRunner. Enrollment required.
Statement credits
- $240 Resy credit. Enroll and earn up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants.
- $120 rideshare credit. Enroll and earn up to $10 in statement credits each month after using your card on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit. Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card.
Getting the value: How to get the most value from your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
The annual companion certificate and the Delta Sky Club access make up most of the value of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. But if you’re going to pay so much for a card, you want to maximize the value you get, especially since upcoming changes to this card mean you’re going to be getting less value from the SkyClub access starting in 2025.
Here’s how to get the most value from the Delta Reserve card:
- Use the SkyClub access. When you’re at the airport traveling on Delta, be sure to visit the Sky Club. The complimentary food and beverages served in the club can replace cash you would otherwise spend on a meal at the airport. Don’t forget about the 4 guest passes you get. Share those with a friend.
- Don’t forget about The Centurion® Lounge. Delta Sky Clubs tend to be better lounges than Amex’s flagship Centurion lounges, but when this benefit gets cut down to 15 visits per year in 2025, remember that you’ll still get unlimited visits to The Centurion Lounge when flying on Delta.
- Use the annual companion certificate, but remember that you don’t have to use it for First Class. Ensure that you have a plan to use the companion certificate, but remember that it can be used for First Class, Comfort+, or Main Cabin fares. Don’t spend more money just because it’s a first class eligible certificate if you don’t value first class. Also remember that companion certificates can now be used on trips to Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Central America.
- Book at least one hotel stay through Delta Stays to get the value out of the card’s $200 Delta Stays credit.
- Charge one rideshare ride to the card each month, but don’t use it as your default payment. You’ll get up to $10 in statement credits each month for eligible U.S. rideshare purchases, so it’s worth charging an Uber or Lyft ride to your card, but there are other cards that offer better rewards for rideshare. Add your card to the app so that you can charge one ride to the card per month.
- Use the Resy credit, but don’t use your card for dining. If you’re at a Resy restaurant, it’s worthwile to pull out your Delta Reserve card. But you don’t have to use the card for the entire bill. Ask the server to split the payment and charge $20 to your card to get the Resy credit, then use another card with better rewards on dining for the rest of the bill.
- Charge your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership to the card. If you already use another card that offers a trusted travel credit for your membership, you can charge a family member’s application fee and earn this credit.
- Book together and share the free checked bag benefit. When you travel with others on the same reservation, up to 8 other people can enjoy your free checked bag benefit when they travel with you.
If you are chasing Delta Medallion Status…
If you’re trying to get or keep Delta Medallion® frequent flyer status, here are a few more tips to help you get value out of your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card.
- Be aware that there’s an opportunity cost to spending your way toward status. Spending $25,000 on your Delta credit card to get an extra $2,500 MQDs has an opportunity cost. And if you consider that you could be earning 2% cash back ($500) on that amount of spending, it might be more worthwhile to open an additional Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card to get the MQDs you’re after.
- Wait for a promotion that offers MQDs through Delta Stays before booking a hotel through Delta Stays. You’re going to book at least one hotel through Delta Stays to capture the value of the card’s Delta Stays credit, so you might as well wait for one of Delta’s promotions where they offer MQDs for Delta Stays.
About SkyMiles: What are the miles worth?
With the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, you’ll earn Delta SkyMiles from both the welcome offer and from using the card for spending.
We consider Delta SkyMiles to be worth about 1.14 cents each if you hold a Delta credit card that offers the TakeOff 15 discount. This number is lower than what you’ll see on other sites because we apply a discount factor to account for SkyMiles not being redeemable for cash.
Here are a few things we learned from our analysis of Delta SkyMiles:
- SkyMiles provide consistent value—10,000 Delta SkyMiles can usually get you a ticket on Delta priced around $126-$148.
- Most SkyMiles tickets are priced dynamically—the price of the ticket in miles correlates with the cash price of the same itinerary.
- Delta SkyMiles are easy to use for domestic travel within the U.S. and international travel on Delta.
- Some of the most lucrative uses of Delta SkyMiles can be found during Delta’s SkyMiles flash sales. Occasionally Delta will offer unpublished SkyMiles specials in business class alongside its flash sales.
- It is uncommon to get outsized value from SkyMiles through premium cabin redemptions.
My take: A better standard offers makes this card more appealing, but wait for an increased offer if you can.
Getting 10,000 more points on a new Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card card that you would previously get is certainly a welcome change. If you’re considering the Delta Reserve card, you’re probably looking to get the card for its lounge access benefits on your upcoming travel. The additional points mean it’s less critical to wait around for a limited-time offer.
However, if you want to the the absolute most points possible while getting this card, you’ll want to wait for another limited-time offer to come around. Delta and Amex usually run limited-time offers on this card every few months. The last limited-time offer ended on October 24, 2024.
Remember that the Amex welcome bonus eligibility rules mean that you’ll give up the opportunity to earn a bonus on any other personal Delta SkyMiles credit card once you get the Reserve card. If you’ve had the other cards before, this may not be a concern. But if you haven’t, you might consider applying first for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card to earn the bonus, then applying for the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, and waiting for this bonus to come back.
A few notes on applying for American Express credit cards
Here are a few things that you should know about applying for American Express cards.
- Amex will let you know if you’re ineligible for the new cardmember welcome offer when applying. If you don’t qualify for a welcome offer for any reason, American Express will inform you during the application process and let you withdraw your application before they perform a “hard pull” on your credit report. If you withdraw your application, the withdrawn application will have no impact on your credit score.
- No hard pull if they deny you. If Amex denies your credit card application, they usually won’t issue a hard pull on your credit report. This means that your credit score won’t decrease because of the denied application.
- One welcome offer per card per “lifetime”. Most Amex card terms say that you’re ineligible for a welcome offer if you’ve ever had the card before. Some targeted offers do not have this lifetime language. Readers and other blogs have reported that Amex may internally define “lifetime” as 7 years—if it’s been 7 years since you’ve had a card, you might be eligible to get a welcome offer again.
- Some cards allow one welcome offer per card “family”. Some American Express cards, like the personal Platinum card or the Charles Schwab Platinum card have language that prohibits you from earning a welcome bonus if you’ve ever had a card from the same card family before.
- Maximum 5 Amex credit cards and 10 pay-over-time cards. You can have a maximum of 5 American Express credit cards at one time. In addition, you can hold up to 10 American Express pay-over-time cards (like the Platinum, Gold, and Green cards.) These limits are known to occasionally be flexible for some cardmembers, some of the time.
- You might be able to get a better welcome offer than the public offer. American Express offers some customers targeted offers. See our post on how to get the best welcome offers from American Express and try those methods before applying for an American Express card. You might be able to get an elevated welcome offer.
- Check your application status online. You can check the status of your American Express card application online through the Amex website.
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American Express card disclosures
- For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, please visit this link: See Rates and Fees
- For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, please visit this link: See Rates and Fees
- For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, please visit this link: See Rates and Fees
Amex Extended Warranty benefit disclosure: When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty§ can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Amex Return Protection benefit disclosure: With Return Protection, you may return eligible purchases to American Express if the seller won’t take them back up to 90 days from the date of purchase. American Express may refund the full purchase price excluding shipping and handling, up to $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per Card account, if you purchased it entirely with your eligible American Express® Card. Purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Amex Premium Purchase Protection benefit disclosure: Purchase Protection is an embedded benefit of your Card Membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect Covered Purchases made on your Eligible Card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date. The coverage is limited to up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Coverage Limits Apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Amex Basic Baggage Insurance Plan benefit disclosure: Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Eligible Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the entire fare for a Common Carrier Vehicle ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible Account. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on Baggage and up to $500 for checked Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus). For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Amex Basic Trip Delay Insurance benefit disclosure: Up to $300 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 12 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Amex Basic Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance disclosure: Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.
