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3. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card review

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10

reviews

4.2

Rating: 4.2 out of 5.

Great for luxury business travel

Annual Fee: $650

This content is curated by Intuit Credit Karma’s Editorial team using data from members who were approved for this card or similar cards, or who self-matched this card or similar cards. Intuit Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our third-party advertisers don’t review, approve or endorse this content. Information about financial products not offered on Credit Karma is collected independently. Our content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted.

Here’s the average credit limit of members who matched their Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card or similar cards.

% of members by credit limit range

The average credit limit for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is $16,345, with $1,000 being the most common.

Here’s the average credit score of members who matched their Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card or similar cards.

% of members by credit score range

The average credit score for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is 706, with 818 being the most common. Note this is just one of the deciding factors when it comes to getting approved.

Member stats

Updated daily

28.3%

Average credit utilization (or what percent of the card’s credit limit is being used) of members who matched with this card or similar cards.

50 years

Average age of members who matched this card or similar cards.

$114,371

Average annual income of members who matched this card or similar cards. Note: Income may be estimated for some members by Credit Karma and may differ from members’ actual incomes.

Pros and cons

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Premium airline perks offered

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Rewards program

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No foreign transaction fee

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Steep annual fee

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Potentially high APR, depending on your credit

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Underwhelming rewards-earning rates

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: The core features

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is supposed to be an aspirational business travel card designed for business owners who are loyal to Delta Air Lines. But while it offers some significant perks, it’s not a great fit for most.

Elevate your travel experience

If you regularly travel for your business or for pleasure and Delta is your airline of choice, the card could make your life easier every time you fly. It offers several airline perks, including …

• Zone 5 priority boarding
• One companion certificate every year for first-class, Delta Comfort+® or main cabin round-trip flights within the U.S. and select international destinations
• First checked bag free for you and up to eight others on your reservation

Cardholders are also given a boost to attain Silver Medallion status with the airline every year. For reference, Silver status requires at least 5,000 MQDs to qualify. And each year with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, you’ll receive 2,500 MQDs. You’ll receive one Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) for every $10 spent on purchases. Keep in mind that all these purchases must be made using your card in order to earn all of these MQDs.

With Silver Medallion status, you and a companion are eligible to get unlimited complimentary upgrades to first class and Delta Comfort+®, priority check-in, bonus miles for qualifying rentals with Hertz, and more.

You may find the rewards program wanting

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card kicks things off with a limited time offer of 110,000 bonus miles after you spend $12,000 on purchases within the first 6 months of account opening.

For a premium credit card, that’s nothing to get too excited about.

You may be able to earn better rewards rates with other top business travel credit cards.

It’s not cheap

Not only will you be paying a $650 annual fee, but you could also end up with a high interest rate. The card charges a variable APR on purchases of 20.24% - 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.

If you don’t think you’ll use the card’s perks often enough or you plan to carry a balance, you may find it difficult to get enough value out of the card to make it worth its cost.

What else you need to know

In addition to the main features the card offers, here are some other details that can help you determine whether it’s the right choice for you.

• You’ll get access to a specialized concierge service
• You’ll get various trip protections, including baggage insurance, rental car insurance and trip delay insurance
• It comes with expense management tools to help you keep track of and organize your expenses for accounting

Who this card is good for

Like most airline credit cards for businesses, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is designed for a select group of people: business owners who fly and want rewards and perks with Delta Air Lines.

The card is worth considering if you can stomach a $650 annual fee and you fly often enough to make up for that cost through the card’s benefits.

But if you want to gain access to the Delta SkyMiles® program without a steep annual fee, or you don’t think you’d utilize the benefits enough to maximize their value, the card likely wouldn’t be worth it.

Not sure this is the card for you? Consider these alternatives.

As with any credit card, it’s a good idea to shop around and compare the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card with other credit card offers before you apply. Here are some to consider.

• Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card:
Consider this option if you’re loyal to Delta but don’t want a super-expensive credit card.
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express:
Consider this card if you want more rewards flexibility.
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card:
Consider this card if you want to maximize both value and flexibility with your rewards.