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Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
vs. Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
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Updated: March 19, 2024
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The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card are two solid options for Delta flyers who often travel for business. Both cards allow you to earn miles through purchases. But which one is more suitable for you?
MoneyGeek compared the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card vs. the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card by looking at certain factors, including rewards programs, annual fees, introductory offers and other benefits. For example, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card has a high annual fee of $550, whereas the yearly fee for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card is $99 (waived for the first year).
Comparison Overview: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card vs. Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express CardDelta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
- Has Annual Fee
- Has Balance Transfer Offer
- Has APR Offer
- Cash Back Rewards
- Travel Rewards
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card At a Glance
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is best suited for business travelers looking to earn miles on purchases and have luxury benefits along the way. You will earn 3X miles on every dollar spent made directly with Delta and 1X miles per dollar on all other purchases. The card also offers a hefty welcome bonus and valuable travel benefits that can make up for the $550 annual fee.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
A card that offers generous rewards for business travelers who fly Delta frequently.
- 1–3 Miles per $1Rewards Rate
- 20.99% – 29.99% VariableAPR
- $650Annual Fee
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
Pros
- High earnings on Delta purchases
- Generous welcome bonus
- Free Delta Sky Club access
- Bonus miles after meeting the spending threshold
Cons
- Comes with a hefty annual fee
- Potentially high APR
- Good to excellent credit needed
- Benefits are limited to Delta
- Welcome Offer: Earn 75,000 Bonus Miles after spending $10,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Enter Delta Sky Club® at no cost. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter.
- Earn 3 miles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases.
- Get closer to elevated Status next Medallion® Year with MQD Headstart and MQD Boost: receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 on purchases with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.
- Receive a Companion Certificate on First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- With the $240 Resy Credit, earn up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card.
- Earn up to $10 back each month after using your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers.
- Save 15% when booking Award Travel on Delta flights. Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Not a Medallion Member? Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members.
- As a benefit of Card Membership, you can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $60 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that’s a potential savings of up to $240 per round-trip flight. When you purchase a Delta flight with your Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card, you will receive complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge or Escape Lounge – The Centurion® Studio Partner.
- Receive Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- Elevate your travel experience with an annual statement credit of up to $250 after using your Delta Reserve Business American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel overseas.
- Terms and limitations apply.
- See rates and fees
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card At a Glance
Business travelers loyal to Delta can quickly earn value from the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card. You will earn 2X miles on every dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta, as well as dining at restaurants, U.S. shipping and advertising in select media. The card also has no foreign transaction fees, making it ideal for international travel.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
Great rewards for Delta loyalists
- 1–2 Miles per $1Rewards Rate
- 20.99% – 29.99% VariableAPR
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150Annual Fee
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
Pros
- With welcome bonus offer
- Get discounts and perks from Delta
- No foreign transaction fees
- No annual fee for first year
Cons
- Rewards have caps and categories
- With annual fee after first year
- Rewards can be complicated
- Welcome Offer: Earn 55,000 Bonus Miles after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
- Card Members save 15% when booking Award Travel with miles on Delta flights when using delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Additionally, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel after you spend $10,000 in purchases in a year.
- Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on purchases at U.S. Shipping providers and at U.S. providers for Advertising in select media on up to $50,000 of purchases per category, per year.
- Earn 2 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and on every eligible dollar spent at restaurants.
- Earn 1 Mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases.
- Check and stow your bag with ease: First Checked Bag Free on Delta Flights + Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
- Elevate your travel experience with an annual statement credit of up to $150 after using your Delta Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel overseas.
- Terms and limitations apply.
- See rates and fees
Comparison Summary
MoneyGeek broke down the differences between the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card to help you choose the best business credit card for your needs.
Card Detail | Comparison Summary |
|---|---|
Travel Coverage | Both cards have baggage insurance and rental car loss and damage insurance. However, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card also offers insurance coverage for trip delay, cancellation and interruption. You can be reimbursed up to $500 per trip if your trip is delayed for more than six hours and up to $10,000 if your trip is canceled or interrupted, provided that it was paid for using the card. Winner: American Express Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business |
Welcome Bonus | The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card lets you earn 110,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 within three months of account opening. Meanwhile, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card allows you to earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in your first three months. Winner: American Express Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business |
Rewards | With the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, you earn 3X miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and 1X miles on other purchases. The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card earns 2X miles per dollar on Delta purchases as well as on dining at restaurants and purchases related to U.S. shipping and advertising, and 1X miles on all other purchases. Winner: American Express Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business |
Annual Fee | The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card has an annual fee of $550. The Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card has a $99 annual fee, waived the first year. Winner: Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card |
Other Benefits | Both cards offer free checked bags. However, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card takes it up a notch by providing other travel benefits, such as access to Delta Sky Clubs and Centurion Lounges, Status boost, priority boarding, companion pass and credit for either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. Winner: American Express Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business |
Which Card Should You Get?
Considering your needs and situation is crucial when choosing between the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card vs. the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card. The better option will vary depending on each person.
Who Should Consider the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card?
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is best suited for business travelers looking to earn miles through purchases and enjoy elite travel benefits.
International business travelers can make purchases abroad without any foreign transaction fees.
Loyal Delta flyers who want access to airport lounges and a boost towards elite status can take advantage of the benefits that come with this card.
≫ More: Read Our Full Review
Who Should Consider the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card?
Business owners who dine out often and make U.S. shipping and advertising purchases may find the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card valuable to keep in their wallets.
Business travelers looking for a simple rewards structure will enjoy the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card.
Delta flyers who want free checked bags and a travel credit can take advantage of this card's perks.
≫ More: Read Our Full Review
EXPERT OPINION
If you travel with Delta regularly, the Reserve Business card is worth grabbing. However, if you only fly occasionally and your business isn’t equipped to handle a large annual fee, the Gold Business card can still provide value to you and your business.
Regardless of which card you select, remember that you’re earning Delta SkyMiles for your purchases, which can be used within the SkyTeam airline alliance which includes AirFrance, KLM, Aeromexico and more.
Other Helpful Decision-Making FAQs
To help you choose the best business credit card for you, MoneyGeek answered some frequently asked questions about the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card vs. the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card.
Both cards are equally rewarding in their own way. But if you want luxury travel benefits like airport lounge access and companion passes, then the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is the better option.
Yes, you can get the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card even if you have the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card. However, you can only receive the welcome bonus once.
All of the points earned from either card will be deposited into the same Delta SkyMiles account.
Yes, you can switch from one American Express Delta SkyMiles Business card to the other if you think the other card would better suit your needs.
You have high chances of being approved if you have a good to excellent credit score. You can get approval in as little as 30 seconds when you apply for either card.
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card requires $4,000 within the first three months to earn 60,000 Delta SkyMiles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs). Meanwhile, you must spend $2,000 in your first three months to get the welcome bonus of 50,000 bonus miles offered by the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card.
Still Not Sure About These Cards? Consider These Options
If you’re still undecided about getting either the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card, you can check out other cards in the travel or rewards categories to see if those options could be a better fit for you.
Learn more about credit cards in general
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About Doug Milnes, CFA
sources
- American Express. "Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card." Accessed January 7, 2022.
- American Express. "Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card." Accessed January 7, 2022.
*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
Advertiser Disclosure: MoneyGeek has partnered with CardRatings.com and CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. MoneyGeek, CardRatings and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. To ensure thorough comparisons and reviews, MoneyGeek features products from both paid partners and unaffiliated card issuers that are not paid partners.