Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
vs. Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

Shield Insurance

MoneyGeek partners with leading industry experts and advertisers to help you get to your financial happy place. Our content is accurate when posted but offers may change over time. We may receive compensation for partner advertisements, but our editorial team independently reviews and ranks products. Learn more about our editorial policies.

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 Card
    Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
  • Has Annual Fee
    checkSign icon
    checkSign icon
  • Has Balance Transfer Offer
  • Has APR Offer
  • Cash Back Rewards
  • Travel Rewards
    checkSign icon
    checkSign icon

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

    • Complimentary access to premium airport lounges
    • High rewards on Delta purchases
    • Companion certificate
    • Priority boarding and free checked bags

    Cons

    • High annual fee
    • No introductory APR offer
    • Limited lounge access in 2025
    • Introductory Offers

      • Earn 80,000 Delta SkyMiles after spending $10,000 in the first six months.
    • Rewards

      • Earn 3 miles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases.
      • Receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each year and earn $1 MQD for every $10 spent.
    • Perks & Benefits

      • Enjoy complimentary access to Delta Sky Club and The Centurion Lounge with conditions.
      • Receive an annual Companion Certificate for select flights, with applicable taxes and fees.
      • Get up to $20 in monthly statement credits on eligible Resy purchases.
      • Earn up to $10 back each month on U.S. rideshare purchases.
      • Save 15% on Award Travel bookings with Delta.
      • Enjoy priority boarding and a free checked bag on Delta flights.
      • Receive up to $250 in annual statement credits for Delta Stays bookings.
      • Travel without foreign transaction fees.
    • APRS, Fees, and Penalties

    Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

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

    • High introductory bonus miles offer
    • First checked bag free on Delta flights
    • Car rental and damage insurance
    • Priority boarding on Delta flights

    Cons

    • Limited rewards on non-Delta purchases
    • High spending requirement for bonus miles
    • Annual fee after the first year
    • Introductory Offers

      • Earn 60,000 Delta SkyMiles after spending $4,000 in the first six months of card membership.
      • Enjoy a $0 annual fee for the first year, then $150 thereafter. See Rates and Fees
    • Rewards

      • Earn 2 miles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases and dining.
      • Earn 2 miles per dollar on U.S. shipping and advertising in select media, up to $50,000 per category annually.
      • Earn 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.
    • Perks & Benefits

      • First checked bag free on Delta flights.
      • Zone 5 priority boarding on Delta flights.
      • Receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit after spending $10,000 in a year.
      • Get up to $150 annual statement credit for bookings through Delta Stays.
      • Save 20% on eligible Delta in-flight purchases.
    • APRS, Fees, and Penalties

    Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

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.

    businessOwner icon

    International business travelers can make purchases abroad without any foreign transaction fees.

    worldTraveler icon

    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.

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.

    worldTraveler icon

    Business travelers looking for a simple rewards structure will enjoy the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card.

    travel icon

    Delta flyers who want free checked bags and a travel credit can take advantage of this card's perks.

mglogo icon
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.

Is the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card better than the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card?

Can you get the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card if you have the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card?

Can you transfer points from Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card to Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card?

Can you switch from the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card to the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card?

What’s harder to get, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card?

How much do you have to spend for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card vs. Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card to get the welcome bonus?

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.

About Doug Milnes, CFA


Doug Milnes, CFA headshot

Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.

Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.


sources
*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.
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.