Points, Miles & Credit Cards

Review: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

January 30, 2026

3 min read

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Table of Contents

Who is the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for?

This premium travel credit card is best for frequent flyers of Delta Air Lines. It gives you a head start toward elite status with Delta and travel perks like lounge access, priority boarding, and an application credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.

Annual fee: annual_fees(See Rates and Fees)

Foreign transaction fee: foreign_transaction_fee

Earning rate:

Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
Terms apply.

Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full

Pros and cons

Pros:

First checked bag free for the cardholder and up to eight others on the same reservation.
Companion certificate each card renewal: Eligible for First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin roundtrip domestic, Caribbean or Central American destinations each year after Card renewal.
Lounge access: Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.

Cons:

High annual fee.
Limited earning categories: It earns 3X miles on Delta purchases, but 1X miles on all other eligible purchases.
Elite status requires additional spending.

Our take

This card is great for frequent Delta flyers who want access to premium travel perks.