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3. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Serious perks at a serious price

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10

reviews

3.6

Rating: 3.6 out of 5.

Great for Delta superfans who love luxe 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 American Express Card or similar cards.

% of members by credit limit range

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The average credit limit for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is $22,721, with $15,000 being the most common.

Here's the average credit score of members who matched their Delta SkyMiles® Reserve 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 723, with 810 being the most common. Note this is just one of the deciding factors when it comes to getting approved.

Member stats

Updated daily

26.4%

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.

45 years

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

$122,093

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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Strong welcome bonus offer

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Annual companion certificate offers lots of potential value

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Complimentary first-class upgrades

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Big annual fee could ground your plans

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Companion certificate not available in your first year of card membership

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Upgrades are based on availability and not guaranteed

4 things you should know about the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

Here’s a quick breakdown of the card’s most important features.

1. The bonus miles could take you far

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card offers a welcome bonus.

You’ll earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases during the first 6 months of card membership.

The welcome bonus is especially nice because you might have trouble earning many miles elsewhere with the card. You’ll earn three miles for every $1 you spend on Delta purchases and one mile per $1 on all other eligible purchases. But if you don’t fly Delta especially often, it might be tough to add to your rewards balance.

2. Annual companion certificate helps offset the annual fee

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card bears a huge $650 annual fee, making the card more expensive than many domestic round-trip flights with the airline.

But the fee doesn’t have to ground your travel plans — you’ll also receive a companion certificate each year after your account anniversary. When you buy a ticket for yourself, this certificate allows your companion to tag along for no more than $80 in taxes and fees on most round-trip domestic flights and no more than $250 in taxes and fees for round-trip international flights.

Depending on where and how you fly, that certificate could cover the bulk of the annual fee.

3. Terrific luxury perks, but with a catch

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card features some of the best perks we’ve ever seen from a co-branded airline credit card. It offers airport lounge access and the possibility of complimentary upgrades, both of which could be very valuable to those in the market for luxury treatment when they travel.

When you fly with Delta, you may receive complimentary Centurion Lounge visits.

You might also be eligible for complimentary upgrades to first class, Delta Comfort+, and even the super-exclusive Delta One, when you book a main cabin ticket that’s not basic economy. That chance at extra comfort sounds great, but there’s a catch. The complimentary upgrades may prove elusive if you don’t have elite status because you’ll have to wait at the back of the line behind all Medallion members before getting your chance. By the time it’s your turn, there might not be any premium seats left.

On the other hand, if you already have Delta Medallion status, you’ll receive upgrade priority over other Medallion members in the same fare class who don’t have the card.

Other ways this card makes your trip more comfortable

There are other, less luxurious perks that come with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card.

• First checked bag free for you and up to eight guests traveling on the same reservation
• Main Cabin 1 priority boarding for you and up to eight guests traveling on the same reservation
• 20% back on in-flight purchases in the form of a statement credit for things like food and drinks (but not inflight wi-fi)

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

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is geared toward luxury travelers who are loyal to Delta.

If you enjoy treating yourself to a nice vacation every now and then, and don’t mind splurging on luxury items like premium-class tickets and airport lounges, this card could give you more bang for your buck.

But even if you prefer booking economy seats, this card still might work for you if you fly at least once or twice a month and take advantage of the annual companion certificate. Otherwise, the high annual fee might be hard to make up.

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

If the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card seems a bit too pricey for what you get, you might be interested in another travel rewards credit card that works well for Delta flyers.

• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: This card might be better for Delta fans who want to earn rewards with a lower annual fee.
• Platinum Card® from American Express: This card could be right for travelers who appreciate luxury but don’t want to be tied down to one particular airline.