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Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

Premium Delta Travel Card

Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
Annual Fee $650
Earning Rate 3x Delta flights & purchases made directly with Delta • 1x everything else
Welcome Bonus 70,000 miles after $5,000 spend in 6 months
Card Material Metal card with matte finish

Practical Recommendation

This one is for people who actually fly Delta. The math works if you'll use the Delta Sky Club visits, book the annual companion ticket, and can reliably cash in the monthly credits. Earning is simple (3x on Delta, 1x on everything else), so this is not a "every swipe" accelerator—it's a status and lounge play.

If you just want easy rewards on everyday spend, look elsewhere. If you value airport sanity, a real companion ticket, and nudges toward Delta status, this can pay for itself. Bottom line: frequent Delta flyers win; casual travelers will feel the fee.

Perks

  • Earning, at a glance – 3x miles on Delta flights and purchases made directly with Delta; 1x on everything else. Simple earn means this card shines for Delta loyalists, not for groceries and gas.
  • TakeOff 15 (award discount) – Get 15% off the miles needed on Delta-operated award flights booked on delta.com or the Fly Delta app. Helpful for stretching miles; not valid on partners or taxes/fees.
  • Delta Sky Club access (visit allotment) – 15 visits per Medallion year when flying Delta; unlock unlimited visits after $75,000 calendar-year spend. Includes four one-time guest passes annually; otherwise guests are $50 each. Also subject to the 3-hour pre-departure rule.
  • The Centurion Lounge and Escape Lounges (when flying Delta) – Complimentary entry when you purchase your Delta flight with this card; guests may enter for a fee. Handy when your airport has a Centurion or an Escape Lounge.
  • Annual companion certificate – After each renewal, get a round-trip companion ticket valid in First Class, Delta Comfort Plus, or Main Cabin for travel within the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America (plus $22–$250 taxes/fees). Great for high-fare routes; read the fare rules before planning.
  • Status accelerators – Receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars automatically each year ("Headstart") and earn $1 Medallion Qualification Dollar per $10 in purchases ("Boost"). This helps push you toward Delta status without extra flights.
  • First checked bag free + priority boarding – Saves up to $70 round-trip per person on Delta and gets you on earlier. Good if you check bags even a couple of times a year.
  • Hertz President's Circle status – Better cars and upgrades (when available). Enrollment steps required with your SkyMiles and Hertz accounts linked.
  • No foreign transaction fees – Take the card abroad without the +3% nonsense.

Protections

  • Trip delay insurance – If a round-trip paid entirely with the card is delayed 6+ hours for a covered reason, get reimbursed for reasonable expenses (meals, hotel) up to $500 per trip, Max 2 claims per 12 months.
  • Trip cancellation & interruption insurance – If a covered reason cancels or interrupts your trip paid with the card, get reimbursed up to $10,000 per trip and $20,000 per 12 months for non-refundable costs.
  • Baggage insurance plan – When you buy the entire fare with the card, coverage up to $1,250 for carry-on and $500 for checked bags (excess to the airline).
  • Car rental loss & damage insurance – Decline the rental counter's collision damage waiver; the card covers damage or theft (territory and vehicle exclusions apply). Primary coverage available separately through Premium Protection.
  • Purchase protection – Covers accidental damage or theft on eligible new purchases (limits apply). Good for gadgets and accidental drops.
  • Extended warranty – Adds up to one extra year on eligible U.S. manufacturer warranties of 5 years or less.
  • Cell phone protection – Pay your monthly wireless bill with the card and get up to $800 per claim, 2 claims per 12 months, $50 deductible, for theft or damage.

Delta Sky Clubs

A big perk of the Delta Reserve (American Express) is lounge access — Delta Sky Clubs, plus Centurion Lounges and Escape Lounges in specific cases. If a Sky Club lives at your home airport, it's a real quality-of-life upgrade: better food than the concourse, working seats with outlets, and showers at many hubs. Crowds happen; lines are common at peak times, and Delta enforces a three-hour pre-departure rule. Check locations and hours before you go, and expect a waitlist when it's slammed.

Guest Access

  • Delta Sky Club – Reserve cardholders get 15 visits per Medallion Year (Feb 1–Jan 31) when flying Delta or a Delta-marketed flight; unlimited visits unlock with $75,000 calendar-year spend on the Reserve account. Guests cost $50 per person (or $25 for Grab & Go), up to 2 guests or immediate family. Basic Economy is not eligible. One "Visit" covers 24 hours of entries on the same trip. Entry allowed within 3 hours of scheduled departure (connections excepted). — Access & policies
  • Centurion Lounges (when flying Delta on a Reserve-booked ticket) – Complimentary entry for the cardholder on a same-day Delta flight purchased with the Reserve card. Guests may enter for a per-visit fee (Amex-set; often $50; $25 for Grab & Go where available). Standard Centurion rules apply (generally within 3 hours of departure; connections excepted); capacity control is strict. — Amex lounge details
  • Escape Lounges — The Centurion Studio Partner (U.S.) – Free for Reserve cardholders when you're flying a Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight that day (no extra fee required). You can bring up to 2 guests at a per-visit fee charged by the lounge (varies by location). Access is capacity-controlled. — Escape Lounges access

Delta Sky Clubs (U.S. & Tokyo)

(Terminals/areas summarized; check the official page for hours and exact gates.)

  • Atlanta (ATL) – 8 total: concourses A (two clubs), B, C, D (Centerpoint), E, F, and T. Plane Train links all concourses airside. — See locations list
  • Austin (AUS) – Barbara Jordan Terminal, near Delta gates. — See locations list
  • Boston (BOS) – Terminal A (near A18) and Terminal E (near E13; new international club). Terminals connect landside; use connectors airside where posted. — See locations list
  • Charlotte (CLT) – Concourse A mezzanine (new). CLT concourses interconnect airside. — See locations list
  • Chicago–O'Hare (ORD) – Terminal 5, near Delta gates; ATS links all terminals landside. — See locations list
  • Cincinnati (CVG) – Concourse B, central area. — See locations list
  • Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) – Terminal E, near E11. Skylink connects terminals airside. — See locations list
  • Denver (DEN) – Concourse A, near A gates for Delta. Train links A/B/C airside. — See locations list
  • Detroit (DTW) – Concourse A (mid-concourse link area) and Concourse C. ExpressTram runs along A. — See locations list
  • Fort Lauderdale (FLL) – Terminal 2, near Delta gates. — See locations list
  • Honolulu (HNL) – Terminal 2, Garden Court area. Terminals connect airside via walkways. — See locations list
  • Indianapolis (IND) – Concourse A, mezzanine. — See locations list
  • Jacksonville (JAX) – Main concourse near Delta gates. — See locations list
  • Kansas City (MCI) – Single terminal, mezzanine near B gates. — See locations list
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Terminal 3 flagship Sky Club (Sky Deck); connector to TBIT. — See locations list
  • Miami (MIA) – Concourse H/J connector area for Delta departures. — See locations list
  • Memphis (MEM) – Concourse B, near central rotunda. — See locations list
  • Milwaukee (MKE) – Concourse D area. — See locations list
  • Minneapolis–St. Paul (MSP) – Multiple clubs in Terminal 1: near F/G connector, G, and C. Trams/walkways connect concourses airside. — See locations list
  • Nashville (BNA) – Concourse B, near B3–B5. — See locations list
  • Newark (EWR) – Terminal A, near A8 (new club). Terminals linked landside by AirTrain. — See locations list
  • New York–JFK (JFK) – Terminal 4, two clubs (A-gates and B-gates areas). No airside links between terminals. — See locations list
  • New York–LaGuardia (LGA) – Terminal B, large flagship club near central headhouse. Terminals are not airside-connected. — See locations list
  • Orlando (MCO) – Terminal B, airside 4 near 70s gates. — See locations list
  • Palm Beach (PBI) – Concourse C area. — See locations list
  • Philadelphia (PHL) – Terminal D connector near D6. Terminals D/E connect airside. — See locations list
  • Phoenix (PHX) – Terminal 3, level 4 near B22. — See locations list
  • Portland (PDX) – Concourse D/E connector area. — See locations list
  • Raleigh–Durham (RDU) – Terminal 2, near Gate C3. — See locations list
  • San Diego (SAN) – Terminal 2, West near 47–51. — See locations list
  • San Francisco (SFO) – Terminal 1, Boarding Area C; airside walkway to International A. — See locations list
  • Seattle (SEA) – Concourse A (two clubs: near A1 and A11). Underground trains link concourses airside. — See locations list
  • Salt Lake City (SLC) – Concourse A flagship club near A18; long concourse, allow time to walk. — See locations list
  • Tampa (TPA) – Airside E near E68. — See locations list
  • Washington National (DCA) – Terminal 2 (B/C), central area just past South Security. Note: Terminals aren't airside-connected to Terminal 1. — See locations list
  • Anchorage (ANC) – Concourse C, seasonal hours. — See locations list

Tip: Delta is opening and refreshing clubs regularly (e.g., ATL Concourse D Centerpoint, CLT Concourse A mezzanine, EWR Terminal A at A8, BOS Terminal E by E13). Check the official page for the latest before you rely on a specific location. — Master locations list