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Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. As air travel continues its slow climb back to pre-pandemic levels, airlines are pulling out numerous incentives to get flyers back in the sky — and one of those ways is with their cobranded cards. And as a small business owner, you have even more access to earn valuable rewards from personal and business credit cards. With the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, you will earn Delta SkyMiles on all eligible purchases, which can be redeemed for flights on Delta Air Lines and its partners. In addition, you will have a long list of benefits including airport lounge access, travel insurance, boosts towards elite status, complimentary seat upgrades and more. Below, Select breaks down the rewards, benefits and fees associated with the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card to help you decide if it’s the right card for your needs.
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Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card review
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card Learn More On the American Express secure site Rewards Earn 3X miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta
Welcome bonus Earn 60,000 bonus miles, 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and a $100 statement credit after spending $4,000 on your new card in your first three months.
Annual fee $550
Intro APR None
Regular APR 16.74% to 25.74% variable
Balance transfer fee N/A
Foreign transaction fees None
Credit needed Excellent/Good See rates and fees, terms apply.
Welcome bonus
The welcome bonus for the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Amex is valuable as you can earn miles to fly for free, and if you plan on flying often, this card can get you to Delta Medallion loyalty status even quicker. The welcome bonus is currently: 60,000 Delta SkyMiles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and a $100 statement credit after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Since the card earns a minimum of 1X miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases, you will have a minimum of 64,000 Delta SkyMiles if you meet the minimum spending threshold. Even at a modest valuation of one cent per mile, this is $640 in airline miles right off the bat. Adding in the $100 statement credit, the card delivers $740 in value—justifying the $550 annual fee in the first year (see rates and fees), plus some. And if earning elite status with Delta is a priority, the MQMs earned will get you even closer. But to earn status with Delta, you must meet certain metrics within these categories: MQMs (Medallion® Qualification Miles). This measures how far you’ve flown, as well as what class flown (or)
MQSs (Medallion® Qualification Segments). This is the number of flights taken (and)
MQDs (Medallion® Qualification Dollars). This is the number of dollars spent on flights. Each status level requires different amounts for each, so if you regularly fly with Delta or its partners, this card can jumpstart your status earning journey.
Benefits and perks
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card is ripe with benefits. When you’re approved for the card, you will have access to these perks: Earning miles for spending When you spend on the card, you will earn: 3X Delta SkyMiles per dollar spent on eligible purchases directly with Delta
1.5X Delta SkyMiles per dollar spent on all eligible purchases made after you spend $150,000 in a calendar year
1X Delta SkyMiles per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases Status Boost If you aim to earn Delta Medallion elite status, the Delta Amex Reserve Business Card will ‘boost’ your status by adding additional MQMs to your balance after meeting certain spend thresholds. You can earn 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to 4 times per year, getting you closer to Medallion Status. So if you plan on spending heavily and value Delta elite status, this card can get you there even quicker. Airport lounge access With this card, you will get access to a wide array of airport lounges. First, when you’re flying on Delta, you will have access to Delta SkyClubs for you and your companions. However, guests will be charged $39, but to get started, you will receive two guest passes per year for complimentary entrance. Additionally, when you purchase a Delta flight with the card, you will earn access to The Centurion® Lounge or Escape Lounges. These lounges are exclusive to American Express cardholders. And if you have employees working for you, you can add them as authorized users, and they will also receive the same lounge access. Other benefits Access to complimentary seat upgrades on Delta
Main cabin 1 priority boarding
First checked bag is free when flying on Delta
Complimentary concierge service
$100 fee credit every four years for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry
Comprehensive travel insurance
Rental car insurance
Integration with Quickbooks® for simple accounting Select calculated how many points the average American can earn in a year when using their Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card. We worked with the location intelligence firm Esri, who provided us with a sample annual spending budget of $22,126. The budget includes six main categories: groceries ($5,174), gas ($2,218), dining out ($3,675), travel ($2,244), utilities ($4,862) and general purchases ($3,953). Here’s what the average consumer would earn using this card: Groceries: 5,174 Delta SkyMiles
Gas: 2,218 Delta SkyMiles
Dining out: 3,675 Delta SkyMiles
Travel: 6,732 Delta SkyMiles (Assuming all travel dollars are spent with Delta Air Lines directly).
Utilities: 4,862 Delta SkyMiles
General purchases: 3,953 Delta SkyMiles With all spending considered, this would give a cardholder 26,614 Delta SkyMiles in the first year, and if you include the 60,000 miles welcome bonus offer, 86,614 SkyMiles. Over a five year period, cardholders could earn 193,070 Delta SkyMiles. Cardholders could earn more (or less) miles depending on their annual spending habits. But arguably the best part of the card is earning Delta SkyMiles that can be redeemed in a variety of ways.
How to earn and redeem Delta SkyMiles
Rates and fees
The card has a $550 annual fee. It doesn’t have any foreign transaction fees. Late payment fees can be up to $39. See rates and fees.
Card comparison
Who the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card is best for
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card is best for small business owners who regularly fly with Delta Air Lines and their partners, and for those who value elite status on the carrier. If you’re spending tens of thousands of dollars per year on a business card, the Delta Reserve will reward that spending with boosts towards Delta Medallion status. Plus, the lounge access and free checked bag benefits can save you money and make your travel experience a bit more comfortable. Additionally, this is a great card for someone who travels occasionally with others, as you’ll receive a yearly companion certificate good for domestic flights in any class of service. So if you want to pay for a first class seat, your travel companion will receive the same ticket — less taxes and fees.
Bottom line
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card is the top-tier of the Delta business cards, and it packs a punch with its welcome offer, benefits and ability to help cardholders earn Medallion status with the airline. But as a small business owner, it’s necessary to ensure your business is able to use a credit card responsibly. So before applying for the card, be sure to review your business’ budget and planned expenses to see if the annual fee is worth it, and the potential value that you and your business could extract from the card.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.