Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business Review

Overview

The Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business is the premium Delta business card, at a $550 fee, built around Delta Sky Club access when flying Delta, an upgraded companion certificate, and status perks. It is for businesses whose travelers fly Delta heavily and value the lounge.

The miles are locked to Delta, and the everyday earning is weak, so this only makes sense for a business deeply committed to Delta.

Our 3.0 out of 5 rating

Each score weighs the rewards rate, value after the annual fee, welcome offer, points flexibility, and perks, with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. This is our editorial assessment to help you compare cards, not a guarantee of approval or of the value you will get.

Rewards: how it earns

You earn 3x on Delta and a low base rate elsewhere, in locked SkyMiles, and get Delta Sky Club access when flying Delta, an upgraded companion certificate, status perks, and free employee cards. The lounge and companion certificate are the draws; the everyday earning is weak.

Every point and mile above is valued at a flat 1 cent, the same honest standard we use for every card. Run your own spending through the calculator to see what this card would actually return for you.

Pros and cons

The welcome bonus

The welcome bonus is large: 125,000 miles after $15,000 in six months, a big SkyMiles haul, though the high spending requirement means you need real volume to unlock it.

Is it worth the annual fee?

The $550 fee needs the Sky Club access and companion certificate to justify it, which only makes sense for a business that flies Delta heavily. If your travelers will not use the lounge, the Platinum or Gold Business is a better fit.

First-year value vs ongoing value

The welcome bonus makes year one the high point: roughly $1,246 in value once you count the bonus, this card’s rewards, and its credits, minus the $550 fee. After that, the honest figure is about $-4 a year, so judge whether it earns its keep on the ongoing number, not the first-year headline.

*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent, on average spending.

Benefits and protections

Beyond the rewards, the perks and protections worth knowing about include:

• Delta Sky Club and Centurion Lounge access when flying Delta
• Annual Companion Certificate (first class, business, or Main Cabin)
• Free first checked bag on Delta flights

Lounge access

This card includes airport lounge access. Here is exactly what you get, including the Priority Pass distinctions that vary by card:

• Delta Sky Club access when flying Delta same-day: 15 visits per year, unlimited after $75,000 in annual spend
• Complimentary access to The Centurion Lounge when flying Delta same-day

Statement credits

This card does not come with recurring statement credits. Its value is in the rewards rate and welcome offer.

Who should get it, and who should skip it

If your business flies Delta a lot and your travelers will use Sky Club access and the companion certificate, the Reserve Business can be worth its fee.

If your Delta flying is lighter, the fee and weak everyday earning are hard to justify, and a cheaper Delta business card fits better. This is for heavy Delta-flying businesses.

Frequently asked questions

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