Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Benefits
5 Min Read | Last updated: June 4, 2026
From elevated Medallion® Status and Rideshare Credits to free checked bags, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card helps you travel in comfort.
At-A-Glance
- The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card helps you make the most of every trip with the Companion Certificate and MQD Headstart and MQD Boost—getting you closer to elevated Medallion® Status for the next Medallion® Year.1
- Card Members can also enjoy Delta Sky Club Access (15 Visits + unlimited at $75K+ Spend) and Delta Sky Club One-Time Guest Passes (4 per Medallion Year).2
- Plus, the Card also provides a $120 Rideshare Credit, and Basic Card Members can check their first bag free on international and domestic Delta flights, and a second bag for free on domestic Delta flights.3
If you’re an avid traveler, you probably already know what a difference a little comfort can make on your journey. Maybe that means applying for TSA PreCheck® so you can move through security more quickly or upgrading for extra legroom. With the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, all of this—and more—is possible for a $650 annual fee.4
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card Benefits
Here are Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card benefits that help you unlock your ultimate travel experience, so you can explore and discover, relax and recharge, or connect with family and friends, no matter your destination.5
Bring Your Loved Ones Along
A major benefit of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card is the Companion Certificate, which allows Card Members to share their trip with a friend or partner. Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card Members can enjoy a Companion Certificate on Delta First, Delta Comfort+®, or Delta Main round-trip flight within the U.S. and to Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America each year after Card renewal.
The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit. Terms Apply.
Fasttrack to Medallion® Status
If you’re looking to reach Medallion Status, MQD Headstart and MQD Boost can help you get closer to elevated Status next Medallion® Year.
With MQD Headstart, you can get rewarded for being a Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card Member and receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) deposited into your card-linked SkyMiles account each Medallion Qualification Year.7
With MQD Boost, you can earn $1 MQD for each $10 of eligible purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card. For example, if you made $3,000 in eligible purchases on your Card in a month, that would equate to $300 MQDs earned with MQD Boost.8
Luxury Lounge Access
You can also pamper yourself by accessing the Delta Sky Club®, since Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion Year to the Delta Sky Club when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.9 Plus, you'll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.10
On top of this, Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card Members can also receive complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge, Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge, and Escape Lounge—The Centurion® Studio Partner when purchasing a Delta flight with their Card.11
Additional Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card Benefits
Beyond the benefits highlighted above, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card also offers:12
- Global Dining Access + $240 Resy Credit
With Global Dining Access by Resy, Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card Members can unlock insider access to reservations at sought-after restaurants when you add your Card to your Resy profile through the Resy app or website. You can also take advantage of your $240 Resy Credit after you enroll through your Card account to earn up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible purchases on the Card with U.S. Resy restaurants. - $120 Rideshare Credit
Earn up to $10 back per month in statement credits (up to $120 back annually) on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers after you pay with your Card. Enrollment required. - TakeOff 15
Take 15% off anytime you book Award Travel with miles on Delta flights when using delta.com and the Fly Delta app. (Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.) - Upgrade Priority + Complimentary Upgrade List
Not a Medallion Member? Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade List, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members. The Card Member must be flying on a Delta-operated flight to receive this benefit and may receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion Tier, purchased product and fare class, and Million Miler status. - $120 Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($120) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck. Terms and conditions apply.13 - Earn Miles
Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta and 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. - $200 Delta Stays Credit
Get up to $200 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com. - Hertz President’s Circle® Status
Transform your car rental experience with Hertz President’s Circle Status, compliments of your Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card. Enrollment in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® program is required. To receive the benefit, you must add your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Account number to your SkyMiles Account associated with your Eligible Card, register, and enroll with Delta. - First Bag Free + Second Bag Free
Basic Card Members can pack more for less. Check your first bag for free on Delta flights worldwide and get a second bag free when flying domestic.14
Finally, no matter where you travel, American Express won’t charge any foreign transaction fees for purchases made on the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card.
Frequently Asked Questions
As a Card Member, you can access the Delta Sky Club, The Centurion Lounge, the Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge in the U.S., as well as the Escape Lounges. That said, Delta Sky Club has at least 50 locations worldwide that you can access.15
There’s no one hardest American Express Card to be approved for, since everyone’s finances are different. But one CNBC reporter wrote that the most coveted cards on the market are deluxe “black cards” with high-end airport lounge access and big, point-based rewards for dining, shopping, and travel.16 Such cards typically require excellent credit scores of 800+, among other requirements.17
The Takeaway
If you’re a frequent Delta flier, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card offers benefits like the enhanced annual Companion Certificate, MQD Headstart and MQD Boost for elevated flying status, a $240 Resy Credit, the $120 Rideshare Credit, and more. These benefits can help you make more memories during every excursion, while helping you save with 3X miles on eligible Delta purchases—plus 1X points for everything else. And don’t worry about packing light: The Card also lets you check your first bag for free on global Delta flights, and you get a second bag free when flying domestically.
1,2,3,5,7,8,9,10,11,12,14 Terms, restrictions, and conditions apply. For more on Offer and Benefit Terms for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, click here.
4 Terms, restrictions, and conditions apply. For more on Rates and Fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, click here.
6 The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit. Terms Apply. See Offer and Benefit Terms for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for more information.
13 Terms, restrictions, and conditions apply. For more on Global Entry or TSA PreCheck guidelines, click here.
15 “MEMBERSHIP & ACCESS,” Delta Air Lines
16,17 “What is a black card, and who qualifies for one?,” CNBC Select
Megan Doyle is a business technology writer and researcher whose work focuses on financial services and cross-cultural diversity and inclusion.
All Credit Intel content is written by freelance authors and commissioned and paid for by American Express.
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