FoundersCard Expands Its Perks With Marriott and Virgin America
FoundersCard is the membership-based card that offers some incredible — and lucrative — benefits. From complimentary status to exclusive status challenges, perks and discounts, there's plenty of value to be had just by being a member. Now, FoundersCard is improving two of its benefits with Marriott (and SPG) and Virgin America (and Alaska).
While FoundersCard has offered a status challenge with Marriott in the past, it's now granting you status for a longer period if your challenge is successful. Now, if you enroll in the challenge, you'll get complimentary Marriott Gold status for three months. If you successfully make six paid stays within three months of registering, you'll get to keep the status through February 2019 — that's more than 1.5 years with Gold status. Previously, if you were successful at the challenge, you would get the status for an additional elite year.
As a reminder, Marriott Gold status will get you a 25% bonus on points, concierge lounge access and free breakfast, free internet, an exclusive phone line, guaranteed late checkout, a room upgrade if available and more. Plus, thanks to the Marriott-Starwood merger, you'll also be able to match the Marriott Gold status to Starwood Preferred Guest Gold status. SPG Gold will get you late checkout, a room upgrade when available, a welcome gift upon arrival, free internet and more.
In addition to extending the Marriott Gold status challenge, FoundersCard expanded its benefit with Virgin America. You used to get 5% off your fare on Virgin America tickets, but FoundersCard has extended that discount to flights with Virgin's new owner, Alaska Airlines. Since Alaska acquired Virgin, the two carriers have been (slowly) merging together as one. Now, you'll get a 5% discount on economy fares for Alaska flights, as well as Virgin America economy flights, in the continental US and Canada.
Overall, these two new perks are great additions for FoundersCard, which seems to add new benefits regularly. If you're not yet a FoundersCard member, you can take advantage of an exclusive offer just for TPG readers. If you sign up as a new member, you'll get a preferred annual membership fee of $495 as well as a waived initiation fee when you apply using this link or the promo code FCTPG17. The standard annual membership fee is $595 with an initiation fee of $95 — so you're saving $195 right away.
This post has been amended to reflect that the number of paid stays within three months of registering to keep Marriott Gold status through February 2019 is six, not three. We apologize for any inconvenience.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express 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. 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.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. 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.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
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