Credit card showdown: Delta Platinum vs. Delta Reserve
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Delta Air Lines offers one of the most comprehensive credit card portfolios of any major airline, with entry-level, mid-tier and premium cards for consumers and businesses.
Although the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is a great choice for anyone looking for benefits such as a free checked bag and priority boarding when flying Delta, more frequent Delta fliers should look further to figure out whether the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card offers enough elevated benefits and value to justify paying a higher annual fee.
Today we're going to look at how the mid-tier Delta Platinum card stacks up against the ultra-premium Delta Reserve.
Related: Choosing the best credit card for Delta flyers
Card comparison
Before we dive into the details, let's start with a high-level comparison of these two Delta credit cards.
| Feature | Delta Platinum | Delta Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome offer | Earn 90,000 miles after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months; offer expires May 5, 2021 | Earn 80,000 bonus miles and 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending $5,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership; offer expires May 5, 2021 |
| Annual fee | $250 (see rates & fees) | $550 (see rates & fees) |
| Earning rates | 3x miles on eligible Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels
2x miles on restaurants and U.S. supermarkets 1x miles everywhere else | 3x miles on eligible Delta purchases
1x miles everywhere else |
| Baggage | First checked bag free on Delta flights (including up to eight companions) | First checked bag free on Delta flights (including up to eight companions) |
| Travel perks | Discounted Sky Club access; priority boarding; 20% off inflight purchases
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit (up to $100 every four years for Global Entry and every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck) Trip delay insurance | Delta SkyClub membership; priority boarding; 20% off inflight purchases
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit (up to $100 every four years for Global Entry and every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck) Two one-time SkyClub guest passes, access to Amex Centurion lounges when flying on Delta tickets purchased with your Delta Reserve, access to complimentary upgrades for non-elite members Trip delay insurance and trip cancellation/interruption insurance |
| Companion ticket | Domestic main-cabin, round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your card | Domestic first class, Delta Comfort+® or main cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your card |
| Status Boost | Earn 10,000 MQMs after spending $25,000 in a calendar year and again after spending $50,000
Throughout 2021, earn an additional 2,500 MQMs each time you spend $25,000 on purchases (up to two times) | Earn 15,000 MQMs after spending $30,000 in a calendar year and again after spending $60,000, $90,000 and $120,000 in a calendar year
Throughout 2021, earn an additional 3,750 MQMs each time you spend $30,000 on purchases (up to four times) |
As you can see, these two cards overlap on a lot of benefits. Specifically, both cards include a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit (up to $100), the first checked bag free for you and up to eight companions on your reservation, priority boarding and 20% off inflight purchases.
Both cards also offer a Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver toward elite status. Customers who spend $25,000 a year will receive an MQD waiver all the way up to Delta Medallion Platinum elite status. Earning a waiver for Diamond requires a massive $250,000 in annual spending.
But, there are some differences between the cards -- with the biggest ones involving the welcome offers, lounge access, accelerator categories and help toward elite qualification. We'll consider these in the following sections.
Related: Best credit cards for airport lounge access
Welcome offer
Since Amex only allows you to earn a welcome offer on each of its credit cards once per lifetime, you want to apply when the bonus is high. Luckily, the offers we're currently seeing on both the Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Delta SkyMiles Reserve are compelling:
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum: 90,000 miles after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months. This offer expires May 5, 2021.
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve: 80,000 bonus miles and 20,000 MQMs after spending $5,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership. This offer expires May 5, 2021.
There are a few different components to parse here, but the most important one for the average person is the bonus Delta miles. TPG values Delta SkyMiles at 1.1 cents each, putting the Platinum's welcome offer at $990 and the Reserve's welcome offer at $880 (excluding the MQMs).
Which card is better for you?
When comparing a premium rewards card to a non-premium card, the question is whether the increased annual fee is worth it for the extra benefits you receive. The difference in annual fees between the Delta Reserve and Delta Platinum is $300 -- ($550 (see rates and fees) and $250 (see rates and fees), respectively).
Related reading: Why the Amex Platinum might just be the best card for Delta flyers
Why the Delta Reserve is better
So what does the Delta Reserve offer to justify its hefty price tag? The first and most obvious perk is lounge access, which can easily net you $300 or more in value depending on how frequently you fly with Delta. An individual annual Sky Club membership is $545 a year. In particular, you get:
- Delta Sky Club access when flying Delta on same-day flights
- Two one-time Sky Club guest passes
- Access to Amex Centurion Lounges when flying on same-day Delta flights booked with your Delta Reserve
Although Amex doesn't currently have any Centurion lounges in Delta's biggest hubs — Atlanta (ATL), Detroit (DET) and Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) — you'll find them at New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX), which is great for Delta travelers passing through those airports.
Of course, many Delta fliers might already have access to Amex Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs (on same-day Delta flights) and many other types of lounges through The Platinum Card® from American Express, so it's important to make sure that the Delta Reserve wouldn't be redundant in your wallet.
Related: Guide to lounge access with the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum
The Delta Reserve also comes out ahead with its annual companion certificate, which is valid for round-trip travel in domestic first class or Comfort+ -- and not limited to coach like the Delta Platinum. And you'll earn 15,000 MQMs after spending $30,000 in a calendar year and again after spending $60,000, $90,000 and $120,000 in a calendar year.
This means you can earn 60,000 MQMs in your first calendar year if you spend $120,000 on your card and 60,000 MQMs each subsequent calendar year that you spend $120,000 on your card. That can give you a huge boost toward your desired elite status level with Delta.
Through 2021, Delta's offering several opportunities to earn MQMs even faster. With the Reserve, you'll earn an additional 3,750 MQMs each time you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Reserve Card, up to four times. Outside of the card's offerings, most Delta flights through the end of the year can earn up to 75% more towards elite status qualification, including award travel. Both of these offers will help you expedite your way to Medallion status for 2022.
Still, at the end of the day, $550 (see rates and fees) is a lot to spend on a card and the Delta Reserve is one of the only premium cards in this price range that doesn't offer any annual statement credit to offset the annual fee. Therefore, the Delta Reserve is best for high spenders and those interested in earning Medallion status.
Related: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card review
Why the Delta Platinum is better
If you're looking for a cheaper option, the mid-tier Delta Platinum is a great choice for a few reasons. Although both cards earn 3x on Delta purchases, the Delta Platinum has some sweet bonus categories that the Delta Reserve doesn't. In particular, the Delta Platinum earns 3x miles on purchases made directly with hotels and 2x miles at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets.
Like the Delta Reserve, you can also earn MQMs when you reach particular spending thresholds on the Delta Platinum. The positive of the Delta Platinum is that it offers better bonus categories if you're using the card for most of your spending. With the Delta Platinum you can earn 10,000 MQMs after spending $25,000 in a calendar year and another 10,000 MQMs after spending $50,000, for a total of 20,000 MQMs each calendar year that you spend at least $50,000 on your card.
The Delta Reserve also comes with a sweet spending offer for 2021: Earn an additional 2,500 MQMs each time you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Platinum Card, up to two times. Therefore, this card may be a better way to achieve elite status at a reduced spend requirement.
So, if you don't need to earn a lot of extra MQMs each year and won't benefit from the Delta Reserve's lounge access or premium-cabin companion certificate, the Delta Platinum might be a better option.
Related: Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card review
Bottom line
The premium credit card competition continues to heat up and issuers like Amex are updating their cards to keep them attractive. Frequent Delta fliers might be willing to shell out $550 (see rates and fees) a year for the Delta Reserve and its SkyClub membership and Centurion Lounge access. Still, many travelers and even those pursuing Delta elite status might find the mid-tier Delta Platinum to be a much better value.
Related: Battle of the premium travel rewards cards: Which is the best?
Application link: Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card available for a limited-time with up to 90,000 bonus miles.
Application link: Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card available for a limited-time with up to 80,000 bonus miles and 20,000 MQMs.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card, click here.
Additional reporting by Katie Genter and Stella Shon.