The Delta SkyMiles Reserve credit card offers many benefits including 70,000 bonus miles when you spend $5,000 in the first 6 months.
We rate cards based on value, cost, and perks.
Our ratings for this card are:
Annual fee considerations
There is a high annual fee of $650 which is not waived the first year. We value Delta miles at $0.01 each, so a 70,000 mile bonus is worth $700. That more than covers the first year's annual fee. Even if you did not make use of any of the other benefits, this card is worth having for a year. You need to cancel before the 1 year anniversary in order to avoid paying the $650 annual fee again. There are other Delta cards with 50,000 miles and 60,000 miles bonuses for a much lower annual fee.
Lounge access & companion certificate
Beyond the miles bonus, the main reason for the high annual fee is the lounge access, lounge guest passes, access to the upgrade list, annual first class companion certificate, and various travel statement credits. None of the other Delta credit cards have the lounge access or first class companion certificate.
3x miles earned on Delta purchases
If you spend a lot on Delta flights, the 3x miles earned per dollar is a nice perk. That's like earning 3% back on Delta flights. The Platinum card with a lower annual fee has the same 3x earned per dollar on Delta if that is more useful to you than lounge access.
Priority boarding & other savings
Don't choose this card for the priority boarding, in-flight purchase discount, or award travel savings. You get the same priority boarding zone and 15% award travel savings as the Gold and Platinum cards. You get the same 20% credit for in-flight purchases as all the other Delta cards including the one with no annual fee.
