Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card by American Express: 3x flights / airfare, 3x hotels prepaid via Delta Stays, 1x everything else. $650 annual…
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card is American Express's premium credit card. The $650/yr annual fee includes a 125,000-point welcome bonus after spending $9,000 in the first 6 months. Beyond the welcome bonus, here's what the card actually delivers.
| Credit | Value | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Global Entry / TSA PreCheck application fee | $120/quadrennial | $120 Global Entry (or up to $85 TSA PreCheck) application fee credit every 4 years. Verified first-party 2026-07-05. |
| Rideshare credit | $120/mo | Up to $10/mo in statement credits on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers |
| Delta Stays hotel credit | $200/yr | Up to $200/yr in statement credits for prepaid hotels or vacation rentals booked through Delta Stays on delta.com/stays |
| Resy U.S. restaurants | $240/mo | Up to $20/mo in statement credits at U.S. Resy restaurants or eligible Resy purchases |
| Companion Certificate (Delta First/Comfort/Main, annual) | $400/yr | One Companion Certificate each year after card renewal, valid on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight within the U.S. and to Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America. Companion pays only government-imposed taxes/fees of $22-$250. Delta Basic fares excluded. |
Welcome bonus value (year one): ~$1500. Annual statement credits: $1080. Minus the $650 annual fee = ~$1930 in year-one net value before any spending earn. RewardsGuru rating: 3.0/5 — based on our net-value methodology.
Best fit: frequent travelers who can use the lounge access, statement credits, and elevated earn rates on travel and dining. Skip if: you'd let the annual statement credits expire unused or you only travel 1-2x per year.
125,000 points after spending $9,000 in the first 6 months. At our ~1.2¢/pt valuation, that's roughly $1500 in real value.
Year-one math: welcome bonus value (~$1500) + annual credits ($1080) − $650 fee = ~$1930 net before spending earn. Year-two onward, the credits alone need to clear $650 — they do. Worth it if you'll use the credits, skip if you'd let them expire.
5 recurring statement credits: Global Entry / TSA PreCheck application fee ($120), Rideshare credit ($120/mo), Delta Stays hotel credit ($200/yr), Resy U.S. restaurants ($240/mo), Companion Certificate (Delta First/Comfort/Main, annual) ($400/yr). Total: $1080/yr.
Check the card's terms — most premium travel cards waive foreign transaction fees, while no-fee and entry-tier cards usually charge 2-3%. American Express's product page has the current rate.