Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card review — Enjoy complimentary upgrades and lounge access

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Frequent travelers who love to fly Delta and value elite status should consider the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card . This premium travel credit card offers unparalleled benefits when flying Delta, including complimentary upgrades, lounge access, and free checked bags. Cardholders can also accelerate their path to elite status and enjoy a 15% discount on award tickets. Learn more about the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card to decide if it's the best airline credit card for your wallet.

Read more: Boosted benefits for current and new Delta SkyMiles cardholders

As a premium travel credit card , the Delta SkyMiles Reserve is loaded with features that justify its hefty annual fee. A majority of these benefits can only be redeemed when flying Delta, so it's perfect if this is your preferred airline. When flying Delta, you'll receive complimentary access to Delta Sky Club and the Centurion Lounge, priority boarding, the first and second checked bags for free on domestic flights, and 20% off inflight purchases. It also comes with an annual companion certificate for a roundtrip flight within the U.S. and to Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America.

If you have elite status, you'll receive priority on upgrades. For those who don't, you'll be added to the complimentary upgrade list after elite members. The card also helps to earn and maintain elite status based on your annual purchases. You'll receive $2,500 Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) for holding the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card . Additionally, the card earns $1 MQD for every $10 spent on the card. This means Delta Reserve cardholders can earn entry-level Silver status by spending $25,000 and top-tier Diamond status by spending $255,000 in a calendar year (not counting MQDs earned from flying).

The card also includes travel and purchase protections at no extra charge * . Trips are protected against delay, cancellation, or interruption, and rental cars receive secondary coverage in case of damage or theft. Eligible purchases receive return and purchase protection, as well as an extended warranty.

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The welcome bonus and miles earned on purchases are deposited into your Delta SkyMiles loyalty program account. Typically, miles from purchases post after the close of each statement, and the welcome bonus is deposited a few weeks after it is earned. These miles combine with miles earned from flying or any of Delta's other partnerships toward booking award travel.