Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
Annual fees: Bilt Palladium Card $495/yr, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card $650/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Bilt Palladium Card on rent and travel, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card on everyday spending.
Card data as of September 27, 2026.
Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus
| Category | Bilt Palladium Card | Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | 2X | 1X |
| Mortgage | 1.25X |
The Bilt Palladium Card wins in 4 of 4 categories. The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card leads in 0.
Rent
Bilt Palladium Card earns 1.25X vs 1X
1.25X via tiered option or up to 1X via Bilt Cash option; no transaction fee; no annual cap on housing payments
Mortgage
Bilt Palladium Card earns 1.25X vs 1X
1.25X via tiered option or up to 1X via Bilt Cash option; no transaction fee
Travel
Bilt Palladium Card earns 2X vs 1X
Everyday purchases
Bilt Palladium Card earns 2X on all other spending vs 1X
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Both scenarios favor the Bilt Palladium Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Bilt Palladium Card | Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month |
Both scenarios favor the Bilt Palladium Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Published annual fees: Bilt Palladium Card $495/yr, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card $650/yr — a $155 difference before welcome offers and credits.
| 1X |
| Rent | 1.25X | 1X |
| Everything Else | 2X | 1X |
Network
Key Benefits
Pros
Cons
Rewards: $528 Credits (our usable estimate): $300 − Annual fee ($495) Ongoing: $333 Year one: $1,433 |
Rewards: $144 Credits (our usable estimate): $317 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: -$189 Year one: -$189 |
| Bilt Palladium Card |
| Bilt Palladium Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $2,112 Credits (our usable estimate): $300 − Annual fee ($495) Ongoing: $1,917 Year one: $3,017 | Rewards: $576 Credits (our usable estimate): $317 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: $243 Year one: $243 | Bilt Palladium Card | Bilt Palladium Card |
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card costs $650/yr — that's $155 more than the Bilt Palladium Card ($495/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $155 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card includes travel credits, dining credits, lounge access, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, free checked bags. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $155 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $155 fee gap means the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card needs roughly $155 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on everyday spending and everyday spend.
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Bilt Palladium Card means losing:
Get the Bilt Palladium Card if you:
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
