Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card vs Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
Annual fees: Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card $0/yr, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card $650/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card on dining, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card on everyday spending.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express CardAmerican Express · No annual fee
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express CardAmerican Express · $650/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card$0LowestDelta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card$650
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card10,000 milesDelta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card—
- Rewards
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express CardDelta SkyMilesDelta SkyMiles Reserve American Express CardDelta SkyMiles
- Foreign transaction fee
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express CardNoneDelta SkyMiles Reserve American Express CardNone
- Network
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express CardAmerican ExpressDelta SkyMiles Reserve American Express CardAmerican Express
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card2xHighestDelta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card1x
- Everything else
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card1xDelta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
- 20% inflight purchases
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- $200 Delta stays credit
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck
- 20% back Delta in-flight · $20 per transaction
- Rideshare & transit
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card—Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- $10/mo rideshare · $10 monthly
- Dining & delivery
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card—Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- $20/mo Resy · $20 monthly
Perks & access— means none on record
- Lounges
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card—Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- Delta Sky Club access with unlimited visits after $75K spend
- Access to The Centurion® Lounge
- Hotel status & programs
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card—Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- MQD Headstart
- Access to Complimentary Upgrades
- MQD Boost
- Airline perks
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card—Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- Annual First Class or Comfort+ companion certificate
- First & second bags free (2nd bag domestic only)
- Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights
- Other perks
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
- Amex Offers
- Early access to concerts and events
- 24/7 global travel assistance
- No foreign transaction fees
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- Amex Offers
- 24/7 premium travel assistance with medical transport
- Early access to concerts and events
- 24/7 global travel assistance
- Concierge Services
- Upgrade Priority
Show 1 more
- No foreign transaction fees
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card—Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- Trip cancellation coverage up to $10,000 per trip
- Trip delay coverage up to $500 after 6 hours
- Baggage
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card—Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- Baggage insurance up to $1,250 for carry-on items
- Rental car
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
- Secondary car rental insurance coverage
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- Hertz President's Circle® Status
- Car rental insurance up to $75,000
- Purchase & returns
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
- Up to $10,000 per item against damage or theft
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- Up to $300 per item if merchant won't accept return
- Purchase protection for new items
- Extended warranty
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
- Extended warranty adds up to 1 year
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- Extended warranty adds 1 year to manufacturer warranty
- Cell phone
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card—Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- $800 cell phone protection per claim
- Other protections
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
- No annual fee makes it easy to keep long-term
- 2x miles on Delta purchases and at U.S. restaurants
- 20% back on in-flight Delta purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- Pay with Miles feature for partial flight redemptions
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- 15 Delta Sky Club visits a year when flying Delta same-day, with unlimited access after $75,000 in card spend (estimated $600+ annual value)
- Annual First Class or Comfort+ companion certificate with no spend requirement
- MQD Headstart ($2,500 a year) plus MQD Boost ($1 Medallion Qualification Dollar per $10 spent)
- Free first checked bag for cardholder plus up to 8 companions on same reservation; second bag free on domestic flights
- Boosted upgrade priority to First Class and Delta One
- Cons
- Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
- No free checked bag or priority boarding
- Weak 10,000 mile welcome bonus compared to premium Delta cards
- 1x on non-category spend limits earning potential
- Rewards locked in Delta SkyMiles (no transfer partners)
- No elite status boost or companion certificate
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card- $650 annual fee is highest among Delta personal cards
- $175 authorized user fee adds significant cost for family travelers
- Sky Club access requires same-day Delta flight; no standalone entry
- Sky Club guest access is limited to four one-time guest passes a year
- Miles locked to Delta SkyMiles with limited transfer flexibility
Category-by-Category Winner
The Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card wins in 1 of 1 categories. The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card leads in 0.
Dining
Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card earns 2X vs 1X
Year One vs Ongoing Value
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 Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card | Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $166 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $166 Year one: $286 | Rewards: $144 Credits (our usable estimate): $317 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: -$189 Year one: -$189 | Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card | Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $662 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $662 Year one: $782 | Rewards: $576 Credits (our usable estimate): $317 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: $243 Year one: $243 | Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card | Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card costs $650/yr — that's $650 more than the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $650 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 $650 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $650 fee gap means the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card needs roughly $650 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on everyday spending and everyday spend.
What You Give Up
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card means losing:
- -Airport lounge access
- -Free checked bags
- -Global Entry credit
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card if you:
- +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
Get the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card if you:
- +Fly frequently and value airport lounge access
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Published annual fees: Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card $0/yr, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card $650/yr — a $650 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card worth the higher annual fee?
- The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card costs $650/yr vs $0/yr for the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $650 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card also lists lounge access, travel credits, dining credits).
- Which card earns more rewards, the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card or Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card?
- Both cards earn 1X on everyday purchases. The difference is in bonus categories — check the earn rate comparison above for a full breakdown.
- What benefits does the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card have that the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card doesn't?
- The Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card offers travel credits. The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card offers lounge access, travel credits, dining credits, cell phone protection.
- Should I get the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card has a lower $0/yr fee; the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $650/yr.
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Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.