Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card vs Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
Annual fees: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card $650/yr, Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card $149/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card on everyday spending, Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card on grocery stores.
Card data as of November 13, 2026.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express CardAmerican Express · $650/yr
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit CardChase · $149/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card$650Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card$149Lowest
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express CardAs high as 125,000 miles — offers varySouthwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card55,000 points
- Rewards
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express CardDelta SkyMilesSouthwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit CardSouthwest Rapid Rewards
- Foreign transaction fee
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express CardNoneSouthwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit CardNone
- Network
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express CardAmerican ExpressSouthwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit CardVisa Signature
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card1xSouthwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card2xHighest
- Grocery Stores
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card1xSouthwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card2xHighest
- Everything else
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card1xSouthwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- $200 Delta stays credit
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck
- 20% back Delta in-flight · $20 per transaction
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card— - Rideshare & transit
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- $10/mo rideshare · $10 monthly
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card— - Dining & delivery
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- $20/mo Resy · $20 monthly
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- $10/mo Instacart+
- DoorDash DashPass · $10 monthly
Perks & access— means none on record
- Lounges
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- Delta Sky Club access with unlimited visits after $75K spend
- Access to The Centurion® Lounge
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card— - Hotel status & programs
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- MQD Headstart
- Access to Complimentary Upgrades
- MQD Boost
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card— - Airline perks
- 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
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points
- Free first checked bag for you and 8 companions
- Board with Group 5 for overhead bin access
- 15% Flight Discount
- Complimentary Preferred seat
- Other perks
- 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 moreShow fewer
- No foreign transaction fees
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- No foreign transaction fees
- 24/7 roadside assistance dispatch
- 24/7 travel and emergency assistance
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- Trip cancellation coverage up to $10,000 per trip
- Trip delay coverage up to $500 after 6 hours
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- $500,000 travel accident insurance
- Baggage
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- Baggage insurance up to $1,250 for carry-on items
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- Baggage delay insurance for essential purchases
- Lost luggage reimbursement coverage
- Rental car
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- Hertz President's Circle® Status
- Car rental insurance up to $75,000
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- Auto rental collision damage waiver
- Purchase & returns
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- Up to $300 per item if merchant won't accept return
- Purchase protection for new items
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- 120-day purchase protection coverage
- Extended warranty
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- Extended warranty adds 1 year to manufacturer warranty
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- Extended warranty protection for purchases
- Cell phone
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- $800 cell phone protection per claim
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card— - Other protections
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card—
Pros & cons
- Pros
- 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
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- 6,000 anniversary bonus points ($90+ value) help justify the annual fee
- 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost annually accelerates free companion flights
- 2x on grocery stores and restaurants (first $8K combined) adds everyday earning
- Earn 1,500 TQPs toward A-List status per $5K annual spend
- Complimentary Preferred or Standard seat selection within 48 hours of departure, when available
- Cons
- 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
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card- $149 annual fee may not be justified for infrequent Southwest flyers
- No Extra Legroom upgrades (Priority cardholders get unlimited upgrades at 48 hours)
- Only 1x points on non-category purchases limits everyday earning potential
- 1,500 TQPs per $5K spent is less than Priority's 2,500 TQPs
- Limited bonus categories — only grocery/restaurants at 2x (old transit/internet/RR partners expired)
Category-by-Category Winner
No unconditional category winner — 2 categories depend on how you earn.
Grocery Stores
Depends: up to $8,000/yr
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 2X when conditions are met; Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Dining
Depends: up to $8,000/yr
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 2X when conditions are met; Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
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 Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $144 Credits (our usable estimate): $317 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: -$189 Year one: -$189 | Rewards: $150 Credits (our usable estimate): $75 − Annual fee ($149) Ongoing: $76 Year one: $764 | Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $576 Credits (our usable estimate): $317 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: $243 Year one: $243 | Rewards: $600 Credits (our usable estimate): $75 − Annual fee ($149) Ongoing: $526 Year one: $1,214 | Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card costs $650/yr — that's $501 more than the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card ($149/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $501 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 $501 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $501 fee gap means the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card needs roughly $501 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 Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card means losing:
- -Airport lounge access
- -Global Entry credit
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card if you:
- +Fly frequently and value airport lounge access
Get the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card if you:
- +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Published annual fees: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card $650/yr, Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card $149/yr — a $501 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 $149/yr for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $501 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 Reserve American Express Card or Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit 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 Reserve American Express Card have that the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card doesn't?
- The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card offers lounge access, travel credits, dining credits, cell phone protection. The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card offers dining credits.
- Should I get the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card or the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card has a lower $149/yr fee; the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $650/yr.
Related Comparisons
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published November 13, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.