Compare the Features and Benefits of Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

There are many reasons why frequent Delta flyers look toward the carrier’s top product: the Delta Reserve card with a $650 annual fee. This rewards card provides outstanding benefits when you’re flying Delta, but be prepared to pay a pretty penny.

First and foremost, you can get complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club, The Centurion Lounge, or Escape Lounge locations when presenting a same-day boarding pass with Delta Air Lines, giving you ample space to rest up, grab a meal or a drink, and get work done in the airport. While guest access isn’t included, you can bring up to two guests for a $50 per-person rate, or you can cash in your two guest passes that you’ll be awarded every card membership year.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Members receive 15 Visits each Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® and can unlock Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.

The annual companion certificate can also save you hundreds of dollars on Delta flights, as it’s eligible for round trip domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights in any class of service including First Class.

You’ll just need to pay the government imposed taxes and fees of less than $80 for domestic and $250 for international round trips (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply.

Furthermore, Delta SkyMiles Reserve cardholders receive unmatched status boost benefits for those who can meet the certain benchmarks.

For those that need a hand with reaching the next Delta Medallion® elite status level, this card earns $1 MQD (Medallion Qualifying Dollars) for every $10 spent on eligible purchases with your Card – plus a $2,500 MQD boost each calendar year just for holding the Card.

The Delta Reserve card is also popular for elites as it provides upgrade priority over other Medallion members at the same status tier. Two elite members may be on the same elite status level, but with the Delta Reserve credit card, you’ll get higher priority on the upgrade list — which can mean all the difference in a sea of elite members.

And you’ll also receive up to $560 in statement credits each year with up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card, up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers after you pay with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Enrollment Required) and up to $200 back annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com. (Terms apply)

You may be thinking that the Delta Reserve card is only targeted for those chasing Delta’s frequent flyer status. However, you may be surprised to find that the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card is also a fantastic choice for those without status but who want elite-like benefits.

Case in point: you and up to eight companions on the same reservation can bring your first checked bag free. And you can still get access to complimentary seat upgrades, although you’ll be placed on the bottom of the list after Medallion members.

There’s a long list of benefits that also come with the Delta Reserve card, such as the statement credit for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck, 15% award discount when redeeming for SkyMiles flights and travel and purchase protection benefits.

Simply put: it’s a huge step-up for Delta loyalists.

Rates and Fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

While there are plenty of travel rewards enthusiasts that want to earn points and miles with a trendy new credit card, the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card is made for others that just want to earn a free trip with a few fees and hassles as possible. It also offers 1.5 points per dollar spent on all purchases, and those points are worth one cent each as statement credits towards any travel or dining purchases. Points can also be used to pay for baggage fees in addition to other travel expenses such as flights, hotels, vacation packages, and dining/takeout purchases. (Most people would assume the credits are only towards travel so it’s nice that Bank of America includes the statement credit to be applied against dining purchases.

But the best value is offered to Bank of America Preferred Rewards members who can earn a 25%, 50% or 75% bonus, depending on their status within the program. Those with top status can earn as much as 2.62 points per dollar, which is truly exceptional for Preferred Rewards members. These points never expire so long as you account remains open.

Best of all, there’s no annual fee for this card, and no foreign transaction fees imposed on purchases made outside the U.S., so you don’t have to worry about that when traveling.

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card vs. Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card

Editor’s Note: It’s a question I had, so I thought you might too. The primary differences are that the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card has no foreign transaction fees but redeeming your points is slightly limited in that they can only be redeemed against travel and dinning purchases whereas the Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card has no limitations on cashing out your points for cash, but does charge a foreign transaction fee. So, they are pretty similar, but you would choose this one if you travel internationally and probably choose the Unlimited if you don’t leave the USA.