Compare the Features and Benefits of Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Credit Card and
Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card

Business owners who want to separate their personal and business expenses and maximize thousands of dollars in spend have no shortage of business cards to choose from. For frequent Delta flyers, the Delta Reserve Business American Express Card is among the most rewarding options out there once you can overlook the steep $650 annual fee.

Racking up Delta SkyMiles for award flights can be done effortlessly with the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card. You’ll earn 3x bonus miles on eligible Delta purchases.

But the kicker is that you’ll start to earn a higher mileage accelerator once you spend $150,000 on the card annually — that’s when you’ll start to earn 1.5x miles on all eligible purchases. You’ll also earn 1.5X miles on eligible transit, U.S. shipping, and U.S. office supply store purchases. (If your purchase qualifies for a category that has a higher mileage accelerator, only the higher accelerator will apply.) Earn 1x miles per dollar spent on all other eligible non-bonus purchases.

Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business cardholders can save 15% when redeeming SkyMiles for all award flights operated by Delta, which can add up significantly the more you book Delta award flights.

And there are a number of Delta-related benefits that extend to you and up to eight companions on the same reservation such as your first checked bag free and Zone 5 priority boarding.

While you won’t get any free guest access, you can bring up to two guests for a $50 charge per person, or redeem one of your four guest passes you’ll get as a Delta Business Reserve cardholder every year.

You’ll 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.

Other ways to recoup the $650 annual fee include the annual companion certificate, which is valid on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main domestic, Caribbean, or Central American round-trip flight each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Only Delta One flights are excluded.

The card features a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application statement credit and ample trip and purchase protections that will help elevate your business travels.

And you’ll also receive up to $610 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® Platinum American Express Card (Enrollment Required) and up to $250 back annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com. (Terms apply)

Don’t forget the opportunity to earn MQDs!

Earn $1 MQD for each $10 on purchases with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card and receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year.

The Delta Reserve Business American Express card is a solid choice for business owners who are able to reap all the excellent benefits, but note that it may take significant card spend for you to justify the $650 annual fee year after year.

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

It’s easy to look at this card and wonder how it differs from the American Express Blue Business Cash™ card, with no annual fee, and wonder why you’d pay a $295 annual fee on this card.

The primary two reasons are:

1) This card is a No Preset Spending Limit card. If you put heavy spend on a business card, you would max out the credit limit on the Blue Business Cash™ very quickly.

2) Importantly, that card only earns 2% on the first $50,000 spent annually on eligible purchases and just 1% thereafter. Terms apply.

This card will earn you the full 2% on unlimited spend. You’ll earn back the $295 annual fee (in Rewards Dollars) after the first $14,750 in eligible spend. If you are spending $500,000 on the card annually, that is a rounding error on the way to 2% cash back on everything else.

Previously, you had few options for such high spend, with the Business Platinum Card® as the obvious choice.

However, the Business Platinum  earns just 1% in Membership Rewards points on all spend outside select categories. Specifically, it earns 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar on up to $2 million in eligible purchases in the U.S., per calendar year, in the following select business categories combined:

• Electronic goods retailers
• Software & cloud system providers
• Construction materials and hardware supplies.
• Shipping providers.
• Purchases of $5,000 or more

The Business Platinum card also earns 5X per dollar on airfare and prepaid hotel purchases with American Express Travel. Terms apply.

So the cash back from an unlimited 2% on this Graphite Business Cash Unlimited may be far more worthwhile to you, especially if you don’t play the “points game.”

And don’t forget you’ll also get an unlimited 5% Cash Back on American Express Travel® on flights and prepaid hotel bookings through Amex Travel®. That can really add up for business travel collectively booked on the Amex Travel platform.

Card Members can get metal Employee Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Cards for $95 per year for the first 5 Cards, and $95 for each thereafter, with the ability to earn Reward Dollars on purchases and receive alerts to help Card Members know who’s spending and where.

This card competes squarely against the Capital One Spark Cash Plus and the Venture X Business which earns 2X Capital One Miles.

Rates & Fees for the Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited Card

Rates and Fees for the The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

Rates and fees for The Business Platinum Card® from American Express