Compare the Features and Benefits of Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card and
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Credit Card

Small business owners that occasionally fly Southwest should consider getting the Southwest Premier Business Credit Card. You’ll get a solid earning rate on Southwest Airlines purchases and select travel purchases, a statement credit for two EarlyBird Check-Ins each card membership year, plus 25% back on inflight purchases.

In addition to the bonus points earned after account opening, cardholders earn points at a rate of 3x Rapid Rewards points on Southwest purchases, 2x points on Southwest Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases, local transit, commuting, and ride-hailing services, and 1x Rapid Rewards points on all other purchases.

When you earn points through the Southwest Premier Business Credit Card, they count toward earning the Southwest Companion Pass. Plus you’ll earn 1,500 Tier-Qualifying Points toward A-List status for every $10,000 spent on the card in a calendar year.

You can boost your point earnings by adding employee cards at no additional cost. If you want a unique way to reward your employees, the Southwest Premier Business Card reimburses up to $500 in fees for points transfers.

When you go to redeem points, Southwest offers a simple rewards structure. You’ll pay between 81 and 83 Rapid Rewards points per dollar of base fare on Southwest flights, valuing the points around 1.4 cents each. While there are no blackout dates, that also means there’s no way of getting more value from your Rapid Rewards points.

Although the Southwest Premier Business Card is a solid card, Southwest frequent travelers should strongly consider getting the Southwest Performance Business Credit Card instead. For a $199 annual fee, you’ll earn higher rewards in several rewards categories: 4x bonus points on Southwest purchases, 3x points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases, 2x points on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services, and 1x on other purchases. Plus, you’ll get four Upgraded Boardings each year and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee statement credit.

Lastly, this card is great for getting halfway to a Southwest Companion Pass with the bonus offer. Read our guide on earning a Southwest Companion Pass for up to two years via new account bonuses.

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 Main Cabin 1 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.

Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 10 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter.

Other ways to recoup the $650 annual fee include the annual companion certificate, which allows you to get a ‘buy one, get one’ ticket for just the cost of government imposed taxes and fees (less than $80). This award is valid for domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights in nearly any of Delta’s classes of service, including for domestic First or Business Class (only Delta One is 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