Compare the Features and Benefits of United℠ Business Card and
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Credit Card

If you’re a business owner contemplating on getting a personal United credit card, it’s worth taking a closer look at the United Business Card first.

Cardholders earn 2x unlimited miles on a diverse range of bonus categories, including United purchases (which includes United flights, seat upgrades, wifi or onboard purchases), dining including eligible delivery services, gas stations, office supply stores, and local transit and commuting. All other purchases accrue 1x miles. And don’t forget, beyond the initial hard inquiry when applying for a business card, it won’t report to your personal credit as long as you remain in good standing.

The annual fee is $150 (occasionally waived for the first year, based on the bonus offer being offered at the time, although the offers that waive the annual fee the first year also generally offer less miles.)

Fortunately, maximizing the card is effortless thanks to its number of tangible benefits. You can get every first checked bag free on United flights and even earn an annual $125 United credit after purchasing five United flight purchases. Coupled with the opportunity to enter the United Club twice per year ($59 value each time), that’s roughly a $200+ value off the bat toward travel.

Then you have the rideshare benefits ($8 back as a statement credit each month from January through November and up to $12 back for the month of December. Yearly opt-in is required.) for up to $100 a year back and then perhaps less commonly used perks like the credits for FareLock, United Hotels, JSX, and Instacart.

Other non-tangible, yet equally useful, benefits that the United Business Card provides include priority boarding, a 25% discount on inflight purchases, and the ability to earn Premier Qualifying Points every year from spend (see the next paragraph for details). Depending on how often you’re flying United every year, these perks offer elite-like benefits just by holding this card.

And don’t forget the ability to earn PQPs towards elite status from spend. You’ll earn 1 PQP for every $20 you spend on purchases with your Business Card – up to 4,000 PQPs per year.

If you were purely looking to earn United miles, however, you might well do better with the Chase Ink Business Preferred® Card which would earn 3X Chase Ultimate Rewards points on the first $150,000 spent on all travel purchases, has similar trip protections, and its points transfer 1:1 to United – but also to more than a dozen other airline and hotel partners.

We have a detailed comparison of the United Business Card vs. the Chase Ink Business Preferred Card.

Chase is the issuer of this business card and is quite generous when it comes to providing travel and purchase coverages with high limits. Plus, Chase tends to offer partner benefits exclusively for cardholders.

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 First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin 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