How To Use the Delta Stays Credit on the Delta Amex Cards

I’ve been a cardholder of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card since I was in college. It was my first travel card, and I leveraged my welcome bonus for a free trip to Seattle during fall break. Like all credit cards, the Delta SkyMiles credit card lineup has changed and evolved over the years. 

Like many cards on the market, the SkyMiles lineup has shifted its focus to offering statement credits in exchange for higher annual fees. If you maximize these credits, you can easily justify an annual fee. If not, you might be overpaying for your credit card. 

One of the less popular statement credits offered on several SkyMiles credit cards is the Delta Stays credit, which gives cardholders anywhere from $100 to $250 back on prepaid hotel stays booked through Delta. Here’s what you need to know about the Delta Stays credit, including how to maximize it. 

What is the Delta Stays credit? 

The Delta Stays Credit can be used on prepaid hotel stays or vacation rentals through Delta. It’s given to cardholders of all of the SkyMiles credit cards that charge an annual fee. 

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

How to apply Card Details

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Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

(3.68) Our Review

Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.

Annual Fee:

$650 (Rates and fees)

⌛ Limited Time Offer

Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 07/15/2026. Terms apply.

• Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 07/15/2026.
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you'll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
• Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
• Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
• Enjoy a Companion Certificate 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. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
• $240 Resy Credit: Earn up to $20 in statement credits each month at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay with your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases.
• Global Dining Access by Resy gives you special access to participating U.S. Resy restaurants when you add your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to your Resy profile. Access to exclusive reservations, premium dining experiences, Priority Notify, and more, all from Resy.com or the Resy app.
• $120 Rideshare Credit: With your $120 Rideshare Credit, earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment Required.
• Check your first bag for free on Delta flights worldwide and get a second bag free when flying domestically.
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
• Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
• $650 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

• Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 07/15/2026.
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you'll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
• Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
• Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
• Enjoy a Companion Certificate 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. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
• $240 Resy Credit: Earn up to $20 in statement credits each month at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay with your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases.
• Global Dining Access by Resy gives you special access to participating U.S. Resy restaurants when you add your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to your Resy profile. Access to exclusive reservations, premium dining experiences, Priority Notify, and more, all from Resy.com or the Resy app.
• $120 Rideshare Credit: With your $120 Rideshare Credit, earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment Required.
• Check your first bag for free on Delta flights worldwide and get a second bag free when flying domestically.
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
• Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
• $650 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Pros

• Enter the Delta Sky Club® before or after your Delta flights
• Earn $1 MQD for every $10 spent on the card (eligible purchases)
• Advantageous perks for Delta frequent flyers, such as a free checked bag (two if traveling domestically) and upgrade priority

Cons

• $650 annual fee is steep, no matter how you slice or dice it
• Earning rate is limited to 3x miles on Delta purchases and 1x miles on all other eligible purchases
• Requires a significant amount of annual card spend to reach significant MQDs

Annual Fee: $650 (Rates and fees)

Foreign Transaction Fee: 0%

Min Credit Score: Good *

Delta uses a fully dynamic pricing model on most awards, with the program aiming to offer you about 1.1 to 1.2 cents per point. However, you can still occasionally get much more value, especially during SkyMiles Flash Sales. Note that while you can book SkyTeam alliance flights with Delta SkyMiles, you cannot book international First Class on any SkyMiles partner.

Point Value:

$0.012

APR: 19.49%-28.49% (Variable)

• 1x-3x

  Airfare

  
  3X only applies to Delta flights purchased directly from Delta. All other airline purchases will earn 1X miles per dollar
• 1x

  All Other Eligible Purchases

The value of the credit will depend on your card: 

• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: $100
• Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business Card: $150
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: $150
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business Card: $200
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: $200
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business Card: $250

If you’re juggling several different cards in your wallet, you might have several different hotel credits that you need to utilize throughout the year. I’ve forgotten about the Delta Stays credit before, and as a cardholder of the SkyMiles Gold card, that means I left $100 on the table. Note that the credit is per year, not based on your account membership year. 

Just like with other third-party bookings, you won’t want to use this credit for a hotel where you have elite status. Your benefits are typically not honored, and you won’t earn rewards on your booking. This credit (and other hotel credits) is often better used for smaller, boutique hotels, or those where you don’t have status. 

How To Use the Delta Stays Credit

First, you’ll visit the Delta Stays website and log in. Enter your destination, dates, number of travelers, and select whether you prefer a stay (hotel) or vacation rental. Once you search, you’ll be able to sort through the hotels until you find a property that suits your needs. You might even get a discount by booking through the platform. 

Once you select your hotel and room, you’ll be taken to the checkout page. This is the most important part — you must choose the prepaid rate. If you opt to pay at check-in, the Delta Stays credit will not apply. Then, be sure to pay using your Delta card, and you’ll be all set. Although it can technically take up to 90 days for the credit to post to your account, it’s typically much quicker. 

When I used my credit earlier this year, I received my credit immediately. 

How I’ve Used My Delta Stays Credit

In 2025, I used my Delta Stays credit on a trip to South Africa. I spent three nights at the Hyatt House Johannesburg Rosebank in October 2025. The property itself was quite nice, offering easy access to Rosebank and to day-trip game drives from Johannesburg. 

I paid just $291.91 for the trip, which I already felt was a solid price. After my $100 statement credit, I totaled just $191.91 for a three-night stay, or approximately $63.97 per night. If I had the SkyMiles Reserve, I could’ve covered two of my three nights with the credit. 

When booking through a third party, always compare prices to what you’d pay if you booked directly with the hotel. Prices on third-party platforms can vary widely — sometimes they are cheaper, sometimes they are significantly more expensive. The last thing you want is to pay $200 more for a hotel reservation through Delta Stays just so you can get $100 back. You’re still spending more overall. 

Luckily, in my case, the rates when booking through Delta or through Hyatt were comparable, so my $100 credit was pure savings. 

Bottom Line

This is a use-it-or-lose-it credit, so don’t wait until the last second to use it. If you book a trip on the last day of the year and it doesn’t post until January, you’ve wasted your credit. Since it doesn’t impose a minimum stay requirement, it’s better to use this credit for a quick stay where you can cover most, or all, of your booking with the credit. And make sure to book a prepaid stay for it to take effect!

Want to know which Delta SkyMiles credit card makes the most sense for you? Check out our card comparison tool to compare any of the six Delta credit cards that offer a Delta Stays statement credit.

Harrison Pierce

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