American Express issues three co-branded Delta SkyMiles business credit cards at different fee tiers: the Delta Gold Business ($150 AF), Delta Platinum Business ($250 AF), and Delta Reserve Business ($650 AF). Each tier adds incremental Delta-specific benefits on top of the prior.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Gold Business | Platinum Business | Reserve Business |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $150 | $250 | $650 |
| Delta earn rate | 2x | 3x | 3x |
| First free checked bag | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Companion certificate | — | First/Comfort+ domestic | First Class domestic |
| Delta Stays credit | $200 | $200 | $240 |
| TDM credit | — | $150 | — |
| MQD waiver | — | — | At $25k spend |
| Sky Club access | — | — | 15 visits/yr (unlimited at $75k spend) |
| Priority boarding | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| TSA PreCheck / GE credit | — | ✓ (every 4 yrs) | ✓ (every 4 yrs) |
| Inflight 20% savings | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Earn rate and category differences
The Gold earns 2x on Delta purchases, restaurants, hotels, gas stations, and transit. The Platinum adds an extra Delta point per dollar (3x) on Delta purchases and maintains 1.5x on select categories. The Reserve also earns 3x on Delta but provides fewer bonus categories outside of Delta spending.
For non-Delta, non-bonus-category spending, the Gold earns 1x, Platinum earns 1x, and Reserve earns 1x.
Stepping up from Gold to Platinum: $100 incremental fee
The Platinum adds:
- 1 additional Delta point per dollar on Delta purchases
- Annual companion certificate (domestic First Class or Comfort+ round-trip)
- $150 TDM credit
- TSA PreCheck / Global Entry credit every 4 years
The companion certificate is the primary justification for the $100 fee difference. If used annually, a companion First Class seat on a domestic route can offset the fee premium multiple times over — provided the cardholder regularly buys paid Delta first class tickets.
The TDM credit and TSA/GE entry credit also contribute to narrowing the $100 incremental fee.
Stepping up from Platinum to Reserve: $400 incremental fee
The Reserve adds Delta Sky Club (15 visits per year) and upgrades the companion certificate to First Class only. The MQD waiver at $25,000 annual spend removes the MQD barrier for Medallion status qualification through card spending + flying.
At 15 Sky Club visits, the fee per visit is approximately $43 ($650 fee minus $250 Platinum value baseline). A standalone Delta Sky Club day pass is $50, so cardholders using 10+ visits per year recoup the Sky Club portion at or above pass-price equivalence.
The MQD waiver is most valuable for Medallion-eligible flyers who are close to qualifying for status and need the financial qualification removed.
How to choose the right tier
Gold Business: Sufficient for Delta flyers who want the free checked bag on every trip and the $200 Delta Stays credit to cover hotel stays through delta.com. No companion certificate or lounge access needed.
Platinum Business: Adds the companion certificate and TDM credit — high value for cardholders purchasing paid Delta domestic first class round-trips annually. The companion certificate alone typically exceeds the $100 incremental fee over Gold.
Reserve Business: Justified for executives who use the Sky Club on 10+ visits per year and/or are within reach of Medallion status and benefit from the MQD waiver. The companion certificate upgrade (to First Class only) and the $240 Delta Stays credit also contribute.
See also: Premium Business Credit Cards Compared, Amex Business Platinum Card Review
