In the world of premium travel credit cards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card stand out as titans, each offering a distinct set of perks and privileges.
Let's dive into the details and unravel the distinct advantages of each to help you decide which premium card takes center stage in your wallet.
General Comparison: Chase Reserve vs. Delta Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is renowned for its versatile rewards program, allowing cardholders to earn and redeem points for various travel expenses at an impressive rate.
On the other hand, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve caters specifically to frequent Delta Air Lines flyers, providing exclusive benefits like priority boarding and complimentary access to Delta Sky Club lounges.
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Chase Sapphire Reserve | Delta SkyMiles Reserve | |
Annual Fee | $550 | $650. See Rates and Fees. |
Rewards | 5X total points on air travel and 10X total points on hotels, car rentals and dining when you purchase through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, immediately after earning your $300 annual travel credit. Also, earn 3x points on dining at restaurants and travel (after meeting the $300 travel credit), then 1x points per dollar spent on all other purchases. | 3X miles per dollar on eligible Delta flights and Delta Vacations® with 1X miles on all other purchases. Terms Apply. |
Welcome bonus | 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening | Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months |
0% Intro APR | N/A | N/A |
Foreign Transaction Fee | $0 | $0. See Rates and Fees. |
Purchase APR | 22.49%–29.49% variable | 20.99%-29.99% Variable
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Compare Point Rewards: Which Card Wins?
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|---|---|---|
Spend Per Category | Chase Sapphire Reserve | Delta SkyMiles Reserve |
$10,000 – U.S Supermarkets | 10,000 points | 10,000 miles |
$5,000 – Restaurants | 15,000 points | 5,000 miles |
$6,000 – Hotels | 60,000 points | 6,000 miles |
$8,000 – Airline
| 40,000 points | 24,000 miles |
$4,000 – Gas | 4,000 points | 4,000 miles |
Total Points | 129,000 points | 49,000 miles |
Estimated Redemption Value | 1 point ~ 1 – 1.5 cent | 1 mile ~ 1.3 cents
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Estimated Annual Value | $1,290 – $1,935 | $637 |
Chase Reserve vs. Delta Reserve: Travel Benefits
Chase Sapphire Reserve
- $300 Annual Travel Credit: Receive up to $300 in statement credit each year for various travel purchases.
- 50% More Value for Travel Redemption: Redeem points for travel and get 50% more value, e.g., 60,000 points are worth $900.=
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS Fee Credit: Receive up to $100 in statement credit every four years for application fees.
- 24/7 Customer Service: Access dedicated customer service specialists around the clock.
- Lyft Pink Membership: Get 2 complimentary years of Lyft Pink All Access, including discounts and rewards.
- DoorDash DashPass Subscription: Enjoy a year of $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders.
- Monthly DoorDash Credit: Receive $5 in DoorDash credits each month through Dec 31, 2024.
- Instacart Membership: Get 1 year of complimentary Instacart+ for grocery delivery.
- Monthly Instacart Credit: Instacart+ members earn up to $15 in statement credits each month through July 2024.
- Priority Pass Select Membership: Access 1,300+ VIP airport lounges worldwide.
- Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection: Receive room upgrades, daily breakfast, late checkout, and other benefits at select hotels and resorts.
- 10x on Peloton Purchases: Earn 10x total points on Peloton equipment and accessories over $150 through March 31, 2025.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve
- Annual Companion Certificate: When you renew your card, you'll receive a Companion Certificate for First Class, Delta Comfort+, or Main Cabin roundtrip flights in the U.S., Caribbean, or Central America.
- TakeOff 15: Save 15% on Award Travel when booking Delta flights (excluding partner-operated flights and taxes/fees).
- Delta Sky Club® Access:Get free entry to the Delta Sky Club when you fly on a Delta flight on the same day. You'll also get four guest passes each 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. - $200 Delta Stays Credit: Every year, enjoy a $200 credit for eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
- Hertz President’s Circle Status: Join the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program and enjoy the benefits of Hertz Five Star Status.
- $240 Resy Credit: Get a $240 credit for Resy, earning up to $20 in monthly credits on eligible Resy purchases.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Get a $120 credit for rideshare services, with up to $10 back each month on U.S. rideshare purchases when using your Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card. Enrollment is required.
- MQD Boost: Earn $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each year, getting you closer to elite status with MQD Headstart.
- MQD on Purchases: Earn $1 Medallion Qualification Dollar for every $10 you spend on your Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card in a calendar year, helping you reach a higher Medallion Status for the next year.
- $100 Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®: Get reimbursed for the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every 4 years.
- 20% Back on In–flight Purchases: Receive a 20% statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food and beverages.
- ShopRunner: Enjoy free 2-day shipping at 100+ online stores when you enroll in complimentary ShopRunner membership with your Delta Platinum card.
- Complimentary Access to Delta Centurion® Lounge – When you book your Delta flight with your Reserve Card, you will receive complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge.
- Priority Boarding: enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding on their Delta flights, allowing them to board early, secure overhead bin space for their carry-on luggage, and have a more relaxed start to their journey.
- Upgrade Priority – When you use your Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card, you will have priority over other Medallion members in the same Medallion level and fare class grouping.
- Access to Complimentary Upgrades – If you do not have Medallion Status, your Card automatically adds you to the Complimentary Upgrade list, which is prioritized over Medallion Members.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers.
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Can I Transfer Chase Reserve Points To Delta?
No, you cannot directly transfer Chase Reserve Points to Delta SkyMiles. Chase Ultimate Rewards has its own list of transfer partners, and Delta is not one of them.
However, you can book Delta flights indirectly using your Chase Reserve Points by transferring them to one of Chase's transfer partners that are within the SkyTeam alliance, such as Virgin Atlantic Flying Club:
- Transfer Chase Reserve Points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. The transfer ratio is 1:1, so 10,000 Chase Reserve Points will become 10,000 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points.
- Book a Delta flight on the Virgin Atlantic website using your Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points. The award chart on the Virgin Atlantic website is based on distance, so you can easily see how many points you need to book a specific flight.
Main Drawbacks: How They Compare
Chase Sapphire Reserve
- Limited Airline-Specific Benefits
If you are a loyal Delta flyer, you might find that the Delta SkyMiles Reserve offers more tailored benefits for your specific travel needs..
Unlike the Delta SkyMiles Reserve, the Chase Sapphire Reserve doesn't offer airline-specific benefits such as priority boarding on a particular airline or access to a specific airline's lounges.
- No Companion Certificate
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve provides an annual companion certificate, allowing you to bring a companion on a domestic main cabin round-trip flight. The Chase Sapphire Reserve does not have a comparable benefit.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve
- Limited Transfer Partners
Unlike the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which has a diverse range of transfer partners through the Ultimate Rewards program, Delta SkyMiles has a more limited set of transfer options. This can affect the flexibility of your points.
- Lower Earning Rate on Non-Delta Purchases
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve may be less appealing for the average consumer as it offers a lower earning rate on general purchases compared to the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
- Limited Redemption Options
Delta SkyMiles Reserve ties you to Delta Air Lines for optimal value, limiting redemption flexibility compared to the diverse range of options offered by Chase Ultimate Rewards with the Sapphire Reserve.
When You Might Want the Delta SkyMiles Reserve?
You might want the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card over the Chase Reserve Card in the following scenarios:
You're Loyal To Delta Airlines: If you are a frequent and loyal Delta Air Lines traveler, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve offers tailored benefits and perks specific to Delta, such as priority boarding, Delta Sky Club access, and an annual companion certificate.
You Usually Travel Domestically: The Delta SkyMiles Reserve's companion certificate for domestic main cabin round-trip flights can be particularly beneficial for those who predominantly travel within the United States.
When You Might Want the Chase Sapphire Reserve?
You might want the Chase Reserve Card over the Delta Reserve Card in the following scenarios:
You Want Flexible Travel Options: If you value flexibility in redeeming points for various travel expenses beyond just flights with Delta, the Chase Sapphire Reserve's versatile Ultimate Rewards program would be more suitable.
You Want Diverse Redemption Preferences: The Chase Sapphire Reserve allows you to transfer points to a wide range of airline and hotel partners, providing diverse redemption options, which is advantageous if you prefer having multiple choices for your rewards.
You Want Higher Earning on Non-Delta Purchases: If you spend a significant amount on non-Delta purchases, the Chase Sapphire Reserve's higher earning rate on general spending could result in more valuable rewards over time.
You Want Global Lounge Access: If you prioritize airport lounge access across various airlines globally rather than focusing solely on Delta Sky Club access, the Priority Pass membership provided by the Chase Sapphire Reserve may be more appealing.
Compare The Alternatives
If you're looking for a travel rewards credit card– there are some excellent alternatives you may want to consider:
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The Platinum Card® from American Express | Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Capital One Venture X Rewards | |
Annual Fee | $695. See Rates & Fees | $95
| $395 |
Rewards |
1X – 5X
5X points on up to $500,000 spent on directly-booked airfare and flights and prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel (per calendar year), 2X points on prepaid car rentals through American Express Travel and 1X points on all other purchases
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2X – 5X
5x total points on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3x points on dining, online grocery purchases and select streaming services. 2x on other travel purchases. Plus, earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
| 1X – 10X
10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars when booking via Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights and 2 miles per dollar on all eligible purchases
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Welcome bonus |
80,000 points
80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership
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60,000 points
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
| 75,000 miles
75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
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Foreign Transaction Fee | $0. See Rates & Fees | $0
| $0
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Purchase APR | 21.24% – 29.24% APR Variable | 21.24%–28.24% variable APR
| 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable) |
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