Card comparison

Amex Delta Gold vs Amex Delta Reserve

Two Delta SkyMiles cards compared

Verified July 2026

TL;DR — quick verdict

The Amex Delta Gold ($150) undercuts the Amex Delta Reserve ($650) on annual fee. Pick the Amex Delta Gold for everyday Restaurants spending (2x); pick the Amex Delta Reserve for everyday Delta purchases spending (3x).

At a Glance

Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card

Annual Fee
$150
Signup Bonus
90,000 points
Network
Amex
Points Currency
Delta SkyMiles
Earning Rates
Restaurants 2x
Delta Purchases 2x
U.S. Supermarkets 2x
All Other Purchases 1x

Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card

Annual Fee
$650
Signup Bonus
125,000 points
Network
Amex
Points Currency
Delta SkyMiles
Earning Rates
Delta Purchases 3x
All Other Purchases 1x

Category Breakdown

How they compare across key categories

Annual Fee

Amex Delta Gold wins

Amex Delta Gold $150 vs Amex Delta Reserve $650

Welcome Bonus

Amex Delta Reserve wins

Amex Delta Gold: 90,000 points after $5,000 in 6 months vs Amex Delta Reserve: 125,000 points after $9,000 in 6 months

Top Earning Rate

Amex Delta Reserve wins

Amex Delta Gold: 2x on Restaurants vs Amex Delta Reserve: 3x on Delta purchases

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Perks & Credits

Tie

Amex Delta Gold: 7 listed benefits vs Amex Delta Reserve: 7 listed benefits

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Transfer Partners

Tie

Amex Delta Gold: Delta SkyMiles (earn directly) vs Amex Delta Reserve: Delta SkyMiles (earn directly)

Perks & Benefits

Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express

  • Rideshare Credit ($120)
  • Delta Flight Credit ($200)
  • Delta Stays Credit ($100)
  • In-flight Purchases
  • Free Checked Bags
  • Priority Boarding
  • Award Flight Discount

Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express

  • Delta Sky Club Access
  • Resy Restaurant Credit ($240)
  • Rideshare Credit ($120)
  • Delta Stays Credit ($200)
  • Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit ($120)
  • Annual Companion Certificate
  • MQD Headstart

Which Is Right for You?

Get the Amex Delta Gold if...

  • Lower $150 annual fee
  • Earns 2x on Restaurants
  • Earns 2x on Delta purchases
  • Rideshare Credit ($120)

Get the Amex Delta Reserve if...

  • Premium benefits to offset the $650 fee
  • Earns 3x on Delta purchases
  • Delta Sky Club Access

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Amex Delta Gold or Amex Delta Reserve better?

The Amex Delta Gold ($150) undercuts the Amex Delta Reserve ($650) on annual fee. Pick the Amex Delta Gold for everyday Restaurants spending (2x); pick the Amex Delta Reserve for everyday Delta purchases spending (3x). Both earn transferable rewards, so many points collectors hold one from each ecosystem.

Which has the lower annual fee, the Amex Delta Gold or Amex Delta Reserve?

The Amex Delta Gold has the lower annual fee at $150, versus $650 for the Amex Delta Reserve.

Which card earns points faster?

The Amex Delta Gold earns up to 2x on Restaurants, while the Amex Delta Reserve earns up to 3x on Delta purchases.

Can I have both the Amex Delta Gold and the Amex Delta Reserve?

Yes. They're issued independently, so you can hold both and earn Delta SkyMiles and Delta SkyMiles side by side.

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Need More Points?

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The Business Platinum Card from American Express

Business · Annual fee $895

US only

200,000 points

after $20,000 in 3 months

  • Hotel credit ($600)
  • Dell credit ($1150)
  • Adobe credit ($250)
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American Express Business Gold Card

Business · Annual fee $375

US only

200,000 points

after $15,000 in 3 months

  • ChatGPT Business Statement Credit ($300)
  • FedEx, Grubhub and Office Supply Statement Credit ($240)
  • Walmart+ Statement Credit ($155)
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The Platinum Card from American Express

Personal · Annual fee $895

US only

175,000 points

after $12,000 in 6 months

  • Hotel credit ($600)
  • Digital entertainment credit ($300)
  • Uber Cash and One credit ($320)
Learn more & apply

American Express Gold Card

Personal · Annual fee $250

US only

100,000 points

after $8,000 in 6 months

  • Dining credit ($120)
  • Resy credit ($100)
  • Disney Streaming credit ($120)
Learn more & apply

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Personal · Annual fee $95

100,000 points

after $5,000 in 3 months

  • Chase Travel hotel credit ($100)
  • Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit ($120)
  • DoorDash DashPass ($120)
Learn more & apply

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Personal · Annual fee $795

100,000 points

after $6,000 in 3 months

  • Travel credit ($300)
  • The Edit hotel credit ($500)
  • Dining credit ($300)
Learn more & apply

Credit card approval subject to eligibility. Terms and conditions apply. American Express cards shown are available to US residents only.