1 year Delta Sky Club access + 40k SkyMiles + 10k MQMs for $450

American Express is again offering 40,000 Delta SkyMiles plus 10,000 MQMs on the Amex Delta Reserve personal and business credit cards.  Requires $3,000 spend within first 3 months.

Below is my referral URL for the Business version of the Amex Delta Reserve Card.

http://refer.amex.us/JASONWHjUT


If you apply, I'd appreciate you using my referral link as I'll earn some free SkyMiles.  The offer via referral is the same as the publicly available offer, so you don't lose anything by using the link.  Referral offer on business version of the card ends on 1/31/2018.

Card also provides free Delta Sky Club access for cardholder when traveling on same-day Delta flight.

Although this offer has been around a few months, it is the first time so many SkyMiles  are included in the sign-up bonus for the Reserve cards.  Typically the bonus has been 10k SkyMiles, or as low as 5k SkyMiles, plus the 10k Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQMs, aka elite status qualifying miles).

The business version of the card is great because most business credit cards do NOT hit your personal credit report or affect your credit inquiries or credit score.  Anyone can apply for a business credit card; you do NOT need an incorporated business or a company Tax ID number to be approved for a business credit card.  All you need is a legitimate small business or side business with a history of decent amount of revenue and a good amount of expected expenses.

Annual fee on this card is $450, which is steep, but still cheaper than buying a Sky Club membership separately.  Delta Diamond members can choose free individual Sky Club membership (costs one of the member's three Choice Benefits) or an executive Sky Club membership (costs two Choice Benefits).  Diamond elites who have complimentary Sky Club access via credit card such as the Reserve personal or business card, also can choose a Delta Sky Club Guest Pass.  This costs one Choice Benefit and allows two guests to join the member in the Sky Club free.  This is a smarter way to go; get individual SkyClub access by paying $450 annual fee for the Reserve card, and in exchange you free up an additional Choice Benefit instead of using TWO Choice Benefits for the Executive Membership.

Personally, I'd rather choose the 4 global or 8 regional upgrade certificates, or gift Gold status to another person (or use all 3 Choice benefits to gift Gold status to 3 people), and pay for the Sky Club via the Reserve card annual fee instead rather than waste a Diamond Choice Benefit on Sky Club membership.

Basics

• Earn 40,000 Delta SkyMiles and 10,000 MQMs after $3,000 spend within first 3 months of card membership
• Must apply via referral link by April 24, 2019 to be eligible for sign-up bonus
• Earn 1 SkyMile per dollar on all purchases.  Earn 2x per dollar on Delta spending (in-flight purchases, airfare, etc)
• Welcome bonus offer not available to applicants who have or have had this product before
• $450 annual fee

How Good is This Deal?

• Excellent...for $450, signing up for this card is an absolute no-brainer.
• 40k SkyMiles can be used for:
• Award flights (get $500-700 value depending on what/when you book); OR
• Revenue flights - cardholders receive the ability to use miles at 1 cent per mile toward paid/revenue flights - Delta calls this feature "Pay With Miles."  The 40k bonus miles are worth $400 toward paid Delta travel - this basically offsets the $450 annual fee in first year
• SkyClub individual membership alone is well worth the annual fee for the card.  Also provides a discounted rate for up to 2 guests per visit
• 10k Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQMs) after meeting the minimum initial spend
• Earn up to 30k additional MQMs and 30k additional SkyMiles per year - Earn 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) and 15,000 bonus SkyMiles after $30,000 spend on the card in a calendar year. Earn an additional 15,000 MQMs and an additional 15,000 bonus SkyMiles after $60,000 spend on the card in a calendar year.  So it is possible to earn 40k MQMs in the first year holding this card.
• If you spend right around $30k or $60k per year on the card, you will earn right around 1.5 SkyMiles per dollar
• MQMs with Delta are valuable particularly because any earned beyond a status level MQMs roll over to the following year
• Companion Certificate - main cabin or first class companion certificate each year on card renewal
• Upgrade tiebreaker - Cardmembership is one of the factors in determining the upgrade list on each flight, so holding this card slightly improves one's chances of first class upgrade on domestic flights.  Specifically, the Reserve card is the upgrade tiebreaker when two passengers have the same Medallion status and booked in same fare class.

Other Card Benefits

• 24/7 Concierge
• 20% off in-flight Delta purchases paid with the card
• First checked bag free on every flight
• Priority boarding (Zone 1) on Delta flights
• Purchase protection, baggage protection, Global Assist hotline, premium roadside assistance, car rental loss and damage insurance, extended warranty - typical benefit suite for many higher-end credit cards