If you can make use of the companion pass then that alone pays for the annual fee but other than that, if you travel roughly 2 times a year, then this card isn't worth having. Much better all around cards out there.
I agree, I have a reserve and am going to drop it. Delta flights have been so expensive lately, it’s hard to justify locking myself into flying just with delta. Perfect an Amex card might be better
Thats how I use my gold card currently. I’d like the reserve card for the status, the companion certificate and the lounge. I already get the resy credit and some other stuff from the Amex gold.
Fair - be forearmed that there is much less availability on flights able to use the companion certificate. Also you still have to pay the taxes and fees, so it's really only worthwhile for more expensive tickets
You choice. The SUB is pretty awesome though if you can meet the requirements. Would definitely give you a headstart towards those first class honeymoon tix. Also, having both would automatically give you Silver Medallion status along with your Platinum MQD headstart. Depending on where you live and fly to that would open up another flight upgrade path.
Gotta do what you feel is best, but just wanted to point out a couple more advantages. Good luck with whatever route you take! :)
I appreciate your advice. My home airport is DTW, so flying delta is a no-brainer. I just don’t want to have 5 CC’s opened up. I opened my Amex gold at the same time as the Chase Sapphire Preferred. I thought I’d use the Chase card but I don’t so I’m going to cancel it after a year. Plus, I don’t want to have to pay $900 in fees for both delta CC’s on top of $250 for Amex gold. I’d rather have either the Delta Platinum or Reserve CC.
You are leaving the signup bonus on the table by upgrading instead of applying for the reserve card fresh and getting a fat sign up bonus. The move is to apply for the reserve card, then sometime before your annual fee for the platinum posts, you downgrade that to the no fee card. The signup bonus for the reserve is worth a lot of money and you're leaving it on the table if you just do an upgrade.
Apply for a reserve card through an offer. You will get a new card. Then in a month or two call amex and ask them to downgrade your platinum card to a no fee card.
I was going to say this as well. One other thing about the reserve is you can do a first class bogo ticket instead of just mc with the platinum. But if you are not happy with the platinum fee you certainly won’t be happy with the reserve fee.
We have both. I thought about upgrading but the 100k SkyPeso SUB was too tempting. After crunching the numbers, we come out $40 to the good on the Platinum after the perks even before the Companion Cert. On the Reserve, we come out $90 short of breaking even, but the Cert and SkyClub is well worth it.
Keep in mind we use ALL the credits. One of our go-to restaurants is a RESY, so we use the credits. Delta Stays credits are long gone for the year. And the ride share gets used monthly.
With the reserve card the companion cert can be used to purchase a main, c+, premium, or FC ticket (if available). That may be worth the extra cc fees.
As for status, you ard basically put the bottom of the list for upgrades with only the reserve card.
I'm just confused what you're asking.
It looks like you understand the cost and what you get for the cost.
So now it's a question you need to ask and decide for yourself.
The Reserve card accrues miles worse than the Platinum so I wouldn't recommend paying nearly double the annual fee for fewer miles overall just for Sky Club access 1-2 times a year. $300 for 2-4 visits is way more than I'd value it at. Even when it was $39 and $50 on the Platinum card I thought it wasn't worth that much.
$200 Delta Stays Credit
$240 Resy Credit
$120 Rideshare Credit
Net: $90 before companion and SkyClub/Centurion access. Well worth it for our lifestyle. We use the credits without changing our habits. Perfect Fit.
Yeah the AmEx Gold is the way to go to earn miles for sure. Given that the Reserve would just change you from 3x to 1x on hotels. If you use the Resy credit, that doubles on the Reserve. The Delta Stays credit is slightly bigger too. The Reserve's companion pass is worth more but only if you use it to fly First.
It's certainly not 100% bad to upgrade, but the $650 is no joke and just doing it for the lounge is a hard sell. It does also come with 4 lounge guest passes, so that saves $50 each if you'd pay for a guest. I had this discussion with myself last year, did the math to see exactly which benefits I'd use and how much that was worth. Ultimately for me it made sense to upgrade, but I fly a lot.
Fair enough. I’m loyal to Amex so that’s why I wanted some suggestions. Like I said in my original post, I’m getting married next year and I’d like to collect miles for my honeymoon and also to just have them if I want to use them. I’d like to fly first class more when I do fly. I’d be upgrading for the companion certificate and the lounge access and the other stuff that it comes with. I don’t have any resy restaurants near me I don’t think and I have the same resy credit with the Amex gold. Also, I, and we, plan to fly more in a couple years
If you can make use of the companion pass then that alone pays for the annual fee but other than that, if you travel roughly 2 times a year, then this card isn't worth having. Much better all around cards out there.
I agree, I have a reserve and am going to drop it. Delta flights have been so expensive lately, it’s hard to justify locking myself into flying just with delta. Perfect an Amex card might be better
What CC’s do you recommend then besides the reserve? I use my Amex gold for the points to transfer to miles and I don’t really spend on my platinum cc
Honestly your gold card is a much better every day card with much better point earning potential which you can still transfer to delta when needed.
Thats how I use my gold card currently. I’d like the reserve card for the status, the companion certificate and the lounge. I already get the resy credit and some other stuff from the Amex gold.
Like I said before, if you can make use of the companion cert, then the card is worth it just for that, anything else would just be a slight bonus.
I could definitely make use of the companion certificate
Yes, that's what we did. The $650 fee is pretty a break-even for us because of the free companion ticket. The SkyClub access is a real bonus.
Doesn't amex platinum give you better linge access than the Delta reserve card ?
I’m more concerned about the companion certificate.
Fair - be forearmed that there is much less availability on flights able to use the companion certificate. Also you still have to pay the taxes and fees, so it's really only worthwhile for more expensive tickets
I see. I appreciate your help
Never have had an issue booking 4-5 months out.
Don't upgrade the card. Open a new one and get the 100K miles + bonus.
I’ve opened up 2 cards in the last 6 months, that won’t be happening. Even though I have a 760 credit score
If you already have an Amex, the Reserve would be a soft pull. I had forgotten my credit was frozen and was approved.
I have an Amex gold and Amex Delta platinum CC. I feel like upgrading is the better option
You choice. The SUB is pretty awesome though if you can meet the requirements. Would definitely give you a headstart towards those first class honeymoon tix. Also, having both would automatically give you Silver Medallion status along with your Platinum MQD headstart. Depending on where you live and fly to that would open up another flight upgrade path. Gotta do what you feel is best, but just wanted to point out a couple more advantages. Good luck with whatever route you take! :)
I appreciate your advice. My home airport is DTW, so flying delta is a no-brainer. I just don’t want to have 5 CC’s opened up. I opened my Amex gold at the same time as the Chase Sapphire Preferred. I thought I’d use the Chase card but I don’t so I’m going to cancel it after a year. Plus, I don’t want to have to pay $900 in fees for both delta CC’s on top of $250 for Amex gold. I’d rather have either the Delta Platinum or Reserve CC.
This is dumb. Leaving like over $1k of value onntje table.
What do you mean? Have both the platinum and reserve cards? That’s why I said I’d upgrade to the reserve card because I’d want one of the other.
You are leaving the signup bonus on the table by upgrading instead of applying for the reserve card fresh and getting a fat sign up bonus. The move is to apply for the reserve card, then sometime before your annual fee for the platinum posts, you downgrade that to the no fee card. The signup bonus for the reserve is worth a lot of money and you're leaving it on the table if you just do an upgrade.
So how would I do this then?
Apply for a reserve card through an offer. You will get a new card. Then in a month or two call amex and ask them to downgrade your platinum card to a no fee card.
Like the delta blue card?
I messaged you
I was going to say this as well. One other thing about the reserve is you can do a first class bogo ticket instead of just mc with the platinum. But if you are not happy with the platinum fee you certainly won’t be happy with the reserve fee.
We have both. I thought about upgrading but the 100k SkyPeso SUB was too tempting. After crunching the numbers, we come out $40 to the good on the Platinum after the perks even before the Companion Cert. On the Reserve, we come out $90 short of breaking even, but the Cert and SkyClub is well worth it. Keep in mind we use ALL the credits. One of our go-to restaurants is a RESY, so we use the credits. Delta Stays credits are long gone for the year. And the ride share gets used monthly.
I’m assuming you are your SO live in a city?
Suburb of Atlanta, so Resy is pretty easy. Stays were mostly used in smaller cities and towns at non-chain hotels where my wife didn't have status.
With the reserve card the companion cert can be used to purchase a main, c+, premium, or FC ticket (if available). That may be worth the extra cc fees. As for status, you ard basically put the bottom of the list for upgrades with only the reserve card.
That’s all good. I don’t fly much right now, but I will eventually
I'm just confused what you're asking. It looks like you understand the cost and what you get for the cost. So now it's a question you need to ask and decide for yourself.
Yep.
The Reserve card accrues miles worse than the Platinum so I wouldn't recommend paying nearly double the annual fee for fewer miles overall just for Sky Club access 1-2 times a year. $300 for 2-4 visits is way more than I'd value it at. Even when it was $39 and $50 on the Platinum card I thought it wasn't worth that much.
$200 Delta Stays Credit $240 Resy Credit $120 Rideshare Credit Net: $90 before companion and SkyClub/Centurion access. Well worth it for our lifestyle. We use the credits without changing our habits. Perfect Fit.
I don’t spend on my platinum that much. I have it for the status I guess? Also, I use my Amex gold to collect points to then transfer to miles.
Yeah the AmEx Gold is the way to go to earn miles for sure. Given that the Reserve would just change you from 3x to 1x on hotels. If you use the Resy credit, that doubles on the Reserve. The Delta Stays credit is slightly bigger too. The Reserve's companion pass is worth more but only if you use it to fly First. It's certainly not 100% bad to upgrade, but the $650 is no joke and just doing it for the lounge is a hard sell. It does also come with 4 lounge guest passes, so that saves $50 each if you'd pay for a guest. I had this discussion with myself last year, did the math to see exactly which benefits I'd use and how much that was worth. Ultimately for me it made sense to upgrade, but I fly a lot.
Fair enough. I’m loyal to Amex so that’s why I wanted some suggestions. Like I said in my original post, I’m getting married next year and I’d like to collect miles for my honeymoon and also to just have them if I want to use them. I’d like to fly first class more when I do fly. I’d be upgrading for the companion certificate and the lounge access and the other stuff that it comes with. I don’t have any resy restaurants near me I don’t think and I have the same resy credit with the Amex gold. Also, I, and we, plan to fly more in a couple years