Delta Reserve - Update: Approved

[JuliusC]

So, I’ve come to you guys to see if I’m wrong in deterring my friend from applying for this card. So a bit of info on him. He works for a construction company making 110k a year. He lives in SLC and is happy. His husband stays at home and helps babysit for coworkers who need it. The company he works for will be doing a lot of work the next 2 years in Georgia. Didn’t ask what. So he will be flying to Atlanta, another Delta hub.

He can either book his flights through his company, he has had some horrible experience, or book on his own and get reimbursed once a month, on the 7th. The company is willing to eat AF as long as majority of the spend of the card is for his travel expenses. He currently has a CSR for 22k but doesn’t want to mix business and personal. But anyway, the reason I’m trying to recommend him to apply for the Platinum instead of the Reserve, is that, based on perks, the Reserve isn’t worth it. Complimentary Sky Club access is fine, but he never uses it. The free checked bag is available on all cards. Although the companion ticket seems promising, they rather earn SkyMiles when they both fly together, plus, if they book, the highest they book is comfort + as first class domestic isn’t worth it.

Priority boarding is not worth it as it’s Zone 1 and Comfort+ gives you Sky boarding anyway. He will be flying up to 6 times a month, but he doesn’t foresee his expenses reaching a point of breaking a waiver. He’s going to hope for a recon if his SL isn’t his enough, but I don’t see why he wants the Reserve. Sure, he won’t pay the AF, but there really is no perks for a card with a $450 AF.

Any input is appreciates

Mod note:  I've updated your subject to reflect your approval; feel free to change/edit if you would like.  --UB

[simplynoir]

IMO if he's going to be flying exclusively Delta I would argue the Platinum charge card is better than the Delta Platinum assuming his company is okay eating the AF. Earning rate is better for Skymiles once you convert them over from MR and more lounge access. If he wants the Delta gold card as well for checked bag perks I can see that as well. Just depends on how much they value the companion ticket. I would only consider the Reserve if you working towards status and that requires a lot of spend being put through the card.

[JuliusC]

I thought about recommending the Platinum charge card, but he wouldn't take advantage of all its perks. His daily driver is his CSR and I can see him keeping and using the Delta Platinum just for the free checked bag for him and his husband. They travel roughly 3 times a year for vacation and normally use Delta for flights and use his UR points for hotel. His company would only eat the AF during the time they require him to travel. Which is why I was hesitant to recommend it as he doesn't normally travel as much to offset the AF once his company doesn't pay for it. The company also provides Global Entry for a worker and spouse once you work for them for 5+ years so he can't even offset the price of the AF with that.

[simplynoir]

Then if that's the case I would go the Delta Platinum route. The Reserve is for those that fly and spend on Delta a LOT to get the statuses associated with that spend especially if it's a card he's gonna want to keep once the first two years come and go. The companion ticket and checked bags perk should be enough to offset the AF on the Delta Plat even if he never uses the card except for flights.

[MrDisco99]

If he knows he’ll spend $60k on the card in a year, the Reserve may be worth it for the MQMs. Depends on if he is chasing status or not.

[K-in-Boston]

+1 on the Platinum charge card.  The amount of SkyMiles would likely build up VERY quickly.  Whether he takes advantage of all of its perks or not, Membership Rewards transfer 1:1 to SkyMiles, and he'd earn 5 for every $ (rather than the 2 per $ of the Delta cards) spent on the Platinum for airfare (in addition to points earned as a SkyMiles member) plus get $200 back in statement credits each year for Delta incidentals. Also, instead of using the MRs to transfer to Delta, he could actually use them to buy Delta tickets through the Amex travel website and he would earn miles, MQMs and MQDs on those since Delta consider them the same as revenue tickets.

As for not using the companion fare, I'd think a free Comfort+ ticket is FAR more valuable than the measly points earned on a single domestic r/t, but may or may not offset the price between Platinum and Reserve.  The companion fare would be the big difference between the two; IMO it's well-worth the extra $100.  If it's not used, the Gold would easily pay for itself with the bag fees.  And if the company decided not to reimburse down the road, Plat can always be downgraded or closed, and Delta can be downgraded all the way down to a no AF card.

[JuliusC]

Unfortunately he wouldn't be reaching that kind of spend. He was informed he could travel up to 6 times, which doesn't give him much projected spend amount. However, even then, I know he is not status chasing since he couldn't keep it anyway. I'll push him to get the Delta Platinum for sure. You guys have provided some awesome input, thank you!

[JuliusC]

I'll definitely give him these points and hopefully he can make the decision on which he wants. I personally would go for the Platinum Charge just because it has much greater benefits than the Delta Platinum. However, I would have a hard time justifying that 550 AF because I know my spend is no where near that amount to offset that fee. But it does make sense to go for the Platinum Charge and he can always close it down if he chooses not to keep it and go for a Delta Platinum once his company stops paying for his AF. Once again, you guys are truly awesome!

[MrDisco99]

Another advantage to MR points over SkyMiles is the ability to transfer to AF/KL FlyingBlue or Virgin Flying Club which can sometimes offer better redemption rates on DL flights.

[K-in-Boston]

That too Señor Disco!