How come Delta Amex Reserve does not have a SkyClub membership?
 

Just curious, the Delta Amex Reserve has a pretty hefty annual fee, in the same league as United's Chase Club card and AA's Citi Executive card and those two both offer full club memberships whereas the Delta Amex Reserve is access only when flying Delta.

Why is this the case? I've got a Citi Executive card and my favorite aspect of it is I can fly any airline on the south side of LAX and still be able to go to the Admirals Club first as a member whereas if I had a Delta Amex Reserve, I'd be left out in the terminal unless I was actually flying on Delta. The annual fee is in the same class as the other two and I would expect membership benefits rather than just access benefits?

I imaigne the short answer is: because that's the deal that DL and AMEX negotiated. Beyond that, it is what it is, something to be aware of when taking into consideration what works for you.

^Agreed. Remember, the DL Reserve has an annual fee is $450, which is about the same as a SkyClub Membership. However, you get a lot of other perks with the card that are Delta specific:

- Annual Companion Cert (Effectively a BOGO Coupon)
- MQM Bonuses
- Higher Priority on the Upgrade List (tiebreaker)
- Free Bag
- Zone 1 Boarding
- AMEX Concierge

With the exception of the AMEX Concierge, all of the benefits are Delta specific, and if you can commit 80% of your travel to Delta, to me it's a no-brainer; the Companion Cert is a good benefit enough. I know people have complained about usage, but I've not had a problem in all of the years I've had the card.

To me...it's the ultimate card IF you can commit to Delta. If you can't commit, then it's not nearly as good of a value.

I presume that people who buy the DL Amex Reserve are also looking at the MQM/RDM annual bonus.

If we factor that in:

Reserve: 15K MQMs and 15K RDMs at $30K
City Exec: 10K EQM at $40K

That difference might well be worth the off airline club access (for any particular individulal).

If one does not care about this, then the unbranded Amex Plat is a better card than DL branded card. Then we have a totally different comparison in play.

There are so many friggen options around, there will never be a "one size fites all".

I have the Amex Reserve and I have SC access. I just used it this past Monday.

You must have been flying Delta. The OP's point was that the Amex Reserve SC access only applies if you are flying Delta, whereas some comparable cards can be used no matter which airline you are flying.

Yes, but he was complaining that it's not a membership in the SkyClub.

Title bugs me.


The Delta Reserve *does* provide access to Delta SkyClub.

With one restriction - you must be flying Delta to use it.

Geez....

So, you should be asking about the "restricted" access.

Which is a normal restriction for numerous cards out there. It's not like this is the only card the requires a same day, same airline as club BP to get in.

This is why I don't see any real value in this card over the Amex plat card. I have the Amex plat for better lounge access, and then the Delta plat card for MQM's. The only thing I am missing out on is the F class companion fare, though the amex card also has that program, though I've never found a lot of value in it.

that's... exactly what he did ask? He made the distinction between access and membership. Did you actually read the post?

The reply above is about the title. It clearly gives the false impression that no SC access is given. Maybe read the post you're replying to.

The title says membership. The card doesn't provide membership. If you got the "false impression" that it was about access, that false impression would be instantly resolved by reading the post.

+1 Reading comprehension is lost on many FT posters

Now what would be really nice and make sense in my opinion, is that if you are DM and have the Reserve card, then your individual complimentary skyclub membership is upgraded to exec.