gb88

I've had an AMEX Platinum card for years and love getting the 10,000 MQM's after reaching target spending amounts. I also have a Sky Club membership, typically purchased with miles, which I have in abundance. Is there any good reason to upgrade my card to an AMEX Reserve card? What are the differences, and would I be losing the opportunity to achieve MQM's if I switched cards? Is it worth the considerably higher annual rate for the Reserve when I already have many of the same benefits?

goodandclassy

You still get threshold bonuses, though more MQM and at higher thresholds (I don't remember the exact amounts)

You would not have to pay for lounge membership as it would come with the card
and finally, reserve is a tie-breaker within medallion level and fare class for upgrades. So, if two Golds on T fares were fighting for one seat, the one with the Reserve would get it...*

*Of course, time of request plays in as well - so if the two Golds were on T fares and with reserve cards, the one who asked for the upgrade sooner would get it.

MSPeconomist

The Reserve card gives 15,000 MQMs for $30,000 spend and another 15,000 MQMs for an additional $30,000 spend. Either can be gifted to a person of your choice within 90 days of your notification.

With the Reserve card, you get SC lounge access when traveling DL. This is different from a SC membership in that it is only for DL SC and a few partner lounges, but some CDG, AMS and NRT are included. If you are GM, you now get lounge access on international SkyTeam tickets, so you in all likelihood would not benefit from maintaining an additional SC membership on top of the Reserve card.

The upgrade priority can matter a lot if your flying patterns mean that you tend to either get the last upgrade at your window or just miss. A GM is not likely to do well on gate upgrades with or without the Reserve card.

Finally, the Reserve card seems to have excellent customer service, better than the DL Plat card but equivalent to the regular AmEx charge card, which should also enter into this comparison as it has about the same fee and also features SC access when flying DL.

If you apply for a Reseve card, look for a good offer. You will get whatever MQM and bonus miles that you did not already receive when your DL AmEx Plat card was new. Be sure to document the offer you used to apply, especially including your eligibility for a targeted offer.

flylinda

Delta reserve awards 15,000 MQM's after $30,000 spending to a max of 30,000 MQM's after $60,000.

spidaman

You get 15K MQMs at the $30K and $60K thresholds. You may also gift the MQMs, should you wish to do so. Sounds like the Reserve may be the way to go, unless you have so many RDMs, that you are quite comfortable burning them for SC membership.

I have the $150 Amex DL Plat for the MQM boost, and the companion certificate (more than covers the fee). I have $450 the Amex Plat charge card for the Lounge access (including SC---plus many more), the $200 reimbursement for travel fees, and some other goodies--but may not be worth it, as I don't travel enough to get what I feel to be good value. I signed up for the Amex Plat to get the 50K MR points bonus, at a time when DL was also having a 25K MQM bonus for transferring 50K MR points--a sweet deal I doubt to see again.

javabytes

The only reason to switch is if you spend more than $30,000 or $60,000 in a year. As others have pointed out, you get 10k MQMs upon reaching $25,000 and $50,000 in spend on the DL Plat AmEx, but you get 15k MQMs upon reaching $30,000 and $60,000 spend on the Reserve.

SC access is included on the Reserve card, but it's actually a downgrade from a regular membership, as you must be flying DL to access the lounge. With a regular SC membership you can access the SC when flying other airlines. All depends on how much you travel other airlines.

The card does provide a slight upgrade boost, but it is the third tiebreaker (after elite level and fare class), so not likely to make a material difference in your upgrade percentage.

fa11man

I'm considering the same strategy as OP, but I'm a bit confused as to what to do since I already have the Delta AMEX Plat card. Since I already have that card and if I apply for the Reserve, will I still get all the benefits for the Reserve card (including bonus for new sign-up)? I appreciate your responses!

MSPeconomist

You will only get the difference in the sign up DL bonuses over what you received when you got your earlir FL card. This is whether or not you cancel the old card or ask that it's credit limit be transferred to the new card.

gb88

The only benefit I can see to upgrading from an AMEX platinum card to the AMEX reserve is the higher status in the upgrade priority list. I already am a member of the Sky Clubs (which can be achieved by using FF miles), and I understand being an actual member (rather than the second-class membership from the reserve card) gets you into ALL the Sky Clubs. I already receive free baggage. The platinum card gives you 10,000 MQM's after $25,000 of spending, the reserve gives you 15,000 MQM's after $30,000 of spending. That's a little better, but is it worth the added cost of the reserve card? I already get one mile for every dollar spent and $2.00 for Delta spending. I decided it's simply not worth it to switch cards!

fa11man

Thanks for your input MSP! Appreciate it!