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Amex Business Gold vs Delta SkyMiles Reserve: Which Is Better In 2026?
July 1, 2025
Editor's Picks
- American Express® Business Gold Card: This card is ideal for businesses with high, variable spending across categories like advertising, shipping, and travel, as it automatically rewards your top two expense areas. Terms Apply.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: This card is best for loyal Delta flyers who want premium travel perks like lounge access, a companion certificate, and a fast-track to Medallion status. Terms Apply.
American Express® Business Gold Card Breakdown
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Why We Like It
This section breaks down why we like the American Express® Business Gold Card (See Rates & Fees).
- The card automatically optimizes rewards based on your business's top spending categories, so you don't have to track them.
- It offers spending flexibility that can adapt to your business's changing needs.
- Cardholders get access to valuable travel benefits and purchase protections. Terms apply.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Pros
- Features a dynamic rewards structure that automatically adjusts to your business's spending habits, maximizing earnings without manual tracking.
- Offers flexible purchasing power that can accommodate the variable expenses of a growing business.
- Provides access to travel benefits and valuable purchase protections. Terms apply.
Cons
- A notable annual fee requires substantial spending in bonus categories to offset the cost.
- Lounge access is less comprehensive than what's offered by some competing premium cards.
- Additional fees apply for employee cards.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a breakdown of why we like the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (See Rates & Fees).
- It provides access to premium airport lounges, enhancing the travel experience for frequent flyers.
- The card includes an annual companion certificate that can be used for premium cabin travel, offering significant value.
- Cardholders can accelerate their path to elite airline status through card spending and other benefits.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Pros
- Complimentary access to a network of premium airport lounges.
- An annual companion certificate for domestic travel, usable for premium cabin seats.
- An accelerated path to achieving Delta Medallion elite status.
Cons
- A significant annual fee that requires frequent travel to justify the cost.
- Card benefits are almost exclusively tied to Delta, limiting its value for those who fly with other airlines.
- Lower reward-earning rates on everyday purchases compared to other premium cards.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express vs American Express® Business Gold Card
Categories
Deciding which is better, the Amex Business Gold or Delta SkyMiles Reserve, comes down to your primary spending habits and goals. One is a flexible business tool, while the other is a premium travel card for loyalists of a specific airline.
- American Express® Business Gold Card is built for business owners seeking a versatile tool to maximize rewards. It is best for companies with variable expenses across multiple business-centric categories.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is tailored for frequent travelers, especially those who regularly fly with Delta. This card provides premium benefits designed to enhance the travel experience for the airline's loyal customers.
Redemption
American Express® Business Gold Card: Rewards earned with this card offer significant flexibility, allowing you to redeem points for travel through the Amex portal, transfer them to various airline and hotel partners, or cover business expenses.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: As a co-branded airline card, its rewards are primarily redeemed for Delta flights, seat upgrades, and other travel-related perks within the Delta ecosystem.
Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos
To make an informed decision, you can use a tool like Kudos to compare top-rated cards based on your own spending habits.
- Test drive credit cards: Simulate how much you could earn with a new card using your actual spending data—before you apply. This gives you personalized annual reward projections and a net value calculation that subtracts annual fees.
- Welcome offer guarantee: If you get approved for a card through Kudos and find a better public welcome offer within three months, Kudos will match it.
- Approval odds analysis: Understand your chances of getting approved for a card with a detailed analysis based on your credit report.
- Kudos Boost rewards: Earn additional rewards on top of your regular credit card points when you shop at participating stores.
- Personalized card matching: Get recommendations for new cards that will earn you the most rewards based on your unique spending history.
Who Should Choose the American Express® Business Gold Card?
The American Express® Business Gold Card is ideally suited for growing companies with variable expenses and annual business spending that exceeds $50,000. It’s a strong choice for entrepreneurs whose spending fluctuates, as the card automatically provides 4X Membership Rewards® points on the top two spending categories each billing cycle, on up to $150,000 in combined purchases annually. Businesses that can maximize this flexible rewards structure and its premium travel benefits will find the card's value justifies its $375 annual fee. Terms Apply.
Who Should Choose the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express?
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express card is tailor-made for the loyal Delta traveler who flies the airline several times a year for business or pleasure. This cardholder values premium perks like airport lounge access and is actively seeking to achieve or maintain Delta Medallion status through the card's status-boosting benefits. Additionally, it's a strong choice for couples or friends who can consistently leverage the annual companion certificate for a premium cabin flight, effectively offsetting the card's annual fee.
Alternatives to Consider
If this head-to-head Amex Business Gold vs. Delta SkyMiles Reserve comparison has you feeling like neither card is the right choice, you're in the right place. Let's explore a few alternatives that might be a better fit for your wallet.
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Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Review your credit score - Most premium cards require a good to excellent credit history.
- Confirm your eligibility - Issuers often have rules that can affect your ability to receive a welcome offer.
- Plan your spending strategy - Make sure you can meet the minimum spending requirement for the welcome offer without overspending.
Application Strategy
- Consider your issuer relationship - Some issuers, like American Express, may review your existing history with them during the application process.
- Align the card with your habits - Choose a card with benefits and rewards that match your typical spending and travel patterns.
- Time your application - Applying before a large planned purchase can help you meet spending requirements more easily.
Our Methodology
We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.
Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which card is better for earning flexible rewards?
The American Express® Business Gold Card is superior for flexible rewards, as it earns Membership Rewards points that are transferable to many airline and hotel partners. In contrast, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card earns SkyMiles, which are primarily redeemable for flights with Delta and its partners.
Can I get airport lounge access with both cards?
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card offers complimentary access to Delta Sky Clubs and The Centurion® Lounge when you are flying on a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight; Terms apply. The American Express® Business Gold Card does not include complimentary lounge access as a standard benefit.
Which card is better if my business spending is inconsistent?
For inconsistent spending, the American Express® Business Gold Card is a strong choice because it automatically awards 4x points on your top two eligible spending categories each billing cycle. This rate applies to the first $150,000 in combined purchases each year (then 1x), making it more adaptable than the Delta card's fixed categories; Terms apply.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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