Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business vs Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business

Every figure below is from the same dataset Miles computes its recommendations from. Rows the two cards agree on are collapsed at the bottom.

Economics

Dollar figures are per year unless the row says otherwise. Ongoing annual value is Miles' estimate of what the card adds per year after its annual fee: statement credits discounted for realistic use, benefits, and earning above a strong flat-rate card on a typical spending profile. First-year value is a separate net figure that includes the welcome bonus. A welcome bonus shown at its advertised maximum may not be available to every applicant; that figure is not marked as stronger. ★ marks the stronger comparable figure on other rows, and no row is marked when either figure is unknown.
Figure	Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express	Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express
Annual fee	Best: $350 $300/yr less	$650
Ongoing annual value, after fee	$314	Best: $465 $151/yr more
First-year value	$910	Best: $1,618 $708/yr more
Authorized user fee	Best: $0 $175 less	$175

Sign-up Bonus

The current welcome offer as recorded in the dataset. No winner is marked: a bonus is points times a valuation times a spend requirement you may or may not clear, and the first-year value above already prices it.
Offer	Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express	Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express
Current offer	Limited Time Offer: 100K bonus miles after spending $8K in purchases on your new card in your first 6 months of card membership. Terms and limitations apply. (Offer Expires 11/4/2026)	Limited Time Offer: 200K bonus miles after spending $20K in purchases on your new card in your first 6 months of card membership. Terms Apply (Offer Expires 11/4/2026)

Earning

Percentages are the return on a dollar spent: the multiplier times what Miles values those points at. ★ marks the higher return on a row. Categories only one card earns a bonus on are marked for that card; the other earns its base rate.
Category	Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express	Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express
Purchases made directly with hotels	Best: 3X3.3%	—Unknown
All other purchases (after $150K annual spend)	—Unknown	Best: 1.5X1.7%
Office supply stores	—Unknown	Best: 1.5X1.7%
Purchases of $5K or more (up to $100K per year)	Best: 1.5X1.7%	—Unknown
Transit	—Unknown	Best: 1.5X1.7%
Transit (up to $100K per year)	Best: 1.5X1.7%	—Unknown
US shipping	—Unknown	Best: 1.5X1.7%
US Shipping (up to $100K per year)	Best: 1.5X1.7%	—Unknown

Benefits

Statement credits, lounge access and elite status as listed in the dataset; protections are counted, not listed. No winner is marked: twelve small credits are not more than two large ones, and the row that prices them, ongoing annual value, is under Economics.
Benefit	Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express	Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express
Statement credits	Rideshare: $10 (Monthly) Resy: $10 (Monthly) Delta Stays: $200 (Annual Cardmember Year) Global Entry/TSA PreCheck: $120 (Every 4 Years)	Rideshare: $10 (Monthly) Resy: $20 (Monthly) Delta Stays: $250 (Annual Calendar Year) Global Entry/TSA PreCheck: $120 (Every 4 Years)
Lounge access	—Unknown	American Express Centurion Lounge (15/yr) Delta Sky Club (15/yr)
Elite status	Delta SkyMiles Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Five Star	Delta SkyMiles Hertz Gold Plus Rewards President's Circle
Protections	6	9

The same on both cards (7)

Rows where both cards state the same figure or the same earning rate. Nothing is marked, because there is no stronger side.
Fact	Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business	Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Issuer	American Express	American Express
Rewards currency	Delta SkyMiles	Delta SkyMiles
Card type	Business	Business
Network	American Express	American Express
All other purchases	1X1.1%	1X1.1%
Delta purchases	3X3.3%	3X3.3%

Which one is right for you

This page shows the difference. It does not pick: the winner depends on what you spend and what you already hold, and adding these figures up without knowing that would be a guess dressed as a verdict. Ask Miles and it computes the answer against your own wallet.

Ask Miles which to get