Guide to Delta business travel
Key takeaways
- Delta’s dedicated business travel branch, aptly named Delta Business, offers members a wide range of perks and benefits, especially if they carry a co-branded Delta SkyMiles credit card.
- These Delta SkyMiles credit cards give cardholders boosted rewards rates when it comes to earning miles and makes it easier for them to reach Medallion status.
- Delta Business also provides account managers who work directly with corporations to ensure that they always have their flight needs covered.
If you travel for business, you know Delta Air Lines is a preferred airline for heading to major cities and convention destinations, offering many options for business travelers of all types. Delta flies to 275 destinations in 50 countries, but it offers service to more than 1,000 destinations and 60 countries through Delta Connection carriers and partner airlines.
A premium U.S. airline, Delta offers a level of comfort, benefits and customer service that you may not receive with budget airlines — especially if you upgrade to premium seating. In this guide, we cover business travel with Delta, along with the best Delta credit cards for business travelers.
Delta business travel overview
Delta Business was designed to bring together Delta’s business-related travel programs within an all-encompassing travel brand. This resource can help you elevate your business travel — no matter the size of your business — through its travel programs, tools, resources and more.
Business perks include:
- Access to private travel. With Delta, it’s easy to charter a flight or book a jet for large groups of professionals.
- SkyBonus rewards In addition to earning miles in the Delta SkyMiles program — which can be redeemed for flights, seat upgrades and Delta Sky Club membership, among other options — businesses can earn SkyBonus points on eligible fares and upgrades. Points can then be redeemed for flights, Medallion status and more.
- Dedicated corporate programs. Benefits like Corporate Priority can help corporations gain access to priority boarding, better seats and more, with terms that apply. Corporations can also receive perks like customized offers, exclusive experiences and Delta Sky Club access, all while working with a dedicated account manager.
- Delta business credit cards. Delta offers three co-branded business credit cards with American Express, all of which can help you (and your employees) earn rewards and other perks on business travel. Employee cards come with no additional fee, and you can customize spending limits by card and authorized user.
Manage your business expenses
See our picks for cards for all your business needs View all business cards
Does Delta have a business class?
Delta doesn’t actually have a class called “business class” anymore. Instead, business travelers can take advantage of Delta One, an enhanced business class option available on long-haul international flights and select long-haul domestic flights. It offers business travelers private, spacious suites with full-height walls, a door, customizable lighting, a 180-degree flatbed seat, outlets, USB ports and more.
Still, Delta offers business travelers plenty of class choices with different tiers of comfort, service and pricing. For premium business travel, you’ll want to consider Delta One, first class or Premium Select fares. For an elevated Main Cabin experience, consider Comfort+ fares.
Best Delta business credit cards
Delta offers three business credit cards that earn Delta SkyMiles, all of which can help you to earn more miles and exclusive travel perks.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card: Best for luxury business travel
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is the airline’s flagship luxury business travel card. It offers a generous limited time welcome bonus 75,000 Bonus Miles after spending $10,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
If you’re aiming for Medallion status, you’ll also like that the card offers a one-time “headstart” of $2,500 in Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) starting in February 2024, plus access to the MQD Status Boost. MQDs are what Delta uses to track Medallion status eligibility, so the more you get, the faster you’re able to enjoy Medallion status perks.
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business is a premium business card that comes with a $550 annual fee. For rewards, it provides 3X miles on eligible Delta purchases and 1X miles on all other purchases. After you spend $150,000 in a calendar year, you’ll earn 1.5X miles on all purchases.
Other notable benefits include:
- Delta Sky Club access
- Complimentary access to Centurion and Escape lounges
- Two one-time guest passes for the Delta Sky Club each year
- Free first checked bags
- Up to a $100 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry
- Main Cabin 1 priority boarding
- Purchase protection, return protection and extended warranty
- 20 percent statement credit discount on eligible in-flight purchases
- Complimentary travel concierge service
Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card: Best for luxury perks without a premium price tag
If you’re looking for luxurious travel perks but you don’t want to pay the high annual fee of the Delta Reserve Business card, take a look at the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card. This card charges a $250 annual fee, and you can earn a limited time welcome bonus of 65,000 Bonus Miles after spending $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Like the Delta Reserve, you also get $2,500 in MQDs, as well as access to the MQD Status Boost.
Reward rates range from 1X to 3X on your spending:
- 3X miles on eligible Delta purchases
- 3X miles on purchases made directly with hotels
- 1.5X miles on single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (up to 50,000 additional miles per year)
- 1X miles on all other purchases
Major card perks include priority boarding; up to a $100 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry; a companion certificate for one domestic, round-trip Main Cabin flight each year after card renewal; and a slew of travel protections.
Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card: Best for infrequent business travelers
If you travel less frequently for business, you should consider the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card. This card comes with a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99 per year. As a new cardholder, you can earn a limited time welcome bonus of 55,000 Bonus Miles after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
You’ll also earn the following ongoing rewards:
- 2X miles on eligible Delta purchases
- 2X miles on select U.S. advertising and U.S. shipping purchases
- 2X miles at restaurants worldwide (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.)
- 1X miles on all other purchases
It’s worth noting that you can recoup the cost of the annual fee after the first year with the $100 Delta flight credit alone, which you can earn after you spend $10,000 during a calendar year. Other benefits include travel insurance and protections, your first checked bag free on Delta flights, priority boarding, 20 percent back on eligible in-flight purchases and no foreign transaction fees.
The bottom line
If you travel a lot for business and want to fly in luxury, a travel credit card is a must. Delta offers amenities and space you may not find with other airlines. Plus, if you use a Delta SkyMiles co-branded business credit card from American Express, you can earn more miles and perks to make your business travel with Delta even more comfortable and luxurious.
