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 make 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 probably know that Delta Air Lines is a preferred airline and heads 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.
- SkyMiles for Business rewards: The SkyMiles for Business program (formerly SkyBonus) allows Plus and Elite status members to earn miles for their businesses on eligible fares and upgrades. Points can then be redeemed for flights, Medallion Status and more. These rewards are in addition to any miles earned through the Delta SkyMiles program — which can also be redeemed for flights, seat upgrades, Delta Sky Club membership and more.
- Dedicated corporate programs: Benefits like Corporate Priority can help corporations gain access to priority boarding, better seats and more — although terms do 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.
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 a spacious semi-private pod with privacy walls, a 180-degree flatbed seat, chef-curated meals, private 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.
Delta Business Traveler vs. SkyMiles for Business: Key differences
Delta Business Traveler and Delta SkyMiles for Business are just two of the business programs offered by Delta for business travel. While Delta SkyMiles for Business aims to help small and medium-sized businesses get rewarded for their company travel, Delta Business Traveler is intended to reward individual business travelers themselves.
Any Delta SkyMiles member who identifies as a “business traveler” is eligible to join the free Delta Business Traveler program. Once they’ve joined, individual travelers get access to a range of business travel offers — which may include items like a free CLEAR Plus membership for three months, six months of free Hertz Five Star Status and more.
On the other hand, Delta SkyMiles for Business is a free loyalty program specifically targeted to reward small and medium-sized businesses for their employees flying with Delta. There are three tiers of membership, and the benefits and rewards you’ll receive depend on your membership level:
- “Member” level: This tier is open to all small and medium businesses and includes some basic benefits, such as personalized offers, program support, reporting and a suite of travel management tools.
- “Plus” and “Elite” levels: These tiers require your business to have five or more business travelers at your company. Entry to these levels also comes with an annual minimum spending requirement of either $5,000 or $300,000, respectively. In addition to the same basic benefits received at the Member level, Plus and Elite members have the ability to earn SkyMiles on employee flights. Other perks include individual Delta Sky Club memberships and Medallion Status.
Best Delta business credit cards
Delta offers three business credit cards that earn Delta SkyMiles, all of which can help you earn more miles and exclusive travel perks.
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Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is the airline’s flagship luxury business travel card. It offers a generous welcome bonus of 80,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
If you’re aiming for Medallion Status, you’ll also like that the card offers an annual “headstart” of $2,500 in Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) each Medallion Qualification Year. Plus, you’ll get access to an MQD Boost of $1 MQD for every $10 you spend on your card. MQDs are what Delta uses to track Medallion status eligibility, so the more you get, the faster you’ll be able to enjoy Medallion status perks.
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business is a premium business card that comes with a $650 annual fee. For rewards, it provides 3X miles on eligible Delta purchases; 1.5X miles on eligible transit, U.S. shipping and U.S. office supply stores; 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, regardless of category.
Other notable benefits include:
- Delta Sky Club access (when you book a Delta flight with your card)
- Complimentary access to Centurion and Escape lounges (when you book a Delta flight with your card)
- Four one-time guest passes for the Delta Sky Club each year
- Free first checked bags
- Up to a $120 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry
- Zone 5 priority boarding
- Purchase protection, return protection and extended warranty
- 20 percent statement credit discount on eligible in-flight purchases
- Complimentary travel concierge service
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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 $350 annual fee, and you can earn a welcome bonus of 70,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
Like the Delta Reserve for Business, you also get an annual headstart of $2,500 in MQDs each Medallion Qualifying Year. The card also includes an MQD Boost on your spending, allowing you to earn $1 MQD for every $20 you spend on your card.
Reward rates range from 1X to 3X, depending on your spending:
- 3X miles on eligible Delta purchases
- 3X miles on purchases made directly with hotels
- 1.5X miles on eligible transit and U.S. shipping purchases
- 1.5X miles on eligible single purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $100,000 in purchases)
- 1X miles on all other purchases
Major card perks include priority boarding; up to a $120 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry; a 15 percent savings when using miles to book Award Travel; a companion certificate for one domestic, round-trip Main Cabin flight each year after card renewal and a slew of travel protections.
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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 $150 per year. As a new cardholder, you can earn a welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
You’ll also earn the following ongoing rewards:
- 2X miles on eligible purchases directly with Delta
- 2X miles on U.S. shipping and select U.S. advertising 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 $200 Delta flight credit alone, which you can earn after you spend $10,000 during a calendar year. Other benefits include baggage and car rental insurance, shopping 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.
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