Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business vs United Club℠ Business Card
Side-by-side comparison
| Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business | United Club℠ Business Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $550 | $695 |
| Welcome offer | 110,000 miles | |
| Advertising | 1% | 1.5% |
| Shipping | 1% | 1.5% |
| Office supplies | 1% | 1.5% |
| Phone & internet | 1% | 1.5% |
| Travel | 3% | 2% |
| Everything else | 1% | 1.5% |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $546 | $699 |
| Points type | Locked to Delta SkyMiles | Locked to United MileagePlus |
| Network | Amex | Visa |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified August 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business | United Club℠ Business Card |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 125,000 miles | 110,000 miles |
| To earn it | $15,000 in 6 months | $5,000 in 3 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $1,246 | $1,104 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $-4 | $4 |
This one splits by time horizon. In year one the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business is ahead by roughly $142, thanks largely to its welcome offer. But the United Club℠ Business Card earns more every year after, so if you keep it, it overtakes the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business only over the very long haul. Chasing the sign-up bonus and open to canceling before the second annual fee? Take the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business. Planning to keep it for years? The United Club℠ Business Card pulls ahead.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business | United Club℠ Business Card |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | Yes — Centurion, Delta Sky Club | Yes — United Club |
| Annual credits | None | None |
| Points & redemptions | Locked to a single program | Locked to a single program |
The two are closely matched on perks and redemptions, so the welcome offer and everyday earning above are what should decide it.
Transfer partners and point value
Neither card earns transferable points, so redemptions are cash-back or fixed portal value on both, roughly a cent per point. There is no airline or hotel transfer angle to separate them.
The verdict
On a typical year of business spending, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business earns about $546 a year in rewards and the United Club℠ Business Card about $699, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business charges $550, which you clear through its rewards and perks. The United Club℠ Business Card charges $695, which you clear through its rewards and perks. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the United Club℠ Business Card delivers more total value, about $8 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and advertising. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the two are currently comparable in size. Note that Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business is running a limited-time offer above the usual amount, so that edge may not last. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business if your spending leans toward travel. Pick the United Club℠ Business Card if your spending leans toward advertising, shipping, office supplies.