Chase Aeroplan vs Delta Reserve

Aeroplan vs Delta SkyMiles — Chase Aeroplan vs Delta Reserve — here's what separates them. The key question: does Delta Reserve's $650 annual fee earn back enough over Chase Aeroplan's $95?

Quick Answer

For year-one net value (welcome bonus minus annual fee), Chase Aeroplan comes out ahead at ~$885 at a lower $95 annual fee vs $650. Chase Aeroplan sits in Aeroplan; Delta Reserve sits in Delta SkyMiles. The right pick still depends on which credits and category multipliers fit your spending pattern — full breakdown below.

Our Verdict

Delta Reserve wins for most people.

Despite the higher $650 annual fee (vs $95), Delta Reserve delivers ~$2,375 in first-year value through its welcome bonus (~$1,200) and $1825/yr in tracked credits. Chase Aeroplan trails at ~$1,245.

Exception: Choose Chase Aeroplan instead if you won't realistically use the Delta Reserve credits — at $0 utilization, the higher fee math inverts.

Top Match

Delta Reserve

Highest first-year value among the 2 cards you're comparing — $2,375 after annual fee.

Aeroplan Credit Card

Chase

Chase Aeroplan

Annual Fee

$95/yr

Signup Bonus

70,000 Aeroplan Points

Bonus Value

~$980

Benefits Value

~$360/yr

Spend Req.

$3,000 / 3mo

Rewards Currency

Aeroplan

Network

Visa

Card Type

Personal

Benefits

🛫 airline credit

Free Checked Bag

$60/use

status

Aeroplan 25K Status Boost

$100/yr

🛡️ insurance

Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance

$200/yr

Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card

Amex

Delta Reserve

Annual Fee

$650/yr

Signup Bonus

100,000 Delta SkyMiles

Bonus Value

~$1,200

Benefits Value

~$1,825/yr

Spend Req.

$6,000 / 6mo

Rewards Currency

Delta SkyMiles

Network

Amex

Card Type

Personal

Benefits

✈️ travel credit

Rideshare Credit

$120/yr

🍽️ dining credit

Resy Restaurant Credit

$240/yr

🛫 airline credit

Annual Companion Certificate

$500/yr

First Checked Bag Free

$70/use

Priority Boarding

🏛️ lounge

Delta Sky Club Access

$695/yr

Amex Centurion Lounge (Delta flyers)

$200/yr

status

MQD Boost

Quick winners by category

The fast answer if you came here looking for one specific thing.

✈️

Best for Travel

Delta Reserve

Wins on the full premium-travel stack — travel credit + hotel credit + lounge network + comprehensive travel insurance — all under one annual fee.

🍽️

Best for Dining

Delta Reserve

Dedicated dining credit plus strong restaurant earning multiplier.

🛋️

Best for Lounge Access

Delta Reserve

Stronger lounge network (Delta Sky Club (unlimited)) than the other card's United Club (day passes).

🌱

Best for Beginners

Chase Aeroplan

Lower $95 annual fee makes the math safer for newer cardholders.

🏆

Best Overall Value

Delta Reserve

~$2,375 of first-year value after annual fee — wins the math.

👑

Best for Premium Travel

Delta Reserve

Premium hotel credits, top-tier lounge access, and travel insurance built in — the luxury-travel pick.

🧾

Biggest Credit Stack

Delta Reserve

Bigger statement-credit stack (~540/yr in tracked credits) — high ceiling if you use them.

What it's worth for your spending

Estimated first-year value (welcome bonus + benefits − annual fee) for four common spending profiles.

ProfileChase AeroplanDelta Reserve
Light spender, building credit$1,529$2,551
Everyday family ($40K/yr spend)$2,127$2,915
Frequent traveler (2-3 trips/yr)$2,109$2,915
Premium traveler (5+ trips/yr)$2,613$3,275

Year-one value = welcome bonus + tracked benefits + estimated points value from spending − annual fee. Points valued at 1.5¢ each (transferable) or 1¢ each (cashback). Real-world value depends on how you redeem.

Side-by-side: every spec that matters

Higher value highlighted in green per row.

Chase AeroplanDelta Reserve
Welcome bonus
70,000 Aeroplan Points (~$980)
100,000 Delta SkyMiles (~$1,200)
Annual fee
$95/yr
$650/yr
Authorized user fee
$0
$0
Transfer partners
None (single program)
None (single program)
Travel credits
$60/yr
$690/yr
Lounge access
United Club (day passes only)
Delta Sky Club (unlimited)
Dining rewards
3x
1x
Grocery rewards
3x
1x
Hotel rewards
1x
1x
Travel insurance
Limited
Comprehensive
Cell phone protection
Not included
Included
Foreign transaction fee
$0
$0
Mobile wallet
Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay
Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay
Network
Visa
Amex

Who should get the Chase Aeroplan?

  • You're comfortable with a $95 annual fee in exchange for stronger earning and welcome bonus value.
  • Travel is one of your top 3 spending categories and you want to earn faster on flights, hotels, and ride-shares.
  • Groceries are a major monthly line item and you want grocery-specific earning.
  • You fly a specific airline 4+ times per year and want elite-style perks (free bags, priority boarding).
  • You fly enough that airport lounge access alone justifies the annual fee.
  • You're under Chase 5/24 (≤ 4 new personal cards in the last 24 months) — that window is precious, so prioritise the Chase application now.

Who should get the Delta Reserve?

  • You're a frequent traveler willing to absorb a $650 annual fee for premium credits and lounge access.
  • You fly a specific airline 4+ times per year and want elite-style perks (free bags, priority boarding).
  • You book aspirational hotels and want elite status, suite upgrades, and resort credits without earning them through stays.
  • You fly enough that airport lounge access alone justifies the annual fee.
  • You take 10+ flights a year and want Centurion / Priority Pass / Sapphire / Capital One Lounge access — not just the marketing line, but actually visiting lounges.
  • You enjoy stacking multipliers, calendaring statement credits, and treating your wallet like a small portfolio — the extra cognitive load is worth real $ to you.
  • You're already over 5/24 — Chase approvals are unlikely for now, so Amex / Cap One / Citi cards are the realistic next move.

Break-Even Analysis

At what annual spend does one card permanently beat the other?

Below break-even

Delta Reserve

wins on fixed value

Break-Even Spend

$151,500

annual card spend

Above break-even

Chase Aeroplan

wins on multipliers

Below ~$151,500/yr in total annual card spend, Delta Reserve wins on ongoing value — its $650 annual fee + $1825/yr in tracked benefits starts ahead. Above ~$151,500/yr, Chase Aeroplan's stronger category multipliers compound faster and overtake Delta Reserve's fixed advantage. Year-one bonus math heavily favours Delta Reserve regardless of spend.

Break-even calculated on year-2+ ongoing value (benefits + earning − annual fee). Year-one welcome bonus math is separate — see the value scenarios table above.

Frequently asked questions

Which has a better welcome bonus, Chase Aeroplan or Delta Reserve?

Delta Reserve currently offers the stronger welcome bonus by estimated cash value (~1,200 vs ~980). Welcome bonus offers change frequently — check the current offer on each card's detail page before applying.

Is the Chase Aeroplan worth the 95 annual fee?

For first-year cardholders the answer is usually yes — the welcome bonus (~980) and statement credits alone typically cover the 95 fee several times over. After year one, the math depends on your spending patterns. Use our Annual Fee Calculator with your actual numbers to verify before renewing.

Is the Delta Reserve worth the 650 annual fee?

For first-year cardholders the answer is usually yes — the welcome bonus (~1,200) and statement credits alone typically cover the 650 fee several times over. After year one, the math depends on your spending patterns. Use our Annual Fee Calculator with your actual numbers to verify before renewing.

Can I have both the Chase Aeroplan and the Delta Reserve?

Yes — these cards are from different issuers (Chase and Amex), so holding both is fine. Each card has its own welcome bonus and benefits with no overlap rules between the two issuers.

Which card is better for transferring points to Hyatt?

Neither card transfers points to World of Hyatt. Only Chase Ultimate Rewards, Bilt Rewards and the co-branded World of Hyatt card transfer to Hyatt at 1:1. To stack Hyatt points without leaving these two ecosystems you'd need to add a Chase Sapphire or Bilt card alongside.

Which card has better airport lounge access?

Delta Reserve unlocks Delta Sky Club (unlimited); Chase Aeroplan unlocks United Club (day passes). Both give you a real lounge experience, but the networks don't overlap — pick the card whose lounge footprint fits the airports you actually fly through.

Which card has the better overall value?

Based on first-year math (welcome bonus + tracked statement credits − annual fee), Delta Reserve comes out ahead at ~2,375 of net value vs ~1,245 for the other card. After year one, the better card for YOU depends on how naturally you'll use the credits and category bonuses.

Does Chase's 5/24 rule affect approval for these cards?

Yes — Chase Aeroplan is issued by Chase, so the 5/24 rule applies. If you've opened 5 or more cards in the last 24 months, Chase will likely deny your application. Delta Reserve is issued by Amex and isn't subject to 5/24.

Which card has the easier minimum spend requirement?

Chase Aeroplan has the easier bar — 3,000 in 3 months — vs 6,000 in 6 months for Delta Reserve. Don't manufacture spend just to hit a higher threshold — if you can't reach it through normal spending, the card isn't the right fit right now.

How does CreditPoints compare {cardA} and {cardB}?

Every comparison uses the same fixed methodology: welcome offer value (bonus × current points valuation minus AF), category earning rates, annual fee vs benefit math, transfer-partner depth + redemption value, lounge tier, travel protections, and foreign transaction handling. Card facts come from issuer pages (verified via Playwright on the "Last reviewed" date), card-program award charts, and TPG monthly valuations. Nothing on this page is paid-placement — the Quick Winners, Real-World Scenarios, and Comparison Table are deterministic outputs from the data, not editorial opinion.

How often is the information on this comparison updated?

The comparison data regenerates on every site build (typically multiple times per week as offers change). Welcome offer terms, annual fees, and category multipliers are verified against issuer pages and refreshed as part of the catalog. Welcome bonuses, annual fees, and benefits can change at any time at the issuer's discretion — always confirm current terms on the issuer's application page before applying. The "Last reviewed" date in the trust strip below shows the most recent manual methodology + data-source audit.

Alternatives Worth Considering

If neither card is quite right, these are the next closest options.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Capital One

Venture X

$395/yr~$1,388 bonus

Broader transfer-partner network (17+ partners via Capital One Miles) than either card above.

Bilt Palladium Card

Bilt

Bilt Palladium

$495/yr~$1,100 bonus

Broader transfer-partner network (10+ partners via Bilt Rewards) than either card above.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Amex

Hilton Aspire

$550/yr~$600 bonus

Amex alternative with Hilton Honors and ~$2,619 first-year value.

Ready to apply?

Click through to the issuer's secure application page. Welcome bonus offers are confirmed at the time of approval, not at click time.

Chase

Chase Aeroplan

Welcome: 70,000 Aeroplan Points · ~$980 est. value

Apply for Chase Aeroplan

Amex

Delta Reserve

Welcome: 100,000 Delta SkyMiles · ~$1,200 est. value

Apply for Delta Reserve

Run your own numbers

These calculators use the same data this comparison runs on — plug in your spending and see net value.

How we compare these cards

Every pair on CreditPoints is evaluated against the same fixed set of criteria, regenerated on every build from verified card-level data. Nothing in this section changes based on who you are or how you got here.

Factors we evaluate

  • Welcome offer value (bonus points × current valuation, minus annual fee)
  • Earning rates per spend category (dining, travel, groceries, gas, base)
  • Annual fee vs benefit math (statement credits + perks priced to value)
  • Transfer partner depth + redemption flexibility (programs, ratios, sweet spots)
  • Lounge access (network tier, guest policy, in-airport coverage)
  • Travel protections (trip cancellation, baggage, rental-car CDW, cell phone)
  • Hotel and airline benefits (free nights, status, elite-night credits)
  • Foreign transaction fees + chip+PIN support for international use

How we evaluate rewards programs

We score transferable-points ecosystems (Chase UR, Amex MR, Citi TY, Capital One Miles, Bilt) by partner count + redemption value at each partner's sweet spot. Co-brand programs are evaluated against the loyalty program's published award chart and the realistic point earn rate from typical category spend.

How we evaluate transfer partners

Transfer-partner quality outranks transfer-partner quantity. A single 1:1 partner with strong sweet spots (Hyatt via Chase UR, ANA via Amex MR) often beats a dozen 2:1 partners with little redemption upside.

How we evaluate annual fees

An annual fee is justified only when the card's first-year value (welcome bonus + activated credits + benefits) clearly exceeds the AF for the typical reader profile. Our four spending scenarios (beginner, everyday, traveler, premium) show whether the math works for your situation.

How we evaluate travel benefits

Statement credits are priced at face value only when the activation barrier is low (broad-merchant credits, auto-redeem credits). High-friction credits (single-vendor, expiring monthly, claim-required) are discounted because most cardholders don't capture them.

Recommendations on this page are intended as educational guidance and are not financial advice. Always confirm current offer terms on the issuer's site before applying.

Last reviewed

2026-05-29

Data sources

Issuer pages (verified via Playwright on this date), TPG monthly valuations, public award charts.

Editorial note: CreditPoints may earn a commission when you apply through some of the links on this page, but the side-by-side ranking, Quick Winners and Real-World Scenarios are algorithmic and identical for all readers. We never accept payment to change ordering.

Related guides

Long-form context on the cards and programmes in this comparison.

Compare with other cards

Popular comparisons among the same audience.