Card comparison
Which card is better between Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express and The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited?
The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited is the better overall pick over Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (62 vs 38) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee.
Effective rate The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited
Annual fee The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited
Welcome bonus The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited
Benefits value Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express
The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited is the stronger overall pick between Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express and The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (62 vs 38) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee. Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express (1.2% top effective rate) vs The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited (2%): Madeen's catalog compares fees vs fees across dining, grocery, gas, and travel — not just headline categories.
Choose A if
Choose Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express when its strongest categories, bonus, or perks match how you actually spend.
Choose B if
Choose The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited when the fee, welcome bonus, or issuer ecosystem fits better than the headline winner.
Full comparison
How do Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express and The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited compare across all spend categories?
Across all five spend categories, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express and The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited trade wins row by row. Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express peaks at 1.2% effective; The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited peaks at 2%. The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited wins the headline effective-rate view in this pair.
| Category / metric | Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express | The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dining | 1x miles (1.2%) | 2% back (2%) | The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited · 0.8 pts |
| Grocery | 1x miles (1.2%) | 2% back (2%) | The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited · 0.8 pts |
| Gas | 1x miles (1.2%) | 2% back (2%) | The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited · 0.8 pts |
| Travel | 1x miles (1.2%) | 2% back (2%) | The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited · 0.8 pts |
| Other | 1x miles (1.2%) | 2% back (2%) | The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited · 0.8 pts |
| Welcome bonus | ~$1200 estimated | $1500 | The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited |
| Est. annual benefits | $37513/yr | $23465/yr | Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express |
| Annual fee | $650 | $295 | The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited |
| Holistic overall | 38 pts (cat 9, bonus 9, benefits 15, fee 5) | 62 pts (cat 31, bonus 11, benefits 10, fee 10) | The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited |
Madeen take
How to think about this pair
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express (1.2% top effective rate) vs The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited (2%): Madeen's catalog compares fees vs fees across dining, grocery, gas, and travel — not just headline categories.
Strategy
Use Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express when Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 1x miles. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement. Travel perks may add value beyond the earn rate.. Use The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited when Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 2% back. The welcome bonus can help.
Hold both?
Many American Express users can hold both cards if each covers a different spend lane and the combined annual fees still clear your break-even math.
Welcome bonus playbook
If you are chasing a welcome bonus, The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited leads on catalog bonus value. For long-term category earn after the bonus, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express is the stronger keeper in this pair — but only if its annual fee still makes sense for your spend.
Madeen analysis
Which card has stronger benefits: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express or The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited?
Madeen estimates $37513 annual benefit value on Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express versus $23465 on The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited. Credits only matter if you will use them.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express
Total est. value: $37,513/yr
Credits and perks only help if you will actually use them in a typical year.
- Extended Warranty $10,000/yr
- Purchase Protection $10,000/yr
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption $10,000/yr
- MQD Headstart $2,500/yr
- Baggage Insurance Plan $2,000/yr
The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited
Total est. value: $23,465/yr
Credits and perks only help if you will actually use them in a typical year.
- Extended Warranty $10,000/yr
- Purchase Protection $10,000/yr
- $2,400 American Express One AP® Statement Credit $2,400/yr
- Return Protection $1,000/yr
- Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance $40/yr
Welcome bonus
Which welcome bonus is stronger for Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express or The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited?
If you are chasing a welcome bonus, The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited leads on catalog bonus value. For long-term category earn after the bonus, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express is the stronger keeper in this pair — but only if its annual fee still makes sense for your spend. Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express lists 100k Delta SkyMiles; The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited lists $1,500.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express
100k Delta SkyMiles
The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited
$1,500
Who should pick which
Scenario playbook
Cashback-first user
Pick The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited
The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited is the better cashback-style pick because it has the cleaner effective-rate and fee blend for this pair.
Travel & points user
Pick Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express is the stronger travel-style pick because it combines better reward value with more travel-friendly positioning.
No annual fee priority
Pick The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited
The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited is easier to keep for no-fee users because it has the lighter annual-fee burden in this pair.
Heavy dining spend
Pick The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited
For restaurant and dining-coded spend, the winner is whoever posts the stronger dining effective rate after caps and exclusions — see the category matrix for the current snapshot.
Heavy grocery spend
Pick The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited
Supermarket and grocery coding can differ from superstores and delivery, so compare the grocery row before you optimize a weekly shopping basket.
Welcome bonus chaser
Pick The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited
If you are chasing a welcome bonus, The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited leads on catalog bonus value. For long-term category earn after the bonus, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express is the stronger keeper in this pair — but only if its annual fee still makes sense for your spend.
Fee-sensitive keeper
Pick The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited
When you want the card that is easiest to keep year two, annual fee often matters more than a narrow category edge.
Decision guide
Which card is better between Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express and The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited?
The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited is the better overall pick because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (62 vs 38) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee. Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express (1.2% top effective rate) vs The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited (2%): Madeen's catalog compares fees vs fees across dining, grocery, gas, and travel — not just headline categories.
When should you pick Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express over The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited?
Choose Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express if Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 1x miles. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement. Travel perks may add value beyond the earn rate.. Best for dining-heavy spend when the $650 fee fits your usage; confirm issuer terms before applying.
Strengths
- Strongest Madeen category is dining at about 1.2% effective (1x miles).
- No foreign transaction fee listed.
- Welcome bonus may add value if you can meet spend requirements.
Tradeoffs
- $650 annual fee requires enough spend in bonus categories to offset.
- Delta SkyMiles value depends on how you redeem, not straight cash back.
When should you pick The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited over Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express?
Choose The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited if Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 2% back. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.. Worth a look for dining spend if you need a business card and can use cash back the way you redeem today.
Strengths
- Strongest Madeen category is dining at about 2% effective (2% back).
- No foreign transaction fee listed.
- Welcome bonus may add value if you can meet spend requirements.
Tradeoffs
- $295 annual fee requires enough spend in bonus categories to offset.
- Business card — rewards and liability rules differ from consumer cards.
Common questions about Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express vs The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited
Which card is better between Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express and The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited?
The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited is the stronger overall fit because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (62 vs 38) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee. The overall winner depends on your spend mix — use the scorecard rows and scenario playbook to see where each card actually wins.
Which card wins on dining: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express or The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited?
The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited leads dining at 2% effective versus 1.2%.
Which card is better for cashback users: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express or The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited?
The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited is the better cashback-style pick between Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express and The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited.
Which welcome bonus is stronger between Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express and The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited?
If you are chasing a welcome bonus, The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited leads on catalog bonus value. For long-term category earn after the bonus, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express is the stronger keeper in this pair — but only if its annual fee still makes sense for your spend.
Which card has stronger benefits: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express or The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited?
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express leads on estimated annual benefit value in the Madeen snapshot.
Which card has the lower annual fee: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express or The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited?
The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited has the simpler fee story in this pair ($650 vs $295). Annual fee only wins if you use the rewards and credits that justify it.
Is Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express or The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited better for travel spend?
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express is the stronger travel-style pick between Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express and The American Express Graphite™ Business Cash Unlimited in this snapshot.
Can you hold both American Express cards?
Yes, many people can hold both American Express cards when each covers a different spend lane and the combined fees still make sense.
Compare
Related comparisons
Related topics
Explore the related pages
Reviewed by Madeen editorial review
Catalog snapshot 2026-05-01
Updated 2026-06-25
Content tier Premium depth
American Express and American Express (and related product names) are trademarks of their respective owners. Madeen is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by either issuer. Madeen is an independent credit-card comparison and education service.
Madeen compares cards you add to your wallet using published catalog rules — no bank login required. Issuer pages control current fees, caps, exclusions, and eligibility; Madeen does not issue cards, make approval decisions, or provide financial advice. Apply links are temporarily hidden on madeen.app. Affiliate disclosure