Delta Reserve and Delta Platinum MQMs Guide [2020]

Offers contained within this article maybe expired.

Delta Airlines is unique when it comes to credit cards.

This is because they allow you to earn full-blown elite status via credit card spend while most other airlines only provide partial “bumps” to help you improve your elite status.

In this article, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about earning MQMs with the Delta Reserve and Delta Platinum. I will also talk about the MQD waivers that can help you fast track your way to elite status.

What are Delta MQMs?

Delta MQMs stands for “Medallion Qualification Miles.”

These are not miles with different valuations that you use to redeem for award flights but instead these are miles required for earning elite status with Delta.

Here are the requirements for all tiers of status for Delta:

Medallion TierMQMs or MQSs requirementMQDs requirement (only for US residents)
Silver25,000 MQMs or 30 MQSs$3,000 MQDs
Gold50,000 MQMs or 60 MQSs$6,000 MQDs
Platinum75,000 MQMs or 100 MQSs$9,000 MQDs
Diamond125,000 MQMs or 140 MQSs$15,000 MQDs
Delta Medallion qualification requirements

As you can see, the bottom level of elite status known as silver status requires 25,000 MQM’s while the top level requires 125,000 MQMs.

Keep in mind that you also have to spend a certain amount of money which is known as the MQD requirement which stands for “Medallion Qualification Dollars.”

You can actually have this requirement waived by spending a certain amount on your Delta credit cards and I will talk more about that below.

Delta Airlines A330-323 N821NW at JFK July 25, 2019

Earning Delta MQMs

With the Delta SkyMiles Platinum, you can earn 10,000 MQMs after $25,000 in eligible purchases, up to 2x per calendar year.

This means that if you spend $50,000 in a year you can earn a total of 20,000 MQMs.

With the Delta SkyMiles Reserve, you can earn 15,000 MQMs after $30,000 in eligible purchases, up to 4X per calendar year. 

This means that if you spend $120,000 in a year you can earn a total of 60,000 MQMs.

In addition to these cards, you can also earn more MQMs with the business versions.

With the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business, you can earn 10,000 MQMs after $25,000 in eligible purchases, up to 2x per calendar year.

With the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business, you can earn 15,000 MQMs after $30,000 in eligible purchases, up to 4X per calendar year. 

So if you spent a total of $240,000 in a year between the four of these cards, in accordance with the MQM spend requirements, you could potentially net 120,000 MQMs.

That would put you only 5,000 MQM’s short of hitting the requirement for diamond status!

Since the welcome bonuses for these cards usually have an offer of something like 5,000 to 10,000 MQM’s, you would be able to more than hit the income requirement for top elite status.

One thing to note is that you are only eligible to receive one annual bonus per threshold for calendar year for each type of Delta credit card.

So you can’t get two Delta Platinum cards or two Delta Reserve cards and expect to earn the MQM bonuses multiple times for each card.

Tip: Something that not a lot of people know is that you can gift MQM’s two other individuals. However, the gift recipient needs to be designated within 30 days of the MQMs being made available.

MQD spend waiver

The other important part of the equation is the requirement for spend.

In order to earn elite status with delta you will have to meet certain spend requirements which are shown below.

Medallion TierMQMs or MQSs requirementMQDs requirement (only for US residents)
Silver25,000 MQMs or 30 MQSs$3,000 MQDs
Gold50,000 MQMs or 60 MQSs$6,000 MQDs
Platinum75,000 MQMs or 100 MQSs$9,000 MQDs
Diamond125,000 MQMs or 140 MQSs$15,000 MQDs
Delta Medallion qualification requirements

Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) are calculated based on the money you spend on Delta-marketed flights.

These are flight numbers that include the “DL” airline code.

Government-imposed taxes and fees are not included in MQDs, so if your flight costs $358 (including $51 in government-imposed taxes/fees), you would earn 307 MQDs.

You can also earn MQDs on partner flights. For these, MQDs are calculated as one-fifth of the “redeemable miles” you earn for the ticket.

For example, if you earn 1,500 “redeemable” miles on an exception fare, you would also earn 300 MQDs on that fare.

The great thing about these Delta credit cards is that you actually can get that spend requirement waived by spending a certain amount of money.

For Delta Platinum, Gold, and Silver medallion status you can get the spend requirement waived if you make at least $25,000 in eligible purchases within the qualification year.

A qualification year is from January 1 to December 31 of any given year and the end of the qualification year will always be December 31 regardless of when your account was opened.

That is a pretty reasonable spend requirement and if you are gunning for the MQM perks you will likely be able to meet that quite easily.

However, if you are going for diamond status then things are much tougher.

In order to get that spend requirement waived you must make at least $250,000 in eligible purchases within a qualification year.

If you are maxing out the MQM perks for both of the personal cards and both of the business cards then you might be able to hit the spend requirement as part of that plan.

In that case, you could obtain top elite status with Delta simply by spending a lot on your credit cards.

It’s not an easy thing to accomplish but it is one way that Delta stands out from other airlines when it comes to earning elite status.

Tip: You can confirm whether you have met the eligible purchase threshold for the MQD waiver by logging into your SkyMiles account on delta.com or in the Fly Delta app.

When it comes to the spend waiver, eligible purchases made by your authorized users will count towards the purchase threshold.

Your spend on different Delta credit cards will count towards the spend waiver.

The eligible cards for the spend waiver include:

  • Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card
  • Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card
  • Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Card
  • Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card.

Other cards will not be eligible for the waiver.

However, if other cards are linked to the same SkyMiles number spend on those cards will count towards the waiver spend threshold.

These cards include the following eligible cards:

  • Delta SkyMiles Blue Card
  • Delta SkyMiles Gold Card
  • Delta SkyMiles Business Card
  • Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card

Final word

If you are serious about earning Delta elite status then the MQM perks on the Delta credit cards can be a fantastic way to fast track your way to elite status.

And if you are someone who does a lot of spend on your credit card but it does not do a lot of flying, these perks can also allow you to still earn elite status without even doing much flying at all.

Amex Delta SkyMiles Reserve Review [2021]

Offers contained within this article maybe expired.

The Amex Delta SkyMiles Reserve is one of the most popular premium airline credit cards on the market.

It comes with a host of valuable travel benefits and for many people these perks can easily offset the higher annual fee.

In this article, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about this card.

Amex Delta SkyMiles Reserve overview

  • Solid welcome bonus available at times
  • 3X on Delta
  • 1X on all other purchases
  • Delta Sky Club access
  • Companion certificate
  • Status boost
  • Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check credit
  • Upgrade priority
  • First checked bag free (learn more)
  • Priority boarding
  • 20% discount on in-flight purchases

Related: Amex Delta SkyMiles Platinum Review

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Welcome bonus

The welcome bonus for the Delta SkyMiles Reserve changes all the time.

We’ve seen this bonus all the way down to around 10,000 miles and other times up to 100,000 miles though the standard offer appears to be between 40,000 and 75,000 miles now.

Typically, the spend requirement will be between $3,000 to $5,000 within the first three months of opening up your card.

Because this card is so loaded down with benefits, for a lot of people the welcome bonus becomes less important and getting the card is more about taking advantage of the perks.

For that reason, it’s often still worth it to get this card even with a lower bonus of around 40,000 miles.

With that said, I would still try to wait around for a 70,000 mile offer to come around.

It’s worth noting that you can also usually earn MQM’s with the welcome bonus, typically in the amount of 10,000.

These are not miles that you can use for award flights but they can help you achieve elite status (more on that below).

Tip: If you are wondering what type of redemptions you can get with your Delta Sky Miles, I recommend that you read up on our best uses of Delta Sky Miles.

Bonus categories

  • 3X on Delta
  • 1X on all other purchases

If you are looking for a card that will earn a lot of points on various spending categories such as dining or groceries, this is not the card for you.

Instead, this card only earns bonus categories on Delta purchases. You’ll earn a competitive 3X on Delta flights which is pretty good compared to other airline credit cards.

But if you want to maximize your spend on other categories I would look at a card like the American Express Gold Card.

With that card, you could potentially earn 4X on dining and US supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year on spend).

Because Delta Airlines is a transfer partner of American Express, you can then transfer your points to Delta at a 1:1 ratio.

To find out how much these miles are worth, click here.

Delta exit row 16 in economy.

Delta SkyMiles Reserve Perks

Delta Sky Club access

You will get complimentary Delta Sky Club access for yourself with this card.

If you are traveling on a partner airline, you can access the club at an exclusive per-visit rate of $39 per person, per location.

You can also bring up to two guests or immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21 years of age) at the exclusive per-visit rate of $39 per person, per location. 

Note: Guests must be flying on a same-day Delta or Delta partner airline flight. 

You will also receive two one time guest passes each year so that you can enter the lounge with family or friends traveling with you.

Centurion lounge access

When you book your Delta flight with the Reserve card, you can get complimentary access to Amex Centurion lounges.

You can also bring up to two guests at a per-visit rate of $50 per person.

These are some of the nicest airport lounges located in the US and you can find them at select airports.

It’s worth pointing out that you can get access to these lounges if you have the American Express Platinum Card.

Read more details about the Delta SkyMiles Reserve lounge access policy.

Companion certificate

The Delta companion certificate is a certificate that can be used to buy two roundtrip tickets for the price of one plus taxes and fees of the companion ticket.

That means you essentially get an extra ticket for free when you buy one ticket, which can save you hundreds of dollars. 

There are quite a few restrictions for this perk but we have a detailed write up on it you can check out here.

Status boost

Delta is one of the few airlines that allow you to earn elite status credits through your spend.

With the Delta SkyMiles Reserve, you can earn 15,000 MQMs after $30,000 in eligible purchases, up to 4X per calendar year. 

This means that you can earn a total of 60,000 MQMs after $120,000 in spend.

Here are the requirements for all tiers of status for Delta:

Medallion TierMQMs or MQSs requirementMQDs requirement (only for US residents)
Silver25,000 MQMs or 30 MQSs$3,000 MQDs
Gold50,000 MQMs or 60 MQSs$6,000 MQDs
Platinum75,000 MQMs or 100 MQSs$9,000 MQDs
Diamond125,000 MQMs or 140 MQSs$15,000 MQDs
Delta Medallion qualification requirements

It’s pretty awesome that you can earn enough MQM’s for Gold status just via credit card spend.

Tip: If you spend at least $25,000 on your card you can also get the MQD waiver towards Platinum, Gold, or Silver Medallion Status.

Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check credit

You will be eligible to receive a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or a statement credit for up to $85 for TSA Pre-Check.

This credit will be given in a four year period for Global Entry or a 4.5 year period for TSA Pre-Check.

Upgrade priority

As a Reserve card member, you will receive upgrade priority over other members with the same level of Medallion status and fare class grouping.

In addition, if you do not hold a Medallion status you will be automatically added to the complimentary upgrade list following Medallion members.

These upgrades will be for upgrades to Delta One, first class, and Delta Comfort Plus. (Basic economy fares or not eligible for the upgrades.)

First checked bag free

You will be able to check your first bag for free on Delta flights booked with your card.

Delta Baggage fees usually run $30 per person so this is a great way to save $60 on a round-trip flight per individual.

And your savings could be even bigger because there is an allowance of nine waivers per reservation allowed.

Priority boarding

You will be eligible to receive main cabin one priority boarding on Delta flights which will help you secure overhead storage bin space and get to your seat sooner.

Just like the free checked bag, this benefit allows up to nine passengers on the reservation to receive the perk.

This benefit is limited to the primary cardmember and not authorized users.

To find out more about the boarding process, click here.

20% discount on in-flight purchases

You’ll get 20% savings in the form of a statement credit for eligible in-flight purchases which include things like food, beverages, and audio headsets.

This discount does not apply to in-flight wireless internet purchases.

Travel protections

Trip delay protection

If your trip is delayed for more than six hours, you can get reimbursed for certain essential expenses totaling up to $500 per trip.

This is a pretty solid protection considering that other cards require a 12 hour waiting period.

Trip cancellation

If your trip is paid entirely with your card and your trip is canceled or interrupted for a covered reason, you can get reimbursed for nonrefundable travel expenses up to $10,000 per trip.

$10,000 in coverage for trip cancellation is a pretty competitive amount.

Car rental coverage

This card will provide you with car rental coverage that will be secondary.

Shopping protections

Return protection

You’ll be covered for returns on items within 90 days from the date of purchase if the merchant will not take them back.

You may get refunded for the full purchase price up to $300 per item and up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year.

Extended warranty

You can get one extra year added to the original manufacturers warranty on warranties of five years or less.

Final word

This is one of the best premium airline cards in my opinion. It’s great when it comes with a solid welcome bonus but the real perks here are related to flying with Delta.

You can climb up the elite status levels just by your spend and even get MQD waivers.

In addition to that you get a variety of lounge access perks and other valuable perks like free luggage and priority boarding making this a great fit for somebody who frequently flies with Delta.

Amex Delta SkyMiles Platinum Review [2020]

Offers contained within this article maybe expired.

There are a lot of good co-branded airline credit cards out there and American Express issues several different types of Delta credit cards. The Delta SkyMiles Platinum is a mid-tier credit card that comes with a lot of perks and benefits just perfect for someone who is a fan of Delta.

In this review article, I’ll break down all of the perks and benefits you need to know about the Delta SkyMiles Platinum.

Amex Delta SkyMiles Platinum overview

  • 3X on Delta
  • 3X on Hotels
  • 2X on restaurants
  • 2X on US supermarkets
  • First Checked Bag Free
  • Priority boarding
  • Companion certificate
  • Discount on lounge access
  • Status boost
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • $250 annual fee

Welcome bonus

The welcome bonus for the Delta SkyMiles Platinum changes all the time.

We’ve seen the bonus range from around 35,000 miles all the way up to 100,000 miles. The 100K offer is very rare and offered 80,000 bonus miles after you spent $3,000 in your first 3 months plus 20,000 bonus miles after your first anniversary.

So this is the type of travel rewards credit card that you want to try to time your application with so that you can jump on one of the most lucrative offers. Personally, I would wait for an offer of at least around 70,000 miles.

In addition to bonus miles, you can also earn Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs). Typically the offer would be something like 5,000 MQMs after spending $2,000 in the first three months. These MQMs are bonus miles that you don’t use to redeem on flights but instead they help you earn elite status quicker (more on that below). 

Another interesting thing about the welcome bonus is that it sometimes come with an additional statement credit, such as $100. The statement credit is usually triggered very easily by doing something like making one simple purchase.

Tip: If you are wondering what type of redemptions you can get with your Delta Sky Miles, I recommend that you read up on our best uses of Delta Sky Miles.

Delta plane on tarmac

Bonus categories

  • 3X on Delta
  • 3X on Hotels
  • 2X on restaurants
  • 2X on US supermarkets

3X on Delta

3X on Delta flights is pretty great compared to many cards that only offer 2X. Of course, you have to consider that you could use the American Express Platinum Card to earn a whopping 5X Membership Rewards on your flight. Since Delta is a transfer partner of American Express, that could be a much more efficient route to rack up Delta miles.

(There is a tiny surcharge when transferring points to Delta.)

3X on Hotels

Earning 3X on hotels is not bad at all. I would just consider that there are cards that offer 3X on all travel purchases such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve. With that card you also get much better travel protections so I would much rather use a card like that to book hotels and other travel bookings.

2X on restaurants

2X on restaurants is okay but you can do much better. Personally, I prefer to use the American Express Gold Card which earns 4X on restaurants worldwide. Once again, you can transfer your American Express Membership Rewards to Delta so it could make a lot more sense to use a card like the Gold Card.

2X on US supermarkets

2X on US supermarkets is another so-so category. The Gold Card will earn 4X on US supermarkets on up to $25,000 of spend each year so once again that is my preferred way to go. It’s worth noting that superstores and warehouse clubs are not considered supermarkets.

So overall the bonus categories are pretty decent on the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card but it’s hard to not go with alternatives since American Express has much better earning rates with other cards that allow you to transfer your points to Delta.

Tip: Check out the free app WalletFlo so that you can optimize your credit card spend by seeing the best card to use! You can also track credits, annual fees, and get notifications when you’re eligible for the best cards!

Delta SkyMiles Platinum Perks

First Checked Bag Free

With the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card you will get your first checked bag for free for yourself and also for passengers traveling on the same reservation. There is a maximum of nine waivers per reservation.

Baggage fees for Delta will usually cost $30 for your first checked bag so this can amount to pretty substantial savings if you fly a lot, especially if you’re flying with several other individuals on your same reservation.

Related: Checked Baggage Ultimate Guide

Priority Boarding

You will receive Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding on Delta flights. This benefit is limited to the basic cardmember and not authorized users. However, you can get this benefit for other travelers on the same reservation (up to nine passengers per reservation).

Here’s a look at all of the Delta boarding groups in the order in which they board:

  • Delta One
  • Delta Premium Select or First Class
  • Delta Comfort+
  • Sky Priority
  • Main cabin one
  • Main cabin two
  • Main cabin three
  • Basic Economy

You can find out more about the Delta boarding process here.

Companion certificate

The Delta companion certificate is a certificate that can be used to buy two roundtrip tickets for the price of one plus taxes and fees of the companion ticket.

That means you essentially get an extra ticket for free when you buy one ticket, which can save you hundreds of dollars. There are quite a few restrictions for this perk but we have a detailed write up on it you can check out here.

Lounge access

You don’t get free access to the Delta Sky Club but Delta SkyMiles Platinum members (and authorized users) get access to the Delta Sky Club at an exclusive per-visit rate of $39 per person when traveling on a same-day Delta or Delta partner airline flight.

JFK Sky Club Sky Deck

20% Back on In-Flight Purchases

As a cardholder, you will get 20% back on in-flight purchases. This discount will trigger on eligible purchases for things like pre-purchased meals, and in-flight purchases of food, alcoholic beverages, and audio headsets. It does not apply to any other in-flight purchases like wifi.

Status boost

Delta is one of the few airlines that allow you to earn elite status credits through your spend.

With the Delta SkyMiles Platinum, you can earn 10,000 MQMs after $25,000 in eligible purchases, up to 2x per calendar year. This means that you can earn a total of 20,000 MQMs after $50,000 in spend.

That is enough to get you pretty close to Delta Silver although you will still need to earn an additional 5,000 MQM and also achieve the $3,000 in Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD).

If the MQD thresholds are not met, you can still qualify for Platinum, Gold and Silver Medallion Status if you have earned the required Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) or Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs) and make at least $25,000 in eligible purchases.

You can also qualify for Diamond status even if you don’t meet the MQD threshold. As long as you have earned the required MQMs or MQSs and make at least $250,000 in eligible purchases within that “Qualification Year” on your card you’ll achieve diamond status.

A Qualification Year is from January 1 to December 31 of a given year.

The end of the qualification year will always be December 31 regardless of when you opened up your card. This means that in some instances you may only have a few months or weeks to meet this requirement the first year.

All purchases made by additional card members (authorized users) will count towards the eligible purchase threshold.

The only cards eligible for the MQD waiver are the following: Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card, Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card, Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Card, and Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card.

However, if linked to the same SkyMiles number, you can get credit towards the MQD waiver with cards like the Delta SkyMiles Blue Card, Delta SkyMiles Gold Card, Delta SkyMiles Business Card, or Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card.

Here is a look at the Delta Medallion qualification requirements.

Medallion TierMQMs or MQSs requirementMQSs requirement (only for US residents)
Silver25,000 MQMs or 30 MQSs$3,000 MQDs
Gold50,000 MQMs or 60 MQSs$6,000 MQDs
Platinum75,000 MQMs or 100 MQSs$9,000 MQDs
Diamond125,000 MQMs or 140 MQSs$15,000 MQDs
Delta Medallion qualification requirements

Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check credit

You can receive one Global Entry $100 statement credit every 4 years or one TSA Pre-Check $85 statement credit every 4.5 years. Global Entry will get you expedited entry back into the US so that you can avoid those long lines at immigration and customs.

TSA Pre-Check allows you to bypass the main security line at airports and also allows you to enjoy the following benefits:

  • Shoes can stay on
  • Belt can stay on
  • Light jackets can stay on
  • Laptops allowed to stay in bag
  • Liquids (3-1-1 Rule) can stay in bag

Benefits and protections

Trip Delay Insurance

You will get coverage for delays 12 hours or longer and the coverage will cover you for up to $300 per trip. This is not the best type of trip delay insurance because other cards will cover you for delays after six hours and provide coverage up to $500 per trip.

Baggage Insurance Plan

Most states will provide you with coverage depending on the type of baggage that you have. For carry-ons you can get up to $1,250 worth of coverage and for checked bags you can get coverage up to $500 subject to terms and conditions.

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

Rental car coverage will be secondary with this card. Secondary coverage is pretty standard for a co-branded airline credit card but there are some cards issued by Chase that offer primary coverage.

Extended Warranty

American Express will extend your warranty one additional year on warranties up to five years.

Purchase Protection

You’ll get purchase protection on purchases up to $1,000. This is not very competitive purchase protection as other cars will cover you up to $10,000 per purchase.

Additional benefits

Final word

As you can tell, this card has a lot of benefits. If you are somebody who regularly flies Delta you can easily offset the annual fee by taking advantage of the perks like free checked baggage, the companion certificate, elite status perks, and others. For that reason, I think this can be a great card to hold onto in the long-run.

Delta Silver Medallion Benefits Review (Qualifications, Upgrades, Baggage) [2020]

Delta has 4 tiers of elite status, with the lowest tier called Silver Medallion, then Gold Medallion, Platinum Medallion, and Diamond Medallion being the highest tier. Then there is an invite only status, only obtainable to Diamond Medallion members, called Delta 360. In this article I will review the qualifications needed for Silver Medallion status and benefits like upgrades and baggage. I’ll also discuss if it’s worth it to go for Delta Silver Medallion status.

Interested in finding out the top travel credit cards for this month? Click here to check them out!

What is Delta Silver Medallion status?

Delta Silver Medallion status is Delta’s beginning tier of status. It offers benefits like a first free bag, preferred seat selection, special lanes for check-in, and complimentary upgrades.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card vs Silver Medallion Status

Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card

Does the Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card offer the same benefits as Silver Medallion status?

No… besides free first checked baggage and priority boarding.

Here are the benefits of the Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card 

  • 2 miles per dollar on Delta purchases
  • Priority boarding
  • First checked bag free (learn more)
  • 20% off inflight purchases
  • Annual fee waived first year, then $99

The Delta Gold credit card is a great card to jumpstart your Delta journey. It’s the cheapest card that has the annual MQD waiver by spending $25,000. It also allows you to get 20% off inflight purchases, which is a nice benefit if you like to buy lots onboard. The first waived annual fee is another benefit compared to the other Delta credit cards. The key with this card is to time your application so that you end up applying for the best welcome bonus that’s offered.

However, Silver Medallion status gives far more benefits like priority check-in, preferred seats, and the possible upgrade. If all you care about is free bags and Zone 1 priority boarding, than this card will work great without status.

If you are a Silver Medallion, I would suggest getting the Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card for the companion pass and the annual MQMs spend bonus.

Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card
  • 2 miles per dollar on Delta purchases
  • Priority boarding
  • First checked bag free
  • 20% off inflight purchases
  • Annual fee $250 (not waived)
  • 1 time economy companion pass
  • Annual miles and MQMs after spend requirement

The Platinum Delta credit card also often comes with a great welcome bonus, but it’s even better for those who are trying to earn elite status with Delta since you’re able to earn MQMs along the way. Spend $25,000 a year and have the MQD requirement waived, earn 10,000 MQMs and miles. Spend a total $50,000 a year and have another 10,000 MQMs and miles added to your account. Plus, the companion pass helps you and a friend go further with all the same benefits as the Gold Delta credit card.

Related: Delta SkyMiles Value Guide

Delta Silver Medallion qualification requirements

To become a Delta Silver Medallion, you will need to complete the following requirements:

  • 25,000 MQMs (Medallion Qualification Miles) or 30 MQSs (Medallion Qualification Segments)
  • $3,000 MQDs (Medallion Qualification Dollars) or MQD waiver

In comparison, here is the other requirements for all tiers of status for Delta:

Medallion TierMQMs or MQSs requirementMQSs requirement (only for US residents)
Silver25,000 MQMs or 30 MQSs$3,000 MQDs
Gold50,000 MQMs or 60 MQSs$6,000 MQDs
Platinum75,000 MQMs or 100 MQSs$9,000 MQDs
Diamond125,000 MQMs or 140 MQSs$15,000 MQDs
Delta Medallion qualification requirements

The MQD requirements for Silver Medallion, Gold Medallion, and Platinum Medallion are waived when you spend at least $25,000 on any of Delta co-branded credit cards. For Diamond Medallion you will have to spend $250,000 on any of Delta’s co-branded credit cards to get the MQD requirement waived.

Delta Status Match Challenge

Delta has a detailed chart for their status match challenge, and if your airline elite program is not on the chart, you can still submit it when you enroll for the status match challenge. You can enroll into the status match challenge here.

Once you enroll, it will usually take 5 business days, but of course longer if needed. After they have completed their review and determined if you’re qualified, you will have the status for 90 days. If you want to extend your status, you will have to complete a certain amount of requirements during those 90 days. Here are the requirements:

“If you enroll in the challenge between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018 and you complete the requirements, your Medallion Status will be extended through January 31, 2019.

If you enroll in the challenge on or after July 1, 2018 and you complete the requirements, your Medallion Status will be extended through January 31, 2020.” Source: Delta

Delta makes it easy to do their challenge. You can fly any of their partners and those MQMs, MQSs, and MQDs will count towards extending your status. Plus, the Delta co-branded credit cards will still waive the MQD requirement if you spend $25,000 on their credit cards.

Delta Silver Medallion benefits

While the Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card and other co-branded Delta cards give you free baggage and priority boarding, Delta Silver Medallions do get a few other benefits that make flying more seamless and enjoyable.

Unlimited Complimentary Upgrades

Who doesn’t want to fly in first class?

As a Silver Medallion you and a companion are eligible for upgrades to First Class and Delta Comfort+ beginning 24 hours prior to departure on Delta marketed flights. On select Aeromexico operated flights you are eligible for upgrades to Clase Premier beginning 24 hours prior to departure. On the day of departure you are eligible for Delta One operated within the 50 states.

However, you aren’t able to receive upgrades to Delta Premium Select seats. This means on newly configured international flights without Comfort+, you won’t have access to better seats than preferred seats on those planes, like the A350.

Fares that are eligible are all paid fares (except E fares), Award Tickets, Miles + Cash, Pay with Miles tickets, and Companion Certificates.

Delta domestic First Class glassware

As a Silver Medallion your odds of getting upgrades are slim, but on leisure heavy routes, your chances will be greater. From Delta hubs, it’s not common to get First Class upgrades as a Silver Medallion, especially during rush hours for commuters.

When I was a Silver Medallion for 3 years, I was upgraded to First Class 2 times and Comfort+ a handful of times. Do note, majority of my flights are flying Delta to Asia, therefore it doesn’t allow me to utilize First Class/Delta One upgrades. I am based out of DTW (Delta’s second biggest hub) and I am a little surprised myself for getting those 2 First Class upgrades on leisure routes. This just shows how rare one will get an upgrade to First Class as a Silver.

Complimentary Preferred Seats

When you’re a Medallion member, you are able to select preferred seats at booking. This means exit rows are up for grabs when you book a standard main cabin seat. Other preferred seats would be aisle or window seats at the front of the cabin.

Exit row on the CRJ900

This benefit is great since it allows you to select those coveted exit row seats at booking which sometimes offers better legroom than Comfort+ seats.

MQMs rollover

For any Medallion member, your leftover MQMs will rollover to the next calendar year. This means if you have 30,000 MQMs at the end of the calendar year after qualifying for Silver Medallion (25,000 MQMs requirement), you will have 5,000 MQMs rollover since those are considered leftovers that couldn’t reach the next status.

As a Medallion member myself, I try to strategize my flights around this benefit. I rather have lots more MQMs rollover than a few.

Award miles bonus

As a Silver Medallion, you will receive 7 miles per dollar instead of the standard 5 miles per dollar that general SkyMiles members receive.

Since you will be earning more SkyMiles, you should read up the best ways to redeem your Delta SkyMiles.

Checked baggage allowance

As a Silver Medallion you receive your first bag free for up to 50 pounds (23 kg) on Delta or one of their airline partners. For Delta flights you can have up to 8 companions on the same itinerary check-in a free bag.

Priority check-in

At most airports you will have access to a special Silver Medallion check-in lane. If airports don’t have a Silver Medallion check-in lane, then you will be able to use the SkyPriority lane. However, as a Silver Medallion you won’t get SkyPriority anywhere else for your ground experience.

At my home airport, the Silver Medallion lane is sometimes quicker than the Sky Priority lanes. So, this benefit could save you tons of time.

Priority boarding

You are able to board with Main cabin one as a Silver Medallion. Boarding with Main cabin one is the same benefit that co-branded Delta credit cards offer. So, this benefit isn’t so unique.

Priority waitlist

You are able to get ahead of the waitlist on paid tickets if your class of service is not available when making a reservation.

Silver Medallion phone priority

The Silver Medallion phone number is the same phone number that is used for general SkyMiles members, but with less of a wait. You will be in a position a little ahead of the queue, but still won’t be first in line.

SkyTeam Elite status

SkyTeam Elite status isn’t the status that allows you to enter any SkyTeam member airline lounge, but it does allow you to access to certain priority services. I written more about SkyTeam Elite status below.

Discount CLEAR

CLEAR is a wonderful service that allows you to cut to the front of regular TSA or TSA-precheck lines. Diamond Medallions are able to receive CLEAR for free. Silver, Gold, and Platinum Medallion members are able to get CLEAR membership for $109 a year. This benefit is only useful if you want to save time and if CLEAR is at your airport.

You can read more about CLEAR here. 

Delta Vacations savings

As a Medallion member, you are able to receive discounts when booking Delta Vacations. The discounts aren’t huge, but could make a difference if you find a deal on Delta Vacations.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

SkyTeam Elite Status

Delta is part of the SkyTeam Alliance and they have two tiers of status called SkyTeam Elite and SkyTeam Elite Plus. Silver Medallions will receive SkyTeam Elite status, while SkyTeam Elite Plus status is given to Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Medallions.

SkyTeam member airlines

You are able to receive benefits on 20 airlines worldwide within the SkyTeam alliance. The benefits are as follows:

  • Extra baggage allowance
  • Priority check-in
  • Priority seating
  • Priority boarding
  • Priority standby

These are the same benefits that I have described above.

Non-alliance airline partners benefits

Delta has some other unique partners. Their non-alliance airline partners are Virgin Australia, Virgin Atlantic, Jet Airways, WestJet, Hawaiian Airlines, GOL, and Great Lakes Airlines.

Sadly, with these airlines as a Silver Medallion member you won’t be receiving any benefits.

Lounge access

Being a Silver Medallion does not grant you access to any lounge. To get access to Delta Sky Clubs or partner airline lounges you will have to be a Gold Medallion or above flying on international itineraries. If you are a SkyTeam Elite Plus member, you will have access to Sky Clubs on international itineraries.

However, if you want to access Delta Sky Clubs, I suggest grabbing a credit card like the American Express Platinum charge card or the Delta Reserve Credit Card. Both of those cards will grant you Sky Club access while flying Delta.

ATL F concourse Sky Club outdoor deck

Delta Silver Medallion vs United Premier Silver status

The difference between the beginner tiers of status at Delta and United are mainly the complimentary upgrades and priority services on the ground.

Delta allows one to have complimentary upgrades on award tickets, while United only allows it if you hold their credit card. United allows priority security and baggage handling, but Delta doesn’t.

If you want to learn more about United Premier Silver status, you can read our full write up on the benefits here.

Final word

Delta Silver Medallion status can be valuable, but the benefits of Silver Medallion status only shine if you are able to utilize those benefits. I wouldn’t go out of my way to fly only Delta because I want to be a Silver Medallion. While, the one or two upgrades are nice, Silver Medallions aren’t upgraded that often.

The good news is there is a science to Delta’s upgrades, but it would take too long to explain in this one article, so I will leave it for another article. 😉 However, I will agree though, it’s worth having the status for just selecting those exit row seats and a slightly better on the ground experience.

This article was originally published by Steve Smith.

Delta to require pre-flight medical evaluation for mask exemptions

If you want to fly a domestic airline in the US right now, you most likely will be required to wear a mask or face covering.

This has been a controversial move as many Americans feel like it is too much of an infringement to require masks to be worn.

There is also a large segment of people who feel like the masks present health hazards to them. In addition some people have pre-existing health conditions which are reportedly worsened by wearing a face covering.

For example, I have heard that some people claim that breathing issues are made worse by wearing a mask or that conditions like anxiety could be amplified.

These people are not all full of BS as the CDC has even recognized needed face covering exemptions for “children under the age of 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.”

Because of these reasons, some individuals are refusing to wear masks based on medical reasons.

Well, starting on Monday Delta will require these individuals to undergo a medical evaluation at the airport before boarding.

Delta is encouraging passengers who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons to reconsider traveling right now.

It looks like this medical evaluation may be a “virtual consultation” that will take place prior to departure at the airport.

According to USA Today, “The evaluation will be done in private with STAT-MD, Delta’s partner for in-flight emergency consultations, which is based at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.”

These evaluations could take up to one hour so Delta is encouraging passengers to arrive early at the airport if they will undergo a medical evaluation.

If it is determined that there has been a false claim of disability or health condition, for the purpose of getting exempted from the mask requirement, this could result in suspension of travel privileges.

But if you are denied an exemption from the mask policy, you will be issued a refund for your ticket.

Although the early data and opinions were conflicting regarding face coverings, over the past couple of months many studies and reports have shown that face coverings are crucial for slowing the spread of the virus.

Still, this policy will prove to be controversial I’m sure.

Health history and medical conditions are considered protected/privileged information and lots of people do not feel comfortable opening up about these things, especially in an airport “virtual consultation” session.

The fact that it could take up to an hour to get a consultation done prior to a flight could also prove to be a major issue.

Overall, I think this is a tough decision because it is important to enforce face coverings in order for them to be effective.

If you allow individuals to simply claim an exemption in good-faith, there will people who take advantage of that exemption over time. (Just like how we see with service animals.)

It would then likely only be a matter of time before someone hosting the virus claims a false exemption and spreads the virus.

It’s still possible for someone to be asymptomatic and be granted a face covering exemption so there could still be a risk. But at least fewer people will be without masks on the plane with the new rule.

The new rule may also give passengers more confidence as they will see fewer passengers without face coverings but I think it will also help the crew out a lot since they will not have to resolve as many conflicts from angry passengers regarding face coverings.

New Delta boarding policy

Delta Airlines just announced new boarding procedures in order to fight against the spread of coronavirus.

They will have a new boarding order that allows passengers in the back of the plane to board first.

The idea is that if you allow people to board in the back of the plane first, there will be less contact between passengers since they won’t have to walk down the aisle of multiple rows of passengers. 

As for first class passengers, Delta One and First Class passengers, as well as Diamond Medallion members, can continue to be able to board whenever they choose.

I understand the need for keeping first class passengers satisfied but it does seem to kind of defeat the purpose of it by allowing them to still board first if they want to.

But still, the first class sections are so small in a lot of planes that it probably will not be that big of a deal. Plus, some first class passengers may not want to board until the very end anyways (although with closed lounges that might not be the case any longer).

The next policy that they are changing is forcing passengers to remain seating in the waiting area until their row is called for boarding. This will prevent groups of people congregating close together as they await to enter the plane, although changes have already been made to help with that.

These measures will be in place at least through May 31.

Given that air travel is down by some estimations about 96% and that these are temporary changes, I don’t see them causing a huge disruption. Plus, it’s likely that most people will be pretty understanding when it comes to why these policies are being put in place.

Other measures that have been taken include things like flight attendants wearing masks and extra sanitization techniques including spray fogging.

It will be interesting to see which policies stay around after things begin to die down because I feel like many passengers will only feel comfortable flying if they know that extra efforts are being made for things like plane sanitization.

H/T

Delta and United make refund and change fee changes

4/4/20 Update:

United just announced that it will be extending the validity of travel funds for up to two years from the issue date, which is an increase of one year.

These travel funds will be extended regardless of when they were issued.

This is a dramatic change and it is the result of two things I believe.

First, the DOT recently came down on airlines and demanded them to offer refunds if they did not offer those to customers in the past.

Presumably, United will try to persuade customers to opt for travel funds now that they will have a longer validity period. (I do have to admit that adding an additional year to travel all funds is a pretty valuable change.)

Also, airlines are strapped for cash these days and so by making travel funds more appealing, they can increase the cash flow they currently have.

Original article 4/3/20:

The airlines and hotels are constantly making modifications to their cancellation and change policies in order to respond to the ongoing pandemic threat that we all face. For example, Southwest just decided to allow refunds for its Earlybird check in fee after initially refusing to do so. 

The latest airline to make a move is Delta, which just made a massive change to its change policy for coronavirus impacted flights. 

If your travel has been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak, you may be able to change your flight for free for up to two years.

Normally, a ticket will expire one year after the purchase date. However, Delta is providing waived change fees and greater flexibility to travel through May 31, 2022, for customers who:

  • Have upcoming travel already booked in April or May 2020 as of April 3, 2020
  • Have existing eCredits or canceled travel from flights in March, April or May 2020

Meanwhile, new tickets purchased between March 1 and May 31, 2020, can be changed without a change fee for up to a year from the date of purchase. So you still get the free change but you just don’t get the two-year extension.

These changes mean that if you have travel currently scheduled for April or May (as of today, April 3rd), or you have canceled travel/eCredits from March, April, or May, you can reschedule a flight for sometime as far out as May 2022 without paying a fee.

Of course, you will have to wait for those schedules to become available to take full advantage of this new timeline.

I believe this timeframe is an indication that airlines are anticipating a return to travel over a pretty long time span. It’s very possible that flying will not get back to normal until mid to late 2021, and I think that some airlines are starting to realize this and making change policies in light of that reality.

H/T

Delta SkyMiles Cards Revamped, Now with Limited-Time Offers

American Express just launched their revamped their Delta co-branded credit cards with limited time offers for both their personal and business Delta co-branded credit cards. In this article, I’ll show you what the new changes are and highlight the new limited-time offers are. All offers expire 4/1/2020.

Changes to Delta Cards

Below, I’ll highlight the limited-time offers and then show you the changes that will come into effect later on. 

And one more thing, the business cards below will NOT count towards your 5/24 status but the personal cards will. I wouldn’t focus on getting a Delta personal card until you are over 5/24 since there are options to consider like the United Explorer Card, Chase Sapphire Preferred, etc.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express

The Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express limited time offer ending April 1, 2020: 

  • 60,000 miles you spend $2,000 in your first three months 
  • 10,000 bonus miles after your first anniversary

60,000 miles is a nice stash of Delta miles for a pretty low spend requirement of only $2,000. You can actually do a lot with Delta Sky Miles (they aren’t always Sky Pesos). If you need help learning how to maximize your Delta miles, be sure to read our article on the best ways to redeem Delta Sky Miles. 

Here’s a breakdown of some of the changes:

Positive changes: 

  • 2x on restaurants & U.S. supermarkets (up from 1X)
  • $100 Delta flight credit after $10,000 in spend within a calendar year

Negative changes: 

  • MQD Waiver will be removed
  • Delta Sky Club access for $29/visit will be removed
  • Annual fee increased from $95 to $99

The biggest loss is the MQD Waiver. This is a benefit that waived the MQD requirements for Silver Medallion, Gold Medallion, and Platinum Medallion when you spent at least $25,000 and that benefit will no longer be there.

MQDs are how much you have to spend with the airline to achieve status and they are:

  • $3,000 for Silver Medallion 
  • $6,000 for Gold Medallion 
  • $9,000 for Platinum Medallion  

The loss of the Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American ExpressDelta Sky Club pay-to-play access is a bummer too since sometimes you might find yourself without a way to get into a lounge, and you’ll be willing to pay in order to avoid peasant status. As far as the annual fee increase, that’s a pretty nominal change and nothing I’m worried about. 

JFK Sky Club Sky Deck

Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card limited time offer: 

  • 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months
  • 20,000 bonus miles after your first anniversary

I like this card at 80,000 miles and think it’s a good choice to go with when trying to rack up Delta miles. Brad and I once used the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card to help us get enough miles to fly Upper Class on Virgin Atlantic from LAX to LHR with only about $5 in fees.

Positive changes: 

  • 3X on Delta (up from 2X)
  • 3X on hotels (up from 1X)
  • 2X at restaurants (up from 1X)
  • 2x on purchases made at U.S. supermarkets (up from 1x)
  • Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check credit (every four years)

Negative changes: 

  • Delta Sky Club visit fee will increase from $29 to $39
  • Annual fee increased from $195 to $250

The spike from $195 to $250 in the annual fee is pretty noteworthy. With no offsetting credit, that’s a pretty big shift of 22%. 

The 3X on hotels and Delta is nice, especially since not many co-branded airline cards offer 3X on airline purchases. 

I’m not too crazy about 2X on restaurants and US supermarkets but if you put a lot of spend on the Delta SkyMiles Platinum, then this card just got a lot more valuable. Overall, unless you’re a big spender on your Delta cards, these changes are pretty negative.  

It’s worth noting these Delta cards will still retain their benefits like Priority boarding, First checked bag free, 20% off in-flight purchases, and the one time main cabin companion certificate.

The Virgin Atlantic bar on the 787.

Delta Reserve® Credit Card from American Express

Delta Reserve® Credit Card from American Express limited time offer: 

  • 80,000 bonus miles and 20,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $5,000 in your first 3 months.
  • 20,000 bonus miles after your first anniversary

Positive changes: 

  • Centurion Lounge access when you book a Delta flight
  • 3X miles on Delta (up from 2x)
  • Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check Credit
  • Two Delta Sky Club One-Time Guest Passes
  • Complimentary Upgrades
  • Additional 15,000 bonus Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending both $90,000 and $120,000 in a calendar year (these are in addition the bonuses for $30,000 in spend and $60,000 in spend). 

Negative changes: 

  • Annual fee increased from $450 to $550
  • Miles Boost replaced with Status Boost
  • Sky Priority Security removed

I was pretty surprised to see Centurion Lounge access added to this card but it does come with some restrictions. For example, you only get it when flying Delta with a ticket purchased on your Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card. As for guest access, you can pay $50 per guest for up to two guests. 

The two one-time guest passes to the Delta Sky Club is interesting. This card comes with Delta Sky Club access but the perk will give you two passes you can use for guests which is a nice way to save and keep your group together when traveling.  

If you meet the $120,000 spend threshold (and earn 60,000 MQMs), you’ll earn Delta Gold Medallion status. That’s a lot of spend but I always find it interesting when you can pick up an airline status with no actual flying. Here’s the Delta elite requirements for your reference. 

Medallion TierMQMs or MQSs requirementMQDs requirement (only for US residents)
Silver25,000 MQMs or 30 MQSs$3,000 MQDs
Gold50,000 MQMs or 60 MQSs$6,000 MQDs
Platinum75,000 MQMs or 100 MQSs$9,000 MQDs
Diamond125,000 MQMs or 140 MQSs$15,000 MQDs

The complimentary upgrades are interesting but I’m wondering what the upgrade odds will be for most cardholders who don’t have Medallion status.

My guess is very low on most routes, but upgrades to Delta Comfort+ might be common? I do think it’s cool that apparently Reserve cardholders will get priority over other members in the event of a “status tie”

Overall, it’s a hard sell at $550 to me given that the The Platinum Card® from American Express offers way better lounge access but big spenders might be attracted to automatic status via spend. 

Hong Kong Centurion Lounge.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express

  • 15,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in your first 3 months.

The no-annual fee Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express Card is also getting 2X on Delta and restaurants worldwide (previously is was U.S. only). It will also lose foreign transaction fees (previously it was 2.7% per transaction).

Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express

Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express

  • 60,000 miles you spend $2,000 in your first three months 
  • 10,000 bonus miles after your first anniversary

Positive changes: 

  • 2x on restaurants & U.S. supermarkets (up from 1X)
  • 2x on U.S. advertising & U.S. shipping (up from 1X)
  • $100 Delta flight credit after $10,000 in spend within a calendar year

Negative changes: 

  • MQD Waiver benefit was removed on December 31st, 2019
  • Delta Sky Club access for $29/visit will be removed
  • Annual fee increased from $95 to $99

The only differences with the business cards are changes related to bonus spend rewards. I’ve bolded them so that they stand out.

Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express

  • 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months
  • 20,000 bonus miles after your first anniversary

Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express

Positive changes: 

  • 3X on Delta (up from 2X)
  • 3X on hotels (up from 1X)
  • 1.5X on purchases over $5,000 (up to 50,000 miles)
  • Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check credit (every four years)

Negative changes: 

  • Delta Sky Club visit fee increase from $29 to $39
  • Annual fee increased from $195 to $250

Reserve Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express

Reserve Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express

  • 80,000 bonus miles and 20,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $5,000 in your first 3 months.
  • 20,000 bonus miles after your first anniversary

Positive changes: 

  • Centurion Lounge Access 
  • 3x miles on Delta spend (currently 2x)
  • 1.5X on all purchases after $150,000 spending
  • Global Entry or TSA Pre  Fee Credit
  • Addition of 2 Delta Sky Club One-Time Guest Passes
  • Access To Complimentary Upgrades
  • Additional 15,000 bonus Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending both $90,000 and $120,000 in a calendar year

Negative changes:

  • Annual fee increased from $450 to $550
  • Miles Boost to be replaced with Status Boost
  • Sky Priority Security will end January 29th, 2019

Final word 

These new changes have both positive and negative sides but I’d wager most view them as negative changes due to the increased AFs and lost benefits. The new bonus categories are cool but only really matter for heavy spenders. 

Delta Gold Medallion Benefits Review (Lounge Access, Qualification, Sky Priority) [2020]

Delta Gold Medallion elite status is the second tier of status in the Medallion SkyMiles program. It offers some of the same perks as Silver Medallion status, but the benefits become more serious at this level like receiving SkyTeam Elite Plus status, lounge access, and slightly better chances of receiving an upgrade to First Class. In this article, I will review the benefits of Gold Medallion status and see if it’s worth it.

Interested in finding out the top travel credit cards for this month? Click here to check them out!

What is Delta Gold Medallion status?

Delta Gold Medallion status is Delta’s lowest tier status that offers SkyTeam Elite Plus status, which gives you Sky Priority and business class lounge access. Gold Medallion status is an upgrade compared to Silver Medallion status for a more enjoyable and seamless ground experience.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Delta Silver Medallion qualification requirements

To become a Delta Gold Medallion, you will notice that the requirements are double of Silver Medallion status requirements. You will need to complete the following requirements:

  • 50,000 MQMs (Medallion Qualification Miles) or 60 MQSs (Medallion Qualification Segments)
  • $6,000 MQDs (Medallion Qualification Dollars) or MQD waiver

In comparison, here are the other requirements for all tiers of status for Delta:

Medallion TierMQMs or MQSs requirementMQSs requirement (only for US residents)
Silver25,000 MQMs or 30 MQSs$3,000 MQDs
Gold50,000 MQMs or 60 MQSs$6,000 MQDs
Platinum75,000 MQMs or 100 MQSs$9,000 MQDs
Diamond125,000 MQMs or 140 MQSs$15,000 MQDs

The MQD requirements for Silver Medallion, Gold Medallion, and Platinum Medallion will be waived when you spend at least $25,000 on any of Delta co-branded credit cards. For Diamond Medallion you will have to spend $250,000 on any of Delta’s co-branded credit cards to get the MQD requirement waived.

By the way, if you’re looking to cut down on your travel expenses with a credit card, consider getting a card like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. It offers an early spend bonus worth $500 in travel after meeting the minimum spend and is great to cancel out all sorts of travel expenses.

Delta Status Match Challenge

Delta has a detailed chart for their status match challenge, and if your airline elite program is not on the chart, you can still submit it when you enroll for the status match challenge. You can enroll in the status match challenge here.

Once you enroll, it will usually take 5 business days, but up to 2 weeks if needed. After they have completed their review and determined if you’re qualified, you will have the status for 90 days. If you want to extend your status, you will have to complete a certain amount of requirements during those 90 days. Here are the requirements:

“If you enroll in the challenge between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018 and you complete the requirements, your Medallion Status will be extended through January 31, 2019.

If you enroll in the challenge on or after July 1, 2018 and you complete the requirements, your Medallion Status will be extended through January 31, 2020.” Source: Delta

Delta makes it easy to do their challenge. You can fly any of their partners, and those MQMs, MQSs, and MQDs will count towards extending your status. Plus, the Delta co-branded credit cards will still waive the MQD requirement if you spend $25,000 on their credit cards.

Gold Medallion upgrades and preferred seats

Delta Gold Medallion status gives you a slightly greater chance of receiving an upgrade to First Class or Comfort+. While you won’t be flying First Class every time, the slightly greater odds won’t hurt anyone.

Unlimited Complimentary Upgrades

As a Gold Medallion, you and a companion are eligible for upgrades to First Class and Delta Comfort+ beginning 72 hours prior to departure on Delta marketed flights. On select Aeromexico operated flights you are eligible for upgrades to Clase Premier beginning 72 hours prior to departure. On the day of departure, you are eligible for Delta One operated within the 50 states.

The main difference is getting upgrades 72 hours prior to departure. Meaning it’s possible to receive upgrades to First Class, Clase Premier, and Comfort+ a whole 3 days before your flight. In comparison, Silver Medallions will only be able to receive upgrades 24 hours prior to the flight.

For Delta One flights within the 50 states, you will only be eligible to receive an upgrade 24 hours in advance (the same as Silver Medallion, Gold will have priority over Silvers). Delta One routes like LAX to JFK are very competitive for complimentary upgrades, so don’t bank on it to receive an upgrade as a Gold Medallion. Receiving upgrades for Delta One is very rare.

(Do note: you aren’t able to receive upgrades to Delta Premium Select seats. That means on newly configured international flights without Comfort+ you won’t have access to better seats than preferred seats on planes like the A350.)

Fares that are eligible are all paid fares (except E fares), Award Tickets, Miles + Cash, Pay with Miles tickets, and Companion Certificates.

It’s a little ironic that I have never actually taken a picture of Delta First Class. (Photo credit: Delta)

As a Gold Medallion, your odds of getting upgrades are slightly greater. You won’t be upgraded every time to First Class, and even Platinum Medallions don’t get upgrades every time. As a Gold Medallion myself, I have only flown 3 domestic flights this calendar year that are eligible for upgrades and received one First Class upgrade and 2 Comfort+ upgrades. I would take that with a grain of salt, but compared to my years as a Silver Medallion the odds are better.

Preferred seating

Any Medallion member can pick any seat when booking a main cabin seat including exit rows, seats near the front of the cabin, or bulkhead seats. This is a nice benefit since you are able to select those exit row seats, which sometimes have more legroom than Comfort+ seats.

SkyTeam Elite Plus status

Probably the biggest benefit of Gold Medallion status is SkyTeam Elite Plus status on any SkyTeam member airline, which includes Delta. SkyTeam Elite Plus status gives you benefits like Sky Priority and business class lounge access. SkyTeam Elite Plus is similar to Star Alliance Gold or OneWorld Sapphire.

SkyTeam member airlines

Here is the full list of benefits:

  • Business class lounge access
  • Guaranteed reservations on sold-out flights
  • Sky Priority recognition
  • Priority at transfer desks
  • Priority at immigration and security lanes
  • Extra baggage handling
  • Priority baggage handling
  • Priority check-in
  • Priority seating
  • Priority boarding
  • Priority airport standby

(Bold is SkyTeam Elite Plus status benefits compared to the unbold which is SkyTeam Elite status.)

The most notable benefit is business class lounge access. Any SkyTeam member airline lounge is accessible while flying a SkyTeam airline. You can bring one guest with you to the lounge and enjoy some of those drinks.

Sky Priority

Sky Priority, aka fast track, is a significant benefit that helps save time and makes traveling easier. While flying Delta or another SkyTeam member airline, you get priority at security, immigration, check-in, transfer desks, boarding, and even get your baggage faster.

You can also get priority while flying partners like Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia.

Sky Priority boarding FCO

Extra baggage handling

Need to check-in a bag? You will get one bag for free flying any SkyTeam member airline.

On Delta’s partners GOL, Virgin Atlantic, and Virgin Australia you will also get one free bag.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Sky Club and lounge access

Gold Medallions can access Sky Clubs and partner lounges when flying on Delta or airline partners when it’s an international itinerary.

Sky Club access

You can gain access to Sky Clubs when your itinerary includes international flights. Example: if you are flying from Orlando to Tokyo via Detroit, you can access Sky Clubs in Orlando and Detroit. If your flight is Tokyo to Orlando via Detroit, you can access Sky Clubs in Tokyo and Detroit.

However, Delta considers only Europe, Asia, South America, Central America, Africa, Canada, And Mexico international destinations. Caribbean, Guam, Palau, and Saipan aren’t eligible destinations for Sky Club access.

Partner lounge access

You will have lounge access to any of the airlines within the SkyTeam alliance when flying on international itineraries.

You will also have access to GOL, Virgin Atlantic (US lounges only), and Virgin Australia lounges when flying on international itineraries.

KLM Crown Lounge 52 AMS

Other benefits

As a Gold Medallion you can get other benefits that are worth noting and make traveling much easier like:

  • Waived same-day confirmed fees
  • Waived same-day standby fees
  • Dedicated phone line
  • Clear membership discount
  • Hertz Five Star status
  • Delta Vacation savings
  • 8 miles per dollar spent
  • Rollover MQMs
  • Priority waitlist

Waived same-day confirmed and standby fees

Waived same-day standby fees matter a lot to me. If you had to go on standby for an earlier flight, it makes a difference not to pay those fees and get home earlier.

Dedicated Medallion phone line

As a Medallion member, you have access to the Medallion phone line. The Gold Medallion reservations phone number is +1-(800)-325-1551.

Award miles bonus

As a Gold Medallion, you will receive 8 miles per dollar instead of the standard 5 miles per dollar that general SkyMiles members receive.

Since you will be earning more SkyMiles, you should read up the best ways to redeem your Delta SkyMiles.

MQMs rollover

For any Medallion member, your leftover MQMs will rollover to the next calendar year. If you have 60,000 MQMs at the end of the calendar year after qualifying for Gold Medallion (50,000 MQMs requirement), you will have 10,000 MQMs rollovers since those are considered leftovers that couldn’t reach the next status.

As a Medallion member myself, I try to strategize my flights around this benefit. I rather have lots more MQMs rollover than a few.

Clear membership discount

CLEAR is a wonderful service that allows you to cut to the front of regular TSA or TSA-precheck lines. Diamond Medallions can receive CLEAR for free. Silver, Gold, and Platinum Medallion members can get a CLEAR membership for $79 a year. This benefit is only useful if you want to save time and if CLEAR is at your airport.

You can read more about CLEAR here.

Delta Vacations savings

As a Medallion member, you can receive discounts when booking Delta Vacations. The discounts aren’t huge but could make a difference if you find a deal on Delta Vacations.

Priority waitlist

You can get ahead of the waitlist on paid tickets if your class of service is not available when making a reservation.

Delta Gold Medallion vs. United Premier Gold status

There are a few differences between the two programs second tiered status.

The first difference is how early upgrades can be confirmed. Gold Medallion upgrades can clear 72 hours prior to departure, but for Premier Gold it’s 48 hours prior to departure. Gold Medallions are also eligible to receive upgrades to Delta One within the 50 states, unlike Premier Gold.

Both of these don’t mean you’re more likely to receive an upgrade with Gold Medallion over Premier Gold; it just means your upgrade might clear sooner and have the added benefit of getting a rare upgrade for Delta One within the 50 states. (There is a lot of factors for upgrades, so take this with a grain of salt.)

The second difference, Premier Gold members get Marriott Gold status, while Delta doesn’t give any benefits or status for a hotel.

So in the end, both of these programs are very similar. The deciding factor will most likely come down to the route network. For me, Delta works for me since DTW is my base, but if I were based out of IAH than United would be better.

Daniel wrote a great article about United Premier Gold here.

Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card + Gold Medallion status

Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card
  • Welcome bonus up to 70,000 miles + 10,000 MQMs after meeting the minimum spend requirement
  • 2 miles per dollar on Delta purchases
  • Priority boarding
  • First checked bag free (learn more)
  • 20% off in-flight purchases
  • Annual fee $195 (not waived)
  • 1 time economy companion pass
  • Annual miles and MQMs after spend requirement

The Platinum Delta credit card and Gold Medallion status is a great combination. The card comes in handy for earning MQMs and bonus miles. Spend $25,000 a year and have the MQD requirement waived, earn 10,000 MQMs and 10,000 miles. Spend a total $50,000 a year and have another 10,000 MQMs and 10,000 miles added to your account. The companion pass is a great benefit that I use every year to buy one ticket and get the second one free plus tax.

I recommend reading our guide to applying for Amex cards here.

Final word

Delta Gold Medallion status is a huge step up regarding benefits compared to Silver Medallion. While I wouldn’t bank on getting First Class upgrades, the chances become slightly greater compared to Silver Medallion. However, lounge access and Sky Priority makes a huge difference regarding a nicer flying experience making it more enjoyable and faster to get your way through the airport and relax.

New Delta Limited Time Offers! (60,000+ Until July 2, 2019)

American Express just released new limited time offers for the Delta co-branded credit cards that expire on July 2, 2019! These new offers are great because they are much higher than the standard welcome offers that go out for the Delta credit cards — in some cases twice as high!

American Express Membership Rewards also transfer to Delta so with these new higher welcome bonuses, it’s extremely easy to accumulate Delta miles in a hurry. But should you apply for these limited time offers or wait it out?

Offers no longer available.

Read before applying for Delta cards

As nice as these Delta offers are, you might want to pass up on them for now. If you are under 5/24 (you have NOT opened up five accounts in the past 24 months) then there are much better cards to jump on for most people interested in the best travel rewards.

For many people, it would make much more sense to jump the new 60,000 point offer for the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Or you might even go for a heavy hitter like the Chase Ink Preferred with its ultra-high 80,000 point offer. The Sapphire Reserve and Chase Ink Cash could be great options as well. Aside from having great bonuses and bonus earning potential these cards are worth looking at because you can’t get approved for these cards if you’ve opened up five or more accounts in the past 24 months. 

These limited-time Delta offers come around seasonly so you can pretty much always expect them to return (though of course we never know for sure what will happen in the future). So if you became ineligible for a Chase card with a great offer like a 60K or 80K bonus just to snag a Delta offer that will likely come back around, that would be a very bad credit card strategy.

How to maximize Delta miles

If you’re already over 5/24, these offers can be great. I personally jumped on the Delta Gold and Delta Platinum Cards a while back and used miles to fly in business class on Virgin Atlantic to London, while only paying like $5 in fees. Even though you have to deal with dynamic pricing, there’s a lot of value to be had with Delta SkyMiles. If you are at all interested in the Delta cards, I highly suggest that you check out our article on the 15 best ways to maximize Delta miles.

Limited time offers for Delta Cards

American Express Delta Gold SkyMiles

  • 60,000 Delta mile welcome bonus after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening and $50 statement credit after your first Delta purchase (within the same timeframe).
  • Click here to learn more about this card. 

American Express Delta Platinum Credit Card 

  • Earn 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) and 75,000 Delta miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months.
  • Plus, earn a $100 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 3 months.
  • Click here to learn more about this card. 

American Express Delta Reserve Credit Card

  • Earn 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) and 75,000 Delta miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months.
  • Click here to learn more about this card. 
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