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If you want to earn elite status in the Delta Air Lines SkyMiles program, you'll want to familiarize yourself with Medallion Qualification Dollars, or MQDs for short. MQDs are Delta's only status-earning metric, and you won't find yourself among the airline's elite ranks unless you earn a lot of them.
Here's everything you need to know about Medallion Qualification Dollars and how to earn them.
Page Contents
What Is a Medallion Qualification Dollar?
Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) are Delta's sole status-earning metric. In short, MQDs track how much you've spent on Delta flights, vacation packages, and select co-branded American Express credit cards. The only path to Delta elite status is to earn MQDs.
Travelers used to have an option of earning Delta status via Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) and Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs), but not anymore. These metrics were removed in 2023's overhaul of the SkyMiles program.
Medallion Qualification Dollar Requirements
To earn Delta Medallion status in 2025 (or 2026), you need to meet the following MQD requirements:
- Silver Medallion: $5,000 MQDs
- Gold Medallion: $10,000 MQDs
- Platinum Medallion: $15,000 MQDs
- Diamond Medallion: $28,000 MQDs
How to Earn Delta MQDs in 2025
Delta SkyMiles members have five primary ways to earn MQDs. Here's an overview of each way.
Earn by flying Delta and partner airlines
Flying earns you $1 MQD per dollar spent on the ticket price for Delta-marketed flights operated by Delta or one of its many partner airlines. Unfortunately, Delta basic economy fares do not earn any MQDs.
Partner-marketed flights earn Delta MQDs based on the distance of the flight, fare booking class, and applicable earning rate. This rate varies between Delta partners.
For example, take an Aeromexico business class ticket from Seattle (SEA) to Santiago, Chile (SCL) via Mexico City (MEX). This routing covers a total of 12,833 flight miles, and Delta uses a 30% MQD earning rate for non-full-fare business class tickets. That means you'll earn around 3,850 MQDs round-trip — regardless of how much you pay for the ticket.
Flying is still the most straightforward way to Delta MQDs and elite status. However, if you book a lot of travel through Delta, you'll want to hold a co-branded credit card. It'll expedite your path to status immensely.
Delta credit cards
Select Delta American Express cards offer bonus MQDs for spending plus a “headstart” just for holding the card. Presently, you can earn MQDs on the following Delta cards through the so-called “MQD Boost”:
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Earn $1 MQD for every $20 spent on the card.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Earn $1 MQD for every $10 spent on the card.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: Earn $1 MQD for every $20 spent on the card.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Earn $1 MQD for every $10 spent on the card.
And if you hold one of the aforementioned Delta credit cards, you'll also receive $2,500 “MQD Headstart” per card you carry in your wallet. The MQDs earned from the headstart will count towards the current status qualification year, and you get them each year you hold the card.
For example, if you carry the Platinum Delta Amex or its small business equivalent, you'll be 25% of the way to Delta Gold Medallion when the head start posts to your SkyMiles account — assuming you haven't earned any MQDs elsewhere. Or, if you happen to have both of the Platinum-level cards, you'll be halfway there.
(Terms apply)
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 3X miles per dollar at hotels
- 2X miles per dollar at U.S. supermarkets
- 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
(Terms apply)
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 1X miles on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 1.5X miles per dollar on eligible transit, U.S. shipping, and U.S. office supply store purchases, plus all eligible purchases after spending $150K per calendar year
- 1 mile on every dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Related: Can I Receive Welcome Offers From Multiple Delta Amex Cards?
Earn on award redemptions
If you don't want to pay for a revenue fare, you can still earn MQDs on award tickets. You'll earn 1 MQD per 100 miles redeemed. So, if you book a flight for 100,000 SkyMiles, you'll earn 1,000 MQDs. This method of earning MQDs is only helpful if you have enough SkyMiles in the first place. Luckily, you can transfer your American Express Membership Rewards at a 1:1 ratio to top off your redemption.
Again, basic economy award tickets don't earn any MQDs.
Related: Earn While You Burn — Airlines That Offer Elite Status Credits on Award Travel
Book travel through Delta Vacations
When booking Delta Vacations packages, you'll earn $1 MQD per dollar spent on the total package value, excluding taxes, fees, and basic economy fares. If you're after Medallion status and in need of a vacation, booking through Delta might be the way to go.
You can also leverage MQD promotions when Delta releases them. Depending on the promo, you could earn bonus MQDs on hotel, rental car, and/or vacation rental reservations. These earnings come on top of the $1 MQD per dollar you'll already earn.
Elevate Your Status
Through December 31, 2025, you can make a one-time purchase of MQDs to reach the next tier of status. All proceeds go to Delta’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) program. You'll need to meet a certain threshold of MQDs to be able to participate:
- SkyMiles member to Silver: $4,500 to $4,999 MQDs
- Silver to Gold: $9,000 to $9,999 MQDs
- Gold to Platinum: $13,500 to $14,999 MQDs
- Platinum to Diamond: $25,500 to $27,999 MQDs
In other words, you need to be close to reaching the next tier of status to participate. Each $100 MQDs will cost $300 USD, so it's not the most affordable option to reach status. However, if you are just a few hundred MQDs from the next tier and you can't squeeze in a last-minute trip, it's an option. Luckily, this is just one of many last-minute ways to lock in Delta Medallion elite status.
Final Thoughts
Although some argue Delta's elite status has declined in quality over recent years, Delta Medallion Status still offers plenty of benefits to loyal customers. If you want to enjoy these benefits, you'll want to understand the requirements to get them — including being familiar with earning Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs). After all, MQDs are the only way to get Delta status.
- Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Receive a Companion Certificate on a Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $20 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Resy Credit: Get up to $10 in statement credits each month after you pay with your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: earn up to $10 in statement credits each month after using your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights and save up to $70 per person on a round-trip Delta flight.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $350 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 3X miles per dollar at hotels
- 2X miles per dollar at U.S. supermarkets
- 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Rates & Fees), and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card (Rates & Fees)
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