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Of the four Delta SkyMiles elite tiers you can spend your way to, Delta Gold Medallion shines brightest as the program's elite status sweet spot. From bonus miles to complimentary upgrades to free luggage and more, there are good reasons why you should set your sights on Gold if you want Delta status.
Here's why Gold Medallion is Delta's elite status sweet spot.
Delta Gold Medallion Benefits
After reaching Delta Gold, you can enjoy the following perks:
Bonus SkyMiles on flights
Earn 8x redeemable Delta SkyMiles per dollar spent on base fares and carrier-imposed surcharges. Basic Economy tickets are not eligible for earning SkyMiles.
Related: Do Delta SkyMiles Expire?
Complimentary upgrades
Delta Golds plus one companion are eligible for unlimited complimentary upgrades to domestic first class and Delta Comfort+, starting 72 hours before departure — on all tickets except Basic Economy ones. You're also eligible for upgrades to domestic Delta One on the day of departure.
Gold Medallions also can receive complimentary upgrades on select Aeromexico flights.
Access to preferred seats
Request preferred seats at the time of booking free of charge.
Free checked bag
When traveling on Delta and select partners, you can check your first bag for free. The benefit extends to up to eight companions on your reservation, who can check their first bag for free on Delta flights.
Waived ticket change fees
You can switch your ticket to another flight on the original day of departure free of charge as long as your request is made within 24 hours of your original departure time.
Priority airport services
As a Gold Medallion, enjoy access to priority check-in counters, fast-track security, priority boarding, and expedited baggage services.
SkyTeam Elite Plus status
Delta belongs to the SkyTeam alliance, which has nearly 20 member airlines. And just by earning Delta Gold, you'll have access to reciprocal benefits across other SkyTeam carriers, courtesy of complimentary SkyTeam Elite Plus status. Benefits of SkyTeam Elite Plus include an extra baggage allowance, priority services, access to SkyTeam airport lounges, and more.
Hertz benefits
As a Delta Gold, you'll be awarded complimentary Hertz Five Star status. On top of that, you'll also earn six miles per dollar spent on the base rental car reservation rate on Hertz bookings made through Delta's website.
Dedicated phone line
You'll get high-priority phone service when calling Delta. Note that Platinum Medallions and Diamond Medallions will still receive higher priority.
Savings on Delta Vacation packages
On purchases of Delta Vacation packages, you can save up to $350 depending on the package's total cost — even if you choose to pay with SkyMiles. The savings are broken down as follows:
- $50 savings on packages costing $1,250–$2,499
- $100 savings on packages costing $2,500–$3,999
- $150 savings on packages costing $4,000–$6,999
- $350 savings on packages costing $7,000+
Related: Delta SkyMiles Now Worth More Toward Vacations
Preferred pricing on a CLEAR Plus membership
Instead of paying $199 annually for a CLEAR Plus membership, Delta offers a discounted rate of $159 for its Gold Medallion members.
Related: Get a Discounted CLEAR Plus Membership With Delta or United Status
Drink vouchers
Enjoy four complimentary drink vouchers that you can cash in on a Delta flight.
Physical bag tags
Delta will send you physical bag tags to show off your Gold Medallion status.
How To Earn Delta Gold Medallion Status
In a semi-recent update to the SkyMiles program, Delta changed the game and made status earning dependent on earning Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs). In short, if you want Delta Gold, or any other status for that matter, you'll need to spend money with Delta.
The requirement for earning Delta Gold in 2024 is $10,000 MQDs. Thankfully, there are a few ways to earn MQDs and plenty of shortcuts to exploit. Here are a few ways:
- Earn $1 MQD per dollar spent on the ticket price for Delta-marketed flights operated by Delta or one of its many partner airlines. Basic Economy fares do not earn MQDs.
- Earn MQDs by spending on eligible co-branded American Express cards at the following rates:
- 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.
- Purchase a vacation package and earn $1 MQD per dollar spent on the total package value, excluding taxes and fees.
- Leverage MQD promotions when Delta releases them, such as this one, where you can earn bonus MQDs on hotel, rental car, and vacation rental reservations.
If you hold one of the aforementioned Delta credit cards, you'll also receive a “headstart” of $2,500 MQDs per card each year. The MQDs earned from the headstart will count towards the current status qualification year.
How To Get Delta Gold Medallion Status for Life
As a perk of Delta's Million Miler program, Gold Medallion is yours for life after accruing one million flight miles. Mileage flown on Basic Economy fares will not count towards your Million Miler status.
To check your progress, log into your Delta SkyMiles account and look for the “Million Miler Status” square.
Is It Worth Earning Delta Gold Medallion Status?
In light of the recent changes to the SkyMiles program, it's easy to see why earning Delta Gold might not be worth the cost of investment. Loyalty isn't really a two-way street anymore. Plus, you're all but required to pick up a Delta American Express credit card to get status. We can't blame you if you don't want to reward your everyday or small business spending with SkyMiles.
SkyMiles are a hard currency to love. Sure, there's value in some redemptions, like short-haul domestic routes and partner flights that don't touch the United States. However, you'll also have to contend with astronomical pricing for desirable itineraries. Ultimately, the bonus SkyMiles you'll earn on flights may or may not be a value add. It depends on what you want to do with your miles.
The complimentary perks you'll pick up as a Delta Gold are also notable. A free checked bag and the ability to select a preferred seat can make a trip a bit more comfortable and affordable. And as a Gold Medallion, you can access Sky Priority check-in counters, so you'll save some time by not waiting in long lines.
You can pick up many noteworthy perks by carrying a Delta credit card
But if you check your notes, a good handful of the perks that make Delta Gold worth a look are also available via Delta's credit cards. For example, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card offers a free checked bag, priority boarding, in-flight discounts, and a 15% discount on Delta award bookings. Even better, you don't need to earn thousands of MQDs to get those perks. The card carries a reasonable $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (Rates & Fees).
It's worth listing the perks you want on Delta flights and exploring the cheapest way to get them. For many, carrying a Delta credit card is all that's required to make each journey a little more comfortable.
And we'd be remiss not to mention complimentary upgrades to Delta Comfort Plus and domestic first class. While you won't join the waitlist by holding a credit card, you will if you have status. And there's an overwhelming chance you'll just remain on the waitlist unless lightning strikes and you're lucky enough to move closer to the front of the plane.
- Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Enjoy a $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold 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.
- $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
- Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- You can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $70 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that's a potential savings of up to $280 per round-trip flight.
- Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- $100 Delta Stays Credit: Get up to $100 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
- 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
- 2X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 2X miles per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets
- 2X miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1X miles on all other eligible purchases
Final Thoughts
If Delta is your airline of choice, pushing for Gold Medallion status might be worth the effort — emphasis on might. You'll want to thoroughly evaluate what perks you desire on your Delta flights and explore the cheapest way to get them. For many, the perks are satisfied by a co-branded credit card with a reasonable annual fee.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (Rates & Fees)
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