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A few years ago, Delta Air Lines overhauled its elite status requirements, frustrating many frequent travelers. Now that the dust has settled, it’s welcome news that Delta is leaving those requirements in place for 2026.
Below, we take a close look at Delta Medallion elite status — what it offers, what it costs, and how much value it really delivers. While the path to earning Medallion status has changed, there are still ways to qualify without paying full price.
Whether you’re aiming for elite status for the first time or planning to re-qualify, this guide walks through how Delta Medallion status works and when it’s actually worth pursuing. We’ll also break down each tier so you can decide whether chasing status aligns with your travel habits.
Page Contents
Overview of Delta Medallion Elite Status
The Delta SkyMiles program rewards loyal flyers (and spenders) with Medallion elite status, unlocking perks designed to make flying more comfortable and efficient — both on Delta and its partner airlines.
To earn Delta Medallion status, you'll have to collect Medallion Qualification Dollars.
Delta Medallion status requirements
- Silver Medallion: earn $5,000 MQDs
- Gold Medallion: earn $10,000 MQDs
- Platinum Medallion: earn $15,000 MQDs
- Diamond Medallion: earn $28,000 MQDs
In addition to these published tiers, Delta also offers an even higher tier known as Delta 360. However, this exclusive status is available by invitation only, and Delta does not disclose the criteria for eligibility.
How long is Delta's elite status qualification window?
You must earn the required MQDs within a single calendar year (January 1 through December 31). Once you qualify, your status becomes active immediately and remains valid through January 31 of the second year following qualification.
For example, earning Gold Medallion status on June 15, 2026 would keep you covered through January 31, 2028. This would let you enjoy elite benefits for over a year and a half.
How to Earn MQDs for Medallion Status
Flying is the most straightforward way to earn MQDs, but it’s far from the only option. Let’s break down all the ways to earn MQDs and unlock Medallion status.
Earning MQDs by flying
For Delta-marketed flights (including those operated by partners), you earn 1 MQD per dollar spent on airfare, excluding taxes and fees. A $500 ticket with $60 in taxes would therefore earn 440 MQDs.
Basic Economy fares are excluded — they do not earn MQDs, redeemable SkyMiles, or Million Miler credit.
Award flights, however, earn $1 MQD per 100 SkyMiles redeemed. For example, redeeming 25,000 SkyMiles for a ticket will generate $250 MQDs. Delta is just one of a few airlines offering elite status credits on award travel.
For partner flights booked through partner channels, MQDs are calculated based on fare class and distance flown. Premium cabin fares generally earn more than economy fares. To calculate potential MQDs from partner flights, refer to Delta’s partner accrual charts, as each airline has its own earning table.
You can track your progress toward Medallion status through your SkyMiles account dashboard, which also reflects pending travel once it’s ticketed.
Earning MQDs through credit cards
Delta’s co-branded American Express cards provide a pathway to earn elite status without flying. With enough spend on your credit cards, it's possible to achieve top-tier Diamond Medallion status without ever stepping foot on a plane.
Four Delta credit cards offer MQDs on spending at the following rates:
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: Earn $1 MQD for every $20 spent on the card.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Earn $1 MQD for every $10 spent on the card — that's twice as fast as the Platinum-branded cards.
$350Rates & Fees
(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.
$650Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 1X miles on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
In addition, these cards offer an MQD Headstart, granting 2,500 MQDs per card each year. Holding multiple cards stacks this benefit, allowing up to 10,000 MQDs annually with all four.
Here’s a more realistic example. Holding one Platinum and one Reserve card starts you at 5,000 MQDs — enough for Silver Medallion. Spending $75,000 on the Reserve card earns another 7,500 MQDs, bringing the total to 12,500 MQDs. That still leaves you short of Platinum status, and if you’re not flying Delta enough to close the gap, it’s worth reconsidering whether elite status is worth the effort.
Related: All Delta Credit Card Options and How to Choose the Right Card for You
Benefits of Delta Elite Status
Delta Medallion status comes with a wide range of perks, from priority services to complimentary upgrades. Here’s how each tier compares.
Silver Medallion
- 7x miles per dollar spent on Delta flights (40% boost over the standard 5x)
- Complimentary upgrades to Comfort or First Class as early as 24 hours before departure (excluding Basic Economy)
- Complimentary Delta One upgrades within the U.S. on the day of departure (excluding Basic Economy)
- One free checked bag for you and up to eight companions
- Complimentary preferred seats, priority check-in, priority phone service, and priority boarding (Zone 5)
- Hertz Five Star elite status
Related: The Best Ways to Redeem Delta SkyMiles for Great Value
Gold Medallion
- 8x miles per dollar spent on Delta flights (60% boost over the standard 5x)
- Complimentary First Class upgrades as early as 72 hours before departure (Basic Economy fares excluded)
- Complimentary Delta One upgrades within the U.S. on the day of departure (Basic Economy fares excluded)
- One free checked bag for you and up to eight companions
- Four inflight drink vouchers
- Waived same-day confirmed change fees (when eligible)
- Complimentary preferred seats, priority check-in, priority phone service, and priority boarding (Zone 4)
- SkyTeam Elite Plus status
- Hertz Five Star elite status
Platinum Medallion
- 9x miles per dollar spent on Delta flights (80% boost over the standard 5x)
- One Choice Benefit selection
- Access to complimentary Comfort seats shortly after ticketing
- First Class upgrades starting 120 hours before departure (Basic Economy fares excluded)
- Complimentary Delta One upgrades within the U.S. on the day of departure (Basic Economy fares excluded)
- One free checked bag for you and up to eight companions
- Four inflight drink vouchers
- Waived same-day confirmed change fees (when eligible)
- Complimentary preferred seats, priority check-in, priority phone service, and priority boarding (Zone 4)
- SkyTeam Elite Plus status
- Hertz President's Circle elite status
Diamond Medallion
- 11x miles per dollar spent on Delta flights (120% boost over the standard 5x)
- Three Choice Benefit selections, including Global Upgrade Certificates
- Access to complimentary Comfort seats shortly after ticketing
- Priority First Class upgrades starting 120 hours before departure (Basic Economy fares excluded)
- Complimentary Delta One upgrades within the U.S. on the day of departure (Basic Economy fares excluded)
- One free checked bag for you and up to eight companions
- Four inflight drink vouchers
- Waived same-day confirmed change fees (when eligible)
- Complimentary preferred seats, priority check-in, VIP phone service, and priority boarding (Zone 2)
- Complimentary CLEAR® Plus membership
- SkyTeam Elite Plus status
- Hertz President's Circle elite status
Delta Choice Benefits for Platinum and Diamond
Delta updated its Choice Benefits beginning February 1, 2026. For the 2026 Medallion year (earned from 2025 activity), members have until January 31, 2027, to make their selections.
Upgrade certificates typically deliver the most value — if you can use them. Bonus miles or credits may also make sense, but gifting status is rarely worthwhile given the overlapping perks available through Delta credit cards.
The MQD Accelerator can help with re-qualification, and Diamond members can select a Sky Club membership. That option is less compelling if you already carry a premium Delta credit card that includes lounge access.
Delta Million Miler status
Delta’s Million Miler program rewards lifetime flight miles with permanent elite status:
- 1 million miles flown with Delta: Gold Medallion
- 2 million miles flown with Delta: Platinum Medallion
- 3 million miles flown with Delta: Diamond Medallion
- 5 million miles flown with Delta: Annual invitation to Delta 360
In addition to the status perks, Delta will also provide you with a million miler gift when you meet each threshold.
Is Delta Medallion Status Worth It?
Delta Medallion status can provide valuable perks, but it's not always worth pursuing. Earning elite status makes sense if you travel frequently for work (especially if your employer covers the cost) or are based in a Delta hub and fly the airline often. If lounge access, first-class upgrades, and a smoother travel experience are something you value, chasing status could be worthwhile.
However, pursuing Medallion status isn’t always a smart move. If you live near an airport with multiple airlines, you may be able to unlock better benefits through another program. Additionally, if you choose flights based on the cheapest fares, this won't always be the case with Delta.
Generally speaking, it's not worth the effort to go out of your way to earn a lower-tier status, like Silver Medallion. The main benefits — waived baggage fees and occasional Comfort upgrades — can easily be matched by holding a Delta credit card like the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
(Terms apply)
- Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 20,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- 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.
- When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, you can earn: 2X miles on Delta Purchases, 2X miles at restaurants, 2X miles at U.S. supermarkets, 1X miles on all other eligible purchases. Every mile you earn brings you closer to the places you want to go. Turn them into your next trip, use them for seat upgrades, and more.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights and save up to $70 per person on a round-trip Delta 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.
- Want even more flexibility? 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. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- 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.
- 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
Delta Gold Medallion status offers a few additional perks, such as waived same-day change fees and SkyTeam Elite Plus status (which is helpful for international travel), but domestic upgrades are still something of a pipe dream.
The value proposition of Medallion status changes at the Platinum and Diamond levels. These tiers unlock Choice Benefits, like Regional and Global Upgrade Certificates, which let you confirm upgrades ahead of time instead of relying on complimentary upgrades that may or may not clear.
Diamond Medallion, in particular, comes with even more perks and upgrade opportunities, which has the potential to make frequent travel better and more rewarding. However, it also expensive to earn.
Bottom Line
The value of Delta Medallion status depends on how often you fly and how much you care about premium travel perks. Credit card spending can accelerate your progress, but it comes with opportunity costs — those dollars could earn higher returns elsewhere.
That said, Delta’s MQD Headstart and spending boosts make re-qualification easier if you’re already close. For frequent Delta flyers who carry premium cards, these tools can help bridge the gap to the next tier.
Ultimately, pursuing Medallion status is a balancing act. If the perks align with your travel patterns, and the price feels right, it can be worth the effort.
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® Gold American Express Card (Rates & Fees)
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