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Delta Air Lines overhauled its status qualification metrics for 2024, frustrating many frequent travelers. Now that the dust has settled — and it seems Delta is leaving these requirements in place for 2025 — let's take a detailed look at the benefits of Medallion elite status, its value, and the costs of becoming an elite member. While strategies for earning Delta Medallion status have shifted, there are still ways to obtain it without paying full price.
Whether you aim to earn Delta's elite status for the first time or seek methods to re-qualify, this guide covers everything you need to know about earning Delta Medallion status and how it can enhance your travel experience. We’ll also break down the value of each tier to help you decide if pursuing Delta elite status aligns with your travel goals.
Page Contents
Overview of Delta Medallion Elite Status
The Delta SkyMiles frequent flyer program rewards loyal customers with elite status, offering plenty of perks to enhance your travel with the airline and Delta partner airlines. To earn Delta Medallion status, you'll have to collect Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs). Gone are Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQM) and Medallion Qualifying Segments (MQS); MQDs are the sole metric for earning Delta status nowadays.
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?
To qualify for Medallion status, you must earn the required MQDs within a calendar year (January 1 through December 31). Status becomes effective immediately after you meet the threshold and remains valid until January 31 of the second year following qualification.
For example, if you achieve Gold Medallion status on June 15, 2025, it will remain valid through January 31, 2027. This would let you enjoy elite benefits for over a year and a half.
How to Earn MQDs for Medallion Status
While flying is the most obvious way to earn MQDs, Delta offers multiple avenues to accumulate them. 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 $1 spent on airfare — excluding taxes and fees. Thus, a $500 flight with $60 in taxes will earn you 440 MQDs. However, note that Delta Basic Economy fares do not earn MQDs, redeemable SkyMiles, or contribute toward Million Miler status.
Award flights, however, do earn MQDs at the rate of $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 MQDs at higher rates than economy fares. To calculate potential MQDs from partner flights, you'll want to refer to Delta’s partner accrual charts, as each airline has its own unique earning table.
You can easily track your progress toward Medallion status using the Delta SkyMiles dashboard. This will also factor in your pending flying, provided it's ticketed with Delta Air Lines.
Earning MQDs through credit cards
Delta’s co-branded American Express cards provide a pathway to earn elite status without flying. If you can spend heavily on your credit cards, then it's certainly 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 or Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: Earn $1 MQD for every $20 spent on the card.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or 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.
- Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you'll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin 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.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve 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.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over other Medallion Members within the same Medallion tier and fare class grouping when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $650 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
- 1X miles on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
In addition to offering MQDs through spending, Delta provides an MQD Headstart for premium cardholders. Each of the cards mentioned above offers cardmembers $2,500 MQDs annually. And this number can grow if you have multiple cards. Thus, you can earn up to $10,000 MQDs annually if you have all four of these cards.
If four cards sound like a bit much, here's a more reasonable example. If you hold one Platinum- and one Reserve-branded card, you can start the year with $5,000 MQDs. Spending $75,000 on the Reserve card yields an additional $7,500 MQDs, totaling $12,500 MQDs, which is just $2,500 MQDs short of Platinum Medallion status. If you aren't flying Delta enough to earn those MQDs from paid or award tickets, you should reconsider whether earning Delta elite status makes sense.
Related: All Delta Credit Card Options and How To Choose the Right Card for You
Benefits of Delta Elite Status
Delta Medallion status can enhance your travel experience with benefits ranging from complimentary upgrades to priority boarding. Here’s a breakdown of what each tier offers:
Silver Medallion
- 7x miles per dollar spent on Delta flights (40% boost over the standard 5x)
- Complimentary upgrades to Delta Comfort+ or First Class as early as 24 hours before departure (Basic Economy fares excluded)
- Complimentary upgrades to Delta One for flights within the U.S. as early as the day of departure (Basic Economy fares excluded)
- One complimentary checked bag for yourself and up to 8 companions on the same reservation
- 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 upgrades to First Class as early as 72 hours before departure (Basic Economy fares excluded)
- Complimentary upgrades to Delta One for flights within the U.S. as early as the day of departure (Basic Economy fares excluded)
- One complimentary checked bag for yourself and up to 8 companions on the same reservation
- Four in-flight drink vouchers
- Waived same-day confirmed flight change fees
- 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 from among the options offered to Platinum Medallions
- Access to complimentary Comfort+ seats shortly after ticketing
- Complimentary upgrades to First Class as early as 120 hours before departure (Basic Economy fares excluded)
- Complimentary upgrades to Delta One for flights within the U.S. as early as the day of departure (Basic Economy fares excluded)
- One complimentary checked bag for yourself and up to 8 companions on the same reservation
- Four in-flight drink vouchers
- Waived same-day confirmed flight change fees
- 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 from among the options offered to Diamond Medallions, which include Global Upgrade Certificates
- Access to complimentary Comfort+ seats shortly after ticketing
- Complimentary upgrades to First Class as early as 120 hours before departure (Basic Economy fares excluded)
- Complimentary upgrades to Delta One for flights within the U.S. as early as the day of departure (Basic Economy fares excluded)
- One complimentary checked bag for yourself and up to 8 companions on the same reservation
- Four in-flight drink vouchers
- Waived same-day confirmed flight change fees
- 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 recently added new options to its Delta Choice Benefits for Platinum and Diamond Medallion members in 2025. For the 2026 Medallion year (earned through flying in 2024), you have until January 31, 2026, to make your selection, giving you plenty of time to decide.
Upgrade certificates are usually the best choice if you know you can use them — as they typically offer the highest value. Bonus miles or credits could also make sense, but gifting status isn’t worth it since similar perks come with a Delta credit card.
The MQD Accelerator is another option to help with next year’s status. If you qualify for Diamond Medallion, you can use Choice Benefits for a Sky Club membership. However, this may not be worth the multiple benefits required if you already have a premium Delta credit card offering complimentary access.
Delta Million Miler status
Delta’s Million Miler program rewards lifetime flight miles. Once you reach a milestone, you earn Medallion status for life:
- 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 is not always worth pursuing. Earning elite status makes the most sense if you travel frequently for work (especially if your employer covers the cost) or are based in a Delta hub and already 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, it's worth mentioning that 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
- Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 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
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 a bit 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 costs a lot to earn.
Bottom Line
The value of Delta Medallion status depends on how often you fly and how much you want to enhance your travel experience. While spending on Delta credit cards can help you reach status faster, there’s an opportunity cost — those dollars could earn higher returns with other credit cards or be used to unlock valuable welcome bonuses elsewhere.
Still, the flexibility Delta offers through MQD boosts and the MQD Headstart can make earning status easier if you’re already close. For those who fly regularly and plan to keep a premium Delta card, this can be a simple way to push toward the next tier.
And, ultimately, choosing to pursue Delta Medallion status comes down to balancing the effort required with the reward. If the perks align with your travel habits (and the price is right), the benefits can certainly justify the pursuit.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Rates & Fees), and Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (Rates & Fees)
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