• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Ask Scott
Travel Codex

Travel Codex

Your Resource for Better Travel

  • Subscribe
  • Credit Cards
  • Reviews
  • Guides & Tips
  • Award Travel

How to Earn Elite Status on Delta Air Lines

by Scott Mackenzie
Last updated March 23, 2022

While Delta comes up second in size, it’s widely considered one of the better U.S. airlines in terms of quality of service. Delta SkyMiles was the first to stop publishing an official award chart. However, I actually think there are some quite good values today despite the dynamic pricing. Delta also has a knack for customer-friendly policies like rolling over unused elite qualifying miles to the next year, making it easier to earn status.

Today the program is little changed. Status is still earned with either elite qualifying miles or elite qualifying segments even as other big carriers like United and American have switched to more explicit revenue-based programs that issue “points.” But on the other hand the qualification criteria for top-tier status are quite arduous. Be sure to look into getting a Delta credit card to help earn additional qualifying miles.

a plane taking off from a runway

How to Earn Elite Qualifying Miles and Segments

You’ll need to earn a certain number of elite qualifying miles or segments by flying with Delta or its partners, or using a Delta co-branded credit card. Delta calls these “Medallion Qualifying Miles” and “Medallion Qualifying Segments”. Segments are simply the number of individual flights you take, while qualifying miles are determined as a percentage of the miles you fly. That percentage increases with more expensive fare classes.

Redeemable miles are completely separate, and are the miles you earn and redeem for free award travel. Customers earn 5 miles per dollar based on the ticket price, excluding certain fees, with bonuses for elite status.

In addition, U.S.-based customers are required to track “Medallion Qualifying Dollars,” which is the amount of money you spend on Delta base fares excluding taxes and fees. Your ticket must be marketed by Delta, meaning it has a “DL” flight number. Some partner airline tickets also count toward MQDs, but they earn just 20%. So Delta is really tracking your spend twice, by adjusting the number of MQMs you earn for more premium fares and separately counting the number of MQDs.

Hyatt Privé: Addition Perks and NEW Discounts
Trending
Hyatt Privé: Addition Perks and NEW Discounts

You can waive this MQD requirement altogether by spending at least $25,000 in a calendar year on certain Delta co-branded credit cards, but this will only apply to Silver, Gold and Platinum Medallion status. To waive the MQD requirement for Diamond Medallion status, you’ll need to spend $250,000.

MQMs, MQSs, and MQDs are accumulated during the calendar year from January 1 through December 31 and reset each year. When you reach the criteria for elite status, that status will start immediately and last through January 31 of the following year. This potentially gives you an extra month of elite status if you fail to requalify. Delta will also allow you to rollover any unused MQMs to the next year.

Qualification Criteria for Elite Status

Medallion Qualifying Miles, Points, and Dollars are earned on a calendar year from January 1 through December 31. Your status, once earned, will be valid immediately until January 31 of the following year. This gives you an extra month in case you did not satisfy all the requirements to requalify.

MQMsMQSsMQDs
Silver Medallion25,00030$3,000
Gold Medallion50,00060$6,000
Platinum Medallion75,000100$9,000
Diamond Medallion125,000140$15,000

Remember, you need to satisfy either (1a) the Medallion Qualifying Miles requirement OR (1b) the Medallion Qualifying Segments requirement. You also need to satisfy (2) the Medallion Qualifying Dollars requirement unless you have an MQD exception from using your Delta credit card.

Always remember to include your Delta Air Lines loyalty number in your reservation if you want to earn credit for your travel. You can confirm this by reading your ticket details on confirmation online. It’s difficult to get credit if you use a different airline’s loyalty number by mistake. As a last resort, get it fixed when you check in for your flight or at the gate.

Benefits of Delta Medallion Elite Status

Delta SkyMiles has relatively generous benefits, such as companion upgrades for lower tier Silver Medallion members and free CLEAR membership and Hertz status for higher tiers. There is also some flexibility with Choice Benefits that mirror the Loyalty Choice awards issued by American AAdvantage. The redeemable miles earned, between 5 and 11 per dollar spent, are consistent with other major airlines.

Delta Silver Medallion Benefits

  • 40% bonus redeemable miles (7 miles per dollar instead of 5)
  • Complimentary upgrades to first class or Comfort+ on domestic routes for you and a companion starting 24 hours before departure (excluding Basic Economy)
  • Complimentary upgrades on select Aeromexico flights starting 24 hours before departure
  • Discounted CLEAR membership
  • SkyTeam Elite status

Delta Gold Medallion Benefits

  • 60% bonus redeemable miles (8 miles per dollar instead of 5)
  • Complimentary upgrades to first class or Comfort+ on domestic routes for you and a companion starting 72 hours before departure (excluding Basic Economy)
  • Complimentary upgrades on select Aeromexico flights starting 72 hours before departure
  • Discounted CLEAR membership
  • SkyTeam Elite Plus status

Delta Platinum Medallion Benefits

  • 80% bonus redeemable miles (9 miles per dollar instead of 5)
  • Complimentary upgrades to first class or Comfort+ on domestic routes for you and a companion starting 120 hours before departure (excluding Basic Economy)
  • Complimentary upgrades on select Aeromexico flights starting 120 hours before departure
  • Once-annual 20,000 bonus SkyMiles
  • Opportunity to gift Silver Medallion status to a friend
  • 4 Regional Upgrade certificates
  • 1 Choice Benefit
  • Discounted CLEAR membership
  • SkyTeam Elite status
  • Hertz President’s Circle status

Delta Diamond Medallion Benefits

  • 120% bonus redeemable miles (11 miles per dollar instead of 5)
  • Complimentary upgrades to first class or Comfort+ on domestic routes for you and a companion starting 120 hours before departure (excluding Basic Economy)
  • Complimentary upgrades on select Aeromexico flights starting 120 hours before departure
  • Once-annual 25,000 bonus SkyMiles (in addition to 20,000 mile Platinum bonus)
  • Opportunity to gift Silver Medallion status to a friend
  • 8 Regional Upgrade certificates (or 4 Global Upgrade certificates, or 2 Global + 4 Regional)
  • 3 Choice Benefits
  • Complimentary CLEAR membership
  • SkyTeam Elite status
  • Hertz President’s Circle status

Delta Million Miler Benefits

You can earn Million Miler status by accumulating 1 million or more Medallion Qualifying Miles throughout your lifetime. These are not quite miles flown, since MQMs will also vary with fare class.

a diagram of a number of different brands

One million MQMs earns lifetime Silver Medallion status, 2 and 3 million MQMs earn lifetime Gold Medallion status, and 4 million MQMs earns Platinum Medallion status. You’d need to accumulate 6 million MQMs to get lifetime Diamond Medallion status.

  • 7shares
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

Read This Next

  • Updated 2014 Airline Elite Status Tables
  • an airplane taking off from a runway
    How to Earn Elite Status on American Airlines
  • Delta Will Make It More Expensive to Earn Elite Status for 2016
    Delta Will Make It More Expensive to Earn Elite Status for 2016

About Scott Mackenzie

Scott is a former scientist and business student who created Travel Codex to unravel the complexity of travel loyalty programs. After 11 years in Seattle, he now lives in Austin with his wife and flies over 100,000 miles every year.

Primary Sidebar

Over 100K+ Followers

Subscribe to updates from Travel Codex

none

Learn to how to find the cheapest awards.

Search Now

none

Transfer points to get more value.

See Options

none

Compare credit cards to earn more miles.

Explore Offers

Contact

If you have a question or would like to make a press inquiry, please contact:

Scott Mackenzie
Editor in Chief
scott@travelcodex.com

For updates:
Subscribe to RSS
Subscribe to Apple News

Privacy Policy


© Travel Codex, LLC All Rights Reserved.


Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Travel Codex with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.