Delta Medallion status could make your flight more relaxing with a first-class seat upgrade.
- At a glance: Delta Medallion status levels
- How Delta Medallion status works
- Delta Silver Medallion status
- Delta Gold Medallion status
- Delta Platinum Medallion status
- Delta Diamond Medallion status
- Is there a shortcut to Delta Medallion elite status?
- Which Delta SkyMiles® credit card is right for me?
At a glance: Delta Medallion status levels
Delta SkyMiles members earn five miles for every $1 spent on airfare (excluding basic economy fares and the cost of government taxes or fees). And while it’s free to register for a Delta SkyMiles rewards account, frequent flyers who qualify for one of the four Delta Medallion elite status levels will have access to even more perks.
Let’s see how the Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond Medallion levels compare.
| Checked bags | Delta Sky Club membership | Clear® membership | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Medallion | 1 | No | Discounted |
| Gold Medallion | 1 | No | Discounted |
| Platinum Medallion | 1 | No | Discounted |
| Diamond Medallion | 1 | Complimentary with your Choice Benefit | Complimentary |
How Delta Medallion status works
To qualify for Delta Medallion® status, it’s important to understand how to navigate the terminology Delta uses.
- Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) measure the physical distance you’ve flown. So you would earn more MQMs on a cross-country flight between New York and Los Angeles than you would on a regional flight between New York and Boston.
- Medallion® Qualification Segments (MQSs) measure the number of flights where you take off and land. So if you fly nonstop from New York to Los Angeles, you’d only earn one MQS, but if you picked up a connecting flight in Chicago, you’d earn two.
- Medallion® Qualification Dollars (MQDs) measure how much money you spend on flights. This figure factors into the price you pay for the ticket, plus any airline fees, but it doesn’t include government taxes and fees.
So which perks do you get at each Delta Medallion status tier, and how many MQMs, MQSs and MQDs do you need to get there? Let’s take a closer look.
Delta Silver Medallion status
What does Silver status get you?
Delta Silver Medallion members earn a higher rate of seven miles for every $1 they spend on flights.
As a Delta Silver Medallion member, you’ll be eligible for complimentary seat upgrades. If you’re on a long domestic flight that features Delta One® cabins, you could be upgraded to this luxurious cabin on the day of departure — or you could be upgraded to first-class or Delta Comfort+® a day earlier.
Unfortunately, you’ll be last in line behind all of the higher-tier Medallion members. So there’s no guarantee you’ll score an upgrade, which may be hard to come by on busy routes. But at the very least, you should be allowed to select your preferred seat when you book the flight — helping you snag a window or aisle seat so that you can avoid getting stuck in the middle.
You’ll also enjoy a more relaxed airport experience with priority check-in, a free checked bag, discounted Clear membership to help you breeze through security lines, and priority boarding.
How do I qualify for Silver status?
To qualify for Delta Silver Medallion status, you’ll need …
- $5,000 Medallion® Qualification Dollars (MQDs) or the MQD waiver
Delta Gold Medallion status
What does Gold status get you?
Delta Gold Medallion members earn a higher rate of eight miles for every $1 they spend on flights.
As a Delta Gold Medallion member, you’ll be eligible for complimentary seat upgrades a little bit sooner. You could be upgraded to first class or Delta Comfort+ beginning three days before departure. But you’ll still have to wait behind Platinum Medallion and Diamond Medallion members to see if there are any spots left when it’s your turn to upgrade.
The cool thing about Gold Medallion status is that Delta waived same-day confirmed and standby fees. So if you can’t score an upgrade on the flight you originally booked, you could wait for the next one.
You’ll also be eligible for Sky Priority®, which gives you enhanced access to things like priority security lines and expedited baggage service.
This comes in addition to all of the perks that Silver Medallion members get.
How do I qualify for Gold status?
To qualify for Delta Gold Medallion status, you’ll need …
- $10,000 MQDs or the MQD waiver
Delta Platinum Medallion status
What does Platinum status get you?
Delta Platinum Medallion members earn a higher rate of nine miles for every $1 they spend on flights.
As a Delta Platinum Medallion member, you’ll be eligible for complimentary seat upgrades even sooner. You’ll be bumped up to Delta Comfort+ almost as soon as you book your flight, assuming seats are still available in that cabin. You could also be upgraded to first class beginning five days before your departure. While this gives you a better chance, you’ll still fall behind Diamond Medallion members on the waitlist.
The nice thing about being a Platinum Medallion member is that you’ll also qualify for one Choice Benefit. You could choose from …
- Four regional upgrade certificates (to lock in your upgrades ahead of time when you fly domestically)
- Giving Silver Medallion status to someone you know
- 30,000 bonus miles to help you book an award flight
- $300 Delta travel voucher to help you save money when you book your next flight
This is in addition to all of the perks that Gold Medallion members get.
How do I qualify for Platinum status?
To qualify for Delta Platinum Medallion status, you’ll need …
- $15,000 MQDs or the MQD waiver
Delta Diamond Medallion status
What does Diamond status get you?
Delta Diamond Medallion members earn a higher rate of eleven miles for every $1 they spend on flights.
As a Delta Diamond Medallion member, you’ll be at the top of the list for complimentary upgrades when seats are available. Even though you can only be upgraded to first class the same day as Platinum Medallion members, beginning five days before departure, you’ll have priority over them and all other Medallion members.
You’ll also receive a complimentary Clear membership.
What’s more? Diamond Medallion members have even more Choice Benefits to choose from. You can pick up to three benefits from the following list (take note that some of those listed count as two benefits alone):
- Delta Sky Club® membership
- 4 global upgrade certificates (to confirm your upgrades when you fly internationally)
- 8 regional upgrade certificates (to lock in your upgrades when you fly domestically)
- 2 global upgrade certificates and 4 regional upgrade certificates (guaranteeing upgrades on both international and domestic flights)
- Giving Gold Medallion status to someone you know
- 35,000 bonus miles to help you book an award flight
- $350 Delta travel voucher to help you save money when you book your next flight
All of these perks are in addition to what Platinum Medallion members get.
How do I qualify for Diamond status?
To qualify for Delta Diamond Medallion status, you’ll need …
- $28,000 MQDs or the MQD waiver
Is there a shortcut to Delta Medallion elite status?
Delta SkyMiles® credit cards don’t come with complimentary Medallion status. You still have to earn it.
But a Delta SkyMiles credit card could make it easier for you to get there. You might be able to earn MQDs or even qualify for a MQD waiver based on how much money you spend on your Delta SkyMiles card. In fact, big spenders might even be able to qualify for Medallion status without ever flying!
What’s great about Delta Medallion status is that as long as you qualify for the lowest tier, Delta will automatically roll over the MQMs you don’t use. So you can get a head start earning status next year.
But even if you lose your status because of an inability to travel, you may be able to get it back through a new Delta program called Reclaim My Status.
Which Delta SkyMiles® credit card is right for me?
If you’re loyal to Delta, a SkyMiles® credit card might be worth considering.
With a Delta SkyMiles® credit card, you could earn even more miles to help you book award flights. It could also pave the way for you to earn Delta Medallion status. But you might decide you don’t need Medallion status, because SkyMiles credit cards offer some of the same perks.
Let’s take a look to see if we can find the right Delta SkyMiles® credit card for you.
If you’re a budget traveler …
The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card comes with a $0 annual fee.
You’ll earn 10,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 on purchasing during the first 6 months of card membership.
Plus, you’ll earn …
- 2 miles for every $1 spent on Delta purchases
- 2 miles per $1 at restaurants, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases
Once you save up enough miles, you could package them into an award flight.
You’ll also save 20% on in-flight purchases of things like food and drinks.
If you’re a frequent flyer …
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card might be a good fit.
You’ll earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases during the first 6 months of card membership.
Plus, you’ll earn …
- 3 miles for every $1 spent on Delta purchases
- 3 miles per $1 on direct hotel purchases
- 2 miles per $1 at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (not including warehouse clubs or superstores)
- 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases
But what really sets this card apart are its perks. The companion certificate should help offset the cost of the $350 annual fee. You’ll also receive one free checked bag, priority boarding and a statement credit to apply for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
If you’re a luxury traveler …
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card gives you a taste of luxury.
You’ll earn 60,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases during the first 6 months of card membership.
Plus, you’ll earn …
- 3 miles for every $1 spent on Delta purchases
- 1 mile per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
But the miles take a back seat to the perks this card has to offer.
You’ll have access to American Express Centurion® Lounge locations.
If you’re traveling with someone else, you can use your annual companion certificate for both of you to fly first class.
Delta also makes it easier for cardholders to earn Medallion status. If you already have Medallion status, you’ll get upgrade priority over other Medallion members who are at the same level. But even if you don’t qualify for status, you’ll still be eligible for complimentary upgrades to first class, based on availability.
So if you appreciate luxury, these perks might even make the $650 annual fee worth it.