Delta Medallion status: What it is and how to earn it

Quick summary

Delta's loyalty program offers four published elite status tiers, each providing increasing travel benefits such as complimentary upgrades, priority services and checked bag allowances.
Qualification for elite status in 2025 is based solely on Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) earned, replacing previous requirements tied to miles flown or segments.
Recent changes have made it more challenging to achieve elite status, requiring higher spending thresholds and ongoing annual qualification to maintain benefits.
Some travel credit cards can help accelerate MQD earnings, but significant spending is needed to reach higher tiers.

What to consider

Elite status is valid through the end of January following the year after qualification, requiring consistent annual MQD earnings to retain benefits.
Certain travel credit cards provide an MQD boost and allow MQD accumulation through everyday spending, but the required spend is substantial.
Many cardholder perks overlap with entry-level elite benefits, so travelers should assess whether pursuing status aligns with their travel frequency and needs.

What you'll miss from the article

A detailed breakdown of each status tier's benefits and guidance on whether Delta elite status is worth pursuing based on your travel habits.

Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.

If you’re a regular traveler, having elite status with a major airline like Delta Air Lines can make your journeys more comfortable and rewarding.

However, deciding which airline loyalty program makes the most sense can be difficult. This is mainly due to the variations between carriers regarding complimentary upgrades, bonus points or miles, lounge access and other valuable perks. Plus, is it even worth pursuing elite status?

This guide will dive into Delta’s loyalty program and explain how its status tiers work in 2025, how to earn them through travel and nontravel expenses and whether striving for elite status is worthwhile.

Here is everything you need to know about elite Medallion status in the Delta SkyMiles program.

Earning Delta Medallion status in 2025

In 2023, Delta announced changes that would make it significantly harder to earn Medallion status. Rather than use a combination of spending and flying, your qualification progress is now based on how many Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) you earn. Gone are Medallion Qualification Miles and Medallion Qualification Segments.

The public reaction was so immediately negative that Delta softened some of the changes, though it's still more challenging to earn Medallion status in 2025 than in 2023. Remember, you earn Medallion status based on your activity from the previous calendar year.

What is Delta Medallion status?

Delta Planes New York LGA LaGuardia Airport — ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Delta gives qualifying SkyMiles members elite status each year, rewarding them with various benefits to make their travel more comfortable.

There are four published tiers of elite status:

Silver Medallion
Gold Medallion
Platinum Medallion
Diamond Medallion

Delta also has an invite-only status tier called Delta 360. The exact qualifications for this status are not public. However, you can receive complimentary annual Delta 360 status by reaching 5 million lifetime miles flown.

You will obtain elite status when you reach a specific earning threshold within the calendar year it’s earned and through the end of January after the following year. For example, if you reach elite status in June 2025, you will have earned your status for 2026, and you hold that status through Jan. 31, 2027.

Status levels reset in January every year, so you must continue meeting the MQD earnings requirement yearly to maintain your status.

How to qualify for Delta Medallion status

Delta now only uses MQDs as criteria for qualification. Below are the requirements to obtain 2026 Medallion status:

Silver Medallion: SkyMiles members who have earned 5,000 MQDs
Gold Medallion: SkyMiles members who have earned 10,000 MQDs
Platinum Medallion: SkyMiles members who have earned 15,000 MQDs
Diamond Medallion: SkyMiles members who have earned 28,000 MQDs

Delta Medallion status levels and benefits

Here are some key benefits of each of Delta’s status tiers.

SkyMiles Silver Medallion

This is the entry tier in Delta’s program, and you’ll receive benefits like:

Complimentary first-class/Premium Select (depending on aircraft type) upgrades for flights within the U.S. (except on basic economy “E” fares) on the day of departure for you and one companion
Complimentary Delta One upgrades on domestic routes, beginning the day of departure
Complimentary first-class upgrades from 24 hours before departure (except on basic economy “E” fares)
Upgrades to Comfort within 24 hours of departure (except on basic economy “E” fares)
Upgrades on select Aeromexico-operated flights from 24 hours before departure
Complimentary preferred seats
Priority waitlist status
Priority check-in, security and boarding
One complimentary checked bag
Reclaim My Status benefit
SkyMiles bag tags
7 miles per dollar spent

SkyMiles Gold Medallion

Delta’s mid-tier status includes Silver Medallion benefits, plus:

Complimentary first-class/Premium Select (depending on aircraft type) upgrades from 72 hours before departure (except on basic economy “E” fares)
Upgrades to Comfort within 72 hours of departure (except on basic economy “E” fares)
Upgrades on select Aeromexico-operated flights from 72 hours before departure
Waived same-day confirmed changes
Sky Priority, including SkyTeam lounge access
Two complimentary checked bags
Four drink vouchers
Expedited baggage service
8 miles per dollar spent

SkyMiles Platinum Medallion

In addition to the Gold Medallion perks, you’ll also get the following:

Complimentary first-class/Premium Select (depending on aircraft type) upgrades from 120 hours before departure (except on basic economy “E” fares)
Upgrades to Comfort at the time of booking
Upgrades on select Aeromexico-operated flights from 120 hours before departure
Three complimentary checked bags
Your pick of a Choice Benefit, with options like upgrade certificates, bonus SkyMiles, travel vouchers, MQD Accelerators and more
Waived same-day confirmed changes
9 miles per dollar spent

SkyMiles Diamond Medallion

You’ll get everything detailed above, plus some even better perks:

Three additional Choice Benefits options
Complimentary Clear Plus membership
Higher upgrade priority on Delta and select Aeromexico flights
11 miles per dollar spent

Check Delta’s website to review the full list of benefits available to SkyMiles Medallion members.

Can a credit card help earn Delta status?

Delta Reserve Amex card art — THE POINTS GUY

To make it easier to earn elite status in 2025, Delta will give eligible frequent flyers who also hold the following cobranded cards a head start on the 2025 MQD metrics with a boost of 2,500 MQDs toward status qualification at the start of the 2025 year (and each year thereafter, until further notice):

The MQD head start is awarded per card, so you’ll enjoy more than one 2,500 MQD boost if you have multiple eligible cards. Additionally, you’ll be able to enjoy bonus MQDs based on everyday spending on these cards.

Specifically, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex and the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Amex will accrue 1 MQD for every $10 spent. Meanwhile, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex and the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Amex will accrue 1 MQD for every $20 spent.

There is no limit to how many MQDs you can earn from spending on the cards, so you could potentially earn elite status just from swiping your Delta Amex card. However, that’s a lot of money to spend, especially when there are better options for your everyday purchases.

Is Delta Medallion status worth it?

man and flight attendant on plane — DELTA AIR LINES

If you earned Delta elite status in 2024, it’s valid through Jan. 31, 2026. If you qualify in 2025, your status will last until Jan. 31, 2027.

It’s critical to consider how much you’ll be traveling in the future to decide if Medallion status is worth it. If you push hard to reach Diamond Medallion status, the valuable perks outlined above apply only when traveling.

With the high MQD requirements in 2025, you would need to spend a significant amount of money with the airline or on a cobranded card to earn this top-tier status. In turn, you should ensure you're traveling enough to enjoy it.

That said, many of you may wind up within striking distance of the next tier, so consider whether the benefits are worth pushing for. There’s no sense in going out of your way for perks that don’t matter to you. Pursuing elite status with an airline you can’t feasibly fly regularly is a fool’s errand. Consider Delta’s service from your home airport(s) and how easy it is to reach your desired destination.

This hobby has many trade-offs, and one of the most common is deciding whether to use your preferred airline or hotel chain when it’s not the most convenient or cheapest. Would you book a one-stop Delta flight if Southwest Airlines had a cheaper, nonstop option? If the answer is no, it may not be worth going out of your way to earn Delta elite status (or any elite status, for that matter).

The final consideration involves travel rewards credit cards. Many airline cobranded cards offer perks that mirror what you’d enjoy as an elite member. For example, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card includes a free checked bag worldwide and a second checked bag when flying domestic, priority boarding and a 20% inflight discount. The card has an introductory annual fee of $0 for the first year, then a $150 annual fee (see ).

Meanwhile, when you fly with Delta, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card provides 15 Sky Club lounge visits each year (starting Feb. 1, 2025; unlimited visits until then). It also offers complimentary domestic upgrades (behind all Medallion members) and an annual companion certificate (valid for round-trip domestic and short-haul international flights to the Caribbean and Central America in economy, Delta Comfort or first class). To earn unlimited Sky Club visits each year, the total eligible purchases on the card must equal $75,000 or more between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 each calendar year.

If you can pay a flat annual fee for one of these cards and gain access to perks that matter to you without going out of your way to earn elite status, that may be a good plan.

Bottom line

Earning airline elite status carries an array of perks that can make your entire travel experience more comfortable.

However, not all levels with all carriers are created equal, so analyzing which elite status program best aligns with your typical travel patterns and what you value most as a traveler is critical. Given the negative SkyMiles changes in 2023, earning Delta elite status is harder than ever unless you spend considerable money with the airline, on its cobranded cards or a combination of the two.

If you’re considering switching your loyalty in 2025, we hope this detailed review of Delta’s elite status program has helped you make your decision.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold, click .