How the Delta Reserve Amex helped me reach airline elite status for the first time
Before my days at TPG, I didn't know much about airline elite status nor did I particularly care. Lounge access and first-class upgrades felt like something only attained by road warriors who flew weekly and only saw their families on the weekends.
Related: How the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card elevated my trip to Paris
However, I was wooed by the limited-edition (and no longer available) version of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card made with metal from a retired Boeing 747. (I also have a floral-patterned version of The Platinum Card® from American Express and usually choose beers based on the label art, if that tells you anything about how I make life decisions.) The Delta card helped me realize it was possible to earn Delta SkyMiles elite status through a mix of flights and credit card spending.
In fact, I hit Delta Silver Elite status within the first few months of 2024 after Delta made significant changes to its Delta SkyMiles program and locked in Delta Gold Medallion status just before the end of the year.
In addition to jumpstarting elite status, the Delta Reserve Amex has many other travel-friendly benefits. It offers 15 SkyClub lounge visits per year, an annual companion certificate, priority boarding, a 15% discount on award travel, a statement credit for Global Entry ($120 every four years) or TSA PreCheck (up to $85 every 4 1/2 years) and more.
With the Delta Reserve, you can earn up to 125,000 bonus SkyMiles: 100,000 bonus SkyMiles after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership, plus earn 25,000 bonus SkyMiles after spending an additional $3,000 on purchases (for a total of $9,000) in the first six months of card membership. According to TPG's October 2025 valuations, that bonus is worth up to $1,563, but you can technically squeeze even more value out of those miles thanks to Delta's TakeOff 15 feature that let's you save an additional 15% on award tickets.
Here's how I earned Delta Gold Medallion status and how I plan to maintain it in the coming year.
How to qualify for Delta Medallion status
As of 2024, Medallion Qualification Dollars are Delta's only elite qualification metric. You must reach a certain MQD threshold within the calendar year to earn one of Delta's four elite status tiers:
- 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
The more MQDs you earn throughout the year, the higher status you'll achieve, with each tier providing more and better benefits than the last.
When you hit one of these thresholds and earn elite status, you'll begin enjoying the benefits right away, as well as through January of the following year. For example, because I hit Gold Medallion status in December 2024, I'll keep that status through Jan. 31, 2026.
All SkyMiles members earn 1 MQD per $1 spent on flights operated by Delta or one of its partner airlines. Delta SkyMiles American Express cardholders earn additional MQDs on purchases made with their card, thanks to the program's MQD Boost.
You earn 1 MQD for every $20 in purchases with the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card or Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card and 1 MQD for every $10 in purchases with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.
Delta flights
I still don't consider myself part of the camp of frequent flyers who I mistakenly thought were the only ones who could earn elite status. However, I did fly quite a bit for work and pleasure last year. (As a writer who primarily covers theme parks and family travel, most of my trips were a bit of both.)
In 2024, I earned 3,203 MQDs on 17 flights (32 total flight segments). That averages out to only about 1 1/2 one-way Delta flights per month, far from the type of traveler who only sees their families on weekends and holidays.
Delta Reserve Amex credit card spending
As I mentioned, my Delta Reserve Amex earns 1 MQD for every $10 spent on the card. I wouldn't say I went out of my way to put spending solely on this card, but I was conscious of using it frequently enough to see if I could hit the threshold for Silver Medallion and then Gold.
Looking back over my 2024 credit card statements, I earned between 37 MQDs and 406 MQDs per month. The high end of that spectrum was thanks to putting all of my family's December 2024 spending (including Christmas shopping) on my Delta Reserve Amex when I realized Gold Medallion status was within reach.
In total, I earned 2,523 MQDs via credit card spending in 2024.
Annual MQD Headstart and other ways to earn
There are other card perks that automatically earned me even more MQDs and made Gold Medallion possible.
Each year, Delta Amex cardholders earn a 2,500 MQD Headstart. Delta also issued a one-time 1,000 MQD bonus as a result of the changes to the SkyMiles program.
Luckily, Delta also offers occasional opportunities to earn MQDs on categories that don't typically earn MQDs. Last year, Delta offered a promotion to earn MQDs on rental cars and hotel stays booked through the Travel Extras portal. My husband also travels for work, so we took advantage of that for about 600 additional MQDs.
Keep an eye on your inbox (or on TPG's deals page) so you don't miss out on special offers like this one that can help you earn additional MQDs.
My Medallion status benefits
When I hit Silver Medallion, I began to enjoy some of the benefits of elite status. I received the occasional Comfort upgrade and was once upgraded to first class on a red-eye flight home after a work trip. Getting even a few hours of sleep (and a glass of Champagne) made Silver Medallion worth it, in my opinion.
I haven't flown yet now that I've hit Gold Medallion, but these are the benefits I have to look forward to:
- Complimentary Delta One upgrades for flights within the U.S. (except on basic economy "E" fares) on the day of departure
- Complimentary first-class 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)
- Waived same-day confirmed changes
- Sky Priority
- Two complimentary checked bags
- 8 miles per dollar spent
I have two Delta trips booked already this year, and I'm curious to find out if I'll get more frequent upgrades.
Bottom line
Earning Silver Medallion status this year should be fairly simple. The 2,500 MQD headstart will push me to the halfway mark, and even if I only fly the exact number of Delta flights I did last year, I'll easily cross the 5,000 MQD mark.
Whether or not I see a major difference between the perks of Silver Medallion and Gold Medallion status will probably determine whether or not I shoot for Gold again this year. If the upgrade frequency is about the same, I'll probably be fine keeping Silver Medallion status because so many of the benefits come from having the Delta Reserve Amex and not necessarily from my status tier.
Even if you are only a semi-frequent traveler like myself, you should be able to employ my somewhat loosey-goosey strategy of combining flights and credit card spending to hit Delta Medallion status, too.
Related reading:
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Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- 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 in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- 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 Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main 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. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $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 others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $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.
- See Rates & Fees