Frequent Miler's latest team challenge, Million Mile Madness, is almost done! The last two weeks Greg, Nick, and Stephen competed to earn 1 Million SAS miles by flying 15 airlines. But who completed the challenge with the most Speed, Affordability, and Style?
Delta has announced changes to their elite program, both positive and negative. On the plus side, elites with upgrade certificates will be able to request those upgrades online. Additionally, there will be valuable new Platinum and Diamond Choice Benefits. On the other hand, the Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) required to earn Gold status or higher will increase. Fortunately credit card spend waivers will remain the same.
Delta Elite Status Overview
| SILVER | GOLD | PLATINUM | DIAMOND | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles per dollar earned on paid flights | 7 | 8 | 9 | 11 |
| Free domestic upgrades to 1st Class | Begins 24 hours before departure | Begins 72 hours before departure | Begins 120 hours before departure | Begins 120 hours before departure |
| Free domestic upgrades to Comfort+ | 24 hours before departure | 72 hours before departure | Shortly after ticketing | Shortly after ticketing |
| CLEAR membership discount price | $159 | $159 | $159 | Free |
| Dedicated phone line | Priority | High Priority | Higher Priority | VIP Line |
| Free companion upgrades | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Free preferred seat selection | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Waived bag fees | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Waived same day confirmed or standby change fees | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Sky Priority boarding | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Sky Priority expedited checked bags | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Sky Team lounge access on international flights | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Hertz elite status | Five Star | Five Star | President's Circle | President's Circle |
| Waived change & cancellation fees regardless of route | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| 2024 Choice Benefits: | Choose 1: | Choose 3: | ||
| Upgrade certificates | 4 Regional | 4 Global (or 8 Regional or 2 Global & 4 Regional) | ||
| Statement Credits (for Delta Platinum and Reserve Cardholders) | $200 | $500 | ||
| Starbucks® Rewards Stars | 4,000 Stars | 4,000 Stars | ||
| Delta Sky Club Executive Membership | N/A | Requires all 3 Choices | ||
| MQD Boost | 500 MQDs | 1,000 MQDs | ||
| Gift medallion status | 2 Silver | 2 Gold | ||
| Bonus miles | 20K | 25K | ||
| Delta Vacations Flight + Hotel Cert | $400 | $500 | ||
| Sustainable Aviation Fuel Contribution | $250 | $250 | ||
| Delta Travel Voucher | $250 | $250 | ||
| 2025 Choice Benefits | Choose 1: | Choose 3: | ||
| Upgrade certificates | 4 Regional | 4 Global (or 8 Regional or 2 Global & 4 Regional) | ||
| Statement Credits (for Delta Platinum and Reserve Cardholders) | $400 | $700 | ||
| Starbucks® Rewards Stars | 6,000 Stars | 6,000 Stars | ||
| Delta Sky Club Individual Membership | N/A | Requires 2 Choices | ||
| Delta Sky Club Executive Membership | N/A | Requires 3 Choices | ||
| MQD Accelerator | $1,000 MQDs | $2,000 MQDs | ||
| Gift medallion status | 2 Silver | 2 Gold | ||
| Bonus miles | 30K | 35K | ||
| Delta Vacations Flight + Hotel Cert | $400 | $500 | ||
| Sustainable Aviation Fuel Contribution | $250 | $250 | ||
| Delta Travel Voucher | $300 | $350 | ||
| Wheels up flight credit | $1,500 | $2,000 |
- Unlimited complimentary upgrades (when available, upgrade from coach to first class on domestic flights). Higher status leads to better chance of upgrades.
- Waived same-day confirmed fees and waived same-day standby fees (switch to different flight on same day as ticketed flight). Requires Gold or higher. Info about getting value from same day changes can be found here: Leveraging Delta’s Same Day Flight Changes.
- Complementary Preferred seat selection (choose exit row seats with lots of legroom)
- Complementary Comfort+ Seats (more leg room, free drinks, better snacks).
- Regional upgrade certificates. While these rarely confirm before the flight, waitlisting a regional upgrade puts you to the front of the line for upgrading at the gate. This is great to use for flights where upgrades are most important to you. For example, I use these for flights of about 3 hours or longer. This is a choice benefit for Platinum and Diamond status. Upgrade certificates can be applied to both paid and award tickets.
- Global upgrade certificates. Use these to upgrade from economy to Premium Select, or from Premium Select to business class on any flight when upgrade space is available. When you upgrade from economy to Premium Select, Delta will put you on the business class (Delta One) upgrade list 24 hours before your flight. This is a choice benefit for Diamond status only. Upgrade certificates can be applied to both paid and award tickets.
- Free award changes and cancellations. This used to be huge, but now all awards originating in North America are free to change or cancel for all members. With Platinum and Diamond status, that benefit extends to flights originating elsewhere. Requires Platinum or higher for free changes on awards originating outside of North America.
New Medallion Elite Requirements
Beginning January 1, 2023—the earn year to qualify for 2024 Medallion Status—Delta SkyMiles will increase Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) thresholds for Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion Members. There are no changes to Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) or Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs). MQD increases are as follows:
| Medallion Tier | Current Threshold for 2023 Status | Qualification Threshold for 2024 Status |
|---|---|---|
| Silver Medallion | $3,000 | No Change |
| Gold Medallion | $6,000 | $8,000 |
| Platinum Medallion | $9,000 | $12,000 |
| Diamond Medallion | $15,000 | $20,000 |
To reach each elite tier, Delta SkyMiles members must earn the stated number of MQDs shown above. MQDs reset each calendar year. MQDs = "Medallion Qualifying Dollars." Medallion Qualifying Dollars are the sum total of your base-fare spend (e.g. doesn't include taxes) on Delta-marketed flights. Additional Details:
- Award Tickets: Flights booked with Delta SkyMiles for Delta's own flights earn MQDs. Award tickets earn MQDs at a rate of 1 MQD per 100 SkyMiles redeemed (e.g. 1 cent per SkyMile).
- Partner Flights: Paid flights booked on Delta partners earn MQDs as long as the member's Delta SkyMiles number is attached to the ticket. MQDs are calculated as a percentage of miles flown rather than the amount paid. Details, by partner, can be found here.
- Exception Fares: Flights booked as part of vacation packages, cruise packages, consolidator fares, etc. are considered "exception fares". With these flights, you'll earn miles based on the distance flown. Details can be found here.
New Choice Benefits
Delta’s Platinum and Diamond elite status levels include “Choice Benefits” in addition to many automatic perks. Platinum elites can choose one Choice Benefit each year they qualify, and Diamond elites can choose three. Currently the most valuable selections are Regional Upgrade Certificates (Platinum); Global Upgrade Certificates (Diamond), 20K Bonus Miles (Platinum); 25K Bonus Miles (Diamond); Sky Club Access (Diamond); Gift Gold Status (Diamond). Starting in 2023, when qualifying for 2024 status and beyond, there will be additional choices:
- Diamond and Platinum Medallion Members with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card or Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card can choose a statement credit for their Card: $500 for Diamond; $200 for Platinum. Terms and conditions apply and will be provided when the American Express Statement Credit becomes available.
- Diamond will receive two Gold Medallion Gift Statuses per selection (vs. one today); Platinum will receive two Silver Medallion Gift Statuses per selection (vs. one today)
- A Delta Vacations Experience (flight and hotel): $500 for Diamond; $400 for Platinum
- An MQD “head start” for the next Medallion year: $1,000 MQD boost for Diamond; $500 MQD boost for Platinum
- Delta Travel Credit Voucher value will be increased to $250
- A $250 sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) contribution to help in our collective goal toward decarbonizing aviation
I’m excited about the option for Diamond elites with Delta Platinum or Reserve cards to get $500 back. The option to gift elite status to two people instead of just one is compelling as well.
Apply Upgrade Certificates Online
Platinum elites can choose Regional Upgrade Certificates as a Choice Benefit and Diamonds can additionally choose Global Upgrade Certificates. Global Upgrade Certificates lost a lot of their value when Delta changed the rules on how they can be used (see: Delta Downgrades Upgrades). The worst part about that change in my experience, though, has been that Delta has failed to apply the certificates correctly every time I’ve used them since the new rules took place. The process of applying these certificates currently involves calling Delta to talk to an agent who thinks that they know what they’re doing and they’ll confidently tell you that it’s all set, but somehow it’s not. Instead, every single time, I’ve been unable to check in for my flight due to the upgrades not being processed correctly. I then spend hours listening to the same 3 tunes over and over while waiting for Delta to fix it. It hasn’t been fun… at all. This issue alone has made me turn from a Delta fan to someone looking actively towards the competition.
Now, there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Delta says that upgrade certificates requests will be part of the check-out process on Delta.com early next year:
Early next year, Medallion Members with Global and Regional Upgrade Certificates will be able to request upgrades with their certificates themselves during check-out on Delta.com—a highly anticipated enhancement to upgrade certificate usability coming in 2023. Delta continues to invest in the SkyMiles Program, listening to member suggestions and evolving the experience to exceed member expectations and enable more seamless travel.
It’s possible, or even likely, that incorporating the upgrade request into the check-out process won’t actually change anything meaningful. It’s possible that the request will still go to an agent who will fail to input the request correctly. My hope, though, is that Delta will automate the process and eventually get it right. Is that too much to hope for? We’ll see.
Bottom Line
Starting in 2023, it will be harder to qualify for Gold and higher elite status through flying. The MQD spend requirement will be higher. That said, for people who satisfy the MQD requirement with a credit card spend waiver, it will be business as usual. So, for me, this change doesn’t bother me at all. On the other hand, I know many people who will be justifiably pissed off.
On the positive side, if they do it right, the ability to request the use of upgrade certificates online will be huge. If they successfully take human error out of the equation and actually program the system correctly, upgrade certificates could become much more valuable because they’ll come with far less headache.
I’m also happy to see enhancements to Choice Benefits. The ability to gift elite status to two people with one benefit choice is great. Plus, Diamond Elites now have a few choices worth around $500. As a Delta Reserve cardholder, I’ll very happily choose $500 back as one of my Diamond Choice Benefits!
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Will you go for diamond status then? $500 towards the Delta Reserve AF doesn’t really seem to be worth doing the spend waiver.
Probably not me actually but I think that my wife may still go for it. We’ll see.