Big news for Delta elite members: Delta elite status is being extended again. Additionally, they are extending the validity of regional and global upgrade certificates, they are going to continue rolling over miles, award tickets will continue to count toward elite status through the end of 2022 and more. This is all terrific news for Delta SkyMiles members.
Elite status extended
In the email sent to Delta elite members, Delta announces that member status for the 2022 program year will not be lower than it was in 2021. This means that status (which was already extended from 2020 to 2021 for many members) is being extended again through next year. That’s great news that takes some pressure off for members who were concerned about requalifying for 2022.
However, there will still be benefits to earning elite status in 2021. Those whose status is extended rather than earned in 2021 will not receive a new set of 2022 Choice Benefits. In other words, if Greg does not requalify for Diamond this year, he will not receive new Global Upgrade Certificates for 2022 (more on those certificates in a moment).
Additionally, beginning on February 1, 2022, those who earned status in 2021 will be prioritized for complimentary upgrades ahead of those whose status was extended. That seems fair to me: those who have continued to show loyalty get first dibs on upgrades.
Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQMs) continue to roll over
All MQMs will roll over into 2022 to qualify for 2023 Medallion status. This means that the MQMs earned this year will continue to roll forward and help for status down the road.
Global and Regional Upgrade Certificates will be extended for travel through 1/31/23
This is particularly good news for Greg: the Global Upgrade Certificates that he reluctantly selected and agreed to “gift” to me (see this post) are now going to be extended to the end of January 2023. We actually do have a trip booked with these certificates and we may still take it, but this extension means that we can reconsider whether we want to use them now or hold off and plan something different in 2022 — or since Greg’s round-the-world trip for 2022 looks to be in doubt, perhaps he’ll consider keeping the certificates and using them on a different trip altogether. The added flexibility here is nice.
Award tickets continue to earn status credit
Award tickets will continue to earn MQMs and MQDs through December 21, 2022. This is great news for award travelers, particularly if travel recovers even more in 2022. This should make qualifying for 2023 status significantly easier.
Credit card benefit extensions
A $100 Delta Flight Credit on the Delta SKyMiles Gold card between 1/1/20 and 12/31/21 will be extended to 1/31/2023.
Unused Companion certificates from Delta Platinum and Reserve cards as of 7/31/21 or those issued between 8/1 and 12/31/21 will be valid until 1/31/2023.
Delta Sky Club One-Time Guest Passes issued between 1/1/20 and 12/31/21 will be valid until 1/31/23.
Basic economy flights can be changed for free
Starting tomorrow (7/28/21), customers booked in Basic Economy can make changes to their flights for travel happening through 12/31/21. There continue to be no change fees for flights originating from North America.
Bottom Line
This is all great news for Delta SkyMiles members. Keeping status regardless of 2021 travel will surely be nice for those whose business and personal travel are only beginning to pick back up (and may be in flux given recent developments) and it should make qualifying for Delta elite status all the more attractive for those enticed by the accelerated pathways currently available. While I am somewhat surprised to see Delta throw in the towel so early on getting people in the sky enough to qualify with this year’s shortcuts, I expected this would likely happen eventually and perhaps there was no sense in waiting since Delta knows the same. Hopefully we’ll see other carriers follow suit — which would be even less surprising to see.
H/T: Wandering Aramean
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Since I qualified for Platinum status through that status match offer from last year, I wonder if this extension will apply to me.
Do MQMs roll over even if you didn’t earn any status this year? Am PM with 70K MQMs but did not “earn” any status this year. PM status will be extended but do I need to get an MQD waiver and “earn” status to roll over MQMs?
Fantastic news. Did Delta say when the 2022 extension would be reflected in My SkyMiles?
Curious to know thoughts on getting the Delta Reserve this year with the 20k MQM offer + more spend to let it rollover and go for higher status in 2023? Or maybe better to wait till 2022 for the same or better offer?
I think the dominant strategy is to apply this year then you get the MQM benefit THIS year AND next. Note it’s not exactly double since I doubt they will renew the AMEX MQM incentives again for 2022 (it 25% bonus for Plat so 12.5K MQM for $25K spend instead of 10K).
Glad I got the DL Biz Plat AMEX this year. Those MQMs will essentially count almost double (25K in 2021 then in 2022 those 25K roll over PLUS another 20K for 2022 spend).
With the rollover of all MQMs, isn’t that another advantage to those who qualified the “real way” this year, as all they’ll need to do next year is get an MQD waiver and they’ll automatically qualify through 2023 as well?
Hmm this convinces me to keep on trying for Platinum Medallion. Doubt DM is possible though.
Seems like there’s a typo on this part with the valid until part but not sure what it should be
“Delta Sky Club One-Time Guest Passes issued between 1/1/20 and 12/31/21 will be valid until 1/31/21.”
Yep. Should be 1/31/23. Fixed, thanks!
Can Basic Economy award tickets be refunded without fees as of tomorrow?
This is great news, kudos to Delta! Expecting the other US airlines to follow suite as it seems its the only thing they do these days.
Wonder if this will be “What crazy thing did Delta do this week?” Or maybe the main event for Frequent Miler on the air?