PQD Waiver for Delta Diamond Increases to $250K
Caroline Lupini September 26, 2017
This morning Delta announced that in order to waive the Premier Qualifying Dollar (PQD) requirement for Delta Diamond status, Delta cardholders will need to spend a whopping $250,000 on their co-branded credit cards starting in 2018. This represents a 10X increase over the previous Delta Diamond PQD waiver requirement of $25,000 in credit card spend.
The PQD waiver for Gold and Platinum status still only will require $25,000 in spending on a Delta credit card. Through the end of 2017, it’s still possible to waive the PQD requirement for Delta Diamond status by spending $25,000 on your co-branded credit card.
“Starting January 1, 2018, the Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) Waiver for Diamond Medallion Status is increasing. The MQD Waiver for Diamond Medallion Status is currently earned by spending $25,000 in eligible purchases in a calendar year on a SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express. It is being adjusted to $250,000 in a calendar year.
This qualification change will allow us to deliver on expectations for Diamond Medallion Status so Members can maximize elite benefits like Complimentary Upgrades and Delta Sky Club® access. This update will not change how Members earn 2018 Diamond Medallion Status.
We understand this is a significant increase, but keep in mind that the MQD Waiver to qualify for all of the best-in-class benefits of Platinum, Gold and Silver Medallion Status will still remain at $25,000.”
While this is a disappointment for some, Delta is still the only US airline that allows a waiver for the dollar-requirement for top-tier status. Both American Airlines and United won’t let you waive the spending requirement for top tier status with any kind of credit card spending.
In all likelihood, this is going to decrease the number of people with top-tier Delta status.
Never even got a notice on this from Delta, noticed it in my Skymiles in January. Been a "charter" member of Delta Diamond since the take over of NWA so about 10 years. Sure it has been attained with card spend as I am a small business owner, but now there is no way with the new level I can use my AMEX card to spend this much in a year. I can see raising it but 10x the amount required is a bit much, doubling it would have been OK IMO. Time to look at other airlines and their benefits. Southwest and Jet Blue can get us pretty much anywhere we want to go non-stop except one city, but Spirit can do that (shudder the thought) Been loyal to Delta and NWA for about 30 years.
I've flown Delta for years but I think it's time to change and to cancel my American Express. They don't want my business. I'll start flying Emirates.
I honestly thought this was a typo. I though maybe it should have said going from 25,000 to 50,000. Unreal. After the recent news of free upgrades not making sense to the carrier, I don't know why I bother being a Diamond with Delta at all anymore.
You think?
While Delta may still be the only airline that allows a "waiver" for top tier status, on of the AA barclaybcards does yield half of the EQD spend with $50K spend in a year. This requires only $6K spend then in all flying to get the EQM needed for top tier status which is hard not to do. Basically I view this as $50k CC spend as a waiver to top tier airline spend requirements.