Interestingly, the only time one does not earn full credit towards Medallion SkyMiles Elite status on Delta Air Lines is if one flies on Continental Airlines flights on certain low fares. Otherwise, Delta Air Lines SkyMiles members earn 100% Medallion Qualification Miles towards Medallion SkyMiles Elite status for the following year on all Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines flights, as well as many Continental Airlines flights.
The official hub airports are as follows:
- Delta Air Lines
- Atlanta (ATL)
- Cincinnati (CVG)
- Salt Lake City (SLC)
- The following airports are not hub airports, but more than just another destination:
- Boston (BOS)
- New York (JFK) — primarily a “feeder” airport for international flights
- New York (LGA) — primarily for Delta Shuttle flights to Boston (BOS) and Washington, D.C. (DCA) and for regional jet flights to destinations in the southern United States
- Continental Airlines
- Houston (IAH)
- Newark (EWR)
- Cleveland (CLE)
- Northwest Airlines
- Detroit (DTW)
- Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP)
- Memphis (MEM)
In addition to the excellent suggestions pertaining to trip schedules, cost factors, convenience and the fact that perhaps you should consider staying with Delta Air Lines, as you already have approximately 13,000 SkyMiles, one has to also take into account partners of the individual airlines.
For example, I once used my Continental OnePass miles for a fantastic trip to Australia in business class on Qantas. This award option is not available to Delta Air Lines SkyMiles members. A Northwest Airlines WorldPerks member can request an award ticket on Kenya Airways, which is not available to Continental Airlines OnePass members. These are two of many examples of the ability to earn and redeem awards on specific airline partners if one is a member of one of the three frequent flier programs of which you are considering joining.
I hope this information is helpful to you in considering your decision,
allicat — and welcome to FlyerTalk!