Medallion Status
Oct 17, 2018, 5:44 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,044
Oct 17, 2018, 5:48 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
What are you hoping to get out of Silver status? If your normal travel only amounts to 10k miles a year, less than half the requirement for silver, that means you are taking just one or two long-distance trips or at most 10 short-distance round trips each year.
You may be better off just buying the relevant benefits whenever they are needed.
You may be better off just buying the relevant benefits whenever they are needed.
Oct 17, 2018, 5:48 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
1. The Delta Skymiles Platinum has an annual fee of $195 and has a welcome bonus of 5000 MQM if you are approved and spend $1000 in 3 months. If you charge $25000 to the card in a calendar year you earn another 10000 MQM.
2. The Delta Skymiles Reserve has an annual fee of $495 and has a welcome bonus of 10000 MQM if you are approved and spend $3000 in 3 months. Additionally if you charge $30000 in a calendar year you earn another 15000 MQM bonus.
So you could enroll in both,and pay the annual fees. But what perks are you hoping to get from Silver Medallion status? The free checked bags and Zone 1 boarding can be obtained with a Skymiles Gold Amex card ($95 annual fee).
I hope this helps!
Oct 17, 2018, 5:49 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
And that's a LOT of premium cabin up fares to make the difference OP needs.
Oct 17, 2018, 6:50 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Back in Reds Country (DAY/CVG). Previously: SEA & SAT.
Programs: DL PM 1MM, AA PLAT, UA Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 10,355
You could sign up for either the Delta Platinum American Express ($195/year annual fee) or the Delta Reserve American Express ($450/year annual fee). Both will come with an MQM sign-up bonus. The DL Platinum AmEx is 5,000 MQMs when signing up and meeting the initial spend requirement. The DL Reserve AmEx is 10,000 MQMs when signing up and meeting the initial spend requirement. Both cards offer the opportunity to earn MQMs throughout the year if you reach certain spending thresholds.
Oct 17, 2018, 7:11 pm
#11
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: DL, Marriott & IHG Platty; HH Diamonte
Posts: 861
I wouldn't worry about it, Silver doesn't get you much with Delta. Rinse and repeat when you are asking about being 15k from PM or DM....those should be your goals.
Oct 17, 2018, 7:45 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 32
With that many MQMs to chase I wouldn't recommend going for it unless you anticipate your travel to increase a bunch next year. In that case starting the year as silver might be worth it. As others have mentioned you can get most of the silver benefits with a delta branded AMEX card. The CC doesn't come with complementary upgrades, but unless you fly less popular routes at odd times you aren't getting upgraded as a silver medallion on a regular basis.
Oct 17, 2018, 9:39 pm
#15
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Central Florida
Programs: DL PM; MR Titanium & LTT; Hilton Diamond; National Exec Elite
Posts: 69
As others have said, a longer international mileage run or racking up a lot of spending on a DL branded Platinum or Reserve Amex is about the only way to do this.
Having less than half of the required miles, it probably isn’t with it for you. The Delta Amex Gold card will get you the checked bag and boarding benefits of Silver (I believe Silvers get 70lbs for a checked bag though, not sure the Amex does, it may just be 50lbs with the card benefit). That aside, Silver will give you access to preferred seats, including non Comfort+ exit rows, priority customer service line, usually better IRROPS handling and priority standby, and a shot at upgrades to C+ and F, although the value of the upgrade benefit will vary greatly depending upon routes flown and times/days of the week.
I have a Silver co-worker who really only travels mid-week and is based in Cleveland. He actually has a far better F upgrade percentage than I do as a Platinum being Tampa based and flying Monday and Thursday evening or Fridays.
Having less than half of the required miles, it probably isn’t with it for you. The Delta Amex Gold card will get you the checked bag and boarding benefits of Silver (I believe Silvers get 70lbs for a checked bag though, not sure the Amex does, it may just be 50lbs with the card benefit). That aside, Silver will give you access to preferred seats, including non Comfort+ exit rows, priority customer service line, usually better IRROPS handling and priority standby, and a shot at upgrades to C+ and F, although the value of the upgrade benefit will vary greatly depending upon routes flown and times/days of the week.
I have a Silver co-worker who really only travels mid-week and is based in Cleveland. He actually has a far better F upgrade percentage than I do as a Platinum being Tampa based and flying Monday and Thursday evening or Fridays.