Sep 13, 2023, 3:22 pm
Last edit by: audidudi
Highlights of SkyMiles Program Changes and Status Requirement Thresholds
Making Medallion Status More Accessible:
We will reduce the proposed number of Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) needed to earn 2025 Medallion Status.
Beginning in January 2024, Million Miler status will go to BIS miles flown only.
Updated 18 October 2023:
More Recognition and Rewards for Long-Term LoyaltyDelta is giving long-term loyalists more of the recognition they deserve. Effective January 1, 2024, the airline is moving Million Miler Status up in the hierarchy for Complimentary Upgrades. And beginning February 1, 2024, Million Milers will also receive enhanced complimentary annual Medallion Status.
Priority order through 12/31/23:
Official announcement from Delta Air Lines:
https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles...rogram-updates
18 October 2023 Rollback/Update Announcement:
https://news.delta.com/delta-shares-...oyalty-program
- Delta and partner flights: Earn 1 MQD per $1 spent on the ticket price for a Delta-marketed flight operated by Delta or by a partner airline.
Flights booked and ticketed by eligible partners will earn MQDs at the same rate as they do today, based on the fare class purchased and distance flown.Delta has revamped the MQD earning charts on many partners. Notably, non-full fare Business has been reduced from 40% to 30% on a number of core partners.- Credit cards: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express and Reserve Business Card Members earn 1 MQD for every $10 spent. Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Platinum Business American Express Card Members earn 1 MQD for every $20 spent. There is no limit to how many MQDs you can earn from credit card spending.
- Credit Card MQD Headstart: Updated 18 October 2023: Members with the Delta SkyMiles Reserve, Reserve Business, Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Platinum Business American Express Cards will also receive an MQD Headstart of $2,500 MQDs for the current Medallion Qualification Year
Car rentals: Earn 1 MQD per $1 spent on completed car rentals booked through Delta direct channels.Hotel stays: Earn 1 MQD per $1 spent on completed stays booked through Delta direct channels.
Hotel Stays and Car Rentals: Customers may earn MQDs through Delta flights, Delta Vacations packages, and purchases on the Delta SkyMiles Platinum, Platinum Business, Reserve and Reserve Business American Express Cards. Car rentals and hotel/vacation rentals booked through Delta Car Rentals and Delta Stays will not earn MQDs toward Medallion Status (Updated 18 October 2023).
**Delta will honor MQDs earned on Member car rentals and hotel/vacation rentals booked through Delta Car Rentals and Stays between September 14, 2023 and October 31, 2023, for 2024 travel.- Delta Vacations: Earn 1 MQD per $1 spent on the entire vacation experience, in addition to what you earn for your flight, when booking directly with Delta Vacations.
Making Medallion Status More Accessible:
We will reduce the proposed number of Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) needed to earn 2025 Medallion Status.
- Silver Medallion Status: from 6,000 to 5,000 MQDs
- Gold Medallion Status: from 12,000 to 10,000 MQDs
- Platinum Medallion Status: from 18,000 to 15,000 MQDs
- Diamond Medallion Status: from 35,000 to 28,000 MQDs
Your Existing MQMs:
- Convert to MQD at
20:1MQDs will convert at 10:1 (updated on 18 October 2023)
Also: Beginning in early 2024, Members will have a choice as to whether to put MQM Rollover balances toward MQDs or SkyMiles. And customers who have MQM Rollover balances over 100,000 will be given special offers to extend their earned 2024 Status—one year for each 100K Rollover MQMs. Delta will also provide an option to convert MQM Rollover balances into MQDs at a more generous ratio of 10:1 (up from 20:1). Members will also be able to convert MQMs Rollover balances to SkyMiles at a ratio of 2:1. - Convert to redeemable SkyMiles at 2:1
- Gone after 2023.
- Delta Amex Blue: Zero
- Delta Amex Gold: Zero
- Delta Amex Platinum: 1 MQD per $20 spent
- Delta Amex Reserve: 1 MQD per $10 spent
Beginning in January 2024, Million Miler status will go to BIS miles flown only.
Updated 18 October 2023:
More Recognition and Rewards for Long-Term LoyaltyDelta is giving long-term loyalists more of the recognition they deserve. Effective January 1, 2024, the airline is moving Million Miler Status up in the hierarchy for Complimentary Upgrades. And beginning February 1, 2024, Million Milers will also receive enhanced complimentary annual Medallion Status.
- 6 million miles or more earns Delta 360o™ (previously Diamond Medallion)
- 5 million miles earns Delta 360o™ (previously Platinum Medallion)
- 4 million miles earns Diamond Medallion (previously Platinum Medallion)
- 3 million miles earns Diamond Medallion (previously Gold Medallion)
- 2 million miles earns Platinum Medallion (previously Gold Medallion)
- 1 million miles earns Gold Medallion (previously Silver Medallion)
Priority order through 12/31/23:
- Medallion status
- Fare class groupings: higher-prices fares are ranked above lower-priced fares
- Delta Reserve AmEx card members
- Medallion status
- Cabin purchased (original + paid upgrades)
- Million miler status
- Delta AmEx Reserve card members
- Delta Corporate Travellers
- MQSs earned in current calendar year
- Date and time of upgrade request
Official announcement from Delta Air Lines:
https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles...rogram-updates
18 October 2023 Rollback/Update Announcement:
https://news.delta.com/delta-shares-...oyalty-program
Delta SkyMiles Program Changes (Total Revenue Based) for 2025 Medallion Year
Sep 13, 2023, 3:56 pm
#48
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Manhattan
Programs: Delta DM, Marriot TE
Posts: 39
No point in the Delta Platinum either.
Sep 13, 2023, 3:57 pm
#49
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: BNA
Programs: DL GM, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,027
Double the MQD earning on the reserve card would be the only benefit.
Sep 13, 2023, 3:59 pm
#51
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 235
Seems to be more or less in the same ballpark, when you consider AA’s sliding scale based on current status. It’s a bunch less than each AA tier starting from nothing, a bunch more than you need if you already have high status with AA.
Sep 13, 2023, 3:59 pm
#52
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: AUS
Programs: DL/HH/IHG/BW/Caesar's Diamond (Select), UA 1K, AA EXP, Marriott/MGM Gold, Hertz/Avis PC
Posts: 142
I'm going to argue that the new changes are actually really good for a subset of customers which includes me so of course I am happy. I'm a Diamond medallion who mostly credits partner long haul business class flights to Delta. MQDs have never been an issue and 35k won't be an issue. However, now the amount of competition for upgrades/better service is going to greatly be reduced let alone the platinums and golds in the SkyPriority lane. Almost nobody is going to get status through a credit card ($120k for gold, $180k for platinum, and $350k for Diamond) meaning again less "elites" with 25k of spend and 4 segments. The credit card access policies are a non issue as my Amex Platinum gets well over $75k in spend but the lounges are about to get way emptier. The only sad thing as a partner airline earner is the Million Miler changes but I will take that for the other benefits and I am excited for these new choice benefits. Diamond might be the new 360!
Sep 13, 2023, 4:01 pm
#53
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: NYC
Programs: BA Silver, UA 1K, DL Platinum
Posts: 696
This is pretty wild but I half expected this given Delta used to be a leader rather than a follower so they were unlikely just to copy the AA program.
So I will join the queue to downgrade by Reserve to a much cheaper product unless there is some additional news from the Amex side. I will gain because when I fly DeltaOne I get the dedicated one in JFK anyway (only a few times a year so Silver maybe?).
So I will join the queue to downgrade by Reserve to a much cheaper product unless there is some additional news from the Amex side. I will gain because when I fly DeltaOne I get the dedicated one in JFK anyway (only a few times a year so Silver maybe?).
Sep 13, 2023, 4:02 pm
#54
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Kanasas City
Programs: DL DM, 2 MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 358
Wait, what is the parter airline earner related to Million Miler changes?
Sep 13, 2023, 4:02 pm
#55
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 235
Sounds like the non-branded one is six, not ten. And other than that one benefit, the cards are otherwise completely distinct in terms of what they offer.
Sep 13, 2023, 4:03 pm
#56
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Programs: DL Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 139
Brutal... off to AA most likely for this SLC based hub captive. With the prices DL is charging here, combined with SC access getting nuked, the idea of taking a layover becomes a lot more appealing, especially since I've heard upgrades for Plat Pro on AA (which should be very doable for me given current travel patterns/spend) are a lot more consistent than for PM on DL.
Though as someone who hit PM on ~$6k of spend last year plus the Amex waiver, I'm sure I'm the exact customer they're trying to get rid of with these changes. Nicely done, DL.
Though as someone who hit PM on ~$6k of spend last year plus the Amex waiver, I'm sure I'm the exact customer they're trying to get rid of with these changes. Nicely done, DL.
Sep 13, 2023, 4:06 pm
#57
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Programs: Delta DM, United Silver, Marriott LT Platinum, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 854
Sep 13, 2023, 4:11 pm
#59
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: SEA
Programs: DL Gold Medallion, Avis President's Club
Posts: 192
I'm SEA-based so I guess it's time to evaluate AS's MVP program, which is still distance-based and has absolutely zero credit card component.
So much for buying all my personal flights with SkyMiles and using the Amex MQD waiver to reach Medallion status, it lasted me one year (this year).
So much for buying all my personal flights with SkyMiles and using the Amex MQD waiver to reach Medallion status, it lasted me one year (this year).
Sep 13, 2023, 4:11 pm
#60
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: ATL
Programs: AA GLD Skymiles DM MM, a+ rewards lifetime elite, AS, Marriott plat, PC plat, HH gold
Posts: 1,275
No need for a personal and business card now for multiple MQM bonuses. Companion ticket is only benefit for more than one card/annual fee.
Status grants from Choice benefits will be more valuable. I will probably send more family spend to hotel card and use a choice benefit to save $120k in spending for kids FO.
Status grants from Choice benefits will be more valuable. I will probably send more family spend to hotel card and use a choice benefit to save $120k in spending for kids FO.
Last edited by turkeyRIOO; Sep 13, 2023 at 4:18 pm