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, 2:32 pm
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
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: 10,356
Delta SkyMiles Program Changes (Total Revenue Based) for 2025 Medallion Year
Thread Wiki added with Program Details (will update as more information becomes available)
SKYMILES PROGRAM CHANGES ANNOUNCED
Delta continues to innovate our SkyMiles Program based on customer feedback to remain the industry’s premier loyalty program.
Beginning January 1, 2024, we are changing the way SkyMiles Members qualify for Medallion Status to preserve the exclusivity and experience our most loyal customers and travelers look forward to and deserve. As part of these changes, select Delta SkyMiles American Express Card Members will also see changes to their Delta Sky Club Access.
These changes will simplify how to earn Status, offer new and enhanced ways to earn Status and preserve the premium experience for our SkyMiles and Medallion Members.
Simpler Status Tracking: Beginning January 1, 2024, all SkyMiles Members will earn toward Status through only MQDs. SkyMiles Members will no longer earn Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQMs) or Medallion Qualifying Segments (MQSs). Customers won’t lose any Rollover MQMs accrued — starting early 2024, Members can choose to convert Rollover MQMs to MQDs or miles (or a combination of both).
More ways to earn Status: With these changes to the SkyMiles Program, Members can now earn Status through purchases on eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express Cards, car rentals and stays booked on delta.com, and Delta Vacations, in addition to Delta and partner flights. Earn by spending how and when you want, with Delta and our partners.
Beginning January 1, 2024, we are changing the way SkyMiles Members qualify for Medallion Status to preserve the exclusivity and experience our most loyal customers and travelers look forward to and deserve. As part of these changes, select Delta SkyMiles American Express Card Members will also see changes to their Delta Sky Club Access.
These changes will simplify how to earn Status, offer new and enhanced ways to earn Status and preserve the premium experience for our SkyMiles and Medallion Members.
Simpler Status Tracking: Beginning January 1, 2024, all SkyMiles Members will earn toward Status through only MQDs. SkyMiles Members will no longer earn Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQMs) or Medallion Qualifying Segments (MQSs). Customers won’t lose any Rollover MQMs accrued — starting early 2024, Members can choose to convert Rollover MQMs to MQDs or miles (or a combination of both).
More ways to earn Status: With these changes to the SkyMiles Program, Members can now earn Status through purchases on eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express Cards, car rentals and stays booked on delta.com, and Delta Vacations, in addition to Delta and partner flights. Earn by spending how and when you want, with Delta and our partners.
Still some more specifics to come but per this release, MQMs and MQSs will be going away and DL Status will be MQD only.
ETA: Link appears to be erroring out now. But I captured a screenshot in a tab that was still open with the announcement:
ETA Again: Points Guy has provided some additional details, confirming the speculation of many that TPG would get an "inside scoop" ahead of the official/formal announcement:
The Points Guy
One status metric: MQD
Beginning on Jan. 1, 2024, Delta will consolidate all Medallion status earning activities into one metric, called Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs).
If you've been flying Delta for a while, you're probably familiar with MQDs — they've historically been equivalent to the spend requirement in order to earn status. MQDs were introduced in 2014 and joined MQMs and MQSs to create Medallion status thresholds.
When MQDs were first introduced, they were earned from spending on Delta flights (and as a function of distance and fare class on eligible partner tickets). The more you spend, the more MQDs you earn.
Going forward, MQDs won't just track your eligible travel spend on Delta and its partners — you'll also earn MQDs from a handful of other methods.
One status metric: MQD
Beginning on Jan. 1, 2024, Delta will consolidate all Medallion status earning activities into one metric, called Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs).
If you've been flying Delta for a while, you're probably familiar with MQDs — they've historically been equivalent to the spend requirement in order to earn status. MQDs were introduced in 2014 and joined MQMs and MQSs to create Medallion status thresholds.
When MQDs were first introduced, they were earned from spending on Delta flights (and as a function of distance and fare class on eligible partner tickets). The more you spend, the more MQDs you earn.
Going forward, MQDs won't just track your eligible travel spend on Delta and its partners — you'll also earn MQDs from a handful of other methods.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Last edited by ATOBTTR; Sep 13, 2023 at 3:24 pm
Sep 13, 2023, 2:36 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: VPS, previously SEA and PIT
Programs: DL Diamond/1MM, Hilton Diamond, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 1,201
Can't wait to see how many people ditch their Reserve Cards after this. Definitely a rip-off now benefits-wise. Also, no mention of whether MQDs will become rollovers in the future? Seems a lot of open-ended questions, like how the Amex spend will work.
Sep 13, 2023, 2:39 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 5,187
How many MQD is DM?? Still $250k??
Sep 13, 2023, 2:40 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: DL DM+(segs)/MM, UA Ag, Hilton DM, Marriott Ti (life Pt), TSA Opt-out Platinum
Posts: 3,227
Will be interesting to see what other options there are for club access. I.e. do they give it back to DMs? Raise prices? Etc.
Sep 13, 2023, 2:42 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,063
Wrong metric. That's the Amex spend MQD Waiver for DM. The MQD requirement for DM for 2024 status year (2023 earnings years) is $20K. Presumably, they'll have some kind of MQD bonuses for Amex spend (similar to current MQM Boosts).
Sep 13, 2023, 2:51 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
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: 10,356
Link continues to work for me but here's a screenshot of the webpage (I kept this page open and tried the link in a different tab just in case):
And reposting the link:
https://pro.delta.com/content/agency...announced.html
And reposting the link:
https://pro.delta.com/content/agency...announced.html
Sep 13, 2023, 2:54 pm
#10
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Programs: Delta DM, United Silver, Marriott LT Platinum, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 854
I still don't know:
1. What are the MQD thresholds?
2. At what rate can you choose to exchange MQM for MQD or SkyMiles?
3. What's happening to Amex Platinum SkyClub access, if anything?
1. What are the MQD thresholds?
2. At what rate can you choose to exchange MQM for MQD or SkyMiles?
3. What's happening to Amex Platinum SkyClub access, if anything?
Sep 13, 2023, 3:07 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: DL DM; AS 75K; Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 126
Sep 13, 2023, 3:08 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,314
Sep 13, 2023, 3:18 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2022
Posts: 832