New 2025 Choice Benefits for Platinum and Diamond Medallion Members
Oct 19, 2023, 8:06 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: On the run
Programs: DL 2MM/DM, Hilton LT Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriot Titanium
Posts: 573
New 2025 Choice Benefits for Platinum and Diamond Medallion Members
Received the updated choice benefits e-mail, as these are the additions and not impressed. Was hopping for better use of GUC’s but still status quo.
- An individual or executive Delta Sky Club membership
- A head start of 2,000 MQDs toward the next Medallion Qualification Year
- 35,000 bonus miles for you to use, gift or donate
- A $350 Delta Travel Voucher for use on Delta flights or Delta Vacations packages
- A new Wheels Up flight credit
Oct 19, 2023, 9:04 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 15,206
While nice to have the individual SC membership option back, note that it will require 2 choice benefits so that makes it of questionable value.
Oct 19, 2023, 9:25 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: LAX
Programs: DL DM, 2 MM; OW Emerald; MVP Gold 100k;Marriott/SPG LTPlat; HH Diamond
Posts: 968
I noticed that they said these are the enhancements to the choice benefits, but nowhere does it show the full list. Are we sure RUC and GUC options remain unchanged??
Oct 19, 2023, 10:36 am
#4
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
I'm guessing that the executive SC membership will cost three DM choice benefits, but this wasn't specified in the announcements I've seem.
Oct 19, 2023, 10:42 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,399
I think I'll just pay for a membership in 2025 since my reserve cards are worthless seeing I'll be diamond for five more years and don't need the MQD's and just spl;it the charge between my vanilla platinum and Hilton AmEx and that will generate $450 in airline credits, netting the amount to only $245
Oct 19, 2023, 5:09 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SEA
Programs: Delta DM, 2MM
Posts: 107
For me, the only Choice Beni worthwhile are the GUC's, which are now worth a fraction of their past value, since they changed to a 1 class upgrade. Premium Select is almost as expensive (sometimes more!) than business class on other airlines.
This in addition to the crazy inflated prices for using Skymiles really makes me wonder what value I am getting out of Diamond status.
650k miles for a business class ticket to Asia? Crazy! Especially when other airlines offer 160k for the same ticket.
I was really hoping to see GUC's being changed to a 2 class upgrade...but that has hopeful thinking.
This in addition to the crazy inflated prices for using Skymiles really makes me wonder what value I am getting out of Diamond status.
650k miles for a business class ticket to Asia? Crazy! Especially when other airlines offer 160k for the same ticket.
I was really hoping to see GUC's being changed to a 2 class upgrade...but that has hopeful thinking.
Oct 19, 2023, 6:06 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: MCO
Programs: AA,DL,F9,UA,WN
Posts: 582
What happens to MQD's at the end of 2024?
Let's say I end the year with 8,000 MQD's which is enough to make me Silver in 2025 at 5,000.
But what happens to those other 3,000 I didn't use because I didn't make it to the 10,000 Gold threshold?
They're gone, correct? I begin 2025 with 0 MQD's? (Unless they continue the $2500 Head Start another year.)
Let's say I end the year with 8,000 MQD's which is enough to make me Silver in 2025 at 5,000.
But what happens to those other 3,000 I didn't use because I didn't make it to the 10,000 Gold threshold?
They're gone, correct? I begin 2025 with 0 MQD's? (Unless they continue the $2500 Head Start another year.)
Oct 19, 2023, 6:14 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: STL
Programs: DL DM; HH gold
Posts: 554
For me, the only Choice Beni worthwhile are the GUC's, which are now worth a fraction of their past value, since they changed to a 1 class upgrade. Premium Select is almost as expensive (sometimes more!) than business class on other airlines.
This in addition to the crazy inflated prices for using Skymiles really makes me wonder what value I am getting out of Diamond status.
650k miles for a business class ticket to Asia? Crazy! Especially when other airlines offer 160k for the same ticket.
I was really hoping to see GUC's being changed to a 2 class upgrade...but that has hopeful thinking.
This in addition to the crazy inflated prices for using Skymiles really makes me wonder what value I am getting out of Diamond status.
650k miles for a business class ticket to Asia? Crazy! Especially when other airlines offer 160k for the same ticket.
I was really hoping to see GUC's being changed to a 2 class upgrade...but that has hopeful thinking.
I’d like to see the option to use 2 CB for GUC (2x4), OR 4 at DM and an extra for every $x k in spend over the DM threshold.
Oct 19, 2023, 6:45 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2023
Posts: 176
Oct 19, 2023, 6:50 pm
#11
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Programs: Delta DM, United Silver, Marriott LT Platinum, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 854
Not sure if it's worth two benefits either but when you look at the vlaue of the ecredit and skypeso choices....
I think I'll just pay for a membership in 2025 since my reserve cards are worthless seeing I'll be diamond for five more years and don't need the MQD's and just spl;it the charge between my vanilla platinum and Hilton AmEx and that will generate $450 in airline credits, netting the amount to only $245
I think I'll just pay for a membership in 2025 since my reserve cards are worthless seeing I'll be diamond for five more years and don't need the MQD's and just spl;it the charge between my vanilla platinum and Hilton AmEx and that will generate $450 in airline credits, netting the amount to only $245
Oct 19, 2023, 7:39 pm
#13
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Plat, 1 MM; SPG LT Plat (RIP); Marriott LT Titanium; Fairmont Plat (RIP), DL Kryptonium Medallion
Posts: 1,791
What happens to MQD's at the end of 2024?
Let's say I end the year with 8,000 MQD's which is enough to make me Silver in 2025 at 5,000.
But what happens to those other 3,000 I didn't use because I didn't make it to the 10,000 Gold threshold?
They're gone, correct? I begin 2025 with 0 MQD's? (Unless they continue the $2500 Head Start another year.)
Let's say I end the year with 8,000 MQD's which is enough to make me Silver in 2025 at 5,000.
But what happens to those other 3,000 I didn't use because I didn't make it to the 10,000 Gold threshold?
They're gone, correct? I begin 2025 with 0 MQD's? (Unless they continue the $2500 Head Start another year.)
This is one of my annoyance about the new system. If Delta had become concerned that there was too much rollover, instead of abolishing it completely, they could have done something like cap it.
Going forward, the moment I attain the highest level of status that I can, I will sock-drawer my card, defer any discretionary leisure travel to the following year, and be a free agent on flights for the remainder of the year (which, in practice, means flying Delta often, given the status, but not exclusively, if superior price/convenience with another airline warrants it). This will cost them money needlessly.
Oct 19, 2023, 7:55 pm
#14
Formerly known as fsa_ea
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Up in the Air
Programs: UA GS/1MM,AS 75k,NK GLD,AA 2MM,DL 2MM,LH FT,AY PLT,IC RA,FMT LT PLT,HYT GLB,HLT DIA,MRT GLD,HRTZ PC
Posts: 2,229
Yes. Per the main page, "MQDs Reset Annually MQD spending will continue to reset each calendar year."
Going forward, the moment I attain the highest level of status that I can, I will sock-drawer my card, defer any discretionary leisure travel to the following year, and be a free agent on flights for the remainder of the year (which, in practice, means flying Delta often, given the status, but not exclusively, if superior price/convenience with another airline warrants it). This will cost them money needlessly.
Going forward, the moment I attain the highest level of status that I can, I will sock-drawer my card, defer any discretionary leisure travel to the following year, and be a free agent on flights for the remainder of the year (which, in practice, means flying Delta often, given the status, but not exclusively, if superior price/convenience with another airline warrants it). This will cost them money needlessly.
Oct 19, 2023, 7:59 pm
#15
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: MCO
Programs: AA,DL,F9,UA,WN
Posts: 582
That's what I'm thinking too. In my situation I know I will make the 5,000 MQD threshold but no way can make 10,000. So once I reach 5,000 (or know what's in the queue that I will make it), it seems pointless to use my DL AX Reserve card for anymore spending. The MQD's I would earn would just get wasted. I can put my charges on other cards, it seems.