Nov 10, 2014, 2:08 am
Last edit by: bakrgby
All,
A wikipost seemed to be useful for this thread to help FTers find the most current infomation regarding DL's Status Match Challenge.
SKYMILES MEDALLION® STATUS MATCH CHALLENGE
Official Delta Site and Sign-Up
Status Match Period:
90 Days
MQM/MQS Qualifying Flights must be flown on Delta, Delta Connection or Partner Flights:
In order to extend your Medallion status after the 90 days, you'll need to earn a specific number of Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) or Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs) within the 90 days of enrolling by flying Delta or Delta Connection®, and partner airlines.
Comparable Status:
MQM / MQS Requirement:
Criteria for Participation:
Other Notes from dl.com:
When to request:
Corporate accounts:
Depending on your company's agreement with Delta, you may have different qualification requirements and/or an alternate method of requesting a status match or challenge. Check your company's intranet or travel manager.
Current Processing Time:
4-5 days as of July 31st 2022
A wikipost seemed to be useful for this thread to help FTers find the most current infomation regarding DL's Status Match Challenge.
SKYMILES MEDALLION® STATUS MATCH CHALLENGE
Official Delta Site and Sign-Up
Status Match Period:
90 Days
MQM/MQS Qualifying Flights must be flown on Delta, Delta Connection or Partner Flights:
In order to extend your Medallion status after the 90 days, you'll need to earn a specific number of Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) or Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs) within the 90 days of enrolling by flying Delta or Delta Connection®, and partner airlines.
Comparable Status:
- DL Silver Medallion (FO) - AA Gold; UA Premier Silver; AS MVP
- DL Gold Medallion (GM) - AA Platinum; UA Premier Gold; AS MVP Gold
- DL Platinum Medallion (PM) - AA Executive Platinum; UA 1K; AS MVP Gold 75K
- DL Diamond Medallion (DM) - DL does not typically match to DM.
From dl.com: If you have status with another airline not listed above, you may still be eligible for this challenge. Please submit your information below to confirm eligibility.
MQM / MQS Requirement:
- FO: 6,250 MQMs or 8 MQSs and $750MQD or MQD waiver
- GM: 12,500 MQMs or 15 MQSs and $1500MQD or MQD waiver
- PM: 18,750 MQMs or 25 MQSs and $2250MQD or MQD waiver
Criteria for Participation:
- Member has not received a status match or complimentary Medallion status in the past three years
- Is currently a non-Medallion member
- Must present valid and current elite credential or statement showing elite status from another airline
- Status being matched must be earned and not complementary.
Other Notes from dl.com:
- A physical Medallion membership card will not be issued for the 90-day qualification period. You may enjoy Medallion benefits on Delta or Delta Connection by providing your SkyMiles number when making reservations or at check-in. You can also access your Membership Card through the Fly Delta app.
During the 90-day period, you will not have access to all reciprocal Medallion benefits with Delta's partner airlines, including access to SkyTeam® lounges. - Members who are matched to Platinum Medallion status will not be eligible for Choice Benefits until the flight requirement to maintain Platinum Medallion status is met.
- Through this offer, you may maintain the same or lower Medallion status level as your matched status. If you are matched to Silver Medallion status, you will not be able to earn Gold Medallion status through this offer, even if you will fly more than 12,500 MQMs or 15 MQSs during the offer period. But if you have been matched to Gold Medallion status and you only fly 6,250 MQMs or 8 MQSs, you will earn Silver Medallion status. Your Medallion status will be returned to non-Medallion status if you are unable to complete the minimum flight requirement before the end of the 90-day period.
- Medallion status match is only offered for Platinum, Gold and Silver Medallion levels.
When to request:
- Requests from 1/1 - 6/30 will receive status through 1/31 of the following year.
- Requests from 7/1 - 12/31 will receive status through 1/31 of the second year.
Corporate accounts:
Depending on your company's agreement with Delta, you may have different qualification requirements and/or an alternate method of requesting a status match or challenge. Check your company's intranet or travel manager.
Current Processing Time:
4-5 days as of July 31st 2022
Delta Air Lines Elite Status Match Challenge : The Definitive Thread
Sep 29, 2020, 10:01 pm
#2776
Join Date: Sep 2012
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 764
Trying to figure out whether a status match is worth it and whether I'll really get anything out of it. Currently WN A-List Preferred (former UA flyer). Do a lot of flying within CA so WN fits me. I have two transcons coming up. The only two airlines I'm considering are DL and WN due to their middle seat blocking policy. WN really doesn't have options to get me where I'm going due to reduced schedules, so DL seems like the winner. My question is whether I should go for the status match for those 2 flights? I'd be Gold for 3 months, but would that get me anything? Maybe some Comfort+ upgrades? Maybe an upgrade to F? Free baggage doesn't really matter since it'll be on the company. Might have a third transcon in December (but it might push to January). How are Gold's faring right now for upgrades?
As a general note, I have largely been happy with Delta post-COVID. Middle seat blocking has been nice, and staff have been great. Many folks are unhappy about the relatively limited food and beverage service, but I've remedied this by having a beer and dinner on the ground. In First and C+, they serve beer and wine only.
Sep 30, 2020, 8:33 pm
#2777
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: So Cal
Programs: UA Gold/0.744MM, WN AL, Hyatt Diamond, MR Scum, Hertz PC, National Exec, Avis PC
Posts: 5,561
What specific routes will you be flying? I'm Silver with Delta Reserve card flying mostly short regional hops on CRJs. My upgrade percent to First is 70% post-COVID, but less often on mainline flights with larger equipment. On regional flights (CRJs) I usually get the upgrade to First. There has only been one time post-COVID I didn't get a Comfort+ upgrade, which was on a mainline flight... Even pre-COVID as a Silver, Comfort+ upgrades were plentiful but usually missed on hub-to-hub or other medallion-heavy routes (e.g., MSP-SFO). At a minimum, I was usually able to at least snag an exit row seat, which you get access to as Medallion. As Gold, your upgrade odds should be better than mine. Not sure how the upgrade list looks for the premium transcon routes, however.
As a general note, I have largely been happy with Delta post-COVID. Middle seat blocking has been nice, and staff have been great. Many folks are unhappy about the relatively limited food and beverage service, but I've remedied this by having a beer and dinner on the ground. In First and C+, they serve beer and wine only.
As a general note, I have largely been happy with Delta post-COVID. Middle seat blocking has been nice, and staff have been great. Many folks are unhappy about the relatively limited food and beverage service, but I've remedied this by having a beer and dinner on the ground. In First and C+, they serve beer and wine only.
Dec 13, 2020, 11:47 pm
#2778
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 107
What's the best time to enroll Status Match Challenge?
Hi, I'm starting from scratch on DL Status Match Challenge. I'm wondering what's the best moment to enroll the challenge?
I have a valid Japan Airlines JGC Sapphire Tier (archived on 2019).
I'm planning to apply a new Amex Delta Platinum CC in order to get the MQD waiver, this concern comes to my first questions, is it true that if I'm expecting to get the MQD waiver then I'd have to spend $25,000 before applying challenge?
My second questions would be, when is the best time to enroll the challenge? Since the spending has to be occurred from Jan 1, 2021 onwards because MQD waiver calculated on calendar year period, as above also stated that if I have to apply after spending $25,000 on the new CC, which means If I enroll the challenge before July, 2021, would be my DL Gold only going to be valid until January 31, 2022? But if I enroll it after the second half of 2021, would this give my tier valid to 2023?
I also want to know if it's possible in this way, I enroll the Challenge on Jan 1, 2021, assume I could fly 12,500 MQMs within 90 days, but I wouldn't be able to spend $1,500 MQDs, however, maybe someday in August, 2021 (example) I will spend $25,000 on my new CC, which this give me the waiver of the MQDs requirements, then I could become the DL gold on August? Or simply saying, if I enroll on Jan 1, 2021, I'd have to spend $25,000 on my new CC and accumulate 12,500 MQMs within 3 months.
The last but not least question, if I wait to enroll the challenge on 2021, would my JAL record still be accepted by Delta? Because all the flights on record would be on 2019, I thought that Delta wants to see records from the last 12 months, right?
Thanks
I have a valid Japan Airlines JGC Sapphire Tier (archived on 2019).
I'm planning to apply a new Amex Delta Platinum CC in order to get the MQD waiver, this concern comes to my first questions, is it true that if I'm expecting to get the MQD waiver then I'd have to spend $25,000 before applying challenge?
My second questions would be, when is the best time to enroll the challenge? Since the spending has to be occurred from Jan 1, 2021 onwards because MQD waiver calculated on calendar year period, as above also stated that if I have to apply after spending $25,000 on the new CC, which means If I enroll the challenge before July, 2021, would be my DL Gold only going to be valid until January 31, 2022? But if I enroll it after the second half of 2021, would this give my tier valid to 2023?
I also want to know if it's possible in this way, I enroll the Challenge on Jan 1, 2021, assume I could fly 12,500 MQMs within 90 days, but I wouldn't be able to spend $1,500 MQDs, however, maybe someday in August, 2021 (example) I will spend $25,000 on my new CC, which this give me the waiver of the MQDs requirements, then I could become the DL gold on August? Or simply saying, if I enroll on Jan 1, 2021, I'd have to spend $25,000 on my new CC and accumulate 12,500 MQMs within 3 months.
The last but not least question, if I wait to enroll the challenge on 2021, would my JAL record still be accepted by Delta? Because all the flights on record would be on 2019, I thought that Delta wants to see records from the last 12 months, right?
Thanks
Last edited by ericmc; Dec 14, 2020 at 8:07 pm
Dec 14, 2020, 5:11 am
#2779
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,057
Whose status are you matching from? It looks like you have status in FB. You do realize that DL will not match status from fellow Skyteam carriers? Also, they don't match promotional status (you must show your flying activity to demonstrate you actually met the standard status requirements). As explained in the T&C's on delta.com, the Amex spend MQD Waiver must be met by the end of the 3 month challenge period. Your status would not be extended beyond the 3 month challenge or retroactively granted if you started in January and did not meet Amex spend MQD Waiver requirement until August.
Dec 14, 2020, 8:42 pm
#2781
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,057
Flights flown in 2019 to earn 2020 year status should be perfectly acceptable as long as JAL status is still active. If you wait until 2021 to apply and your JAL status has expired, that could be more problematic. Although they might be willing to make an exception due to Covid situation.
Dec 14, 2020, 11:41 pm
#2783
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,057
Don't know if you are willing to consider a mileage/MQD run, but if you are close to BOS or JFK, there are $500 roundtrip Aeromexico biz fares to CUN that will earn close to or over 1500 MQD's (depending on routing) as long as flights are booked as AM coded flights.
Last edited by xliioper; Dec 15, 2020 at 12:50 pm
Dec 15, 2020, 10:16 am
#2784
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: 100,413
Is the OP sure that there's a MQD waiver (based on $25,000 spend on a DL AmEx credit card) for the status challenge? Look at the T&C very carefully and do not assume.
Dec 15, 2020, 12:55 pm
#2785
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,057
Yes, the AMEX spend MQD Waiver can be applied to status challenge. If you've already met the $25K spend requirement for the calendar year and apply for Match Challenge in same calendar year, the Waiver will be applied. However, if you haven't yet met it, you have to meet it by the end of the 3 month challenge window for it to apply.
Dec 16, 2020, 2:15 am
#2786
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 107
Yes, the AMEX spend MQD Waiver can be applied to status challenge. If you've already met the $25K spend requirement for the calendar year and apply for Match Challenge in same calendar year, the Waiver will be applied. However, if you haven't yet met it, you have to meet it by the end of the 3 month challenge window for it to apply.
Dec 16, 2020, 5:30 pm
#2787
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 4
Please forgive this potentially dumb question:
Delta's Status Match Challenge website says that one applying for the challenge "present both 1) a valid, current elite physical or digital membership card or credential with your name on it and 2) a statement showing your earned elite status with an airline and the corresponding activity with that airline that made you achieve that status, with your name on it."
Where does one find these for United and Southwest? I'm able to find my digital MileagePlus card, but I don't see one anywhere for Southwest. I also dont' know where to find "a statement showing your earned elite status with an airline and the corresponding activity with that airline that made you achieve that status." I'm not sure I've ever seen such a statement for either airline.
Would someone be kind enough to point me to these items?
Delta's Status Match Challenge website says that one applying for the challenge "present both 1) a valid, current elite physical or digital membership card or credential with your name on it and 2) a statement showing your earned elite status with an airline and the corresponding activity with that airline that made you achieve that status, with your name on it."
Where does one find these for United and Southwest? I'm able to find my digital MileagePlus card, but I don't see one anywhere for Southwest. I also dont' know where to find "a statement showing your earned elite status with an airline and the corresponding activity with that airline that made you achieve that status." I'm not sure I've ever seen such a statement for either airline.
Would someone be kind enough to point me to these items?
Dec 19, 2020, 3:02 am
#2789
Join Date: Jan 2020
Programs: SkyMedallion Platinum, MileagePlus Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite
Posts: 4
after a while I received my Delta GM bag tags, I forget how long after though. I may have received two sets: one when I enrolled and one when I completed the challenge, I don’t remember exactly
Dec 19, 2020, 7:55 pm
#2790
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,057