Delta gold medallion how many miles

When you qualify for Platinum Medallion, you get to select a Choice Benefit. They can also enjoy a couple of added perks, including access to Virgin Atlantic lounges outside the United States when traveling on Delta or Virgin Atlantic. Like Platinum status, Diamond status lost value in Diamond Medallions enjoy the highest upgrade priority and will start clearing 5 days in advance but ahead of Platinum Medallion travelers. Platinum Medallion members earn 11 miles per dollar spent, 6 more than non-status flyers.

In , Delta began offering Diamond Medallion travelers complimentary CLEAR memberships , an expedited airport-security program that continues to expand. By many reports, Delta Diamond line agents can frequently help top-tier elites with an array of requests, from forcing availability after a missed connection to waiving fees that should be applied.

Related: Which Delta Choice Benefit should you pick for a pandemic travel year? All you need to do is change the number in cell A2 to represent the number of MQMs you expect to fly in , and the spreadsheet will update with the corresponding value.

For example, I pre-loaded 60, MQMs. Related: Consider jump-starting your travel in with an airline elite status match or challenge. Given these values, is it worth pursuing elite status or the next tier of elite status with Delta? However, here are a few over-arching questions that can help you arrive at a decision:.

If you push hard to earn Diamond Medallion, for example, the valuable perks outlined above only apply when you actually travel. Many of you may wind up within striking distance of the next tier, so be sure to consider whether the benefits are worth pushing for it.

Would you book a one-stop Delta flight if Southwest had a cheaper nonstop option? If the answer is no, it may not be worth going out of your way to earn Delta elite status or any elite status, for that matter. The final consideration involves travel rewards credit cards. If you can pay a flat annual fee for one of these cards and gain access to perks that matter to you without going out of your way to earn elite status, that may be a good plan.

These questions are also not easy to answer, as many different factors come into play with each of them. Earning airline elite status carries an array of perks that can make your entire travel experience more comfortable.

Keep in mind you may see some reader comments referring to outdated information below. For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here. For rates and fees of the Delta Reserve Card, click here. For rates and fees of the Delta Gold card, click here. Enrollment required for select benefits.

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The requirements for each level described below remain unchanged, but Delta is offering bonuses to make them easier to reach. Delta has four tiers of elite status: Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond. You can also earn lifetime status by flying a million miles or more lifetime miles. In a nutshell, you earn Delta Medallion status by:.

Getting enough Medallion Qualification Dollars for each tier and either. Getting enough Medallion Qualification Miles or. Getting enough Medallion Qualification Segments. To earn this status, you must have MQDs of at least:. Lest you think a Medallion Qualification Dollar is just a dollar, Delta makes it a little more complicated. First, Medallion Qualification Dollars are only accrued from the base fare of a ticket, excluding taxes and fees.

The fraction of partner miles flown that are converted into Medallion Qualification Dollars varies by partner and fare class. Delta makes this far, far more complicated than it should be. Since Platinum status only requires 75, Medallion Qualification Miles, the extra 25, you earned will roll over to and provide a jumpstart to your status for the next calendar year. However, note that Medallion Qualification Dollars do not roll over to the following year.

The dollar threshold is harder to hit than the mileage one for many frequent flyers, which can render the mileage rollover benefit moot. All Medallion tiers offer priority boarding and check-in, and all except Silver get priority security and baggage access. All tiers also receive complimentary seat upgrade eligibility, free checked bags and bonus SkyMiles, with higher tiers offer correspondingly greater benefits. Although complimentary seat upgrades are one of the biggest benefits of any airline elite status, the process by which upgrades are determined can seem daunting and confusing.

This is because all complimentary upgrades are essentially a lottery, with no certainties even for travelers with Diamond Medallion status. For example, although upgrades begin clearing for Diamond members hours prior to departure as the above table describes, this only means that they get the first crack at seats that are available at that point. More seats will open, sometimes at the last minute, and those will get assigned to Medallion members still on the upgrade waitlist in descending order of status and fare class.

In other words, the highest Medallion status members get first dibs on upgrades, but only when those upgrades are available. Companions traveling with you are also eligible for complimentary upgrades, though it gets a bit convoluted.

Companions must have a SkyMiles membership to be eligible for upgrades. A companion booked on the same reservation as you will get upgraded at the highest tier of the two. Finally, basic economy E fares are not eligible for any complimentary upgrades, so think twice before booking these tickets for long-haul flights.

Delta offers a unique choose-your-own benefit option for both Platinum and Diamond Medallion members. Package of four regional upgrade certificates.

Gift of Silver Medallion status to a friend. Individual membership to Delta Sky Clubs unlimited access for self; guests pay a fee. Executive membership to Delta Sky Clubs unlimited access for self and two guests — this option counts as two choices. Package of as many as eight upgrade certificates eight regional, four global, or two global and four regional. Gift of Gold Medallion status to a friend. The same general premise in the previous example holds here too.

Related: Choosing the best credit card for Delta flyers. If you have all four cards in your wallet and are a major spender, you could spend your way to Diamond Medallion status every year. Here are some other options to help shortcut your way to Delta elite status:. You then must complete a set amount of flying and spending during that three-month period to extend the status.

Delta added the ability to upgrade your flight using miles at the end of , and TPG confirmed that you earn bonus MQMs with this redemption option. Technically this is still flying, but by using miles to bump yourself to first class, you could accelerate your progress toward Medallion status.

In the above example for both Reserve cards, this can result in six years of Diamond Medallion status with yearly spending. Check out this guide for additional last-minute suggestions on qualifying for Delta Medallion status. Related: All the tips and tricks you need to use Delta Upgrade Certificates.

The Delta SkyMiles program is unique among major U. Terms Apply. Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. Many of the credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear.

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