The minimum requirement for the number of Medallion Qualification Dollars to earn Diamond, Platinum, or Gold elite status in the Delta Air Lines SkyMiles frequent flier loyalty program in the year 2024 will increase by slightly greater than 33.33 percent effective as of Sunday, January 1, 2023 — and this increase is the first to affect multiple tiers since 2015.
More Expensive to Earn Medallion Elite Status For 2024 With Delta Air Lines
The increases in Medallion Qualification Dollars for each elite status tier are as follows:
SkyMiles Medallion Tier |
Qualification Threshold for 2023 Status — Current |
Qualification Threshold for 2024 Status — New |
| Silver Medallion | $3,000.00 | No Change |
| Gold Medallion | $6,000.00 | $8,000.00 |
| Platinum Medallion | $9,000.00 | $12,000.00 |
| Diamond Medallion | $15,000.00 | $20,000.00 |
No changes to the minimum requirements of both Medallion Qualification Miles or Medallion Qualification Segments will be implemented.
The information was not at here at the time this article was written but is expect to be added at any time.
New Premium Choice Benefits For Diamond Medallion Members and Platinum Medallion Members
SkyMiles members who have earned either Diamond Medallion or Platinum Medallion elite status and qualify for 2024 Medallion elite status will be able to select from an expanded slate of premium Choice Benefits beginning Wednesday, February 1, 2023. These new offerings are in addition to Choice Benefits — such as the ability to gift Medallion elite status to a friend or loved one; and the use of Global Upgrade Certificates and Regional Upgrade Certificates. New Choice Benefits include:
- $500.00 for Diamond Medallion or $200.00 for Platinum Medallion — terms and conditions apply and will be provided when the American Express Statement Credit becomes available — with the following cards:
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card
- Expanding the ability to gift elite status to a friend or loved one:
- Diamond Medallion will receive two Gold Medallion Gift Statuses per selection
- Platinum Medallion will receive two Silver Medallion Gift Statuses per selection
- A Delta Vacations Experience — including flight and hotel:
- $500.00 for Diamond Medallion
- $400.00 for Platinum Medallion
- A Medallion Qualification Dollars “head start” for the next Medallion year:
- $1,000.00 Medallion Qualification Dollars boost for Diamond Medallion
- $500.00 Medallion Qualification Dollars boost for Platinum Medallion
- Increasing the Delta Travel Credit Voucher to $250.00
- A $250.00 sustainable aviation fuel contribution to help in our collective goal toward decarbonizing aviation
Capability to Request Upgrades With Certificates Digitally
Medallion members with Global Upgrade Certificates and Regional Upgrade Certificates will be able to request upgrades with their certificates themselves when checking out from Delta.com some time in early 2023.
Redeeming SkyMiles Toward Baggage Fees
Delta Air Lines also continues to give customers more ways to use their SkyMiles. The airline has begun accepting the redemption of SkyMiles toward baggage fees at most domestic airports. This is part of an initiative by Delta Air Lines of increasing the value and flexibility of SkyMiles for additional purchases — including air travel and upgrades, Delta Vacations, SkyMiles Experiences, and amenities within Delta Sky Clubs.
Final Boarding Call
Whenever any variation of the word enhance is officially used by Delta Air Lines, you can typically expect bad news, as the marketing department of that airline has pioneered the changing of the once-euphemistic definition of that word and practically perfected its becoming a negative connotation. Since when — and in whose universe — is paying only $1,000.00 less in Medallion Qualification Dollars for Gold Medallion elite status in 2024 than for Platinum Medallion elite status in 2023 considered an enhancement?
Frankly, the day that tickets which are purchased at the Basic Economy fare no longer are eligible to earn miles in the SkyMiles frequent flier loyalty program — nor are they eligible for earning Medallion Qualification Miles, Medallion Qualification Segments, or Medallion Qualification Dollars towards towards earning Medallion elite status — was the day when Delta Air Lines no longer was my airline of choice. That is okay, though — I obviously am no longer one of the target customers of that airline, as I am not willing to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to earn a few miles that do not expire and a benefit now and then.
Delta Air Lines has been successful in decimating its frequent flier loyalty — um…I mean revenue — program; and I expect the increase in Medallion Qualification Dollars to earn Diamond, Platinum, or Gold elite status to further increase revenue.
As for me, I now shop for airfares based primarily on price; and when Delta Air Lines works for me, I will choose to fly as a passenger on their airplanes.
Photograph ©2022 by Brian Cohen.
