Get to Know Medallion Status
What You Need to Reach Medallion Status
Medallion Status is earned for U.S.-based Members through a combination of flying and spending (retail and Award Travel) with Delta and our partner airlines each year.
Spending: Earn Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) or the MQD Waiver
- On retail tickets, MQDs are earned based on your annual spend on Delta flights and on many partner flights. On Award Travel tickets, MQDs will be calculated based on miles redeemed for the flight divided by 100 on Delta-marketed flights only.
- Platinum, Gold, Silver MQD Waiver*: The MQDs requirement to reach Platinum, Gold, or Silver Medallion Status for the Qualification Year will be waived after you make $25,000 or more in eligible purchases during the calendar year with an eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express Card.‡*
- Diamond MQD Waiver*: The MQD requirement to reach Diamond Medallion Status for the Qualification Year will be waived after you make $250,000 or more in eligible purchases during the calendar year with an eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express Card.‡*
*Effective January 1, 2024, this benefit will no longer be available, and there will be a new way to earn toward Medallion Status with the Card. Learn more.
Flying: Earn Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) or Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs)
- MQMs are earned based on distance flown and your fare class, excluding Basic Economy.
- MQSs are earned based on the number of flights you take, excluding Basic Economy.
- Plus, get even closer to Medallion® Status with this special offer with eligible Delta SkyMiles® American Express Cards. Terms Apply. Learn more, opens in a new window.
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SILVER ![]() |
GOLD ![]() |
PLATINUM ![]() |
DIAMOND ![]() |
25,000 MQMs or 30 MQSs |
50,000 MQMs or 60 MQSs
AND $8,000 MQDs or MQD Waiver |
75,000 MQMs or 100 MQSs
AND $12,000 MQDs or MQD Waiver |
125,000 MQMs or 140 MQSs
AND $20,000 MQDs or MQD Waiver |
Who earns what?
MQMs, MQSs and MQDs are earned by the Member who is flying (whose name and SkyMiles number are listed on the ticket) regardless of who booked or paid for the flight. To track your MQMs, MQSs, MQDs and MQD Waiver*, visit the My SkyMiles page or view them in the Fly Delta app in the SkyMiles section.
Members will not earn MQMs, MQSs, and MQDs on Award Travel tickets booked through Delta but operated by a partner airline.
*Effective January 1, 2024, this benefit will no longer be available, and there will be a new way to earn toward Medallion Status with the Card. Learn more.
How the Medallion Year Works:
- 2022 Medallion Status was earned through flight and spending activity for the 2021 calendar year (January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021); 2022 Status is valid from the day it is earned until January 31, 20231.
- 2023 Medallion Status was earned through flight and spending activity for the 2022 calendar year (January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022); 2023 Status is valid from the day it is earned until January 31, 2024.
- 2024 Medallion Status is earned through flight and spending activity for the 2023 calendar year (January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023); 2024 Status is valid from the day it is earned until January 31, 2025.
12021 Medallion Status was extended through the 2022 Medallion Year (through January 31, 2023).
Things to Know About MQMs
You’ll earn towards Medallion Status as you fly, but keep in mind a few things about MQMs.
ROLLOVER MQMS – A DELTA EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT
MILES VS. MQMS
BONUS MQMS
You’ll earn towards Medallion Status as you spend, but keep in mind a few things about MQDs.
What counts towards MQDs on Delta flights?
Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) on retail tickets are calculated based on the money you spend on Delta-marketed flights (flight numbers that include the “DL” airline code) in Main Cabin or above. This includes only the base fare and any carrier-imposed surcharges. Government-imposed taxes and fees are not included in MQDs. For example, if your flight costs $358 (including $51 in government-imposed taxes/fees), you would earn 307 MQDs for that flight.
Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) on Award Travel tickets are calculated based on miles used on Delta-marketed flights (flight numbers that include the “DL” airline code) in Main Cabin or above. Government-imposed taxes and fees are not included in MQDs. For example, if your flight costs 30,000 miles (and you paid $51 in government-imposed taxes/fees), you would earn 300 MQDs for that flight.
How are MQDs earned on partner-marketed flights and with vacation packages?
MQDs are also earned for retail tickets when traveling on select partner-marketed flights not ticketed through Delta (the ticket number does not begin with “006”) and on exception fares where the flight cost is not disclosed to you (such as some consolidator fares and cruise and vacation packages, including Delta Vacations), but it works a little differently. For these kinds of tickets, MQDs are calculated as one-fifth of the “redeemable miles” you earn for the ticket. For example, if you earn 1,500 “redeemable” miles on an exception fare, you would also earn 300 MQDs on that fare. Basic Economy fares are excluded in both instances.
Are paid class or seat upgrades included in MQDs?
First Class, Delta Comfort+, Preferred Seats and premium cabin paid (in money or miles) upgrades made through a Delta channel are included in MQDs. If a customer purchases a seat and Delta is not able to accommodate the customer in that or a similar seat, the customer’s purchase will be refunded and no MQDs will be awarded. MQDs will not be awarded for complimentary cabin access or seat upgrades.
What Delta purchases are not included in MQDs?
Fees and optional products do not earn MQDs. That includes, but is not limited to, checked baggage fees, Delta Sky Club® memberships, Wi-Fi passes, in-flight food and beverage purchases, in-flight entertainment, unaccompanied minor fees, pet travel fees, mileage purchases, ticket change fees, Direct Ticketing Charge (DTC), same-day confirmed or standby fees, Administrative Service Charge (ASC), and External Reissue Charge (ERC).
How are MQDs earned with Delta Vacations packages?
MQDs are earned with Delta Vacations packages one of two ways: MQDs on Delta flights or MQDs with exception fares. Whichever of these two ways is the greater amount for your trip, you will earn that with Delta Vacations.
Terms & Conditions
†Basic Economy tickets purchased on or after December 9, 2021 for flights departing on or after January 1, 2022, are not eligible to earn miles in the SkyMiles Program or earn credit towards Medallion Status.
**Travel on partner airlines and certain tickets where the fare is not disclosed may earn miles based on different criteria. Visit Airline Partners or Exception Fares for full details on earning miles.
Medallion Qualification Miles: Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) earned through flight activity are calculated based on distance flown and fare class purchased on Delta†, Delta Connection®, Delta Shuttle®, and select airline partners. MQMs may also be earned through activity with other select SkyMiles partners. Flights and itineraries eligible for MQMs will earn a minimum of 500 MQMs per segment.
†Basic Economy tickets purchased on or after December 9, 2021 for flights departing on or after January 1, 2022, are not eligible to earn miles in the SkyMiles Program or earn credit towards Medallion Status.
Medallion Qualification Segments: Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs) are earned through flight activity on Delta, Delta Connection, Delta Shuttle, and select airline partners. All paid fare classes eligible to earn MQMs count toward MQSs.
†Basic Economy tickets purchased on or after December 9, 2021 for flights departing on or after January 1, 2022, are not eligible to earn miles in the SkyMiles Program or earn credit towards Medallion Status.
Medallion Qualification Dollars: Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) are the sum total of the SkyMiles Member’s spend on Delta-marketed flights in Main Cabin or above (flight numbers that include the “DL” airline code), inclusive of the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges, but exclusive of government-imposed taxes and fees. MQDs also include select partner airline flights and select exception fares. The MQDs you will earn when traveling on select partner-marketed flights not ticketed through Delta (i.e. the ticket number does not start with “006”) as well as when traveling on “exception fares” (such as consolidator, cruise, vacation packages, inclusive tour and other tickets) will be equal to one-fifth of the base miles and Class Bonus miles (when applicable) earned on the itinerary.
Base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges for travel marketed by Core Global and Global Airline Partners and ticketed through a Delta channel (featuring a ticket number beginning with “006”) are also eligible to earn MQDs. For travel ticketed and marketed by Core Global and Global Airline Partners, MQDs will be equal to one-fifth of the base miles and Class Bonus miles (when applicable) earned on the itinerary.
Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) on Award Travel tickets are calculated based on miles used on Delta-marketed flights (flight numbers that include the “DL” airline code) in Main Cabin or above. Government-imposed taxes and fees are not included in MQDs.
Certain tickets, including but not limited to bulk, consolidator, cruise, vacation packages, inclusive tour and other tickets where the fare is not disclosed, will also count toward MQDs excluding bookings made through priceline.com or hotwire.com where the carrier is not disclosed prior to purchase. A portion of the airfare for some Delta Vacations packages will earn MQDs based on fare class and distance flown. Award, free, barter, pass travel and other tickets not eligible for mileage accrual will not earn MQDs. Pay with Miles tickets eligible for mileage accrual will earn MQDs for the portion of the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges remaining and paid in currency after miles are applied to the ticket total.
For purposes of mileage or MQD credit, “distance flown” means the calculated distance between origin and destination, as determined by Delta in its sole discretion, regardless of the actual distance traveled on any individual flight.
First Class, Delta Comfort+ and Preferred Seats purchases and paid Premium class upgrades, made through a Delta channel (including delta.com, Fly Delta mobile app, Delta Reservations, Delta kiosks, and select Delta airport locations) are included in MQDs . If a Delta Comfort+, paid Premium class upgrade or Preferred Seat is purchased at the airport in Amsterdam (AMS), or Paris (CDG) for a Delta-operated flight, the Member will not earn miles or MQDs . If a Member purchases a Delta Comfort+, paid Premium class upgrade or Preferred Seat and Delta is not able to accommodate the Member in that seat or a similar seat, the Member’s purchase will be refunded and no MQDs will be awarded. If a customer voluntarily changes his/her flight or seat selection once purchased, a refund for the original seat purchase will not be provided and no MQDs will be awarded. MQDs will not be awarded for complimentary access to Premium cabin, Delta Comfort+ and Preferred Seats. MQDs may only be earned by the Member traveling whose name and SkyMiles number is included in the reservation.
All other ancillary purchases or fees including but not limited to checked baggage fees, Priority Boarding, Delta Sky Club® memberships, Wi-Fi passes, in-flight food and beverage purchases, in-flight entertainment, unaccompanied minor fees, pet travel fees, or mileage purchases, ticket change fees, Direct Ticketing Charge (DTC), same-day confirmed or standby fees, Administrative Service Charge (ASC), and External Reissue Charge (ERC), do not count toward earning MQDs.
Residency:
Country of residence is determined by the primary address in the Member’s SkyMiles account at the time of qualification for Medallion Status. Delta reserves the right to audit an account at any time for residency requirements, request further supporting documentation and update the address for any Member's SkyMiles account using the National Change of Address (NCOA) data filed by relocating postal Members, but shall have no obligation to do so. Accounts found in violation are subject to penalty, up to and including termination of Medallion Status and closure of the SkyMiles account.
Members moving into the U.S. will be required to update their account address information using their Delta password by visiting My Profile, editing their address and attaching any required documentation through the online form. Once the address has been updated, the MQD requirement will once again apply towards earning Medallion Status.
Members moving outside of the U.S. who wish to have the MQD requirement no longer apply towards earning Medallion Status will be required to update their account address information using their Delta password by visiting My Profile, editing their address and attaching any required documentation through the online form as well as provide the following additional documentation that cannot be completed over the phone or online:
Members will need to submit one of the documents listed below via mail or fax to complete the address change request. The document must reflect the Member’s name and a residential address which may not be the address of a corporation or business. Members should include their SkyMiles number and signature on all requests and documentation:
- Government issued ID with new address (Driver’s License, Country/State-issued photo ID card, passport)
- Utility bill in Member’s name showing new address, dated within the past 60 days
- Deed, mortgage, monthly mortgage statement or residential rental/lease agreement showing proof of ownership at new address, with Member’s name and signature. Lease must be dated within the past year
- Bank statement with Member’s name and address, dated within the past 60 days (may block out sensitive information)
- Payroll statement with Member’s name and address, dated within the past 60 days (may block out sensitive information)
- Postal Service change of address confirmation form
- Current automobile or life insurance bill, or homeowners or renter insurance bill (cards or policies are not accepted)
- Copy of school records/transcript from a school in which the applicant is currently enrolled, issued by an accredited school
- Postmarked mail with forwarding address label (must display the Member’s full name)
- Receipt for personal property taxes or real estate taxes paid within the last year
- Letter from Member’s employer on official company letterhead, detailing Member’s current address. Letter must be signed by employee’s supervisor with supervisor’s full contact information
Members can send their documentation to “SkyMiles Account Support” group by:
Fax
404-715-9220 (Medallion Members)
404-773-1945 (All other SkyMiles Members)
Mail:
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
SkyMiles Account Support
Dept. 654
P.O. Box 20532
Atlanta, GA 30320-2532
Once all proper documentation has been submitted, please allow 6-8 weeks for processing. Members who are approved will no longer see MQDs tracked in in My SkyMiles.
Other Terms and Conditions: Qualification requirements for Medallion Status will not be prorated or reduced in situations where an account is open for less than the full calendar year. Travel is identified by those itineraries that include a Member’s name and SkyMiles account number attached to the reservation. Pay with Miles, free, barter, pass travel and other tickets not eligible for mileage accrual will not earn Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs), Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) or credit for Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs). Delta reserves the right to modify these requirements at any time without prior notice. All Delta SkyMiles program rules apply. To review the rules, please visit Membership Guide & Program Rules.
Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) Waiver: Effective January 1, 2024, this benefit will no longer be available. If the Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) thresholds are not met for a Qualification Year, you can still qualify for Platinum, Gold and Silver Medallion Status after you have earned the required Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) or Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs) and make at least $25,000 in eligible purchases within that Qualification Year on your Eligible Card. If the MQD threshold is not met for a Qualification Year, you can qualify for Diamond Medallion Status after you have earned the required MQMs or MQSs and make at least $250,000 in eligible purchases within that Qualification Year on your Eligible Card. A Qualification Year is from January 1 to December 31 of a given year. The close of the Qualification Year is December 31, without regard to the time of the year that the Card Account is opened. This means that for the first year of Card Membership, the Card Member’s eligible purchase period for the MQD Waiver may be shorter than twelve months. Eligible purchases are purchases for goods and services minus returns and other credits. Eligible purchases do NOT include fees, interest charges, cash advances, purchases of travelers' checks, person-to-person transactions, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, purchases of gift cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents. Purchases may fall outside of the Qualification Year in some cases, such as a delay in merchants submitting transactions to us or if the purchase date differs from the date you made the transaction, in which case they would not count toward the eligible purchase threshold. For example, if you buy goods online, the purchase date may be the date the goods are shipped. You can confirm whether you have met the eligible purchase threshold for the MQD Waiver by logging into your SkyMiles account on delta.com or in the Fly Delta app. The MQD Waiver benefit is available only to Basic Card Members with one of the following Eligible Cards: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Card, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Card, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business Card, and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business Card. Additional Card Members are not eligible to earn the MQD Waiver, but eligible purchases made by Additional Card Members on the Basic Card Member’s Eligible Card Account will count toward the Basic Card Member’s MQD Waiver eligible purchase threshold. Delta SkyMiles® Blue, Delta SkyMiles® Gold, Delta SkyMiles® Business, and Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Cards are not eligible to earn the MQD Waiver, but eligible purchases made on one of these Cards will count towards the MQD Waiver eligible purchase threshold of an Eligible Card if the Card is linked to the same SkyMiles number as an Eligible Card.
Basic Economy Fares: Basic Economy (E) fares are not eligible for earning miles, earning towards Medallion Status, or paid, complimentary or discounted Delta Comfort+ and paid or complimentary Preferred Seats, regardless of Medallion or other elite Status.