(Please note: Delta made changes to some of these announcements. Read more here.)
2024 may be a lame-duck Medallion year for some people.
Many of us and our fellow airline enthusiasts knew Delta would drop some big news this week. (We originally thought it would be tomorrow.
There was chatter about major changes to the Medallion elite status program as well as access to the airline’s club lounges.
Most of us prepared for something stunning and Delta delivered.
Big time.
Medallion Status Changes
The current Medallion earnings program as we know it will be pretty much demolished.
- No more Medallion Qualification Miles (MQM)
- No more Medallion Qualification Segments (MQS)
- No more Delta Amex MQD Waiver
- Only Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQD) will count toward status.
Here are the modifications for Medallion status.
Miles, Schmiles! Spend Your Way to Status!
The only way to earn Delta Medallion status will be to spend your way there. TPG’s Zach Griff explains how we’ll earn MQD:
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Delta and partner flights: Earn 1 MQD per $1 spent on the ticket price for a Delta-marketed flight operated by Delta or by a partner airline.
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Flights booked and ticketed by eligible partners will earn MQDs at the same rate as they do today, based on the fare class purchased and distance flown.
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Credit cards:
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express and Reserve Business Card Members earn 1 MQD for every $10 spent.
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Platinum Business American Express Card Members earn 1 MQD for every $20 spent.
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Car rentals: Earn 1 MQD per $1 spent on completed car rentals booked through Delta direct channels.
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Hotel stays: Earn 1 MQD per $1 spent on completed stays booked through Delta direct channels.
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Delta Vacations: Earn 1 MQD per $1 spent on the entire vacation experience, in addition to what you earn for your flight, when booking directly with Delta Vacations.
I don’t yet know if award travel will continue to earn MQD.
Here’s how much spending you’ll need to reach each Medallion tier, effective for the 2025 Medallion year. In other words, here’s how many MQD you’ll need to earn January 1 – December 31 each year.
- Silver: 6,000 MQD
- Gold: 12,000 MQD
- Platinum: 18,000 MQD
- Diamond: 35,000 MQD (OUCH!)
Yeah, that’s not so great — considering Delta raised the spending thresholds for everything but Silver last year.
MQM: A Bittersweet Goodbye
MQM and MQS will get on their horses and ride off into the sunset.
Zach explains that “rollover MQMs earned during 2023 will receive a one-time choice that’ll convert your MQMs into redeemable miles, MQDs or a combination of both.”
Gary Leff reports:
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Rollover qualifying miles only convert into redeemable miles at 2:1, meaning if you had 10,000 rollover qualifying miles you’d get just 5,000 SkyMiles. And qualifying miles have long been more valuable than redeemable miles.
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Rollover qualifying miles only covert into qualifying dollars at 20:1. How can this make sense? Diamond status required 20,000 qualifying dollars and 125,000 qualifying miles this year, a ratio of 6.25:1. They’re devaluing your rollover qualifying miles by more than a factor of 3.
A Million Thanks
Being a Delta Million Miler is currently the sixth priority in determining who clears complimentary upgrades.
Million Milers shoot up to third place on the pecking order.
Also, Million Miler earnings will change: you actually have to fly the miles in order for them to qualify. All MQM — regardless of fare class and credit card spending bonuses — will be gone. So, if you want to be a Million Miler, you have to fly a million miles.
Rollover MQM made the Medallion program special and unique. That’d be nice if they did the same for MQD. But I’m not holding my breath.
Sky Club Admission Changes
I’ve spoken with several longtime Platinum and/or Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Cardholders during the past several weeks. Their big tipping point came to Sky Club access. (H/T: OMAAT)
- Delta SkyMiles® American Express Reserve Cardholders (personal or business)
- 10 Sky Club visits per Medallion year
- Spend $75,000 during a calendar year and receive unlimted club visits for the rest of that Medallion year and all of the following Medallion year
- Above changes are effective February 1, 2025
- American Express Platinum (personal or business)
- Six (6) Sky Club visits per Medallion year
- Spend $75,000 during a calendar year and receive unlimted club visits for the rest of that Medallion year and all of the following Medallion year
- Above changes are effective January 1, 2025
- Delta SkyMiles® American Express Platinum Cardholders (personal or business)
- No Sky Club access, even for the current $50 entrance fee
- Effective January 1, 2024
- No access for anyone on a Basic Economy fare, even if they have a qualifying Amex card
- Effective January 1, 2024
More Announcements Coming?
Zach notes that there will be new Choice Benefits (of course) — we’ll learn about those later in the year.
Warning – DO NOT CANCEL YOUR DELTA AMEX CARDS!
After these massive clearly negative changes your fingers may be burning to call or chat with Amex to cancel your Delta Amex card or many cards – please DO NOT DO THIS. There is always risk of the long arm of Amex to claw back new card bonus points and the like. The best choice – if you choose to do so – is to wait until the annual fee bills. At that point you have 30 days to cancel and get the fee back. If you are upset over these changes then THAT is the time to voice the reason you are dumping the card – NOT NOW!
Final Approach
The long-awaited news is here. I wanted to get the changes posted ASAP so you can see them. I’m scribbling some thoughts down and will post those later.
What do you think about the news? Do you have any questions you’d like me to ask Delta PR? Comment below!
Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
This is making AA look better and better. I guess I can use the Centurion Lounge at ATL if I stay with Delta. I’ll burn through those 10 visits in a month or so.
Delta Co-Branded Cards and Delta Status…its been nice knowing you!
Can you bring a guest when you visit the sky club under the new rules? Does it use up one of your 10 visits? Hmmm – will take some thinking to figure out a plan here.
Waiting for an official announcement from Delta.
Some of this is what Delta told TPG, the lounge stuff seems to be what Ben found on his own resourcefulness.
Thanks for the info! Has the way you earn lifetime medallion (million miler) status changes?
No more MQM from fare classes or American Express MQM boosts or bonus offers. You actually have to fly the miles.
So if I fly 50k, it will still count toward million miler status?
If you fly 50,000 miles on Delta and/or its partner airlines and credit it Delta, those 50,000 miles will count toward Million Miler.
D oh we still get free lounge access with first class tickets?
@Gleenakagen – 1st class has never (for years) had access domestically. Only limited D1 and international biz get free access.
Sweet! Hope it cuts down on lounge overcrowding. I buy F so don’t care about status or upgrades. Wonder if the 10 visits is for personal and another 10 for business and would that include guests? So if I bring a family of 4 it would use up that many for my allotment. Would have been cool if cc spend counted towards lifetime.
You’re the one Delta always fobs off and also claims “as requesting the changes” to admission of fewer, and fewer, and fewer people who should be allowed to enter!!
My quick take. Partner flights (KLM, Aeromexico, etc) become that much more valuable for attaining. Status.
Partner flights will earn at the same rate as DL flights. So it’s a wash.
Above it says “Flights booked and ticketed by eligible partners will earn MQDs at the same rate as they do today, based on the fare class purchased and distance flown” so unless that changes, partner flying will continue to be better for earning status, which is why there is so much mention of mileage runs here. While I hope it continues this way, it seems against the spirit of these changes to continue to allow partner flights to earn MQD at a higher rate than Delta flights can.
I agree. Maybe it is time to look at AA.
And goodbye AMX
So what good is a Delta Amex Reserve card? Just was billed $550.00 renewal fee. Shall I say adios as a Million Miller, Platinum Medallion, Flying Colonel, etc………
It provides an additional vehicle to help you spend your way to status. If you accumulated $10k MQD through organic flying, let’s say, then you could spend $80k on your Reserve to get you to Platinum. Not to mention it would unlock unlimited lounge access. It also remains to be seen what will become of the incremental status boosts at $30k, $60k, $90k, and $120k. Hopefully it converts to MQD in some form.
Wow. This really devalues the Amex Reserve and Platinum cards. $10 of spend equals $1MQD and 10 SkyClub visits a year??? Why bother paying the $550 a year? There are other travel cards that provide the other non-Delta benefits at lower prices. Sapphire Reserve is going to get all my spend now.
Simply SUCKS!
Amazing! Although Delta devalued their medallion program, they HAVE NOT updated it on their website. After reading your post, I wanted to see if there were more details, so I went online on Delta.com, and nothing is mentioned of the new rules. The old qualifications (which are no longer applicable) are still listed.
Shame on you, Delta!
The announcement isn’t official until tomorrow, 9/14. I’m assuming it’ll be published then.
@Aaron – PRO Delta is offical. Someone pushed it too soon (and maybe fired).
It is interesting that someone would risk their job to get the news out one day earlier than it would otherwise be seen – unless this was a controlled leak.
@Barry – Incorrect – Some Delta IT person messed up on Delta PRO and simply published too soon not understanding implications. My guess they are fired.
Like last mega Skymiles change only a few were embargoed with info.
I hope not. Mistakes are allowed. The person who should be taken to task is the person who violated these rules https://pro.delta.com/content/agency/us/en/legal.html which caused the leak.
If The Points Guy published it with quotes from Delta, that’s about as official as it gets. (That’s in no way a slight to Zach or any of the other folks — some of whom I consider good friends — at TPG.)
You can see the screenshot of the announcement and the actual URL (that is no longer live) on this page https://thegatewithbriancohen.com/when-loyalty-bites-you-back-skymiles-changes-2024-from-delta-air-lines/
VERY happy I do not hold Delta (DAL) or Amex (AXP) stock!
Rene! Telling it like it is!
@Greg – Mileage runs are 100% back 2024 with partners in biz – gamers rejoice!
You got that right!
@My dear friend Graydon – 🙂
Hi sorry to question but if miles no longer count, why would mileage runs be back in 2024? What did I miss? Thank you.
We’re going to tackle that in more detail soon. But check out this post.
There is no point in building additional SkyClubs, they will be empty! Depending on what I see coming tomorrow I will be going back to the cheapest there is to my destination.
Me too! And it’s not always on a US airline.
Wow it better to get status on a partner airline program such as flying blue, club Preimer or flying club and earn rewards based on delta flying? They all have credit cards as well you could use. Seems goig to be harder to get status on delta now.
Hmmm…no, sir. I don’t like it.
This is an ugly change that will disenfranchise many of us! Also: any sense of whether Status Boost is being retained for credit card holders?
Given that MQM are going away, I doubt it. But I’ll ask if they’re doing something for MQD.
I love it. I just saved $550/year on my corporate reserve as there is no longer any upside to having 2 reserves for the 120,000 MQMs (other than 10 more SC visits which I won’t need). For people like me who spend $300,000 on Amex and $5,000 MQDs on cheap domestic travel this is a complete home run. I hope the corporate reserve still keeps the 1.5 SM/$ spent after $150,000. Also buried in the fine print is a new award year of Feb 1 to Jan 31. No more calendar year.
When does this start?new rules suck ! Hope they get lots of negative FEEDBACK
@Dee – They only care if you gift them $35,000 a year or $350,000 on your Delta Reserve card. #JustSaying
Hi Rene..just saying not happening… After 49 years as a Plat Amex..They are abusing their clients…I hope they get what they wish for… less people flying with them and empty Sky Club lounges…
I hate to disagree with you but it’s not exactly a gift, for that 350K you end up with 350K of goods and services with a month’s interest free loan built in, and for that 35K you get to fly to nice places! The only gift is the credit card fee and any commission they get.
@Barry – Fair enough your 350,000 SkyPennies are worth $3,500 in return so you are really only net spending $346,500 so there is that! 🙁
Medallion Year 2025. But earnings-wise, January 1, 2024.
It’s not entirely true to say no MQD waiver. They are increasing it to 350K but allowing flight spending and credit card spending to add together. I was hoping for a lower amount though like, say, 25000 MQD. This new number doesn’t make it any easier to qualify than before with my current spending on flights and CC.
However: I will no longer need a platinum card, and it’s good that hotel and car bookings will count.
They will need to offer something to card holders to make up for the MQM boost.
I prefer Apple’s announcements.
Damn I have like 227k MQM that’s been rolling over since I can only quality for platnium. Thought I’d be good till 2027. I spend 90k on my reserve yearly just for the bonus MQM. Sigh.
This was my first year reaching any kind of status and was learning the ropes. These changes will definitely make me rethink my allegiance to Delta and my Delta Reserve
Will MQDs rollover (unlikely, I suppose) or is the rollover completely going away (probably)? If so, I don’t see a potential big reduction in the number or level of elites until 2026 and possibly a significant reduction in AMEX card holders/use until 2025. By converting MQMs to MQDs in 2024 many people like myself may still reach status for 2025. But after that, its whole new ballgame!
@Scott – January will be last MQM rolling then gone.
What kind of retention offer to you think AMEX will provide when we call to cancel our cards?
Since I will be a PM in 2024, I think the best way to play this is to call to cancel my Reserve card at renewal, get a good retention offer, and then use the 10 visits while still being a PM in 2024. In 2025 I expect I will be a free agent, or perhaps do a status match.
I imagine that you will be blogging a lot about these topics in the coming months.
I still have a ton of SkyMiles. What is the least expensive AMEX card that earns the 15% discount?
I think one of my renewals hits in a few weeks, so, we’ll see!
Rest assured, we have a few ideas of stuff to blog. We’re just as curious as you!
The Gold is as low as it goes for TakeOff 15.
Just called to ask what my renewal date is so that I can cancel, and was offered 9.99% APR for 6 months. Right after they mentioned that I have never carried a balance on the card…
Well that’s not much of an offer. My renewal is in November and I will need a lot more than that to stick around one more year. However, one more year of unlimited Sky Club visits would be nice. Otherwise, I will drop down to a SkyMiles Gold card. I still have 900K SkyMiles and TAKE15 provides a lot of value as I burn through those.
Why did they bother with all the programming for the nifty little status trackers they only rolled out a few months ago? That was a kind of cool, but definitely not necessary, use of their challenged IT resources for something that would be obsolete at the end of the year…
@1st – IT has never been a Delta stronghold.
Yikes!! What about guests to SkyClub? No more passes?
International medallions get completely slaughtered much more than USA residents under these new rules with no access to a DL Amex. An international DM has to spend 15 now 20 and next year 35k in cash or miles. Ouch.
@Frankie – Gamers who “live” outside USA = game over.
MQD doesn’t currently apply to them, is that changing?
@Barry – Don’t understand your question.
If you mean MQD waver – that is gone next year. Earn your status worldwide.
Thankfully mileage runs on partners will likely rock.
The really funny thing is now non-US folks need to get US cards for mega spend ie location reversal. 😉
At the moment, there is no spending requirement at all for people with an overseas address, only MQM and MQS. Is MQD going to apply to them or will they use some other metric, like miles earned by flying, to determine how overseas customers, or maybe MQM and MQS will remain for overseas customers.
@Barry – Same rules worldwide it seems.
I’m OK with that.
You are right, it officially now does apply to worldwide.
Loving all these changes! Let them eat cake! Organically spending $50k on Delta. THIN THE HEARD!
That’s “herd” Jeffrey; careful, the thinning may be headed your way.
I’m all for limits, I don’t travel that much and it never seemed right that the same card gets you 500 visits or 5. But 10 (or 6 as it was reported on a different website) is ridiculous. I live in a small town and always have a lot of connections. I often do 6 lounge visits per RT.
At least there are still Centurion lounges.
What does Rollover eligible earned in 2023 mean? Does it mean all the MQM that could roll over, or only those earned through flying and card spend in 2023?
@Barry – They can not change rules in place. All changes start 1 January 2024. Clear?
In other words, how will they determine how many 2023 MQM rollover miles can be converted to miles or MQD?
@Barry – Under current rules.
Right. I think TPG confused things by saying “those members with rollover MQMs earned during 2023”. It’s not only those earned in 2023. It’s all those eligible to rollover into 2024 regardless of when they were earned.
@Barry – I agree TPG is confusing
…and they don’t allow comments so…
Exactly.
Are there paid/mileage memberships to the Sky Club in the changes? Does SC membership change happen in January, 2024 or are paid/mileage memberships available through 2024?
@Gary – Will ask Chris to ask Delta on this one.
Free agent here. It’s been coming. I’ve been flying more AA also. 23 years membership, the last 10 or 11 Platinum. Glad I already dropped the Delta Reserve. Will re-think keeping the Amex Business Platinum
Few questions:
-Mileage runs on Partner airlines still crediting on distance flow, correct?
-What will happen to Delta Skymiles Shopping and Skymiles Dining? Any changes?
@Jim – Seems partners MQDs still golden but partners bonus towards MM gone. Rest we wait and see.
So partner mileage run’s wont earn status towards MM?
@Jim – Yup but bonus gone ie just distance. But bonus MQDs looks still live.
Questions for Delta:
1) I recently bought the (more expensive version of the) Authorized User for my Delta personal Reserve Card for my husband, so he could access the lounge with me. What happens with that?
2) I am a Platinum Elite medallion member. I have the Delta personal Reserve card, both the personal and business Platinum cards, and the Gold business card. My husband is an AU on my personal Reserve, personal Platinum, and business Platinum cards, and he has both Gold cards, personal and business. Do we retain whatever benefits we already have through the end of 2024 such as lounge access and upgrades, or do we lose them now?
Not for Delta: Which cards do you recommend for us to keep, which to give up, and how to do that? Thanks
Got it, thanks for the questions.
As for cards to keep, we’ll do some thinking.
Not sure is if worth switching to United. But i regret now that taking advantage of it this year.
Perhaps 1/2024 will be a good time to start looking form different windows
@Vlad – Many will be thinking about options.
I guess we will wait and see.
Thanks for the info..
I will be rethinking my Reserve card. I travel weekly and have a connection with every flight. I will use 10 visits in 2 weeks.
As a Diamond, Million Miler that holds 3 delta/amex cards…. I say Goodbye Delta and amex! Their noncompetitive overprice, indirect flights, in general…poor customer service and a lousy record of mechanical issues and cancelled flights (personal experience over the past year+) I’m done! I’m sooo glad I became a free agent 1 1/2 years ago. I’ve flown several other airlines since and have had better customer service, better flight on time performance (with NO mechanical cancelations), more direct flights and all this for a substantially lower price. What is left to want to stay loyal to and spent my business and personal dollars with Delta… Nothing!!
It seems that the ticket price will earn MQD. This is better than before. Previously it excluded taxes etc. This could make a big difference.
Can anyone access all parts of Delta Pro or are there some parts that are restricted to agents that are signed in (since I can see there is a login page). Delta Pro does have a lot of interesting information that is freely available to the public. The question is whether this leaked announcement was inside or outside the firewall.
1.8 million miler here. I’ve been a Diamond since 2014. This year, I’m at $23,000 MQD with about $6,500 in outstanding spend for the year.
Here are my thoughts:
1) Unless you’re doing transcontinental or international Delta One business-class at least 5-7 times a year, who spends $35,000 on domestic flights in the Lower 48? I buy first-class on flights over 2 hours. Depending on the route, that’s $650-$1,500. If I wait to a couple weeks out maybe it’s $2,000 for a 3-hour flight in first. Seldom more than that. I don’t know how anyone could hit $35,000 on domestic alone. I think what Delta is doing is making it impossible to get an upgrade because EVERYONE will be a platinum. The number of diamonds will be significantly reduced. That means fewer upgrades and more seats in premium cabins to sell. It also means fewer global upgrade certificates.
2) What happens to 360? Someone spending $35,000 until now in some markets was eligible for 360.
3) How does Sky Club access work for diamonds? Delta hasn’t announced that. I better get a membership as a benefit if I’m spending $35,000 on flights. And what happens to the Sky Clubs once the exclusive Delta One business-class lounges open up? A good number of customers that presently crowd the Sky Club in markets like Atlanta, New York, Boston and Los Angeles will move over to the Delta One lounge. I’m really interested to see what happens on this front.
4) I spoke to a client. She’s the CEO of an enterprise that makes hundreds of millions of dollars. She is a Diamond and Reserve cardholder. She is done. She flies first every time on a paid ticket. If she’s done, what about other key corporate clients? If I was United I would rethink what I’m doing and purposely go after the Delta customers who spend $20,000 to $25,000 in MQDs every year.
This is a very risky strategy.
The US economy is weak, inflation is still an issue and business travel has not recovered.
Look at Hyatt. They think business travel domestically is never coming back like it was. They are pivoting to resorts and all-inclusive for growth and profit. Delta seems to think the opposite. Both of them can’t be right.
I would think that with your flight and other spending patterns, you could probably make up the difference with Amex spending if you don’t already have one.
Can you expand on “The number of diamonds will be significantly reduced. That means fewer upgrades and more seats in premium cabins to sell. It also means fewer global upgrade certificates.” Wouldn’t less Diamonds increase the chances of getting global upgrades, or are you specifically referring to Platinum and regional upgrades?
If someone partakes in a Delta SkyClub “pub crawl”, especially in Atlanta, are you saying that its conceivable that someone could exhaust all 10 passes in one day if more than one club is hit more than once?
Terms state they will only use one Visit every 3 hours (at the same airport)
I’m 750K in towards million miler…will these still be honored moving forward with the new earning system?!!
@Phil – Yes 1:1 but bonus earnings on partners end next year so push towards year end possibly.
I have taken the past few hours to fully digest the changes. Still struggling with what to do with my 200,000 MQM balance on 1/1/24 (325,000 less 125,000 deducted for DM). Should I take 100,000 RDMs or 10,000 MQDs? I know I will hit 35,000 MQDs by 12/31/24 and with no rollover there is zero incentive to go over 35,000. So I am leaning towards the 100,000 RDMs. I wonder what the deadline will be to make the decision. Would be great to have all of 2024 to decide in case I fall slightly short on MQDs. Thoughts?
Rene, when was the last time we had such a dramatic Delta Day with so many huge changes?
@Frankie – About 10 years ago when much disgusting-Ness came out of the mothership (way more to it behind the scenes). This current revolting change may be the one that finally bites the points program that flies a lot of jets into oblivion.
wow, I think I will not be loyal to any airline anymore. I have had Premier 1K status for several years at United, and was very diligent on looking at United first for bookings. Now they changed things too, making it harder to achieve 1K. I think the time has come to say that I will look for the best route and the cheapest. I might even fly Southwest! Too bad, it was fun while it lasted!!! Once I cut loose, i will also end my United club membership oonce it rolls around again, after all I will be unable to use it as often when I am flying which ever airline!
Officially done. Diamond medallion for 12 years running. Ending that relationship, now. Signed up for American Airlines Advantage status challenge (agent I spoke with at American states she had personally received at least 70 calls tonight from other delta customers with the same desire to move loyalty). I will have executive platinum for balance of year.
Delta, remember, pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. You’ve become a hog.
Delta’s largest customer is a bank, by the name of AmEx. The airplane thing is just a cover-up for their banking business. Follow the money, folks. Maybe when all the loyal customers have left, and delta planes from the 1990’s with new lipstick are flying empt, Ed can hire even more sports figures he wishes were his friend. When this decision backfires, which it will, it will be fun to watch from my seat on American Airlines. Oh, and speak with your wallet. Cancelled both my delta platinum Amex and Amex platinum cards tonight. Citibank give unlimited lounge access to American lounges, for 1/2 the annual fee.
Will award travel still count towards MQDs?
It’s on my list of questions to ask Delta.
Well not as bad if tomorrow reads as reported here and points guy. My big question is can you roll over excess MQDs?
If you normally spend $250,000 on Delta Amex, then that gives you 25,000 MQD’s. Even more, if some of that total is Delta airfare (goodbye Amex Platinum 5 points per $). Well then you just have to book $10,000 in hotels (goodbye AMEX Fine Hotels and Resorts) and car rentals through Delta ($1=1MQD) and you will make Diamond. You will have unlimited Sky Club visits by month four at the $250,000 waiver level, but note, if you carry all three cards the Delta Reserve, Delta Reserve Business, and Amex Platinum that already gives you 26 visits to Skyclubs for those four months because after $75,000 spend Skyclub is unlimited.
Another thought is I no longer have to spend the $250,000 for DM waiver and only have to spend in total airfare, hotel, and car $35,000 per year. Hotels are usually double my airfare costs. A trip booked through Delta Vacations or just through Delta to say Switzerland ($) will give you $4000 airfare, 7 nights at Victoria Jungfrau ($7000) and a car rental ($1000) give you 12,000 MQDs or Gold Medallion, and a clear mind. So far it doesn’t even read that I have to use a Delta Amex to book this, just use the Delta site. Using a Delta Amex I may even pick up an additional 1200 MQDs.
Don’t forget, we all racked up MQMs (over 700,000 here) when they kept medallion status during the coronavirus. That starts off with someone in DM with 35,000 MQDs, but if you foresee the big spend next year convert 700,000 MQMs equal to 350,000 in FF miles ($3500) boost.
This will definitely push me towards all travel booked through Delta but I can really see it pushing others away when other airlines charge so much less for a business class seat.
Rollover MQD is on my list of stuff to ask Delta PR.
Some people have seven figures worth of rollover MQM, others have three or even two. A lot of this is subjective.
Remember that hotels booked through OTA — like Delta — don’t grant you any elite earnings or status benefits.
What if I qualified for a Diamond Tier in 2024 based on 2023 use? Will I still be a Diamond in 2024?
Yep!
Ok…this is the last blow. Done, done and done with Delta and moving on to AA. Been a Diamond for a some years now. Looking forward to saving on the Reserve card, when my annual renewal comes up, I will be cancelling this and my Amex Gold cards. Good Bye Delta, hello AA. No need to remain devoted to a company that could care less about ‘a used to be undyingly loyal customer’. This sucks!
Does American make it easier to attain status or is this just getting back at Delta? Flying is more than just status, it’s about service and I feel Delta scores higher.
This is relatively seismic. I just checked AA Admiral Club locations to the cities I fly. I’m good and looking forward to these lounges once the changes kick in for Delta. Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard here I come. It’s cheaper than the AMEX Platinum but benefits seem relatively lacking. The main benefit will be Admiral’s Club access with I’ll use two to six times a month. I’ve been a Delta loyalist for years if not decades and these is rapidly changing. Shame on you Delta.
I feel like I need a math degree to figure this all out!
My husband and I are both million milers already.
We are currently platinums and both have a Delta Reserve card.
We have already reached Platinum for 2024 – not going for Diamond.
We each will have over 300k mqm’s at the end of the year.
Can you explain how the one time rollover works in our scenario?
We are loyal Delta customers for decades now. Primarily because we are in SLC and we fly to Hawaii 5-6 times a year. Delta has the only non-stop to HNL and we want the upgrade cert for that route specifically. So it’s hard to jump off the Delta ship!!
Based on my (late night) math, you’ll have 15,000 MQD if you chose that option.
Congratulations — you’re guaranteed at least have Gold Medallion status for 2025!
I’m somewhat relieved on that as we would only need $3,000 more for platinum. So we are good for 2024, 2025 for platinum. Then southwest with our companion pass is looking better and better. Thanks for your help.
What benefit to us is our million miler status that we both have?
Stop complaining. I am a million miler (Silver) who earned that status before you could spend your way to status without flying. I have been a SkyMiles member for 39 years and earned 100% of that status by flying. I spent the 1st 24 years with either a Gold or Platinum Status before having to retire and before our spending and travel was greatly curtailed.
If the liberal giveaway of points by spending had been in effect over those years, I would be Platinum for life and my wife Gold for life.
The only thing I can see from these spending programs is that our benefits have been greatly reduced and the value of the miles we earned have been decimated.
I gave my opinion on this to Delta many years ago and was ignored. I told them that I felt it was unfair to those of us who flew for our miles to be usurped by those who could spend their miles without flying. At this point in my life, it makes no difference anymore, but maybe those who actually fly and are loyal will see some benefits.
I agree with your points- only thing is, as has been said before, those that earn miles by not flying and rarely fly, do not cause flyers who actually DO fly any loss of upgrades… or space in lounges- they don’t fly often.
Everyone earning status is flying even if you earn it by credit card flying. There is no point in earning status and paying hundreds of dollars for a Delta credit card if you are not going to fly Delta. From my perspective, status gets me a seat that is comfortable for a 6-footer who wants to be able to work on the flight, without having to pay full price for it (which I usually can’t afford), regardless of how much I fly. Also there are people who fly enough to reach the MQD Diamond threshold but don’t reach it because they use awards or global upgrades. While using awards to fly first class does give MQD, it’s not at the same level as you would get if you paid for the ticket, and you don’t get any MQD for flying with a partner award. So not reaching 25K of MQD doesn’t mean that you don’t fly as much as someone who does and that you don’t deserve the status.
Any changes in how we can use Global certificates earned in 2023 to use in 2024?
Not as far as we’ve heard.
I would like to see these overhauled too, with one type of certificate (not regional or global), being able to use more than one choice benefit to get them, and being able to exchange miles for or buy them. As I said in today’s post, it’s really hard to use regional upgrades on long-haul domestic flights but unless I’m close to having them expire, I’m not going to use a Global Upgrade for a Regional Upgrade would get an upgrade on – and it oughtn’t to be the way it is now that domestic flights can be confirmed with a global upgrade but not a regional one.
I guess they need all of this new revenue to pay Tom Brady…..for ????? what customer retention???
Remember, all those points helped to decimate the miles that those of us earned by flying. I flew business class much of the time across both the Atlantic and Pacific. Now, we only fly a couple of times a year and the prices of business and first class have gotten out of hand. We still have a couple hundred thousand miles that are essentially worthless for international travel.
Not happy! Loyal Delta Diamond 2M+ miler who travels 99% of the time internationally – but in coach class. $35k in MQD will be nearly impossible to reach I fear..
One question to ask – they mention hotel bookings will count for MQD if booked through Delta’s site, but will these bookings count for the hotel’s own status programs or will the hotels see these as not booked through their own site?
Hilton is the chain in particular I question. If I book on Hilton’s site direct, I get full credit for all stays in the Hilton Honors program.
If I come through the Delta site to do the booking, will Hilton honor this for their Hilton Honors program?
I get that Delta wants to be the portal for all travel bookings. The only way that works is if the partners (Hilton, Hertz, etc) do not penalize that bookings choice for their own loyalty programs.
Any thoughts or insights into this?
@G. Lee – If you want Hilton perks you must book direct.
That was my fear. And if this is true, then this is another dagger to the heart of business travelers / road warriors who have been able to take advantage of Diamond status with Delta and chains like Hilton to get a few upgrades now and then to add some joy to the hassles of travel.
If booking through Delta to get MQDs causes me to lose status with Hilton……
Sigh.
Really struggling to understand the winners in this revamped strategy other than business travelers with travel budgets allowing premium cabin on all bookings.
Holy smoke! If this is truly the case that you don’t get hotel points booking through Delta then as a multi-year Diamond, multiple MM, and Marriott Titanium, then I would say no way Delta and I will start taking JetBlue to Europe and save $1400 per trip.
These changes are a disaster. There is now way I can spend $35k per year on Delta and will never put $350k on their cards. I will wait to digest all these changes but will probably dump all their cards. They are literally useless now. Not sure how Amex allowed this. As DM and 360 for over 10 years in a row, this is very disappointing. $25k was difficult but achievable. Not $35k. Wonder what will happen to their lounges. They will be empty.
Lots to digest and unless you own your own company and can book corp spend on your card or travel internationally a great deal, you’re losing. I’m 30K short of 3MMiler. Joined Prgm in 1982. 15 years Diamond including 2024. Retiring and reducing air travel with a few consulting jobs. Planned to use my 500K MQM’s to keep at least make Platinum for 6years. Couple of things. Delta isn’t dumb. They must know we are going to be very upset and not be loyal anymore. Is this the culmination of their strategy to go after families, vacation and personal travel while not directly supporting business anymore? (SkyBonus benefits were decimated about a month ago). And second, and a bigger concern, they are taking a lot of cost out of their frequent flyer program, I hope AA and United see this as way to grow, but they may also see this as a way to lower their costs without losing many customers. If they all change their programs, what are we going to do … fly Frontier and Spirit? Congratulations to those that fly $35K per year. It will sure be good for them.
So as a basic Amex Platinum holder, I understand it is 6 visits, BUT not if I fly basic economy, correct ? So I have to fly a premium cabin …
And also, what is basic economy ? Is it Main Cabin and Comfort+ as well ?
Also is there any news on Skyteam Medaillion (like Flying Blue) who even after the February changes still had access even when flying domestic economy )
@Gerald – You do not need to buy premium tickets only avoid BASIC fares. As far as partners nothing has changed yet (current rules in place) but we will see.
@ Rene – thanks for that. In the past I was using my Flying Blue Gold to get in with a companion, as you said, we shall see when they chop that one.
Could you let me know what a BASIC fare is ? We normally fly Main Cabin, which I guess is above BASIC. Using my 6 Amex vouchers, does that mean I can still access the lounge since it´s not a light or basic fare ?
I was on track to hit the million mile mark next year with the return of International travel happening again with my company, that wont be happening now. The removal and lack of flight times to Taiwan and Hong Kong pretty much drops me right out of Delta. American Airlines which is partner with Cathay Pacific wil now be my goto for the Hong Kong flights and Luxe Air will be the goto for the Taiwan flights. I will be switching my CC business to Chase Sapphire now. I have been with Amex since 2008 and Delta since 2006, great experience up until the last 2 years when they were cutting expenses at the consumers expense. Unfortunately I am a stockholder in both companies.Oh well, goodbye loyalty!
Update after receiving e-mail from Delta and reviewing the changes:
This doesn’t apply:
MQD is on ticket price but still doesn’t include taxes.
I am also not pleased that they are treating the “Status boost” as a new benefit. It’s not. It’s just MQD Waiver with a new name and they have taken away the boost without giving anything back.
Here is the posting that set off the excitement yesterday:
https://pro.delta.com/content/agency/us/en/news/news-archive/2023/september-2023/skymiles-program-changes-announced.html
I note they have changed the choice benefits for diamonds also. The Individual Sky Club membership no longer offered for 1 choice benefit in 2024. Now they require 3 choice benefits for executive Sky Club. Also no Sky Club guest pass benefit for those with credit card. Hard to see what the advantage of Diamond is, other than more upgrade certs. But if you use those, that is less MQD to apply to next years qualifications!.
I will still keep reserve card. I use the first class upgrade certificate every year that saves $1000-1500 every time my wife flies with me. More than covers annual fee.
The Reserve Cards will still have two, one-time guest passes starting the second year of card membership.
Are you still going to be able to pay $50/skyclub visit after the complimentary ones with either the amex platinum or the Delta reserve? Or is it just the included ones and then nothing until 75k spend?
The changes are making me rethink my airline strategy but I can’t blame Delta. The glut of medallions has devalued them. I organically earned platinum last year and have received zero (yes zero!) First class upgrades since then or being a gold. Usually not even close on the list.
I just read the Reserve’s terms and conditions and didn’t see anything about additional visits for $50. I’ll ask Delta.
I have a feeling the rules announced will change at least slightly before they kick in on February 1, 2025. I think Delta intentionally set that date so they could gauge people’s reactions (as though everyone would celebrate?).
My annual fee for my Delta Platinum AMEX just posted. Easy decision to cancel it and not pursue ANY status with Delta anymore.
For sure there seems to be little point in keeping a platinum especially if you have reserve. I will only be keeping my reserve card.
Just remember, anyone with two cards planning to close one, to transfer your credit to the card you are keeping.
The way I am reading the new terms, hypothetically if I spent $35,000 on tickets for my wife on my Delta Reserve Card and never set food on a Delta plane I could earn Diamond for myself? Also, will the MQD’s include money spent on taxes and fees or not?
Your wife would be close to Diamond. MQD are only base fare and any carrier-imposed surcharges. They don’t include taxes or other fees.
You, my friend, would be a little more than halfway to Silver. That $35,000 translates to $3,500 MQD.
But, hey, happy wife…
…which is the most important thing!
Very disappointing news indeed. I used the contacts you provided, and emailed the CEO and others at Delta expressing my disgust with the changes. Unlikely to make any difference, I know, but the best I can do. American Airlines, here we go- after 22 years exclusively with Delta…
I know you want to show your disappointment but switching to an airline with similar policies, with service that is not as good, may not help you very much.
I don’t understand but this sounds terrible. I qualified already for Platinum next year. Does that still stand?
@Diane – It is terrible but you are fine next year. These changes are for 2025.
In business, there is such a thing as good profits and bad profits. Just because an action can make you money in the short-term doesn’t mean it’s a smart long-term strategy. Profits at the expense of your customers always comes back to bite you in the butt. Bizarrely, businesses large and small keep thinking they will be the exception to negative consequences from bad profits. Time will tell if Delta is the first, but it sure seems to be a risky strategy to me.
On the plus side, Delta is making my decision to keep expensive credit cards MUCH easier. Buh-bye Delta AmEx!
How will MQMs convert over to MQDs if SkyMiler chooses to go that direction? For example, I should have about 105,000 MQMs by end of 2023. Which is 30k above the Platinum threshold. Will that convert to $30k MQDs? Doubtful. I’m guessing MQMs will convert to MQDs at 10 to 1?
Sorry to break it to you, Jumal.
It’s 20 MQM for 1 MQD.
I emailed Delta. 20:1 is insulting with all the money spent on flights and/or Amex to earn all those MQMs for rollover. This conversion mirrors what you’d earn moving forward with the Platinum Amex, severely devaluing our hard earned MQMs!! 10:1 would be much better. We should all email them!!!
Why is there so much complaining about the changes to Delta’s SkyMiles program. It was not originally structured to include spending on a credit card to get status. You HAD TO FLY and your miles were based on the class of ticket. I, for one, didn’t have the opportunity to earn many miles from spending on my American Express card and almost all of that was for purchase of tickets on Delta and the Sky Partners. Doing a little research, I found that of my 1.7 million only about 25,000 came from spending on the card and MOST that was for FLYING. That gave me silver medallion for life. I originally thought the program was a gimmick and didn’t join until 4 years after the program started and had been flying 125,000+ miles a year. My mistake. Can’t cry over spilt milk. Should I ask them to go back and add those miles in so I am gold for life?
I think this outrage over going back to basics goes back to something my parents taught me 60+ years ago. If you give something too easily or free, it becomes worthless. (Look at what has happened to the Sky Pennies and the upgrades). Take it away, and those that got something for nothing will be screaming bloody murder.
If they had studied other programs, they might have found you could be gold or platinum for life after 1 million miles on some other airlines.
I for one will be happy that there might be a few more upgrades for lifers who actually flew. Who knows, maybe even a lowly silver member might get one. But alas, all is for naught until 2025 when the effects are noticed.
Chris/Rene,
This may have been mentioned in the *very* long comment section already (lol), but what if we have rollover MQM and what if we don’t get enough MQD for Silver this year? Which procedure takes precendence? The 20:1 conversion or the losing of all the MQM?
Example: Bob has 121,000 MQM’s. He only has $700 MQD for the current year.
Question: Does Bob get 6050 converted MQDs on Jan 1, 2024 or is he SOL and just loses everything?
@Blake Long – Unless you qualify for at least Silver in MQMs and MQDs (or waver via Amex card spend) all your MQMs are gone so there would be nothing to covert.