What Can You Do if You Have Enough MQM to Extend Your Delta Status for at Least Another Year — But Might Earn Status for 2025 Anyway?

Well. That might win the Longest Headline of the Year Award. And we occasionally have some doozies.

Anyway, several readers have emailed us or commented on blog posts and asked what happens if they hold 100,000 (or more) rollover Delta Air Lines Medallion Qualification Miles (MQM) and will organically reach the same elite status level for next year.

I thought we covered this late last year. Or earlier this year. Or who knows, based on so many changes going on. 🙂 Nevertheless, people are wondering about it, so let’s address it now!

(Before we go further, MQM-earning is no longer possible. It was pronounced deceased at midnight on January 1, 2024.)

Extend Your Status for 100,000 MQM

Medallion members can extend their 2024 status for 100,000 MQM per year. Let’s say you rolled over 300,000 MQM — you can enjoy whatever you had entering 2024 through January 2028.

These extensions start February 1, 2025.

Remember, you’re not limited to one option when it comes to redeeming your MQM. You can:

• Convert them to redeemable SkyMiles at a 2:1 ratio
• Convert them to MQD at a 10:1 ratio
• Extend their 2024 status for 100,000 MQM per year

The MQD and SkyMiles conversations given prescribed conversion redemptions i.e., 75% MQD and 25% SkyMiles, 25% MQD and 75% SkyMiles, etc.

What If You’re Earning Your Status for 2025? Can You Extend Your Status After That?

This is the scenario I hear from readers and in online forums.

Let’s say you’re a Diamond this year and hold 100,000 MQM in your account. But you will reach the $28,000 Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) figure and earn Diamond status for 2025.

Can you place a hold on your status extension and delay it to 2026, then enjoy your earned Diamond status for 2025, and then get your 2024 status extension to start in February 2026?

Nope. As a Delta spokesperson told me, “there is no ‘extension of the extension.'”

Per Delta.com:

If you choose to extend your Status and you earn the same Status for the next Medallion Year, there would be an ‘overlap’ where your extended Status will run concurrently with your earned Medallion Status.

• For example, if you earned Platinum Medallion Status during the 2024 Medallion Year and for the 2025 Medallion Year but selected a 4-year Status extension using 400,000 Rollover MQMs during the 2024 selection window, then your Status extension for the 2025 Medallion Year would run concurrent with your earned 2025 Platinum Medallion Status.
• For overlapping years, you will not receive a second selection of Choice Benefits or be higher within the Medallion Upgrade Hierarchy. However, if your earned Medallion Status tier differs from your extended Status tier, then your highest Medallion tier would take priority when qualifying for Complimentary Upgrades.

(For what it’s worth, we talk about Choice Benefits at the bottom of this post.)

In other words, you’d lose 100,000 MQM by extending your status for 2025. But if you hold 200,000 (or more) MQM, it might be worth extending and not worrying about chasing status next year. That assumes you’re happy with what you have now.

Also, you can’t transfer your MQM, status, or MQD to anyone.

Keep That in Mind, Apropos of Credit Card Spending, Booking Flights, Etc.

If you have enough MQM to extend your status and are just short of requalifying for 2025, you might want to reevaluate your credit card and travel plans for the next few months.

For example, consider laying off the four Delta SkyMiles American Express Cards that earn MQD for different spending thresholds (terms apply to all):

• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: ($1 MQD for every $10 in eligible purchases)
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: ($1 MQD for every $10 in eligible purchases)
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: ($1 MQD for every $20 in eligible purchases)
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: ($1 MQD for every $20 in eligible purchases)

Each card also gives members $2,500 MQD just for holding them. So, as tempted as you might be to take advantage of the current limited-time offers, you might want to hold off until next year. (How about that? An alleged “credit card salesman” telling some people to maybe cool their jets a bit.)

Put those away until 2025 if you’re worried about “accidentally” earning status. (What a wonderful first-world problem!)

Similarly, watch out that MQD earnings on flights don’t put you over the threshold.

For those who won’t be extending their status and need MQD, basically do the opposite of what I just said 🙂 . And remember the point.me Mileage Run Department can hook you up with a good Delta partner mileage run.

Final Approach

If you extend your status using 100,000 MQM but also earn it for 2025, there will be overlap and you could be out 100k MQM. It might be better to just convert them to SkyMiles. But it all depends on how many MQM you have and your travel plans.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, please visit this link.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please visit this link.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, please visit this link.
For rates and fees of Delta SkyMiles® Business Platinum American Express Card, please visit this link.