The first time I ever earned status with an airline was with Delta. My mother-in-law used to live in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We would visit often and I even had a spare set of golf clubs stored at her home for our frequent visits.
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The way we got there was the long way – intentionally! We would fly from South Bend to Cincinnati and then on to Atlanta and then lastly to Myrtle Beach. Why? With five visits a year, we racked up 30 segments. Back in the day, would earn us Silver Medallion status on segments alone. We were both so proud when we earned our status that first time; it got me hooked on the perks. Plus, with so many flights, we got tons of “bumpertunies” to take another flight and have Delta help pay for our many trips.
Again, back in the day, Silver really was something with Delta. We got a few first class upgrades and were always treated very well by the airline. So much so that after a year as Silver I decided to learn how to move my way up the Medallion levels. The first year I earned Diamond I never wanted to go back. I kept my Diamond status for so many years. But this year, I dropped down to Platinum. Next year, I will simply be Gold because I am a Million Miler with Delta.
Today, Silver Medallion really is not worth much and I certainly would not recommend anyone have that as a goal each year. Why? Upgrades will be just about nonexistent (Comfort+ “upgrades” don’t count IMO). SkyTeam only really loves you if you are Elite Plus, that is, Gold or higher and that includes access to the lounges when traveling internationally. Well, except for when you fly Delta internationally. You don’t even get priority tags on your luggage. I think you see my point.
But this year, my wife will accidentally earn Delta Silver Medallion Status for 2025. I say “accidentally” because she got a Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card for the bonus points, the 15% off award tickets and the $200 yearly Delta Stays credits that will fully offset the card’s $350 annual fee (see rates and fees). She didn’t get it for the $2,500 MQD boost but we certainly don’t mind that! She’ll organically earn over $2,500 MQD for in airline tickets — and that will put her over the $5,000 threshold for Silver!
Because my wife can travel as my Medallion-lite plus-one, we will not in 2025 really use any of her elite perks because they would be a step down from riding my coattails. Plus she rarely flies solo nowadays with her mom no longer living down south.
It is just funny to me how much the Delta Medallion program has changed — and how all that matters is spending. If I were not flying so many other airlines each year, I would 100% simply get the four Delta Amexes that would earn me $10,000 MQD total. I’d only need to spend around $5,000 non Delta tickets to reach and hold Platinum Medallion. Then, I’d maybe even add a few MQD mileage runs back in to reach Diamond.
2025 will be an interesting year for me. I have a number of Delta flights already booked and all of them are booked in first class. Dropping to Gold, I have zero expectations of anything special from Delta, but it will also maybe be an eye-opener to see if I will be happy long-term at this new modest Delta elite rank. – René
For rates and fees of Delta SkyMiles® Business Platinum American Express Card, please visit this link.
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Former DM for years, but went free agent after the big devaluation. I haven’t flown Delta internationally since then, but still fly them domestically on occasion. If my flights this weekend are any indication, I’m not missing a thing. Two of my four segments were late, they had 34 seats at our gate for a 717 that seats 110, and you can’t even get a coke on ATL-TPA anymore (even in Comfort +)… just coffee, tea, or water (“express service”, or some such nonsense). It’s stunning to see how far the “premium” airline has fallen. Glad I’m off the hamster wheel!
@Jim – I would love to know if only you and I get this?
I became an accidental Diamond one year. When you could roll over MQM’s, I always tried to come close to 120k so I could roll 45k or so the next year to make it very easy to get to Platinum the next year. In general I was fine with Platinum and would focus on status with AA after that. I did this for years. One year I had to take an unplanned end of the year flight, and Delta was basically the only choice. That made me Diamond. Not a bad thing, but just harder to get to Platinum the next year.