Fall is generally when travel loyalty programs announce major changes. Word got out last year that Delta would drop something significant in mid-September. They did — and it was a bloodbath that angered so many people that it made national news.
The major change Delta made was completely getting rid of miles or flown segments as part of earning elite status and switching to only spending (Medallion Qualification Dollars).
And the MQD thresholds were crazy high.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian admitted that the airline “probably went too far” and “moved too fast.” A few weeks later, the airline did the right thing and relaxed them a bit. To Delta’s credit, the modifications and creative ways to reward loyalty were pretty good.
But the original tier spending levels are pretty much a blueprint for where Delta wants to go. Mr. Bastian said that one reason the airline went so far during its initial announcement was that it didn’t want to keep increasing the requirements each year.
So, it’s reasonable to assume Delta would start advancing toward those higher numbers this year.
But then came the IT outage heard ‘round the world. And the airline’s image has taken a hit.
“The blow to Delta’s reputation — and balance sheet — could be immense,” wrote Kelly Yamanouchi of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Cranky Flier said, “It is stunning to see just how little the airline seems to have learned from when Southwest went through something strikingly similar.”
That leads me to wonder if Delta will raise MQD requirements this year.
Why Delta Shouldn’t Raise the MQD Requirements This Year
Frankly, I don’t think it would be a good look for Delta if they move goalposts again — especially so soon after the high-profile meltdown. I also get the feeling that a lot of Medallions are simply burned out from last fall’s drama.
Or Should Delta Raise the MQD Requirements This Year?
Again, Delta pretty much showed its hand with the original MQD announcement. It’s not like this was a leaked projection for several years down the road. Delta wanted the Diamond MQD threshold to be $35,000 for 2025.
I can see Delta not raising the MQD requirements this year.
But I won’t be surprised if in Fall 2025, they implement whatever (if any) MQD increase they originally wanted to announce this year and next year. In other words, maybe they were set to announce this year that MQD requirements would go up $1,000 at each tier. (This is just me thinking out loud and isn’t based on any information or rumors we’ve heard.) But then they think, Eh, maybe we shouldn’t this year.
But then in Fall 2025, they add that $1,000 to maybe another $2,000 (or whatever) — making the sticker shock a little higher.
So, what you rather have? A slight increase this year and then another in 2025? Or nothing this year and something rather significant in Fall 2025?
Please share your thoughts in the below Comments section!
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.
Delta would be crazy to increase the spending thresholds:
1) Obviously, it would be horrible from a PR move. But recovering from last week’s cancellations but also last year. It would just look really, really bad.
2) Delta’s revenue is down.
3) Inflation and economic woes are still an issue.
How quickly we forget. Delta was going to raise the Diamond MQD requirement to 35,000 for 2025, not 30,000! I expect the 28,000 to rise to 30,000, but I no longer care. I have moved on to better airlines.
Which airlines are you enjoying?
On the one hand, especially with the $2,500 MQD head start from the Amex cards, I’ve seen quite a few elites comment that they are requalifying a lot faster this year. If the intent is to thin the herd, I’m not sure it’s working the way Delta wanted. On the other hand, its clear demand going into the fall is softening. So it’s possible economic tides by themselves will thin the herd for DL.
Loyalty? Why bother?
Delta has destroyed their reputation by shifting to a “Banking system” versus a loyalty program. Remember many Seasoned road warriors working for fortune 500 companies and others, their companies pay for (Purchase) their Tickets, so the flyer receives no MQD’s. That is the flyer who incurs Delays, cancelled flights and middle seat assignments . This will also ruin younger business travelers chances to attain status and make Southwest and other discount airlines more attractive for travel.
Bastion and team Blew it pure and simple
Delta, needs to wait until the public forgets again. I have moved to Southwest for domestic and United for international. I felt the thresholds were too high to realistically reach and had the same access in my hub to United and Delta. It will be interesting to see how Southwest changes with reserved seating. What will the new charges be for aisles and windows, exit rows. Will they add the baggage fee which has generated billions for their competitors. We must be all be diligent and flexible on our spending choices. No business makes a change until they feel it in their revenue.
Check out what Spirit just announced. A real first-class product. And a blocked middle seat in extra-legroom, their version of Delta comfort-plus. Sure beats Southwest.
I made DM faster this year (April) than any other year. $28k is a very low bar and with no rollover there is zero incentive to earn any more MQD in 2024 which is very dumb for DL to encourage us to use other airlines/spend on other cards. What DL really needs to do is just publish the 360 requirements. I would strive to hit $50k/$60k/$70k MQD if I just knew what the goalpost was.
Now that 360 is codified and has replaced diamond as the top-tier status, it is crazy that Delta doesn’t publish the requirements. Especially since all the other status tiers are about how much money you spend with Delta. But yeah, I agree that not rewarding continued business after re-qualifying for diamond is a huge mistake by Delta. Same for Marriott ambassador.
After what Spirit just announced today, Delta would be foolish to make any further changes. Spirit’s new model is attractive to hub-captive Delta customers in Detroit and elsewhere who want to do domestic and Caribbean travel. Blocked middle seats in their version of Delta comfort-plus and now a real first-class product. Yes, Spirit is a mess operationally and they get some weird customers. But Delta’s airfares are absurd these days. And there’s little value in the Delta program not anyone not flying internationally or anyone who is just starting off. I can rollover Delta diamond for at least 4 or 5 years and, in the meantime, fly Spirit domestically in their new first-class and then Air France internationally to Europe all while keeping my Delta diamond status for when Delta makes sense.
I will never fly Spirit again. I found a cheap $49 Spirit flight from DTW>ATL. An hour before the flight they canceled it and refunded my $49. The next flight was 2 days later and I had to get home. So I had no choice but to buy a hidden-city last-minute Delta ticket for $349 (regular price was $499). Unless you book a refundable backup flight it’s just too risky.
It’s time for delta , with record profits yr after yr, to earn that loyalty? There are other airlines.
Show flyers some love 9n September
There are still too many(fake)diamonds from the rollover-conversion which has devalued the DM status so they must do something to thin the herd ===$$$ increases…
Herd still needs to be thinned. As a 360 with less than 50% upgrade rate this year so far, it is clear they need to do something. -Besides selling upgrades for cheap to the Silvers and Golds.
“As a 360 with less than 50% upgrade rate this year so far…”
WOW. That is nuts.
Delta has been selling 90 or 95% of first-class on most mainline routes for a couple of years now. What does the 360 elite want Delta to do? Boot someone who paid for first-class from a seat to make way for him? If true, I think this is actually interest. It tells me then that 360 while increasingly codified does not have a secret priority for upgrades. I’ve been buying first or business on all flights over 3 hours since mid-2019, when as a diamond and million-miler I was number 2 or 3 on an upgrade list of 55 people on a 737 on a Tuesday at 3 pm.
I don’t think most people want paying customers booted for Medallion or 360* complimentary upgrades. (We may joke about it but we get that Delta is a for-profit company.) But I do notice WAY fewer upgrades being processed at the 5-3-1 windows.
Maybe I’m Irish or living right but my upgrade percentage is over 85% this year. I’m SLC based and have been upgraded SLC – ATL, MCO, JFK, ORD, EWR, both ways among others, many at 5 days.
I’m a 5MM with the new gifted 360 so I have not been worrying about MQDs and just buying coach on most flights. I have stuck mostly with Delta because I like the nonstops and the service.
Sláinte!
So, is Delta supposed to boot a passenger who has bought first-class to make way for you?
Did we figure out what was supposed to be the big news last Monday? I was hoping for a miles sale or something GOOD since I got the WOOHOO email from Delta to mark my calendar. Then the IT disaster happened and I got a “nevermind” email.
Nope. Delta sent an email out that day saying they will now announce something “soon.”
Changes will be for 2026 status, correct? If people have already reached status for 2025, new requirements cannot be added mid ( 2024) year, I hope.
@Laura – Correct. If they announce any changes they will start in 2025 for the 2026 Medallion year.
Thank you Rene’! I could not take it otherwise !
@Laura – LOL I hear you! 🙂
MQDs from all revenue channels.
Delta 360 = 2 * Diamond MQDs.
Develop lifetime status based on MQDs.
Easy peasy.
It’s a little concerning that it’s mid-October and we still don’t know what the game plan is for re-earning status next year… I think my biggest gripe is the inability to roll over MQDs. It certainly makes me want to hold off any future spend in the last quarter… I would actually be OK with them raising the thresholds a little as long as they don’t force me to forfeit all of the unused MQDs I have.
I think it’s status quo for status earning next year.