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Approximately 21 weeks remain to qualify for 2026 elite status.
In terms of what people are doing for Medallion status next year, I’m seeing and hearing a somewhat mixed response.
I know someone who swore off status and now buys Delta First tickets with cash or points when he really wants first class. That’s better than crossing fingers and toes — hoping for a complimentary upgrade to the cushy seats.
Others are fed up with Delta’s constant tinkering: playing around with AI and apparently planning a super-double-mega premium cobranded American Express Card that’ll carry a higher annual fee than the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card ($650. Rates and Fees).
Some have tried American, United Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest, and others. Rarely, though, have I heard anyone say anything like, Wow, I’m so glad I ditched Delta loyalty and became a United elite! Most of what I read and hear is that Delta offers a superior hard product (planes, lounges, staff, service, etc.). But it’s Delta’s bull(you-know-what) driving them to fly other carriers more than they did before. (Ham Sandwiches, anyone?) We’ve said that for several years.
My family’s summer travel plans were grounded because one of us ended up on the injured list and is still out through at least September (everything’s going to be OK!). But we did manage a trip to Washington, D.C., for a bar mitzvah and I was upgraded twice. A few weeks later, I went to a wedding in Boston and somehow scored a Delta One upgrade on the way home! So, my upgrade percentage — for all seven or whatever flights I took — this year isn’t too bad. I’ve heard others say they’re getting more upgrades, too, than in years past.
But my business has been down big time this year (residual effects from the L.A. fires and even the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes a couple of years ago), so it’ll be tough for my wife and me to both go from Platinum. I’ll be Gold and she’ll be Silver to start next year. We might leave it that. Sure, I like the confirmed Delta Comfort seats Platinums and Diamonds get shortly after booking. But we’ll live. I have a Southwest Companion Pass through 2026, so we may swallow our disgust with their changes and use that when it’s more practical than flying Delta.
We still don’t know if Delta is going to raise MQD requirements for status. (I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some sort of MQD waiver that’s part of the new credit card.) It’s getting to be that time of year.
For now, what are your plans for Delta status?
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I’m grateful that I extended my DM status for 2 years with my 200k MQMs as otherwise I’d only make PM. A family member took a temporary part-time job at DL so a lot of my 2025 DL travel has been non-rev which has saved me a lot of money/SM but no MQD earnings.
I stopped elite status plans when the move from MQMs to MQDs was introduced (as a non-US-based member MQDs weren’t a thing before that). For years I was at least Silver, a very few times Gold (due to those nice MQM rollovers), and once Platinum (due to Covid rollover rules and the bonuses applied after the US reopened). Those were good times for me.
But now elite status is unattainable for me so no need to worry about it. Now that MQMs are dead my travel pattern changed. Guess what? When planning a vacation in New York I don’t fly to LA anymore! While MQMs were a thing I planned vacation trips to the US like that: first, let’s fly from FRA to somewhere on the west coast, like LAX, SEA, … then start thinking about what I want to do. Staying in the Southwest or the Pacific Northwest? Or planning a roundtrip flight between LAX, SEA, or where I am, and any Texan airport, somewhere in the midwest, maybe JFK, or ATL or somewhere in Florida, or …
Just to get lots of MQMs for hopefully a little money, and then have some fun during the flights … and between the flights 😉
Now it is: where do I wanna go? Fly there.
Well, recent developments in the US make me think if I want to travel to the US at all. Maybe US businesses don’t want my money …
My plans next year are an extension of this year: only fly Delta when they are the best option in terms of price and itinerary. Delta simply hasn’t made the cut on the last several trips I’ve taken.
Last year, I downgraded my Delta AmEx Reserve card to the Gold one – just high enough for award ticket discount and free checked bags. This year, I’ve spent down my Delta SkyPesos balance to almost zero. Next year, I may even drop my card from Gold to Blue: ditch the annual fee entirely, but keep the credit limit, credit history, and option to upgrade later if I decide.
In hindsight, I’m glad I ditched Delta and went free agent. Instead of playing the loyalty game and looking to maximize status on one carrier, I’m playing the field to minimize expense and time between destinations. I enjoy this game much more and find that I’m spending more time at the places I actually want to be.
I will probably still have no status like last year. I have the delta amex plat and we use the companion pass yearly. We used it to fly to Hawaii back in January for $800 for both of us. Was pretty impressed with the availability they had. I will keep the card and use the pass yearly. Still a solid value.
The MQM changed pushed me to multiple new airlines. Not chasing status with Delta, moved to schedule preference. I would in the past add an hour or two on travel times to stay with Delta but dont do that anymore. Flying Air Canada this week and Alaska next week which would have all been Delta before. Probably still earn PM level which is fine, rarely get upgrades but that is OK.
Which airlines are you enjoying most?
Southwest currently for domestic and BA for International. Another retreat from Delta was the inability to use my companion passes from credit cards and redeem basic trips with miles. It has become nearly impossible to redeem on flights I want to take and they are not excessive requests, just basic trips in the U.S.
I flipped from Delta to AA this year. I’m a diamond member with Delta, but I stopped getting upgraded like I used to. Delta only cares about million milers these days.
My upgrades increased 400%( not a typo) with AA. I’m happy I made the switch even though AA has a lot more delays than Delta.
This is my last year as Diamond after converting MQMs. Continuing to chase Delta status simply isn’t worth it. I no longer do work travel and pay for travel myself. Most travel is international business class. I buy the best value, price and schedule. Lately Emirates, Qatar, JAL and ANA/United business class have been significantly cheaper than buying Delta One. My only international DL flights this year is to use my last GUCs.
I am Diamond and will be for life as a 3m miler. That said I now fly United almost as often as Delta because DL flights out of SLC are often 25-50% more expensive that United and American. That is the biggest disappointment for me as I would be happy to co tibie spending my dollars on Delta if the ticket prices were not so obscene.
What are your UA experiences like?
You came to DC without telling me?! Wish we could have met! I plan to try to keep my status for as long as I can. I still like Delta.
We had family stuff the entire time and spent a lot of time in someplace near Bethesda. But I’m sure I’ll be back. I love DC!
I didn’t completely ditch Delta (although I said I was going to!) for United but I have taken 1 or 2 United flights per year. Without any significant work travel I’ll be battling to stay Gold but I should make it. The 15 Sky Club visits on the card wound up not becoming an issue. Three times I was leaving from an airport that didn’t have an SC so upon connecting in ATL I used the Centurion to save those visits. My upgrade percentage this year is pretty good thus far:
17 Segments
4 Upgrades to First
8 Upgrades to Comfort +
DM thru 2027 thanks to 300K MQM conversion. Wife and I just got upgraded to Delta First 5 days before departure. That is a first. Don’t think I’ve ever been upgraded more than 24 hours in advance.
Hi Chris!
How are you doing?
I will remain diamond for the year 2026 thanks to my miles rollover. Afterwards,
I’ll be Platinum for life, being a 2 million miler. I can deal with that though I’ll miss the GUs and special recognition.
Perhaps I’ll consider flying as a free agent…
Or Jet Blue. Wishing everyone the best!
This is a good question !
2026 will be my first year not being Platinum since 2011. Since I’m a million miler I’m lifetime gold but what does that do. Don’t fly nearly as much but when I do often just spend more on my seat. Downgraded my reserve card to gold – though it was sad to say goodbye to my black 747 card since I’m a plane geek. Now using AMEX Plat and Chase Saph Res to accumulate points for other airlines and still have over 700K delta skymiles to burn. But it pisses me off to over pay them so holding on until D1 deals appear (did Japan last year 178K RT). I’m not sure what I’m going to do domestically – what are other people’s experience on AA, UA JB etc.? I’m based in NYC.
UA not friendly at the gate or on the plane(FA) with customers!!
bar mitzvah (it says bart 🙂 ).
Good grief! Thanks for pointing that out, Cindy. (And not being troll-y!.) I corrected it. Thanks again!
Diamond for Life, until they change the deal. SLC based so Delta is usually the best option for schedules but not price. I have a couple of Alaska flights booked, first was less than coach on Delta. I have also done a few United and American flights when the price and schedule was right.
Delta definitely has the better product but I can’t always justify the higher prices.
the big problem with dedicating any effort/money to chasing status is the fact that they are selling almost all the first class seats. The value proposition is just not there.
I’ve been a loyal Delta flyer for 25 years. I travel frequently for work domestically, to Europe, and occasionally to worldwide destinations, and have been platinum (diamond one year) for the last 5-6 years. I went out of my way to fly Delta even when more convenient routes were available, often paying for rate differences from corporate max and upgrades out of pocket. Miles upgrades or flights were usually unavailable when I wanted to fly. However, I struggled to stay loyal to Delta because I felt they valued my loyalty, even though many business travelers readily rack miles/MQDs because of the large amount of business travel.
Over the last few years, I’ve seen Delta turn its back on loyal fliers like me to focus on revenue. As a result, they are no longer my first choice. Even without status, I can get direct routes, cheaper business upgrades, and better service on JetBlue. I’ll be lucky if I make silver next year. It saddens me to leave Delta, which I still think of as the best and most reliable airline, but they shifted their mission to strictly revenue growth to the detriment of their loyalty program and quality of service.
I’ve decided to go for convenience and pay out of pocket if I feel my comfort is worth it.
As I will hit platinum again this year due to spending, I will continue to fly Delta as I have SkyClub access through my reserve card, which is helpful when flying solo (and also nice when I’m flying with my wife), and I know what I’m getting with Delta, even as overpriced as it is.
At my home airport (ILM) Delta and AA are the two main carriers with AA having more and better flight selections with 5 different connectors; Charlotte, Reagan, Philly, LaGuardia, and DFW, however I refuse to fly through DCA or PHL. Delta flights go through Atlanta or LaGuardia. United has a tiny presence with a regional flight to/from Newark. If I want more options I can drive 90 minutes south to Myrtle Beach or 2 hours NW to Raleigh, but I’d rather not since ILM is 15 minutes from my house. We may be getting more options in the future as the airport is undergoing a (much needed) upgrade/expansion.
Earlier this year I was forced to fly AA to Cleveland for work, as it was the cheapest option. Because of this, I upgraded my Citi/AAdvantage World Elite Mastercard from Platinum Select to Executive prior to my flight so I would have access to the Admiral’s Club in LaGuardia, which I will say was pretty nice – as nice as the B and F terminal lounges in Atlanta, and the SLC lounge, but I wasn’t exactly blown away by AA to the point where I’m going to jump ship. As far a s a pro, I will say upgrading to FC on AA is both cheaper and more accessible than Delta, but both planes I flew on were garbage. Both were Embraer 175s and I sat next to broken seats in FC for both legs (and my seat from LGA to CLE was a little wonky). WiFi was sketchy and no entertainment (I know, first world problems), so thankfully I had downloaded some HBO max programs to keep me occupied.
So until I’m actually forced to fly AA more I will continue with Delta seeing it’s, “the devil I know” and the perks of having a $700 AF card are better with Delta (companion ticket for DL vs. none for AA).