Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
How to Choose Delta SkyMiles Medallion Choice Benefits
Delta SkyMiles Medallion Choice Benefits are a menu of perks that Diamond and Platinum Medallion members choose for themselves rather than receiving a fixed bundle, and in the 2026 Medallion Year a Platinum member selects one benefit while a Diamond member selects three. [1]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Choice Benefits are a Diamond and Platinum Medallion benefit, and selection is available only in the Delta app. [1] [2]
- A Platinum member selects one benefit and a Diamond member selects three; for the 2026 Medallion Year selections close on January 31, 2027, and for the 2027 Medallion Year on January 31, 2028. [1]
- The menu mixes upgrade certificates, Delta Sky Club membership, Medallion Qualification Dollar accelerators, bonus miles, statement credits, travel credit and gifts of status. [1]
- Once a Choice Benefit is redeemed it cannot be exchanged or replaced, and Delta may modify, withdraw or substitute a benefit. [1]
Who earns Choice Benefits, and when does selection open?
Choice Benefits are available at Delta's two highest Medallion tiers. Delta describes them as a way for Diamond and Platinum Medallion members to personalise their travel experience from the moment the status is earned, [1] and the programme's tier summaries list a customisable Choice Benefit at Diamond and at Platinum. [2] Members who are still working towards status can compare tiers in the Delta SkyMiles elite status guide.
Selection opens immediately after a member earns the status, and the number of choices depends on the tier: one benefit when a member qualifies for Platinum Medallion Status and three when a member qualifies for Diamond Medallion Status. [1] The same split applies to the 2027 Medallion Year. [1]
Deadlines follow the Medallion Year rather than the calendar date of selection. Benefits for the 2026 Medallion Year must be selected by January 31, 2027, and benefits for the 2027 Medallion Year by January 31, 2028. [1] Delta ties eligibility to a status change inside a given status year: a member who qualifies for 2027 status during 2026 is eligible only for 2027 Choice Benefits. [1]
Delta says selection is available for eligible members only in the Delta app, and that from February 1, 2025 members select Choice Benefits through the Fly Delta app. [1] [2]
What can you choose from?
The listed amounts and quantities are the same for the 2026 and 2027 Medallion Years. [1]
| Option | Diamond Medallion | Platinum Medallion |
|---|---|---|
| Upgrade Certificates | 4 Global, or 8 Regional, or 2 Global and 4 Regional | 4 Regional |
| American Express statement credit | $500 | $250 |
| Starbucks Rewards Stars | 6,000 Stars | 6,000 Stars |
| Delta Sky Club membership | Executive (uses 3 selections) or Individual (uses 2 selections) | Not available |
| MQD Accelerator | $2,000 MQDs | $1,000 MQDs |
| Gift Medallion Status | 4 Gold Medallion | 4 Silver Medallion |
| Bonus Miles | 40,000 miles | 35,000 miles |
| Delta Vacations savings | $500 | $400 |
| Sustainable aviation fuel contribution | $250 | $250 |
| Delta Travel Voucher | $550 | $350 |
| Wheels Up private flight credit | $2,000 | $1,500 |
Delta adjusts some 2026 selections that were made before February 1, 2026, with the changes applied from mid-February 2026 to align with the start of the new Medallion Year: members who chose Gift Medallion Status receive two additional opportunities to share status, members who chose Bonus Miles receive an extra 5,000 miles, and Delta Travel Voucher recipients receive an additional $200 at Diamond and $50 at Platinum. [1]
How do upgrade certificates and Sky Club selections work?
Upgrade Certificates carry a higher priority than Medallion Complimentary Upgrade requests, and they must be booked and flown by the end of the Medallion Year associated with the Choice Benefit selection, regardless of when in the year the selection was made. [1] Certificates chosen for the 2026 Medallion Year must be booked and flown by January 31, 2027, and certificates chosen for the 2027 Medallion Year by January 31, 2028. [1] Delta also states that Diamond members may only select Upgrade Certificates once for their 2026 or 2027 Medallion Year selections. [1] More on how certificates slot into the upgrade queue is in the Delta SkyMiles upgrade guide.
Global Upgrade Certificates can be used on Delta and select partner-operated flights, for the member and multiple companions, on paid published Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort and Delta Main fares except Delta Basic experiences; they also work on Award Travel and Miles + Cash tickets on Delta-operated flights, Pay with Miles tickets, Companion Certificates and tickets booked as part of a Delta Vacations package. [1] Regional Upgrade Certificates work on Delta flights on paid published Delta Comfort and Delta Main fares except Delta Basic experiences, and on the same award, Pay with Miles, Companion Certificate and Delta Vacations bookings, on the same routes as Medallion Complimentary Upgrades, including all flights with Delta First and the domestic Delta One experience. [1] Ticketing rules for the companion document are covered in the Delta companion certificate guide.
Delta Sky Club membership is a Diamond-only option. [1] A Diamond member can spend three selections on an Executive Membership, which includes two complimentary guests or a spouse or domestic partner and children under 21, or two selections on an Individual Membership covering the member alone. [1] Either membership runs from the date of selection to the end of the Medallion Year, so a 2026 selection runs to January 31, 2027, and it runs alongside any existing Sky Club membership; each can be selected only once per Medallion Year. [1]
Exceptions and limits
- American Express statement credit. The member must hold an active Basic Delta SkyMiles Platinum, Platinum Business, Reserve or Reserve Business American Express Card linked to the SkyMiles account at the time of selection, and the credit posts 6–8 weeks after selection; a card cancelled or past due at fulfilment voids the benefit without reissue. [1] The limit is one credit per Medallion tier, so a member qualifying for both Platinum and Diamond in one Medallion year may select a maximum of two. [1]
- Starbucks Rewards Stars. This option is limited to U.S.-based SkyMiles members enrolled in Starbucks Rewards who link one Starbucks account to one SkyMiles account, Stars arrive within 48 hours, and unused Stars expire six months after the calendar month in which they were deposited. [1]
- Gift Medallion Status. Recipients must have no Medallion Status or status below the gifted tier, all recipients and their SkyMiles numbers must be supplied at selection, and gifts not given at that point cannot be redeemed later; for 2026 selections recipient status runs through January 31, 2027, and for 2027 selections through January 31, 2028. [1]
- MQD Accelerator. MQDs chosen as a Choice Benefit apply towards qualification for the next Medallion Year: a 2026 Medallion Year selection counts towards 2027 status and a 2027 selection towards 2028. Selections made in calendar year 2025 post to the account in January 2026, while 2026 Medallion Year selections made after December 31, 2025 post within 48 hours of selection. MQDs cannot be transferred or gifted, and the benefit may be selected more than once per Medallion Year. [1]
- Delta Vacations savings and travel credit. The Delta Vacations eCertificate needs a new flight-plus-hotel package booked direct with a four-night minimum stay, must be used within 12 months, must be applied in full to one purchase, cannot be combined with other offers or used on existing bookings, and is limited to one selection per Medallion Year. [1] The Delta Travel Voucher is valid for 12 months from issuance, is non-transferable and can only be used by the member who selected it. [1]
- Wheels Up credit. The credit expires 12 months from issuance, cannot be used on Delta Air Lines travel, and may be selected only once per Medallion Year and once per Medallion tier. [1]
- Complimentary status routes. American Express Centurion members enrolled in complimentary Platinum Medallion Status must earn at least $2,500 MQDs each calendar year after enrolment to be eligible for Choice Benefits for that Medallion Year. [1] Members matched to Platinum Medallion through the Status Match Challenge are not eligible for Choice Benefits unless they meet the requirements to extend Platinum Medallion Status. [5]
- Changes by the programme. Delta reserves the right to modify or discontinue any Choice Benefit without advance notice and may substitute an alternative of equal or greater value, including after selection. [1]
Frequently asked questions
How many Choice Benefits do you get?
One selection when you qualify for Platinum Medallion Status and three when you qualify for Diamond Medallion Status, for both the 2026 and 2027 Medallion Years. [1]
Where do you select Delta Choice Benefits?
In the Delta app only; Delta says selection is available for eligible members only in the Delta app and moved selection to the Fly Delta app from February 1, 2025. [1] [2]
When is the deadline to choose?
January 31, 2027 for the 2026 Medallion Year and January 31, 2028 for the 2027 Medallion Year. [1]
Can you change a Choice Benefit after selecting it?
No. Delta states that once redeemed, Choice Benefits cannot be exchanged or replaced. [1]
Can Platinum members choose a Delta Sky Club membership?
No, the Sky Club option is listed as not available at Platinum; a Diamond member uses two selections for an Individual Membership or three for an Executive Membership. [1]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. It covers Delta SkyMiles Medallion Choice Benefits only; equivalent elite-choice perks from other airline or hotel programmes are outside its scope, and Delta states that offers and benefits are subject to change without notice.
- Delta Choice Benefits, checked 18 October 2026
- Delta Medallion Program overview, checked 18 October 2026
- Delta Medallion Status Match Challenge, checked 18 October 2026