How to earn Delta SkyMiles Medallion status

What are the Delta Medallion tiers and 2026 MQD thresholds?

Delta has four Medallion tiers: Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond. [1] Delta says members earn Medallion Status through MQDs, and the table below shows the thresholds published for 2026 Medallion Status. [1]

Delta also offers an MQD Headstart through eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express Cards: $2,500 MQDs per eligible Card type each Medallion Qualification Year, with a maximum of four deposits across all eligible Cards in a year, or $10,000 MQDs total. [1] Delta says one eligible Card can start a member halfway to Silver, the $5,000 tier. [1]

How do you earn Medallion Qualification Dollars?

The main airline route is eligible spend on Delta-marketed flights: Delta says members earn $1 MQD per $1 of ticket price on a Delta-marketed flight operated by Delta or a partner airline. [1] MQDs use base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges, excluding government-imposed taxes and fees. [1]

Select partner flights and exception fares can also earn MQDs, including travel marketed by Core Global and Global Airline Partners and ticketed through Delta with a ticket number beginning 006, which uses Delta's published Mileage Earn Charts. [1] Award Travel can earn MQDs on tickets operated by Delta partners, in Main Classic or above and booked through a direct Delta channel; MQDs are miles redeemed toward the award ticket price divided by 100, and government taxes and fees do not earn MQDs. [1]

Delta Vacations packages earn $1 MQD per $1 of Total Package Price on completed packages booked through Delta Vacations online, its Customer Engagement Center or an authorized travel advisor, subject to exclusions. [1] MQD Boost adds $1 MQD per $20 of eligible purchases on Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Platinum Business American Express Cards, or $1 per $10 on Reserve and Reserve Business Cards, under rules effective 1 January 2024. [1]

Delta asks members to allow 6–8 weeks after a completed Delta-marketed flight and 8–12 weeks after an eligible card transaction posts for MQDs to be deposited. [1]

What benefits do Delta Medallion tiers include?

Delta lists Unlimited Complimentary Upgrades, extra miles at each tier and waived fees including baggage as core Medallion benefits. [1] Silver includes Unlimited Complimentary Upgrades, Priority Boarding and waived baggage fees. [1] Gold includes Unlimited Complimentary Upgrades, the full Sky Priority suite of services and waived fees. [1] Platinum includes the full Sky Priority suite and a customized Choice Benefit. [1] Diamond includes the highest Complimentary Upgrade priority, the highest priority boarding among Medallion Members, preferred pricing on a CLEAR+ Membership, customizable Choice Benefits including Delta Sky Club access, and exclusive savings with Delta Vacations. [1]

Delta says Unlimited Complimentary Upgrades apply to Delta First and Delta Comfort but exclude Delta Basic experiences, and the first checked bag is free for the member and companions. [2] From 1 February 2025, Choice Benefits are selected through the Fly Delta app. [1]

How does annual Medallion qualification work?

Delta calculates Medallion Status annually based on activity during a Qualification Year, which runs from 1 January to 31 December. [1] MQDs earned during a Qualification Year are used to determine Medallion Status for the subsequent Medallion Year. [1] MQDs do not extend or roll over from year to year, and Delta resets the MQD balance to zero on or about 1 January each calendar year. [1] Members can track MQDs on the My SkyMiles page or in the SkyMiles section of the Fly Delta app. [1]

Returns or other credits are deducted from the MQD balance, which may become negative; Delta reserves the right to adjust, remove or suspend Medallion Status if a return, reversal or chargeback reduces the balance below a tier threshold. [1]

What are the exceptions and limits?

• Delta Main Basic (Basic Economy) tickets are not eligible for earning miles in SkyMiles or credit toward Medallion and Million Miler Status. [1]
• Free, barter, pass travel, Delta employee award travel and similar tickets that do not earn miles do not earn MQDs. [1]
• Ancillary purchases and fees do not count toward MQDs, including checked baggage fees, Delta Sky Club memberships, Wi-Fi passes, in-flight food and beverage purchases, unaccompanied minor fees, pet travel fees, mileage purchases, ticket change fees, same-day confirmed fees and administrative charges. [1]
• Paid Delta One, Delta Premium Select, Delta First, Delta Comfort and Preferred Seat purchases and paid Premium class upgrades made through a Delta channel can earn MQDs, but purchases at the airport in Amsterdam or Paris for a Delta-operated flight do not, complimentary access does not, and a voluntary flight or seat change after purchase means the original seat purchase is not refunded and no MQDs are awarded for it. [1]
• Only the member traveling whose name and SkyMiles number are in the reservation can earn MQDs. [1]
• Delta Vacations MQDs exclude taxes, fees, insurance, room service, other booking charges, amounts paid directly to the hotel, car or activity provider, voucher or discount-code amounts and an American Express Companion Certificate used on the flight portion; the companion traveler does not earn MQDs on that package. [1]
• For MQD Headstart, Additional Card Members are not eligible, each member can receive only one $2,500 deposit per eligible Card type each Medallion Qualification Year, and the maximum is four deposits across all eligible Cards in a year, or $10,000 MQDs total. [1] Delta also reserves the right to cancel, rescind or void MQDs, or cancel or downgrade status, if the Card is cancelled or downgraded to a non-eligible Card within 60 days after the MQDs are deposited or within 60 days after the eligible Card renewal date. [1]
• For MQD Boost, eligible purchases exclude fees, interest charges, cash advances, purchases of traveler's checks, person-to-person transactions, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, gift cards and other cash equivalents. [1]

Frequently asked questions

How many MQDs do you need for Delta Medallion status in 2026?

Delta lists $5,000 MQDs for Silver, $10,000 for Gold, $15,000 for Platinum and $28,000 for Diamond for 2026 Medallion Status. [1]

Do Delta MQDs roll over to the next year?

No. Delta says MQDs do not extend or roll over from year to year, and the MQD balance resets to zero on or about 1 January. [1]

Do Basic Economy tickets count toward Delta Medallion status?

No. Delta Main Basic (Basic Economy) tickets are not eligible for earning miles in SkyMiles or credit toward Medallion and Million Miler Status. [1]

Can Delta SkyMiles credit cards help you earn Medallion status?

Yes. Eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express Cards provide MQD Headstart deposits, and MQD Boost adds MQDs from eligible purchases at Delta's published rates. [1]

Do award tickets earn MQDs?

Yes, on Delta Award Travel tickets operated by Delta partners in Main Classic or above booked through a direct Delta channel; MQDs are miles redeemed toward the award ticket price divided by 100, and government taxes and fees do not earn MQDs. [1]

Related pages

See the Delta SkyMiles programme page, the Delta SkyMiles earning guide and the Delta SkyMiles fees guide. For cross-programme context, compare status thresholds in major programmes; for definitions, see elite status and the frequent flyer glossary.

Sources

Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. It covers Delta SkyMiles as published on Delta's U.S. website; it does not cover the Status Match Challenge, other airlines' programmes including United MileagePlus, American AAdvantage, Alaska Mileage Plan, British Airways Club, Flying Blue and Aeroplan, or hotel loyalty programmes.

1. Delta Medallion Program overview, checked 18 October 2026
2. Delta SkyMiles programme overview, checked 18 October 2026