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Delta Air Lines will not raise its elite status requirements in 2027, TPG has learned.
For the third straight year, the carrier plans to leave its Medallion qualification thresholds unchanged, a spokesperson for the airline confirmed Thursday.
That’s certainly welcome news to Delta flyers.
Last week, two of America’s four largest airlines announced significant shakeups to their paths to status.
But reaching Delta status in 2027 will look a lot like it did in 2026: SkyMiles members will need to hit the same number of “Medallion Qualifying Dollars” to earn or maintain their status.
- 5,000 MQDs for Silver
- 10,000 MQDs for Gold
- 15,000 MQDs for Platinum
- 28,000 MQDs for Diamond
Read more: Last-minute strategies to earn Delta elite status
Earning MQDs
As a reminder, SkyMiles members earn 1 MQD for every $1 spent on Delta-marketed flights or on Delta Vacation packages. For flights marketed and operated by one of the carrier’s eligible partners, MQDs are calculated as a percentage of the distance you fly and the fare class you purchase.
Plus, members with a certain Delta-American Express credit cards can earn MQDs via card spending.
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Some cards also offer an annual 2,500 MQD head start.
As a reminder, all members’ MQDs will reset on Jan. 1, 2027, and any MQDs exceeding a given threshold will not roll over. Your activity in the next calendar year will earn Medallion status for the rest of 2027 and all of 2028, and will ultimately expire on Jan. 31, 2029.
Tiers remain intact again
Delta hasn’t significantly altered its Medallion thresholds since late 2023, when it implemented a major overhaul to the SkyMiles program — changes that, at the time, sparked major backlash among members. Delta ultimately lowered the thresholds by roughly 15% across the board.
At the time, Delta executives said they hoped those changes would prevent the airline from having to repeatedly raise and tinker with status requirements, year after year.
Now, SkyMiles members have seen three years pass without a major status hike — and the required MQDs still haven’t reached those from 2023’s original announcement.
A busy stretch for airline status news
It’s been an eventful month for major airline loyalty shakeups.
Last week, United Airlines eliminated “flight segments” as a status metric and raised the spending required to reach top-tier Premier 1K status.
Southwest Airlines changed some of its status thresholds as part of a larger Rapid Rewards shakeup, one that also had implications for its popular Companion Pass.
Looking ahead
American Airlines remains the largest U.S. carrier not to detail its status requirements for the new year. But American’s new “status year” doesn’t begin until March, so we likely won’t learn about any AAdvantage program changes for a couple more months.
Bottom line
Delta’s decision to keep status requirements intact comes as top rival United has pushed to woo SkyMiles members to switch loyalties. United recently extended a pointed status match offer to Medallion elites, pointing to its installation of Starlink Wi-Fi on planes.
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