Delta Air Lines unveils SkyMiles tweaks, announces easier qualification terms for 2025

Zach Wichter, USA TODAY
·1 min read
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Delta Air Lines is updating again the requirements to become an elite frequent flyer in 2025, but is maintaining its all money-based metrics to get there.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian wrote in an email to customers:

SkyMiles members voiced strong reactions to the airline's previously announced changes, which had higher qualification thresholds across all loyalty program tiers.

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The new guidelines mean passengers will have to spend less to earn status in 2025 than previously announced.

Here's the new medallion qualifying dollar (MQD) breakdown to qualify:

  • Silver Medallion: $5,000 MQDs (was $6,000)

  • Gold Medallion: $10,000 MQDs (was $12,000)

  • Platinum Medallion: $15,000 MQDs (was $18,000)

  • Diamond Medallion: $28,000 MQDs (was $35,000)

MQDs can be earned through either ticket purchases, purchases through Delta's website for partner deals like rental cars or vacation packages, or by spending on certain co-branded credit cards. Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business American Express cardholders will earn one MQD for every $10 in spending, while SkyMiles Platinum and SkyMiles Platinum Business cardholders will earn one MQD for every $20 in purchases.

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Delta also announced plans to convert existing medallion qualifying miles into redeemable or MQDs when the program transitions.

Customers with less than 100,000 outstanding MQMs will convert to MQDs at a rate of 20:1, or 10:1, if they're converting more than 100,000 MQMs. MQMs will be convertable to redeemable miles at a rate of 2:1.

Full details of the updates, including tweaks to the lounge access policies, are available on Delta's website.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Responding to criticism, Delta unveils new SkyMiles medallion spending