The Guide to Delta Platinum Medallion

Delta Air Lines rewards flyers with SkyMiles, but it rewards its loyal frequent flyers with Medallion status.

Platinum status is the second highest of the four tiers, just below Diamond and above Gold and Silver. It’s also where the benefits start to make a difference in the travel experience.

From dedicated phone lines to entry into overseas lounges, the benefits of Platinum Medallion status can really make flying Delta or a SkyTeam partner better.

I have been a Platinum Medallion member for a couple of years, and I have to admit I would have a difficult time going back to not having it.

» Learn more: The complete guide to Delta Medallion elite status

Medallion status is all about how much you spend on Delta, and the more you spend, the higher the status.

For every $1 you spend on a Delta flight or on a partner airline, you earn 1 Medallion Qualification Dollar, or MQD.

To get Platinum status, you need to spend $15,000 and earn 15,000 MQDs.

The earning timeframe is per calendar year, so flights between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 count toward status.

Once you earn status, it’s good for the remainder of the year you earn it, the entire following year and until Jan. 31 of the next year. So, for someone who flies enough in November 2025 to earn Platinum status, it would be good from that date, through all of 2026 and until Jan. 31, 2027.

While the status itself doesn’t reset as we watch the ball drop into a new year, the earnings calendar does.

Flyers can also earn MQDs toward Platinum status on award tickets purchased with SkyMiles. For every 100 SkyMiles redeemed, the flyer will earn 1 MQD.

You also can earn MQDs by booking a Delta Vacation and by spending on some Delta credit cards. Having the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card will earn you 1 MQD for spending $20. The earning rate on the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is 1 MQD for each $10 in purchases. Terms apply.

If you’re a little bit short of the MQDs you need, having the Delta Platinum or Reserve American Express cards will give you a $2,500 MQD headstart each year. Terms apply.

So technically, you could get Platinum status just by getting the headstart and making charges on your credit cards, but you would have to spend a lot. Since Platinum Medallion status requires 15,000 MQDs, that means you would have to spend $125,000 on a Reserve card or $250,000 on a Platinum card.

A combination of credit card spending and flying could work for many people.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

Having any Medallion status is better than having no status, and having Platinum Medallion status has some really great benefits.

• Earning additional redeemable miles: General SkyMiles members earn 5 miles for every dollar spent. Platinum Medallion members earn 4 additional miles for a total of 9 miles for every dollar. 

• Unlimited upgrades: Platinum Medallion members can upgrade their seat from Delta Main to Delta Comfort almost immediately after ticketing. They’re also on the upgrade list for Delta First.  

• No bag fees: The first checked bag is free when traveling on a Delta or partner airline flight. Up to eight people traveling with you also get a free bag. That is a savings of $35 per bag.

• Drink vouchers: After reaching Platinum status, four drink vouchers will appear in the My Wallet area of the Fly Delta app or online in your SkyMiles account. 

• Same-day confirmed changes: You can change your flight to another one on the same day for no extra charge as long as your original fare class is available. The new departure time must be on the same day as the original one.  

• Airport benefits: Platinum Medallion members get priority check-in, priority baggage service, access to priority security lanes if they’re available and Sky Priority boarding. 

• CLEAR+ membership: There’s a discount of $40 on a CLEAR+ membership. Remember, you might be able to get a free membership for CLEAR+ if you have certain credit cards. 

• Benefits with Hertz Car Rental: You’ll earn 7 SkyMiles for each $1 you spend at Hertz, and you’ll also have President’s Circle status. 

• Preferred seats: You can select a preferred seat when booking a ticket as long as you’re not flying on a Delta Main Basic ticket.

There is also a preferred phone line for Medallion members for customer service needs. Platinum members get call priority over Gold and Silver Medallion members but are below Diamond members. This comes in especially handy during a service issue when call wait times can be really long.

Platinum Medallion status with Delta means when you fly on a partner airline, you will have automatic SkyTeam Elite Plus status, meaning lounge access and priority baggage.

But wait, there’s more.

There’s also something called Choice Benefits, where Platinum and Diamond Medallion members get to choose from a series of additional benefits. Platinum members get one benefit as soon as they qualify for the status, and they must make a selection by Jan. 31 of the year after they qualify for that status.

I have found the intangible benefits of being a Platinum Medallion member to be some of the most valuable. Delta employees appreciate loyal flyers and have been very helpful when I’ve had a problem. I will go out of my way to fly Delta because I have status, and I admit I enjoy being treated nicely.

The priority phone line has saved me hours of waiting, especially when storms or a service problem has changed not only my plans but also the plans of thousands of other flyers.

I also like the ability to buy a Delta Main cabin seat and then after it is ticketed, go back and select a Delta Comfort seat for no additional cost. I don’t get a lot of use from the complimentary upgrades to Delta First since I am often traveling on popular routes, like between Tampa and Atlanta, where there are usually several dozen people ahead of me on the upgrade list.

Access to lounges and having Sky Priority status when traveling overseas on partner airlines are also nice benefits that have saved me time at check-in and in security lines.

I will do my best to continue to earn Platinum Medallion status, even if it means flying some roundabout routes when other alternatives are available.