Maximize Your Delta SkyMiles: The Complete Guide to Earning Elite Status in 2024

With 2024 coming to a close, the countdown to qualify for Delta Medallion status is on. However, Delta SkyMiles members have one important task to complete before the year ends.

In late 2023, the airline overhauled its Medallion Program, simplifying three elite-qualifying metrics into one for the 2024 calendar year. Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs), representing the distance flown, and Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs), tracking the number of flights taken, have officially been retired.

Now, qualifying for Delta’s 2025 elite status is all about earning Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs), representing the amount spent on airfare with Delta and its partner airlines. To bridge the gap with this major transition, Delta Medallion members can participate in a “one-time rollover MQM conversion” based on their MQMs earned during the 2023 calendar year.

Members have the option to convert their MQMs into SkyMiles, redeemable for free flights, or MQDs, to pad their balance of elite-qualifying dollars needed to earn status again. However, the deadline to make this decision is rapidly approaching—conversions must be completed by Tuesday, December 31, or the unused MQMs will be lost.

To complete this one-time conversion, travelers should log in to their frequent flier accounts and go to the “My SkyMiles” overview page. If you haven’t done so already, a notification at the top will guide you to make your selection. Rollover MQMs can be converted into MQDs at a 10-to-1 ratio, SkyMiles at a 2-to-1 ratio, or a combination of the two.

In addition to streamlining its elite-qualifying metrics to focus solely on MQDs, Delta also significantly increased the requirements, making it harder to achieve status. Choosing whether to convert MQMs into MQDs or SkyMiles will depend on one’s travel goals—whether it’s more important to prioritize earning miles for award tickets or gaining a head start toward elite status.

To recap, Delta fliers need 5,000 MQDs for Silver, 10,000 MQDs for Gold, 15,000 MQDs for Platinum, and 28,000 MQDs for Diamond status. Once achieved, the status is valid for the rest of the current year and all of the following year, but these metrics reset at the start of each calendar year.

In addition to flying (and spending a lot) with Delta, several of its cobranded American Express credit cards offer an MQD headstart each calendar year. The Delta Reserve and Delta Platinum cards—available in both personal and business versions—automatically provide 2,500 MQDs per card. In addition, it’s possible to earn 1 MQD per $10 spent and 1 MQD per $20 spent on each card, respectively.

However, a lesser-known way to rack up a substantial number of MQDs is by booking a Delta Vacations package. SkyMiles members earn 1 MQD for every dollar spent on these bundles, which include airfare, hotels, activities, and rental cars into a single price. While each traveler earns MQDs for their own flights, the package holder receives full elite credit for the total cost of accommodations and travel extras.