My Delta Medallion Status Challenge Details
I have never been one to chase or have airline status. It never seemed worth the cost or hassle since I rarely pay for travel and I could just book the class I want with points. If you fly often for work then that is a different story.
Having said all that I was recently targeted for one of the many American Airlines status offers. They do this a few times a year and target members and give them status with a challenge attached. The only time I used the status was to waive a last minute booking fee. As the time approached when I would be losing the free AA status I decided to match it to Delta. I figured might as well see what having very low tier status for a few months is like.
Details of the Status Match
I went to the Delta Status Match Challenge website and clicked the enroll button. When they asked me for proof of my status I did a snip of my American Airlines login page. It showed my status and my current level of miles. I had no recent paid flights so I didn’t show my recent activity when I sent it over.
A week or so later I received an email from them that said I was approved for the status match. I had earned Delta Silver status for 3 months with a chance to earn it for longer if I completed their requirements.
Status Match Requirements
Here are the requirements I need to hit in order to keep my newly minted status through 1/31/20:
- Earn 6,250 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) OR Fly 8 Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs) during the 3 month complimentary period
AND
- Earn $750 Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) during the 3 month complimentary period (U.S.-based Members only) OR Qualify for the MQD Waiver* (U.S.-based Members only)
I wish I had done this challenge before I went on my Arby’s Hawaii trip. That would have taken care of everything listed above. But by the time I knew I was flying Delta I would not have received the approval in time.
Remember also that Delta status matches can only be completed once every 3 years. So be aware of that and be sure the timing is right for you.
Conclusion
Silver status on Delta won’t get me much. Maybe I will see the occasional Comfort+ upgrade here or there but I might as well grab it while I can. I doubt I will hit the requirement to extend the challenge and I know it isn’t really worth going after either. But if you have been targeted for a status challenge from one airline it is worth seeing how you can extend that free status with another one.
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Silver status with Delta is next to worthless. Back when I was a pretty fanatical Delta fan 5+ years ago, I never once got upgraded in years of travel. Ever. When my SPG platinum status matched to Marriott, I got United Silver automatically. United upgraded me on my very first trip, which was on an award, so that showed me the comparative values of low tier elite status with both airlines. Now my quandary is that I dislike Bonvoy a lot but want to keep my United silver status, so I may just re-up my titanium status just to keep my United status.
It is funny how status can make us do things we don’t want to do. I have heard similar things about Delta Silver status.
I see a lot of status matches on blogs, for airline, hotels, cars, etc. how come no one warns readers about programs that will only match once (or can you keep doing matches year after year)? I see people jumping on the status match wagon just for the sake of matching.
I think Delta’s is allowed once every 3 years. I will add that in – thanks Nick