Remember when Delta made some drastic changes to its Medallion Status program, upsetting some elites? Well, in addition to eventually adjusting some of those changes, the airline is now courting new loyal customers with a status match challenge. Now, those with status at some rival airlines can experience life as a Delta Medallion member for a limited time, with the chance to extend their status for up to two years.
Starting with the basics, the level of Delta Medallion status that customers can reach is dictated by what they currently have with another airline. However, for this challenge, only Silver, Gold, and Platinum matches are possible (no Diamond or Delta 360). Furthermore, only certain carriers are included. You can view the full chart on Delta’s status match site, but here are a few examples:
| Silver | Gold | Platinum | |
| Alaska Airlines | MVP | MVP Gold | MVP Gold 75K or 100K |
| American Airlines | Gold | Platinum | Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro, Concierge Key |
| British Airways | Bronze | Silver | Gold |
| Southwest Airlines | A-List | A-List Preferred | N/A |
| United Airlines | Premier Silver | Premier Gold | Premier Platinum, Premier 1K, Global Services |
| jetBlue | N/A | Mosaic 1 | Mosaic 2,3, or 4 |
Delta does note that “complimentary status or status earned through a promotion does not qualify.” So, if you were one of those who matched their Delta status to Alaska and got their credit card to move up a tier, you probably can’t match that back to Delta now. Also, to be eligible, you’ll need to already have a SkyMiles account and have had it for at least 30 days. Once you’ve determined that you’re eligible, you can submit proof of your current status, such as presenting a physical or digital card or a screenshot showing your status and your name.
According to Delta, it can take up to 15 business days to review your request. But, once your match is approved, you’ll be able to keep your status for 90 days.
In order to extend beyond that three-month period, customers will need to meet certain requirements during that time. And since Delta’s status is now based entirely on Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) — one of the few changes they didn’t end up rolling back — these targets are also based on this metric:
- Silver: $1,250 MQDs
- Gold: $2,500 MQDs
- Platinum: $3,750 MQDs
Notably, if you complete the status match challenge during this calendar year, your status will remain through the 2025 Medallion Year. That means you’ll have it through January 31st, 2026. That’s a pretty damn long time.
Seeing as I only have status on Delta, this challenge doesn’t do much for me. However, for those who have been looking to move to Delta or just enjoy collecting statuses, this seems like a pretty achievable challenge. So, if you 1) have status with another airline, 2) have an upcoming trip you’re considering, and 3) are willing to fly Delta on said trip, perhaps this opportunity will help you unlock nearly two years of Delta Medallion status for yourself.