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Editor’s Note: This article was updated at 12:15 p.m. ET on September 14, 2023 with a statement from American Express.
Bad news, Delta fans: Getting access to Delta Sky Clubs and earning Medallion Elite status will soon be much more difficult. The Atlanta-based airline just announced big changes to lounge access and a complete overhaul of how frequent flyers receive status.
On the Sky Club site, lounge access for premium American Express cardholders will be reduced from unlimited visits to just six visits per year, depending on which card they hold. These changes will come into effect in 2025.
Meanwhile, the airline will completely change the way it awards Medallion Elite status next year. Starting next year, there will only be one metric – the Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) – and the requirements will be much higher than today. And to make matters worse, the popular Delta credit cards no longer have their MQD exemption.
Let’s take a closer look at these changes and how they affect you.
Andrew Kunesh/CNN Underlined
Delta will limit the number of times select Amex cardholders access Sky Clubs starting in 2025.
Owners of the Platinum Card® from American Express, the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card are in for big changes.
Currently, these cards provide unlimited access to Delta Sky Club airport lounges on Delta Air Lines flights within three hours of departure. However, from February 1, 2025, this will no longer be the case.
Delta will restrict access for these cardholders on that date. Delta Reserve card holders ($550 annual fee, see rates and fees) and Delta Business Reserve card ($550 annual fee, see rates and fees) are limited to 10 Sky Club visits per program year. Unlimited lounge access can be unlocked by spending $75,000 on the card within a calendar year. This unlocks visits for the rest of the current year and the entire following year.
These cuts will hit Amex Platinum ($695 annual fee, see rates and fees) and Amex Business Platinum ($695 annual fee, see rates and fees) cardholders even harder. Access to the Delta Sky Club lounge is limited to six visits per year. There is an option to unlock unlimited visits by spending $75,000 on the card within a calendar year. If you reach this spending limit, you will also receive guest access to American Express Centurion Lounges.
Spending tracking for unlimited lounge access begins February 1, 2024 for status year 2025. Dwight James – Delta’s senior vice president of customer engagement and loyalty – confirmed to CNN Underscored that authorized users of these cards have their own quota of lounge visits.
In a statement to CNN Underscored, an American Express spokesperson said: “Based on cardholder data, this number of visits will cover the vast majority of Platinum, Business Platinum and Delta SkyMiles Reserve card members.”
These cuts are likely a response to overcrowding in Delta’s airport lounges. And while I’ve witnessed this overcrowding during my time on the road, it’s still a huge cut for four of American Express’s premium credit cards, all of which have annual fees of over $500.
Andrew Kunesh/CNN Underlined
Starting next year, Delta will change the way it awards Medallion Elite status to its frequent flyers.
Delta’s frequent flyers are also facing big changes. The airline also announced that it will completely change the way it awards elite status.
The airline has historically awarded elite status to members who earn a certain number of MQDs and Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQM) or Medallion Qualifying Segments (MQS). MQDs are earned based on the cost of your ticket, MQM on miles flown, and MQS on the number of flight segments you fly.
Those seeking elite status can waive the MQD requirement for Silver, Gold and Platinum Medallion status by spending $25,000 on premium Delta credit cards. Diamond Medallion requires spending a whopping $250,000 to get an MQD exemption.
But that will change next year. Starting January 1, 2024, the airline will eliminate the MQM or MQS requirement and will only require travelers to meet an MQD requirement. These requirements will be significantly higher than last year and, even worse, the MQD exemption will no longer be offered. This change comes just a year after the airline increased MQD requirements for Gold, Platinum and Diamond Medallion status.
Here’s a look at the changes:
Check out this interactive content on CNN.com
On the bright side, Delta will be offering several new ways to earn MQD. Booking other types of travel through Delta – including hotels, car rentals and vacation packages – earns you MQD. Additionally, you can also earn MQD with certain Delta credit cards. However, Delta’s shopping portal and dining program do not generate MQD revenue.
Here’s the breakdown of all the new ways to earn MQD in 2024 and beyond:
Check out this interactive content on CNN.com
Additionally, James confirmed to CNN Underscored that award tickets will continue to earn MQD toward elite status. These tickets earn you 1 MQD per 100 miles redeemed, meaning an award flight that costs 10,000 miles earns 100 MQD toward elite status.
Additionally, flights with partner tickets credited to Delta SkyMiles will continue to earn both redeemable miles and MQD based on distance flown. You can view Delta’s partner earning table on the website.
With MQM eliminated, next year Delta will give members with rollover MQM the option to convert them into redeemable SkyMiles, MQD, or a mix of the two. MQM converts into redeemable miles at a 2:1 ratio and MQD converts into redeemable miles at a 20:1 ratio, meaning 10,000 MQM is equivalent to 5,000 SkyMiles or $500 MQM.
James told CNN Underscored that the reason for these changes is to make earning elite status easier by only offering one qualification metric. However, for many Delta supporters, this means they spend a lot more on Delta flights or Delta credit cards.
Also note that Million Miler status will soon be earned through miles flown by Delta for its partners. Previously, it was earned based on total MQM earned, which included bonuses for flying in premium cabins. On the bright side, Million Milers will have a higher upgrade priority starting next year.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to visit Sky Clubs and achieve Delta Elite status.
As previously mentioned, Delta announced significant changes to Sky Club lounge access and Medallion Elite status acquisition. On the lounge side, starting in 2025, American Express cardholders will have a limited number of lounge visits, gaining unlimited access by spending $75,000 on their card.
In the meantime, the airline will remove the MQM and MQS requirements and will only consider MQD credits for earning elite status starting next year. Additionally, the MQD requirements for all elite status levels will be significantly increased.
Many will perceive these as negative changes. The Amex Platinum and Delta Reserve cards come with high annual fees, which are harder to justify given limited lounge access starting in 2025 – especially given that the Amex Platinum increased its annual fee to $695 in 2021 .
And while Delta’s move to only have an elite status metric makes earning the status easier, it will be more difficult for many travelers to earn. This is the second year in a row that Delta has increased MQD requirements, but this time the airline also eliminated the MQD exemption on some Delta credit cards.
Those aiming for Medallion status can still earn money with credit cards, but this requires high expenses. For example, if you earn 1 MQD per $10 spent with the Delta Reserve card, you would need to spend $350,000 in credit card spending alone to earn the Diamond Medallion or $180,000 to earn the Platinum Medallion.
As a result, we saw elite status tiers thinning out and lounges becoming less crowded. At the same time, some Delta fans may be tempted to act as a free agent when it comes to their airline loyalty and cancel their premium travel credit cards.
Click here for Amex Platinum prices and fees.
Click here for Amex Business Platinum pricing and fees
Click here for Delta SkyMiles Reserve prices and fees.
Click here for Delta SkyMiles Business Reserve rates and fees.
Are you looking for a new travel credit card? Check out CNN Underscored list best credit cards currently available.