If you’re a regular traveler, having elite status with a major airline like Delta Air Lines can make your journeys more comfortable and rewarding.

However, deciding which airline loyalty program makes the most sense can be difficult. This is mainly due to the variations between carriers regarding complimentary upgrades, bonus points or miles, lounge access and other valuable perks. Plus, is it even worth pursuing elite status?

This guide will dive into Delta’s loyalty program and explain how its status tiers work in 2025, how to earn them through travel and nontravel expenses and whether striving for elite status is worthwhile.

Here is everything you need to know about elite Medallion status in the Delta SkyMiles program.

Earning Delta Medallion status in 2025

In 2023, Delta announced changes that would make it significantly harder to earn Medallion status. Rather than use a combination of spending and flying, your qualification progress is now based on how many Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) you earn. Gone are Medallion Qualification Miles and Medallion Qualification Segments.

The public reaction was so immediately negative that Delta softened some of the changes, though it’s still more challenging to earn Medallion status in 2025 than in 2023. Remember, you earn Medallion status based on your activity from the previous calendar year.

What is Delta Medallion status?

Delta gives qualifying SkyMiles members elite status each year, rewarding them with various benefits to make their travel more comfortable.

There are four published tiers of elite status:

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• Silver Medallion
• Gold Medallion
• Platinum Medallion
• Diamond Medallion

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Delta also has an invite-only status tier called Delta 360. The exact qualifications for this status are not public. However, you can receive complimentary annual Delta 360 status by reaching 5 million lifetime miles flown.

Related: Your guide to Delta Air Lines Million Miler status

You will obtain elite status when you reach a specific earning threshold within the calendar year it’s earned and through the end of January after the following year. For example, if you reach elite status in June 2025, you will have earned your status for 2026, and you hold that status through Jan. 31, 2027.

Status levels reset in January every year, so you must continue meeting the MQD earnings requirement yearly to maintain your status.

How to qualify for Delta Medallion status

Delta now only uses MQDs as criteria for qualification. Below are the requirements to obtain 2026 Medallion status:

• Silver Medallion: SkyMiles members who have earned 5,000 MQDs
• Gold Medallion: SkyMiles members who have earned 10,000 MQDs
• Platinum Medallion: SkyMiles members who have earned 15,000 MQDs
• Diamond Medallion: SkyMiles members who have earned 28,000 MQDs

Read more: Is Delta Air Lines status worth it? What this disappointed soon-to-be-Diamond thinks

Delta Medallion status levels and benefits

Here are some key benefits of each of Delta’s status tiers.

SkyMiles Silver Medallion

This is the entry tier in Delta’s program, and you’ll receive benefits like:

• Complimentary first-class/Premium Select (depending on aircraft type) upgrades for flights within the U.S. (except on basic economy “E” fares) on the day of departure for you and one companion
• Complimentary Delta One upgrades on domestic routes, beginning the day of departure
• Complimentary first-class upgrades from 24 hours before departure (except on basic economy “E” fares)
• Upgrades to Comfort+ within 24 hours of departure (except on basic economy “E” fares)
• Upgrades on select Aeromexico-operated flights from 24 hours before departure
• Complimentary preferred seats
• Priority waitlist status
• Priority check-in, security and boarding
• One complimentary checked bag
• Reclaim My Status benefit
• SkyMiles bag tags
• 7 miles per dollar spent

SkyMiles Gold Medallion

Delta’s mid-tier status includes Silver Medallion benefits, plus:

• Complimentary first-class/Premium Select (depending on aircraft type) upgrades from 72 hours before departure (except on basic economy “E” fares)
• Upgrades to Comfort+ within 72 hours of departure (except on basic economy “E” fares)
• Upgrades on select Aeromexico-operated flights from 72 hours before departure
• Waived same-day confirmed changes
• Sky Priority, including SkyTeam lounge access
• Two complimentary checked bags
• Four drink vouchers
• Expedited baggage service
• 8 miles per dollar spent

SkyMiles Platinum Medallion

In addition to the Gold Medallion perks, you’ll also get the following:

• Complimentary first-class/Premium Select (depending on aircraft type) upgrades from 120 hours before departure (except on basic economy “E” fares)
• Upgrades to Comfort+ at the time of booking
• Upgrades on select Aeromexico-operated flights from 120 hours before departure
• Three complimentary checked bags
• Your pick of a Choice Benefit, with options like upgrade certificates, bonus SkyMiles, travel vouchers, MQD Accelerators and more
• Waived same-day confirmed changes
• 9 miles per dollar spent

SkyMiles Diamond Medallion

You’ll get everything detailed above, plus some even better perks:

• Three additional Choice Benefits options
• Complimentary Clear Plus membership
• Higher upgrade priority on Delta and select Aeromexico flights
• 11 miles per dollar spent

Check Delta’s website to review the full list of benefits available to SkyMiles Medallion members.

Can a credit card help earn Delta status?

To make it easier to earn elite status in 2025, Delta will give eligible frequent flyers who also hold the following cobranded cards a head start on the 2025 MQD metrics with a boost of 2,500 MQDs toward status qualification at the start of the 2025 year (and each year thereafter, until further notice):

The MQD head start is awarded per card, so you’ll enjoy more than one 2,500 MQD boost if you have multiple eligible cards. Additionally, you’ll be able to enjoy bonus MQDs based on everyday spending on these cards.

Specifically, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex and the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Amex will accrue 1 MQD for every $10 spent. Meanwhile, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex and the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Amex will accrue 1 MQD for every $20 spent.

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There is no limit to how many MQDs you can earn from spending on the cards, so you could potentially earn elite status just from swiping your Delta Amex card. However, that’s a lot of money to spend, especially when there are better options for your everyday purchases.

Is Delta Medallion status worth it?

If you earned Delta elite status in 2024, it’s valid through Jan. 31, 2026. If you qualify in 2025, your status will last until Jan. 31, 2027.

It’s critical to consider how much you’ll be traveling in the future to decide if Medallion status is worth it. If you push hard to reach Diamond Medallion status, the valuable perks outlined above apply only when traveling.

With the high MQD requirements in 2025, you would need to spend a significant amount of money with the airline or on a cobranded card to earn this top-tier status. In turn, you should ensure you’re traveling enough to enjoy it.

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That said, many of you may wind up within striking distance of the next tier, so consider whether the benefits are worth pushing for. There’s no sense in going out of your way for perks that don’t matter to you. Pursuing elite status with an airline you can’t feasibly fly regularly is a fool’s errand. Consider Delta’s service from your home airport(s) and how easy it is to reach your desired destination.

This hobby has many trade-offs, and one of the most common is deciding whether to use your preferred airline or hotel chain when it’s not the most convenient or cheapest. Would you book a one-stop Delta flight if Southwest Airlines had a cheaper, nonstop option? If the answer is no, it may not be worth going out of your way to earn Delta elite status (or any elite status, for that matter).

The final consideration involves travel rewards credit cards. Many airline cobranded cards offer perks that mirror what you’d enjoy as an elite member. For example, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card includes a free checked bag, priority boarding and a 20% inflight discount. The card has an introductory annual fee of $0 for the first year, then a $150 annual fee (see rates and fees).

Meanwhile, when you fly with Delta, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card provides 15 Sky Club lounge visits each year (starting Feb. 1, 2025; unlimited visits until then). It also offers complimentary domestic upgrades (behind all Medallion members) and an annual companion certificate (valid for round-trip domestic and short-haul international flights in economy, Comfort+ or first class). To earn unlimited Sky Club visits each year, the total eligible purchases on the card must equal $75,000 or more between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 each calendar year.

If you can pay a flat annual fee for one of these cards and gain access to perks that matter to you without going out of your way to earn elite status, that may be a good plan.

Bottom line

However, not all levels with all carriers are created equal, so analyzing which elite status program best aligns with your typical travel patterns and what you value most as a traveler is critical. Given the negative SkyMiles changes in 2023, earning Delta elite status is harder than ever unless you spend considerable money with the airline, on its cobranded cards or a combination of the two.

If you’re considering switching your loyalty in 2025, we hope this detailed review of Delta’s elite status program has helped you make your decision.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold, click here.

The no-annual-fee Chase Freedom Unlimited® is perfect for beginner and advanced award travelers. While many cards offer 1% back on purchases outside of bonus categories, you’ll earn 1.5% back on non-bonus spending with the Freedom Unlimited. And if you pair this with a card that earns premium Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you can convert your rewards into fully transferable points, doubling their value. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

At first glance, the Chase Freedom Unlimited might seem like a tame cash-back card. But there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye.

With no annual fee and a simple earning structure, it’s a great card for beginners, provided they have a credit score of at least 670. It’s also an excellent card pairing for more premium options like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®, making it a valuable addition to many larger card portfolios.

Let’s examine what makes this card so deceptively great, and whether it deserves a spot in your wallet.

Chase Freedom Unlimited pros and cons

Chase Freedom Unlimited welcome offer

With the Chase Freedom Unlimited, new cardholders can earn an additional 1.5% cash back on all purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year), worth up to $300 cash back.

And it’s even more valuable if you also have a card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, meaning you can transfer your cash back to points and move them to one of Chase’s transfer partners.

Also, since this is a Chase card, remember it’s subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule.

Related: The best time to apply for these Chase cards based on offer history

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Chase Freedom Unlimited benefits

The trade-off for cards without an annual fee is that they tend to come with fewer perks than their more premium counterparts. Still, the Freedom Unlimited has some nice features worth highlighting:

• Rental car protection: You’ll have rental car insurance that covers theft and damage up to the actual cash value of most rented cars.
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance: You’ll be covered for up to $1,500 per person and up to $6,000 per trip for eligible travel expenses on your card if severe weather, illness or other covered situations result in the cancellation or interruption of your travel plans.
• Roadside dispatch: You’ll get access to pay-per-use roadside assistance that will connect you with service providers when you have issues on the road.
• Extended warranty protection: You can extend the time period of warranty coverage by one additional year on original eligible warranties of three years or less.
• Purchase protection: Your purchases are protected against theft and damage for 120 days after the date of purchase.

If you don’t have another card with more robust travel insurance and shopping protections, this is a decent amount of coverage for a card with no annual fee.

Related: Why the Chase Freedom Unlimited is great for college students

With the Freedom Unlimited, you’ll normally earn:

• 5% back on travel booked through Chase Travel℠
• 3% back on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services)
• 3% back at drugstores
• 1.5% back on all other purchases

While none of the bonus categories are show-stoppers, finding a card with bonus categories and a flat rate higher than 1% for all additional purchases is unusual. The bonus categories are nice, but the ability to earn 50% more on non-bonus spending makes this card shine.

For instance, TPG reader Kate Trimble appreciates how the Freedom Unlimited earns “Cash/points back on every purchase” (via a TPG newsletter survey).

Note: Reader-submitted responses have not been edited, reviewed or approved by the issuers nor reflect TPG’s opinions of these cards.

If you’re looking for a card that earns more than 1% back on non-bonus spending, this is an excellent choice.

Related: The best cards to pair with the Freedom Unlimited

Redeeming cash back on the Chase Freedom Unlimited

You can redeem the cash back earned on your Freedom Unlimited as a statement credit or for a direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts at a value of one cent per point. You can also redeem your rewards for gift cards or use them to book travel through the Chase Travel portal for the same value.

You can also pay directly with your points at Amazon.com, but you’ll get a lower value going this route.

With the right card pairing, you can turn your rewards into transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards points and utilize Chase’s valuable transfer partners for even more value.

Related: Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Freedom unlimited are the perfect beginner card combo

Transferring cash back with the Chase Freedom Unlimited

Alone, the Freedom Unlimited is a true cash-back card and doesn’t allow you to transfer your rewards to travel partners.

However, if you also have the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you can combine your rewards and unlock Chase’s full list of hotel and airline partners.

TPG staffers particularly love the option to transfer our Chase Ultimate Rewards to World of Hyatt. Some of us, like TPG director of content Summer Hull, prefer to use these rewards to book higher-end Hyatts that might otherwise be out of budget. Alternatively, some are like me and prefer to stretch our rewards by using them for great deals on Hyatt’s Category 1 properties.

In addition to World of Hyatt, Chase’s other transfer partners include valuable options like United MileagePlus, British Airways Executive Club and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer. You’ll find excellent options with Chase’s transfer partners, regardless of your travel style and preferences.

Related: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards for maximum value

Which cards compete with the Chase Freedom Unlimited?

One option might be a better fit if you want to focus on earning cash-back rewards. Like the Freedom Unlimited, they earn cash-back rewards and don’t carry an annual fee.

For additional options, please see our lists of the best cash-back cards and the best cards without an annual fee.

Related: Chase Freedom Flex vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited

Is the Chase Freedom Unlimited worth it?

Since the Freedom Unlimited doesn’t carry an annual fee, you can feel great about earning rewards without justifying what you pay to keep it each year. You can maximize your rewards-earning potential if you already have a Chase Ultimate Rewards points-earning card. However, if you’re focused solely on cash-back rewards, you’ll likely want a card with a higher earning rate.

Related: How to choose a cash-back card

Bottom line

The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a great card for everyday, non-bonus spending and can provide incredible value when paired with a more premium Chase card. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro looking for a complementary card to add to your portfolio, the Freedom Unlimited is an excellent choice.

Apply here: Chase Freedom Unlimited

With world-class snow, breathtaking mountain views, and a range of ski resorts for every level, Colorado is a skier’s paradise, with incredible ski resorts with great snow. But where do you stay, dine and explore to get the most out of your ski adventure? If heading west from Denver, the I70 corridor is a logical route with resorts and options. Frisco, originally a mining town that got rolling in the 1800s, is a starting and stopping point for ten ski areas and a nightly destination. Frisco allows outdoor enthusiasts to vary their experience daily with a different resort within driving distance and multiple outdoor options.

Butterhorn Bakery

Nothing gets a skier rolling like a good breakfast, and the a.m. fuel up in Frisco is the Butterhorn Bakery. Walk in the door, and the smells scream made from scratch from start to finish. Power-pack your start with a royal scrambler, which adds cream cheese and mushrooms to your eggs and spuds. If you are pounding the bumps, knock down the country-fried steak with home fries, fresh gravy, and two eggs. The pancackes? Simply mounds of tasty flavor. You can add a wide variety of additional baked treats like the gooey cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and slip them into your coat for a little on-mountain fuel.

Hotel Frisco

Ski town hotels need to be cozy and, at the end of the day, within walking distance of restaurants and shops. The Hotel Frisco fits the bill and more as the only premium boutique hotel in Frisco. It received a total refresh, making it comfier than before. It is pet-friendly and works diligently to minimize environmental impact. Each room in the three-story hotel is unique; many have mountain views. And the fact you are right on Main Street means those tired legs don’t have to go far for evening sustenance, shopping and libations.

Vinny’s Euro American cuisine

Dining in resort towns can be iffy because many restaurants have limited competition. Enter Vinny’s, where the restaurant operates at the careful direction of Vinny, the chef and owner. The focus is combining American + Euro cuisine for tasty twists. Expect an incredible happy hour that rolls right into dining with different specials each night. Move over Austria, as the starter star is the mushroom strudel with marinated mushrooms in puff pastry with lemon caper butter. Hit the main line with the Aspen Ridge boneless beef short ribs, blending creamed corn sauce and cabernet demi-glaze. In the pasta department, go to a high altitude with the sausage rigatoni starring sweet-fennel Italian Berkshire pork sausage and blended with creamy rosé sauce.

Copper Mountain Aerie Lodge

Copper Mountain is the closest ski resort to Frisco at nine minutes away. Copper operates each year in the improvement mode like the king of the hill. Skiing this year gets a boost from their new Timberline 2.0 lift, which bumps up capacity in the most desirable western territories of the resort. Dining gets more luxurious options at the stellar Aerie, a mid-mountain lodge with incredible sit-down dining experiences. On selected dates, ride the gondola up after the area closes for a gourmet meal featuring Rocky Mountain specialties like vennison, with views of the Continental Divide. Skiing late in the season means the alpenglow is just beginning when the area closes. Copper Mountain uses this time of year to open the lower runs to skiers who schuss for an hour with the runs to themselves, then back up to 11,200 feet for a special dinner basking in the last of the sunlight. Dates are offered in March and April for this one-of-a-kind ski/dining experience.

Breckenridge Nordic Center

The Breckenridge Nordic Center is the most complete Nordic experience in Colorado. Owned and run by the Dayton family, all Nordic competitors and who used races and visits to 10 other countries to hone the components of the BNC. The classic and skate trails meander through protected wetlands and national forests. The layout includes various ability snowshoe trails for the non-skier and even a beginner luge experience. The onsite shop boasts numerous brands with 5,000 square feet of options, more significant than any off-snow operation in the area. Their try-then-buy program ensures you get the best gear for how you ski using the actual trails. Two ski instructors are always onsite to guide abilities from the never-ever to seasoned enthusiast. The lodge was hand-built by the Daytons using local logs. It is more than comfortable with a bar, tables, kick-back chairs, and couches. The food here is above the typical hot dog and chips with the Bavarian pretzel-zilla, award-winning glühwein, and two homemade soups daily. Add apres-ski entertainment; the experience will get even the most reserved skier to yodel a few tunes.

Two Below sleigh rides

At the end of the day, it’s better to get a move on with someone else’s leg power. Hop aboard the Two Below sleighs in Frisco for a stunning scenic ride in the snow-bound Colorado High Country. For an afternoon pick-up, try the scenic cocoa rides, which depart from Frisco to their base camp for some hot warm-ups (adult beverage versions available!), with entertainment. For a more indulgent experience, saddle up for the evening dinner rides, which combine dashing at a leisurely pace through the peaks and a home-cooked dinner with entertainment in a heated tent.

Neil Wolkodoff

Neil Wolkodoff is a travel writer from Denver, Colorado, USA. He covers golf, dining, activities and accommodations from the luxury and unique perspective.

Aruba is calling, and that shout is exceptionally loud for fans of Marriott’s luxury hotels and resorts: The highly anticipated St. Regis Aruba Resort is now open.

Rising above Palm Beach, the St. Regis Aruba Resort has 252 guest rooms, including 52 suites. The property reflects its island surroundings: Accommodations feature bright rooms with a modern take on the canopy bed and windows that look out to the beach and ocean beyond. There are also many different balcony options. Suites come in all shapes and sizes, including suites with up to three rooms.

This St. Regis offers two different infinity pools with cabana rentals, plus beach access. For some R & R, the St. Regis Spa is ready to help guests work out their kinks with a massage; guests can also enjoy a full menu of other treatment options to find a true place of zen. The resort also has a state-of-the-art gym, so you can stay in shape for the duration of your stay. And if you’re traveling with the little ones, the Children’s Club has plenty of activities (both fun and educational) to help them have the best vacation yet.

In a first for St. Regis, the Aruba outpost also features a casino with table games and slot machines.

Sticking with St. Regis tradition, the St. Regis Bar will serve a unique take on the bloody mary: It’s a Bon Bini Mary, made with fresh papaya, lime, habanero chile and aromatic spices. Beyond the hotel’s eponymous bar, you can also get drinks at a secondary bar, Ventura, or enjoy coffee at Grano Cafe.

Dining presents its own opportunities for adventure. There’s the rooftop Japanese-Korean restaurant Akira Back, from critically acclaimed chef Akira Back; a Caribbean restaurant called Eskama; and the poolside restaurant Nuba.

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How to book: Cash rates start at $844 during the warmer summer months and jump to over $1,000 a night for peak winter dates. Marriott Bonvoy members can book with points, and there are a few available nights as low as 79,000 points. However, most fall between 85,000 and 115,000 points.

Realted reading:

For those already keen to book next year’s holidays, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have announced an extension to their summer 2026 season.

With more flights to Greek destinations Kalamata and Chania, the British airline will commence services as early as April 3, “bringing forward the start of the summer”.

New flights will head to Greece in summer 2026 from major UK airports

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The extended programme will operate from Manchester Airport, London Stansted Airport and Birmingham Airport.

Thousands of additional seats are being made available across these routes to offer customers and travel agents greater flexibility for early summer bookings.

The new schedule marks the first time Jet2 has operated flights to these destinations from the beginning of April.

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Birmingham Airport will see additional weekly Friday services to Chania, Crete from April 3 to April 24, 2026, complementing existing twice-weekly flights that run from May through October.

Manchester Airport will gain twice-weekly flights to Chania on Tuesdays and Fridays from April 3 to 28, 2026, plus extra Sunday services to Kalamata from April 5 to 26.

London Stansted Airport is set to receive new Tuesday services to Chania from April 7 to April 28, alongside additional Sunday flights to Kalamata in April.

These additions enhance Manchester and London Stansted’s existing schedules, which typically include up to three weekly services to Chania from May until October.

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Both airports also maintain up to two weekly services to Kalamata from May until early November.

Commenting on the expansion, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, Steve Heapy, said: “Kalamata and Chania, Crete are enormously popular destinations, and we continue to see strong demand from customers and independent travel agents looking to book or travel earlier in the summer season or for Easter.

The expansion will cater to holidaymakers looking to vacation during the Easter holidays and early summer

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“As ever, we have reacted quickly to that demand by extending the summer 26 seasons to Kalamata and Crete (Chania), providing customers with the holiday choices that they want.

“The assurance that customers get from our award-winning flights and ATOL-protected package holidays, on top of the appeal of these great destinations, means we are very confident that these extended seasons will be much welcomed and sought-after.”

The new additions come with Jet2 announcing additional flights from major British airports to Greek and Turkish hotspots for summer 2025.