Delta’s New ‘Elevate Your Status’ Promotion: Is It a Good Deal for Your Medallion Status Goals?

Updated: November 1, 2025, 8:02pm CDT

Edited by:

Jump to Section

Table of Contents

Delta’s ‘Elevate Your Status’ Promotion Details
How Much Does It Cost?
Is This a Good Deal?
Final Thoughts

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

It’s becoming increasingly common for airlines to offer non-travel options toward earning elite status late in the year, helping travelers who may be short of their goals get what they need to qualify.

Delta is joining the list of airlines offering status-qualifying credits by contributing to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The new “Elevate Your Status” promotion has some positives and negatives, to be clear.

Is it a good deal for reaching your Medallion status goals before the end of the year? Let’s check the details.

Delta’s ‘Elevate Your Status’ Promotion Details

Those pursuing Delta elite status this year have a new way to earn Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs). Through December 31, 2025, members with eligible MQD balances can purchase additional MQDs, with the proceeds from the transaction supporting Delta’s SAF program.

To be eligible, you must have the following MQD balance:

SCROLL FOR MORE

Current Status	Boost to This Tier	Required Present MQD Balance
Member	Silver	$4,500 to $4,999
Silver	Gold	$9,000 to $9,999
Gold	Platinum	$13,500 to $14,999
Platinum	Diamond	$25,500 to $27,999

These numbers don’t consider any pending MQDs. You must already have these MQDs in your account.

Members can purchase the following maximum numbers of MQDs, available here:

Members can purchase up to $500 MQDs
Silver members can purchase up to $1,000 MQDs
Gold members can purchase up to $1,500 MQDs
Platinum members can purchase up to $2,500 MQDs

Thus, you can’t purchase your way to the top rungs of SkyMiles status. However, you can buy some extra MQDs if you’re coming up short.

After your transaction, the MQDs will be added to your 2025 qualification activity within 48 hours. After subtracting the processing fees from the transaction, 100% of the proceeds will be contributed to Delta’s SAF program.

While this offer sounds interesting, it’s important to note who is not eligible for this offer:

Members who got status through a status match
Those who reclaimed their status
Those who got status through a fast-track promotion
SkyMiles members living outside the U.S.

Bottom Line:

Not everyone is eligible for this offer. You can purchase some of the MQDs required to advance to the next status tier, and the proceeds will support Delta’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel program.

How Much Does It Cost?

You’ll pay $3 for each MQD you want to purchase. Thus, purchasing 1,000 MQDs will cost $3,000.

Is This a Good Deal?

Delta Air Lines Comfort Plus — Pay your way toward complimentary upgrades with SkyMiles’ higher tiers. Image Credit: Stella Shon

If you fly with Delta or its partners, you’ll earn 1 MQD per $1 spent on the base fare of your ticket — the price before any taxes and fees are added on.

In that regard, earning 1,000 MQDs would require buying a ticket that costs $1,000 before tax. That’s $2,000 cheaper than buying 1,000 MQDs with the Elevate Your Status offer.

The flip side of the argument is that you can do this from home, avoid unnecessary trips, and contribute to SAF while you’re at it.

Bottom Line:

Pricing for this offer isn’t great. However, if you don’t have time (or the desire) to take another trip to reach your status goal before the end of the year, this is a viable option.

Final Thoughts

Through December 31, Delta SkyMiles members who live in the U.S. and haven’t reached top-tier Diamond status have a new option for earning MQDs. These members can purchase MQDs, and Delta will donate the proceeds to its SAF program. You’ll pay $3 per 1 MQD, and there are important limits to be aware of if you’re interested.