How To Status Match With Delta Air Lines [In-Depth Guide]

Key Takeaways

• Delta offers a status match challenge for frequent flyers from competing airlines, allowing them to match their current status to Delta Medallion status for a trial period.
• To maintain the matched status, participants must meet specific flight and spending requirements within 90 days.
• Delta does not offer a status match to its highest tier, Diamond Medallion. You can only match up to Platinum Medallion.

Frequent travelers who have elite airline status can truly appreciate the perks and benefits that come with such a loyalty position. Whether it’s seat upgrades, change fee waivers, or VIP assistance when things go wrong, it’s nice to have an edge when traveling.

Those benefits are getting tougher to come by, though, because airline loyalty status has gotten more difficult to achieve. Travelers have even abandoned the chase for status and become free agents, buying premium tickets on whichever airline has the lowest fares. Additionally, because it’s so difficult to achieve elite status, travelers with elite status can be reluctant to change their airline loyalty, worried about the losing all those privileges.

But what if you’re forced to switch airlines due to a move from one hub city to another? Or what if you just want to change?

Delta is just 1 airline that offers customers a status match for switching loyalty programs, along with American Airlines, Alaska, and United, among others.

Whether you need to change or want to change airlines, if you have elite airline status, there is a shortcut to getting comparable elite status with a new airline. And all the information you need to complete this shortcut is right here in one place.

What Is a Status Match, and How Does It Work?

If you currently have elite status with an airline, you may qualify to have that elite status matched by another airline, which would be happy to have your business!

You simply submit a request to the airline you want status with. If they approve your request, the new airline grants you their corresponding elite status for a temporary period. The idea is that’ll be enough tie for you to decide you like traveling with them and continue to become a loyal customer permanently.

Once your request is approved, you may be offered a status match that’s valid for a specified period of time with no conditions attached, a status challenge you need to complete in order to gain status, or a combination of those offers.

Here is what you can expect in response to your status match request:

• Status Match: The new airline grants you equal status immediately with no conditions, other than the status expiring on a certain date.
• Status Challenge: The new airline does not grant you status immediately, but agrees to do so after you complete a certain number of flight miles or segments.
• Combination Status Match and Challenge: The new airline grants you immediate status and requires you to complete a certain number of flight miles or segments within a specific period of time (usually 90 days), and then extends your matched elite status until a certain date (commonly the following year).

When an airline approves a request for a status match, you keep your elite status with your current airline, giving you status with both airlines once the match or challenge is complete.

Delta Air Lines uses the combination of a status match and a challenge. Let’s take a look at the process.

Bottom Line: Since Delta Air Lines grants elite status immediately, you can complete your 90-day flying challenge in comfort. 

Delta Air Lines Status Match Program

Some airlines that offer status match programs do not publish their requirements, or even which airline statuses they match.

Delta does a good job of publishing not only the requirements but a long list of airline status levels and the corresponding status match level with Delta.

Like most airlines that offer a status match, Delta does not match to their highest elite status, Diamond Medallion. Instead, you can only match up to Platinum Medallion.

If you have status with an airline other than those listed, you can still submit a request, and Delta will review it for consideration.

How and When To Submit a Status Match Request

Who Is Eligible for a Delta Air Lines Status Match?

Travelers eligible for a status match or challenge with Delta Air Lines should meet the following requirements:

• You have not received in a status match with Delta Air Lines in the past 3 years.
• You were not given complimentary Delta Medallion status in the past 3 years. (You are still eligible if you have received complimentary Medallion status as a result of reaching Million Miler status.)
• You have elite status with an eligible airline that you earned through that airline’s published requirements.

You must be able to provide current elite documents that show your earned elite status.

How To Complete a Status Match Request

Completing the request for a status match with Delta Air Lines is not complicated, and it can be done online in a few minutes.

You need to gather a copy of your current membership card clearly showing your elite status level and the expiration date, as well as a copy of your current frequent flyer account statement.

Then use this information to request a Delta Medallion SkyMiles Status Match Challenge online by completing the Status Match form.

Within 3 weeks, you should receive an email stating whether your request was approved or denied.

The Importance of Timing

If you have Delta flights booked, be sure to submit your status match request far enough in advance to receive approval prior to flying.

Don’t have any Delta flights booked? You might want to time your challenge to maximize the amount of time you’ll be granted elite status.

Here’s how Delta currently grants matched status based on the date you earn it (though keep in mind that requirements can change): If you’re approved for the status challenge and complete the requirements between January 26, 2024, and December 31, 2024, your Medallion Status will be extended through January 31, 2026 (the end of the 2025 Medallion Year), regardless of when in the year you enroll or qualify.

Bottom Line: To maximize the amount of time you can enjoy complimentary Medallion elite status, submit your request, receive approval, and complete your status match challenge early in the calendar year.

Completing the Flying Requirements

Once you have been approved for an elite status challenge with Delta, you will be required to earn the required amount of Medallion Qualification Dollars, or MQDs, during your 3-month complimentary period.

Here are the requirements for completing the challenge for each level of granted elite status.

Keep in mind that you have only 90 days to complete these requirements, so plan carefully.

Bottom Line: The requirements you need to complete during the status challenge are far less than you’d normally need to earn status. For a complete list of qualifications for each level of elite status in a normal calendar year, visit the Medallion Elite area of Delta.com. 

Creating a Status Match Challenge Itinerary

With only 90 days to complete your status match challenge, making sure your flights are completed and credited on time is critical. If you have Delta flights planned already, that’s great — you’re on your way to meeting the requirements!

It’s worth noting that you do not have to complete the challenge using only Delta-operated flights, since partner airline flights that earn MQDs do count. Use the partners chart to determine the amount you will earn.

Use Google Flights and select Delta or SkyTeam (if you plan to use partner airlines) to begin your search. The Google Flights explore map will help find the cheapest fares for longest distances.

Your challenge could easily be completed with 1 flight, but it’s important to pay close attention to the amount of MQDs you’re earning, too.

With Delta-operated flights, the number of MQDs you earn are generally be about the same as the purchase price of the ticket.

However, partner airline flight MQDs are calculated by a percentage of distance flown and fare class, so it’s a little more complicated to figure out the amount of MQDs for any given flight. For a complete breakdown on how many MQDs you’ll earn on each partner airline flight, you can reference Delta’s partner rules.

Hot Tip: Flying with partner airlines on premium economy, business, or first class fares can sometimes earn MQDs toward completing a status match than flying on Delta marketed or ticketed flights! Economy flights on partner airlines typically earn fewer MQDs than flying on Delta marketed or ticketed flights. 

Earning MQDs Without Flying

Since Delta now only calculates your path toward status through Medallion Qualification Dollars, it’s important to understand that you can also earn MQDs toward completing your status match without even setting foot inside an airplane. One of the best ways to earn MQDs is by spending using one of the Delta and American Express co-branded credit cards. You earn MQDs at the following rates:

• 1 MQD per $10 spent with the Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve Credit Card from American Express or the Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve Business American Express Card
• 1 MQD per $20 spent with the Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum Business American Express Card

Enhancing Your New Elite Status

Once your status match challenge is approved and you have Delta Medallion Elite status, it makes sense to elevate that status with benefits beyond those you’re receiving.

A Delta premium credit card such as the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card offers greater mileage-earning potential, complimentary Sky Club and Centurion Lounge access, an ongoing faster path to earning elite status, and an annual companion ticket (plus much more).

Note that, effective February 1, 2025, Reserve Card members receive 15 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club. To earn an unlimited number of visits each year starting on February 1, 2025, the total eligible purchases on the card must equal $75,000 or more between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024, and each calendar year thereafter.

Because you’d earn 3 miles for every dollar spent on Delta, you may even want the Delta Reserve card in your pocket before you book your first Delta flight.

Cardholders receive additional unique benefits such as :

• Additional MQDs toward elite status: 2,500 MQDs every qualification year and $1 MQD per $10 spent on purchases with the card per calendar year
• The benefit of paying for your flight with miles and still earning MQDs on that same flight!
• Priority upgrades over other same-level elite members who do not have the Delta Reserve card

For a complete comparison of Delta-branded credit cards, including the business versions of the cards and their benefits, access our expert guide. Also, check out our ideas on the best ways to maximize your Delta SkyMiles.

Bottom Line: Having a premium Delta-branded American Express credit card enhances your Medallion Elite status to include accelerated miles earning and benefits you don’t receive with elite status alone. 

Everything Else You Need To Know

If you don’t meet the requirements of your status challenge in the 90-day period provided, your temporary status expires.

You are not eligible for a Delta Air Lines status match challenge if you have participated in one within the past 3 years.

Final Thoughts

While the process for obtaining a status match challenge with Delta Air Lines is quite simple, completing the challenge can be more complicated than with other airlines.

Where there are complications, however, opportunities and sweet spots exist, too, such as premium fares on partner airlines earning additional MQDs, making it easier to meet the requirements of the status match challenge.

If you currently have elite status with another airline and want or need to switch to Delta Air Lines, you’ll find the status match process is straightforward. Though the flying challenge is, well, challenging, their Medallion Elite frequent flyer program is still very rewarding.