Delta has updated its SkyMiles Medallion Status Match Challenge, offering a little-known shortcut to elite status with Delta and the SkyTeam alliance.
The eligibility criteria for completing a challenge changed in January 2024. So has the amount of time you’ll get to enjoy the benefits of your SkyTeam status if you complete the challenge – now up to a total of two years.
You could be eligible for instant SkyTeam Elite Plus status if you currently hold Gold or Platinum status with Qantas or Virgin Australia. Elite Plus is the highest alliance-wide status tier in the SkyTeam alliance, which includes 19 members such as Vietnam Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, Korean Air, Virgin Atlantic, KLM and Air France.
If you’re accepted for a status match, you’ll initially receive three months of Delta SkyMiles status. By completing a challenge during the three-month trial period, you can then extend this status until the end of January 2026!
Our guide to Delta’s 2024 SkyMiles Medallion Status Match Challenge explains how this all works…
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Delta SkyMiles status benefits
Delta’s SkyMiles loyalty program has four status tiers: Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond Medallion.
Benefits when flying Delta
Of course, SkyMiles status gets you lots of benefits when flying on Delta itself. This includes complimentary space-available upgrades.
You can read the full list of benefits on the Delta website.
Benefits when flying other SkyTeam airlines
Qantas and Velocity Silver match to Delta Silver status, which is equivalent to SkyTeam Elite. Alliance-wide SkyTeam Elite benefits include:
- Priority check-in
- Priority boarding
- Access to preferred seating
- Extra baggage allowance
- Priority waitlisting
Qantas and Velocity Gold and Platinum match to Delta Gold and Platinum, respectively, which gets you SkyTeam Elite Plus status.
As a Gold, Platinum or Diamond member, you’ll get complimentary lounge access when flying internationally with other SkyTeam airlines. However, as a rather harsh exception, Delta no longer provides its frequent flyers with lounge access when flying Economy on its own international flights.
Unfortunately, Delta SkyClub lounge access is not available when flying within the USA on a domestic Delta flight. Under the SkyTeam alliance rules, you also would not get lounge access when travelling on a purely domestic itinerary within any other country.
Other benefits of SkyTeam Elite Plus include:
- Priority baggage
- Higher additional baggage allowance
- Guaranteed access to full-fare Y class economy tickets on any long-haul flight at least 24 hours prior to departure, even if the flight is sold out.
SkyTeam airlines are often overlooked by Australian frequent flyers, but many actually fly to Australia. These include Garuda Indonesia, Vietnam Airlines, Korean Air, China Airlines, Xiamen Air and China Eastern.
Delta used to be a Virgin Australia partner, but this arrangement ended in June 2022. Outside of the SkyTeam alliance, Delta continues to partner with LATAM Airlines.
How to apply for a Delta Status Match Challenge
If you’re eligible, you can apply for a SkyMiles Medallion Status Match Challenge on the Delta website.
You’ll need to already hold an equivalent status tier with another airline that is not in the SkyTeam alliance. Delta will match with many airlines, including Qantas, Virgin Australia, American Airlines, United and British Airways.
You will need to prove that your current airline status is valid and was actually earned through flying (i.e. not another status match). Delta requires that you include an activity statement with your application that shows you’ve earned your current status by flying.
The 3-month challenge period will begin within one day of Delta responding to your request (you cannot choose an exact start date). It could take up to 15 business days for Delta to get back to you, but it’s usually quicker than this.
You can only request a Delta status match once every three years.
New eligibility criteria from 2024
As of January 2024, there are also two additional eligibility requirements that did not previously apply.
Firstly, your Delta SkyMiles account must be at least 30 days old.
Secondly, and most crucially, non-US residents must have flown Delta at least once in the three years prior to requesting a status match. This must have been a Delta-marketed flight on a Delta ticket, in a fare category higher than Basic Economy. You must have credited this flight to Delta’s SkyMiles program.
What you get during the 3-month challenge period
Once your challenge period begins, you’ll have three months to enjoy the benefits of Delta SkyMiles Medallion status. You won’t receive a physical membership card, but your account will be updated and you will receive a virtual card through the Fly Delta app.
According to the terms and conditions on Delta’s website, you’ll only receive status benefits on Delta-operated flights during the challenge period. But there is anecdotal evidence that the status may still be accepted when flying with some SkyTeam partner airlines.
How to complete a Delta status challenge
Your SkyMiles status will be extended if you earn a minimum amount of Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) during the 3-month challenge period.
Here’s what you’ll need to earn to extend your SkyMiles status until January of the year after next:
| Status challenge tier | Requirement to extend status |
|---|---|
| Silver | Earn at least 1,250 MQDs within 3 months |
| Gold | Earn at least 2,500 MQDs within 3 months |
| Platinum | Earn at least 3,750 MQDs within 3 months |
If you don’t meet the criteria for your requested challenge but do for one of the lower tiers, you’ll still get to keep the lower tier until the end of January in the year after next.
How to earn MQDs from Australia
You can earn MQDs by flying on Delta or its partner airlines. It’s also possible to earn MQDs by spending on an eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express credit card, but these are only available in the United States.
You earn 1 MQD per USD1 spent on airfares with Delta, except taxes, and excluding Basic Economy tickets. So, to complete a Gold challenge on Delta-marketed flights, you’d need to spend at least USD2,500 (~AU$3,792), plus taxes. This would be fairly easily doable by booking a return trip to the USA flying Delta in Premium Select or Delta One (Premium Economy or Business Class).
When flying on partner airlines, you’ll earn MQDs based on the number of miles flown and your fare class. See the Delta website for earn rates on partner airlines.
For example, you could fly Xiamen Air (a SkyTeam partner airline) from Sydney to Amsterdam via Xiamen for around AU$4,600 return in Business Class. This books into “I” class, which earns Delta MQDs at a rate of 20% of miles flown. This itinerary would earn you around 4,148 MQDs – more than enough to complete a SkyMiles Gold or Platinum challenge.
Enrol in January to enjoy status for longer
This year, Delta has changed the length of time that it awards status with one of these challenges.
If you start a challenge any time during the 2024 calendar year, and subsequently complete the challenge, you’ll get to keep your newly-minted Delta status until 31 January 2026. So, starting a Delta SkyMiles Medallion Status Match Challenge earlier in the year will maximise the time you get to keep your status!
How Australians can benefit from a Delta status match
By completing a Delta Status Match Challenge, Australians can enjoy benefits when flying with any SkyTeam airline for up to two years! Although SkyTeam is often overlooked by Australian frequent flyers, there are plenty of SkyTeam airlines flying here.
Delta SkyMiles members can also access benefits when flying with LATAM Airlines (including between Sydney-Auckland). And when travelling to the USA, you’ll be able to waitlist for complimentary upgrades on Delta flights.
Delta SkyMiles are sometimes considered to be poor value as a frequent flyer redemption currency, when redeemed for Delta flights. Delta no longer publishes award charts, opting for “dynamic” award pricing instead. But SkyMiles can still be good value when redeemed on SkyTeam partner airlines. Plus, there is often very good premium cabin award availability on SkyTeam flights to and from Australia.
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