Over the past year, Delta has made sweeping changes to how travelers can earn Medallion status through its SkyMiles program. Under the new normal, the only way to qualify for elite status with the airline is to earn certain amounts of Medallion Qualification Dollars, known as MQDs. (In the past, it was a combination of MQDs earned plus miles or segments flown.)
Currently, Delta is offering the opportunity to reach Medallion status a little faster with a new promotion that rewards Bonus MQDs for hotels, apartments and rental cars.
Let’s look at all the details!
Limited time: Earn bonus MQDs on stays and rental cars
Rental car
If you book a rental car with 30 September and complete the reservation by October 31, 2024you can earn 1 MQD per base dollar spent via the Delta Car Rentals portal.
In addition, you can Earn bonus SkyMiles for your reservation when you provide your loyalty number when booking. At Dollar and Thrifty, all members earn 4 SkyMiles per dollar spent. At Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, National and Payless, all members earn 2 SkyMiles per dollar spent.
For Hertz reservations, your earnings depend on your Delta Medallion status level. General members earn 4x SkyMiles per dollar spent, Silver Medallion members get 5x, Gold Medallion members earn 6x, Platinum Medallion offers 7x, and Diamond Medallion members earn 8x.
Stays
Another way to earn MQDs is through hotel stays and vacation rentals on the Delta Travel Extras portal. You earn 1 MQD per dollar spent here — in addition to the 2 SkyMiles per dollar. You must Book by September 30th and travel by October 31st, 2024to receive the bonus winnings.
Terms and Conditions
As always, there is some fine print to consider. Here are the most important things to look out for:
- Book by September 30, 2024
- Travel until October 31, 2024
- MQDs and miles can take up to 8 weeks arrive after the end of the trip
- The names must exactly match those on your credit card and SkyMiles account.
- Bookings through Delta Vacations do not qualify
- You must book directly with Delta Travel Extras
Hot tip:
Final thoughts
If you’re a loyal Delta flyer aiming for Medallion status, it’s definitely worth booking through the Travel Extras portal if you’re already planning a fall trip and don’t want to pay with points. This is a rare opportunity to earn valuable MQDs aside from flying and big spending with credit cards.
