Is Delta extending status to 2024?

Asking the question: Is Delta Extending Status to 2024?

Delta Air Lines is one of the largest and boasts of a very dedicated and large frequent flyer membership in its SkyMiles program. The Atlanta-based carrier has claimed that it had over 100 million of its member enrollments. Similarly to the majority of other airlines, Delta applied several temporary adjustments and prolongations of the policy for their loyal frequent flyers because of the COVID-19 situation that led to a decrease in the demand for air travel. This led to many SkyMiles members asking whether or not Delta is giving status to 2024?

What Status Extensions Did Delta Award to Its Clients?

For instance, when the pandemic was unraveling in the early part of 2020 and affecting travel massively, Delta offered to extend the 2020 Medallion Status for another year up to January 2022 for all its members. This meant that, all the Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) earned in 2019 that earned members the 2020 status would be useful in maintaining that Medallion tier status in 2021 without flying. In other words, it is a kind of ‘status extension’, or a cultural object that is effectively ‘given’ to the audience.

It also lowered 2022 Medallion Status qualifications by cutting MQM requirements by 25% for Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond status. In addition, Delta SkyMiles American Express Cardmembers could earn an additional MQM booster based on the annual membership fees for the card.

As for the published extensions, they remain the above ones, however, it was quite to disperse the rumor in late 2022 that Delta would have a positive change.

Delta’s Select Status is extended through 2024.

This was in their communication made on December 8, 2022, where Delta stated that the existing 2022 Diamond and Platinum Medallion Status would be further extended to January 31, 2024. In particular, members can participate in the program if they have reached the Diamond or Platinum Medallion Status in 2022, regularly flying, or with the help of waivers through credit cards.

Delta decided to renew only the top grades of their flyer loyalty program. No extension will be given to those who are Basic, Silver, and Gold Medallion members. Both American Airlines and United Airlines have opted to reinstate all the tiered loyalty statuses at the time when the companies decided to prolong all the statuses in 2023 earlier this year.

Delta's qualification requirements for earning 2023 Medallion Status will remain reduced as follows:

Silver = 25,000 MQMs

Gold = 50,000 MQMs

Platinum = 75,000 MQMs

Diamond = 125,000 MQMs

Alongside the decreased MQM thresholds for next year, Delta said that Diamond and Platinum Medallion members would be provided with a status boost of 15K and 10K MQMs that would contribute to the 2024 Status.

Why extend Status through 2024?

The Delta Airlines industry remains challenged by increased demand as travel goes hand in hand with staffing challenges, which cause many flight to be cancelled. Delta only domesticated their top-most Medallion tiers, which indeed assist in maintaining their most valued clients, who transact the most money every financial year. AIRLINES STILL HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS ARE NOT DISAPPOINTED, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.

Therefore, by maintaining the extension of the Diamond and Platinum Medallion flyers up to January 2024, Delta is preparing for another probable tough summer of travel business in 2023. Their higher-ranking members are business and leisure travelers who would need transportation services. They also wish to receive assurance that hard-earned cash and loyalty at the business will be adequately rewarded. It can be assumed that American and United were likely motivated by the same reasons for extending the ALL status levels until 2023 for one additional year.

Deltalags Behind Competitors

Delta Flyers welcome any form of status extension, but many believe this one falls a little short as compared to the efforts made by American and United this year. The carriers that have instilled these policies clearly went for a more equal ‘sink or swim with everyone else’ strategy. Offering extensions to all member groups ensures that each status level is satisfied with their current level, from the Silver level at American to the Executive Platinum at American and the Premier Silver to the Premier 1K at United.

Thus, Delta decided to care for their hyper-particular Diamond and Platinum customer segment that is comparable to flights with other airlines, the Executive Platinum and Platinum. Husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends, friends, and business associates of those who flew in the top tier of Delta were shocked and upset to discover that they would not receive any extension of status if they were only Gold or Silver status.

What Should Delta Gold and Silver Flyers Do?

Even if you are a Delta Gold or Silver Medallion member, there are options available that may help you maintain your status. For instance, members of the Delta SkyMiles American Express Card have a boost that makes it easy to achieve the Medallion Qualification Dollars. You could also do an annual mileage run at the end of 2022 to get to the 2023 status that will indeed be good through January 2025 since Delta has extended it.

Not only do airlines have to retain their core frequent flyer program members, they also need to attract new and high-tier flyers. United has also launched several credit cards that automatically make the cardholder a Premier Silver or Gold member on their first card. That is why it will be wise for Delta to consider how it can attract road warriors who may not always feel valued by an airline when flying with mid-tier status.

The Bottom Line

I believe Delta should be commended for their extension of Diamond and Platinum Medallion Status to January 31, 2024; however, I think there was an even stronger opportunity to strengthen goodwill with Gold and Silver Members. Their competitors preferred to ensure the satisfaction of their loyal members by providing a one-year status adjustment to all Tiers in early 2022.

However, the Delta Diamond and Platinum flyers can be assured that they still have an additional year to meet the qualifying criteria, and that should help ease some of the pressure experienced while traveling for business purposes in 2023 amid what is still considered a tumultuous environment.

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