Is Delta Raising MQD Requirements or Not?

UPDATE: This change is now official.

The Points Guy scooped the world yesterday on news that Delta is raising its Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) requirements for 2016. According to TPG you’ll need to meet the following spend requirements in 2015 for the 2016 status year.

• Silver Medallion MQDs increasing to $3,000 (Currently $2,500)
• Gold Medallion MQDs increasing to $6,000 (Currently $5,000)
• Platinum Medallion MQDs increasing to $9,000 (Currently $7,500)
• Diamond Medallion MQDs increasing to $15,000 (Currently $12,500)

You’ll still be able to waive the MQD requirement by spending $25,000 on your SkyMiles Amex cards.

MJ’s Take

We’ll have to wait and see if this actually happens because there is no official word from Delta as I type this post. I never expected MQD requirements to be static over time, but I will say that I had not been looking for a 20 percent increase the year after first implementing the requirement. Either the initial amounts were too low or Delta thinks they can get away with this. They can. Notably, the $25,000 MQD waiver remains in place. I’d pontificated that I might blow off card spending requirements next year and just take what I can get in the elite status world. This news may or may not impact my decision on that.

I’m going to make Platinum Medallion again this year, and I’m certainly going to spend $7,500 and hit $25K on my Amex. Hitting $9K in spend on Delta airfare is not something that I’m going to be able to do consistently, some years yes…some no. My ultimate decision likely depends on how much I love my second year as a Platinum Medallion. For sure, this is one more indication that Delta sees itself as something different. Whether they should feel that way or not is a question that will only be answered in time. Maybe we’ll hear something today from Delta on the MQD change. Monitor the discussion Milepoint here, and FlyerTalk here.

MJ, October 10, 2014