Delta's unpopular Medallion program changes last year killed off Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQMs), once a core building block for earning status. But before they go the way of the French franc, ultra-frequent Delta flyers have one final shot to put their extra MQMs to use.
For years, Delta flyers rolled over their excess Medallion Qualifying Miles – whatever they'd earned above their current tier – to get a head start on the next year's status. Through the end of the year, Delta is giving flyers with status and extra MQMs the option to turn them into something else entirely – including some potentially lucrative options.
SkyMiles members with status should see their “one-time rollover MQM conversion” available now.
You can turn those rollover MQMs into…
- Redeemable SkyMiles,
- Convert them to Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) for a boost toward earning status this year
- Or even turn a large stash into an automatic year (or longer) extension of Medallion Status.
If you have plenty of MQMs to go around, you can even mix and match these choices. You have until the end of 2024 to decide and lock in what you want to do with them.
Hoping Delta will do something similar with MQDs next year? Don't hold your breath: This is a unique (and final) opportunity to put the miles you racked up with Delta last year to use.
Read on for what to do with your rollover MQMs and how to actually convert them.
Read more: Did Delta Actually Make Earning Elite Status … Easier in 2024?
Rollover MQM Conversion Options
Rolling over excess MQMs has been a novel feature of Delta's elite status program.
For years, Delta automatically rolled over any MQMs you've earned above your current tier into the following year. Did you earn Delta Gold Status for this year but amass a whopping 70,000 MQMs – 20,000 above what you needed? You'd get those extra 20,000 MQMs and be off and running the next year, thereby encouraging travelers to continue flying (and spending) on Delta and giving life to the mileage run.
Shifting away from measuring mileage was at the heart of Delta's botched overhaul of Medallion Status last year. Now, the airline instead focuses only on the almighty Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) for status. In 2024 and beyond, it's all about spending – and a lot of it.
But Delta is giving travelers a chance to convert their hard-earned Medallion Qualifying Miles into free travel, boosted status, and even extended elite status. With a new dedicated page to convert your extra MQMs and the end of the year approaching, it's time for many travelers to start thinking about what to do.
There are three options, and some are better than others. But you can also mix and match, Delta says: “SkyMiles members can split their Rollover MQM balance conversion between miles and MQDs based on 25% increments.”
Just be sure to make your selection by Dec. 31, 2024, otherwise, your entire batch of extra MQMs will automatically be converted into MQDs. And make sure you're confident in your decision: Whatever you pick can't be reversed.
Oh, and remember: You can only roll over the excess MQMs beyond the status you earned last year. So if you earned Delta Gold Status (which required 50,000 MQMs) but had 125,000 MQMs at the end of the year, you've got 75,000 MQMs to roll over – not the full, 125,000 balance.
Convert MQMs into SkyMiles
Delta SkyMiles get a bad rap for being “worthless.” And while we acknowledge that they're worth less than some of their competitors, consistent SkyMiles flash sales and other redemption options still make them worth having.
If you decide that extra SkyMiles are just what you need, you can convert your rollover MQMs to SkyMiles at a 2:1 ratio. This means that if you've got 100,000 Rollover MQMs, you could turn those into 50,000 redeemable SkyMiles.
Given all the ways there are to earn SkyMiles, like spending on a Delta co-branded credit card or by transferring in Amex Membership Rewards, this probably shouldn't be your first choice unless you've got a really good use in mind.
That said, it might be your best bet among the three options if you've earned (or will earn) top Delta status organically this year. Consider this:
- If you've already earned the $28,000 MQDs to earn Delta Diamond status this year, turning your rollover miles into more MQDs won't help you. Those won't roll over into next year to kickstart your Medallion chase in 2025
- Nor will a yearlong extension of your current status – you can't stack these extensions with the status you're naturally earning, locking in even more years of Delta status
So if you're a really frequent Delta flyer, turning these rollover miles into SkyMiles may actually be the best option on the list..
Turn MQMs into MQDs
By now, you're probably sick of hearing about Delta's new requirements for earning status, but the only thing that matters going forward is how much you spend with the airline.
And even with new avenues for earning those all-important Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) – like purchasing a Delta Vacations package or the MQD Headstart benefit on select Delta credit cards – elite status in 2024 requires earning more MQDs than ever. Here's a look at what you need this year to qualify for elite status:
One of the best options on the list for rollover MQMs is turning them into MQDs on a 10:1 basis. So if you had a balance of 100,000 extra MQMs, you could turn that into $10,000 MQDs – enough for instant Gold status this year.
Whether this is a worthwhile option will depend on which Delta Amex cards you have; your spending; and your Delta flights through the rest of 2024. But it's a particularly valuable option for flyers looking to vault to an even higher tier of Medallion status.
Let's say you've already earned Delta Gold Status from your Delta flying (and spending this year) but would love to hit Delta Platinum status, unlocking Choice Benefits and more frequent upgrades. If you've earned $11,000 MQDs so far this year but have 50,000 Rollover MQMs, you could turn those into $5,000 MQDs and hit Platinum status no problem.
Since you can mix and match your conversion options, you could also opt to convert 25,000 of those MQMs into $2,500 MQDs and turn the other 25,000 into 12,500 SkyMiles. So long as you're converting your rollover MQM balance in 25% increments, you can end up with any combination of SkyMiles and MQDs that you like.
Unless earning Medallion status in 2024 is a cinch, turning some of your rollover MQMs into MQDs will likely be a good choice – especially for those with MQM balances under 100,000. Keep reading to see why…
Read more: Is Delta Elite Status Worth it Anymore?
Extend Your Medallion Status Automatically
This could easily be the single-best option of all the rollover MQM conversion choices. But here's the thing: It won't be a choice for every Delta flyer with status – or even many.
If you're an ultra-frequent Delta flyer with a balance of at least 100,000 MQMs leftover, you can extend your high-level Medallion status for an extra year (or more). You'd need to trade 100,000 MQMs for an extra year of status – and if you've got several hundred thousand rollover MQMs, you can lock in several years of automatic status with each 100,000-MQM sum.
That's right: You can lock in years of Medallion status without setting foot on a Delta plane.
Just as with previous options, you can mix and match, too. So if you have a balance of 150,000 MQMs, you could choose to extend your current elite status by one year and turn the remaining 50,000 MQMs into 5,000 MQDs or 25,000 SkyMiles.
But fair warning: This seemingly valuable option to extend your status may not make much sense at all. Travelers who extend their status can't double-dip while earning status again this year – Delta has confirmed there will not be “an extension of the extension.”
So if you've already earned Delta Platinum status this year (for benefits through January of 2026) but have 100,000 Rollover MQMs to use, you couldn't use that to lock in Platinum status through January 2027. You'd be much better off converting that balance into 10,000 MQDs in pursuit of vaunted Delta Diamond status before the year ends.
On the plus side, a Delta spokesman previously confirmed that travelers who opt for extra years of Platinum or Diamond Medallion Status will even be able to select Choice Benefits each year. And with new benefits on the way in 2025, that's a big deal.
How to Convert Your Rollover MQMs
Delta flyers with Rollover MQMs who haven't already selected an option can start the rollover process in their SkyMiles account. To get started, you'll need to log in to your account on Delta's website and head to the “My SkyMiles' tab.
At the top of the page, you'll see a box alerting you that the one-time rollover MQM conversion is available now. To get started, you'll need to click “Convert Now.”
Once on the page, you'll find the number of rollover MQMs available and the options for how to use them. In 2023, I earned 65,893 Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQMs) through a combination of flying with Delta, rolling over MQMs from 2022, and spending on my *delta skymiles platinum card*.
Since 50,000 MQMs was enough to earn Gold Medallion status this year, that left me with 15,893 MQMs available to rol lover, since I fell short of the required 75,000 MQMs to earn the next tier of Delta status.
With not many rollover MQMs available, I opted to convert all of those MQMs into MQDs, giving me a boost toward earning status for 2025.
Just make sure that whatever you select is your final decision. Once you hit continue, you'll get a warning that the action cannot be changed or reversed.
Now that I've completed the process, the “My SkyMiles” tab in my Delta account reflects that I have successfully completed my MQM rollover selection and it says that they should be in my account within 48 hours. But in practice, it appears to be much quicker: Less than 24 hours later, the 1,590 MQDs were in my account.
Remember: You have until Dec. 31, 2024, to make your selection. Otherwise, Delta will automatically turn your excess MQMs into MQDs.
Bottom Line
Long a vital piece of Delta's Medallion status program, MQMs are officially a part of history. But before they disappear for good, Delta flyers who racked up serious miles last year have one last chance to put them to use.
Travelers now have the option to convert their hard-earned extra MQMs from last year into redeemable SkyMiles, extra MQDs, a year or more of automatic elite status … or even a combination of all three. Just be sure to log into your SkyMiles account and make a decision before the end of the year.
Hi, thank you for this informative article. Seems Delta is trying to make this as confusing as possible. I’ve been a platinum member in the past but am not going to make status this year. I have 104,000 miles. I just want to be sure that I hold onto as many miles as possible. Should I convert to MQD’s if the goal is to be able to book flights?
Thank you!
P
If you value booking (nearly) free flights far more than status, then converting those MQMs to SkyMiles would be the right move for you!
question: currently sitting on 220K MQM’s to convert. Ive hit over 28K MQD’s this year already but travel may slow down next year. I was diamond in 2023. Travel may slow in 2025 so was thinking of extending Diamond to 2025/2026 however looks like i would lose 100K miles since im already diamond for next year. Is it worth reaching out to delta to see if I can do 2026 diamond for 100K and the rest miles?. thoughts. kinda in a pickle…
Nick
I am platinum based on 2m miles life time flying. I want to be diamond for all long as I can based on converting my 329,000 MQMs. How should I convert them? All to MQDs?
Thanks
EWB
All to MQDs would be my suggestion.
I am platinum based on 2m lifetime miles. I’ve earned $9,880 MQDs already this year. I would like to be Diamond for as many years as I could. How should I convert the 329,000 MQMs I have to acheive it?
I just extended my status for diamond to 2 years. In saying that since I’m already qualified, do I get perks if I spend $70,000 for the rest of the year with Delta? Or is it just lost as the money doesn’t rollover? It seems to take that money and try to earn a status on another airline if that’s the case
Didn’t work for me… I was diamond in 23… December 28, 23 I had 47,0001 MQM… I got nothing. Multiple calls… multiple answers… filed complaint… end was I got nothing for those MQM’s. Not sure if I will continue to fly Delta.
Delta informed me today that they will NOT be offering any 2025 Platinum or Diamond Choices when I rolled over 100,000 MQMs to retain my Diamond status in 2025. Your article stated the opposite. Do you have an update?
I’ve been Platinum for 6 years and now have 166k to convert. I plan to use 100k to get a year of Platinum thru Jan 2016. Why would I want to convert the remaining 66k to MQDs if I already have Platinum for 2025? Wouldn’t converting now only go toward 2025 status? Seems strange for someone like me to convert anything above 100k to MQDs. What am I missing?
Nick,
Thanks for this article on how to roll over MQM’s, and the options we have on how to do it.
Have a nice day!
Happy to help, Kurt! Thanks for reading.
What about the strategy of when to do it or am I overthinking? I’m Platinum and just missed Diamond last year so have 45k rollover. I’m almost Gold already this year so will probably make Platinum again. I should wait until towards the end of the year to see if I can use this to make Diamond otherwise it’s probably wasted using as MQDs and should convert the lot to miles. There is no rollover of MQDs at the end of the year?
Correct, there will be no rollover MQDs at the end of the year. It’s not a bad strategy. Or you could also look at it as getting to Platinum sooner and being able to use those benefits for the remainder of this year and all of next.
Thanks Nick. That is my question too. I was Diamond last year but now in 2024 I am Platinum. If I rollover my MQM’s to MQD’s, which is about 17k in MQD’s, and I already have 8.4k in MQD’s, I would almost make Diamond next month. So then I would make Diamond right away and stay Diamond through 2025, correct?
Hi Rick, that is my understanding, yes.
If we earn diamond for 2025 during the current calendar year and choose the extension for the 100k MQM, will the extension apply to 2025 (in other words, useless) or will it extend to 2026?
So I have 300,000 MQM’s coming into Feb. I am currently Platinum for 2024. If I convert them all to MQD’s on March 1 am I Diamond until Feb 2026?
What about Rollover MQDs? They should add that, unless its already part of the program.
Delta is not being clear on the choice benefit option for using MQM’s to extend does anyone show that in writing anywhere?
This is all disappointing, but not nearly as disappointing as Delta’s new pricing strategy for international travel. I mostly fly to Asia and Europe for business. This year Delta and partners are 60-100% higher priced than other major carriers on routes I fly. For anyone with a corporate travel policy, it’s impossible to “overpay” that much for airline tickets. I can’t earn any MQM’s if Delta, Korean, KLM, and Virgin price themselves out of the market.
Thank you so much for breaking this down in the most basic terms. I have been a little confused and not ready to face the music since the initial news dropped. With this information, I just realized that getting the rollover 10:1 MQD conversion, I am half way there to Platinum and keeping my Plat status another year with my already confirmed travel plans for the year. Still a bummer, but now the insane lines to get into the lounges will finally come up for air.
Concerning Million Miler status, I’ve reached 2M, but my wife is just at 800k and would really like to get to 1M and its corresponding lifetime Gold. Would you please elaborate on how Delta will now be tracking miles to be added to the MM status? The website shows “Status will be earned via flight miles flown (excluding Basic Economy fares)…”but it doesn’t elaborate on “flight miles”. Are fare class bonuses still applicable? Will miles converted from rollover MQMs apply?
Do you know, if we choose to extend a current status with 100,000 MQM, will we be able to build upon that with additional spend and CC boosts? For example if I extend Platinum for a year, can I still work to bump that up to diamond in that year? I really hope so, otherwise I see no incentive to spend on their cards during that year.
Great summary..one other item in the mix is Million Miler status. This can change the equation for some.
Do you know if the changes to Million Miler program include selection of choice benefits if you have lifetime Platinum or Diamond?
Hi Tony! I can’t find a definitive answer to your question but to the best of my knowledge, you should get all the benefits of your status level – including choice benefits.
You forgot to add a twist. The new Million Miler levels. I am à 2M Miler so starting this year get annual Platinum. I reached Platinum last year and so the only choice I really have is to convert to RDMs
Hi Gary! If earning Diamond Medallion this year isn’t a possibility then turning those extra MQMs into redeemable SkyMiles really is your only option. Congrats on your lifetime Platinum Medallion status!
How can I find my current MQM balance? The new Delta web page doesn’t show it.
If you are Diamond or Platinum, log into the Delta web page (not the App) and look at your Skymiles activity history for January 1, 2024 – it shows rollover MQMs.