Delta, like many other airlines, wants the best customers of competitor airlines. And to make it easier to switch, they offer temporary elite status (a status match) and an expedited path to keep that status (a status challenge).
Right now they want the best customers of competitor airlines a lot more than usual and are doing something creative about it. Their status match offer will give you one level higher than you already have. That temporary status will last longer than usual. And the flights required to keep status are lower than usual, too.
- Enrollment required by October 31 for those who have status with Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, jetBlue, Southwest Airlines or United Airlines
- Delta provides elite status one level higher than current competitor status, including to top tier Diamond status
- Temporary status lasts through March 31, 2021
Here are details and registration. To keep the status through January 22 those who successfully enroll just need:
- Gold: 4 one way flights by March 31, 2021
- Platinum: 8 one way flights by March 31, 2021
- Diamond: 12 one way flights by March 31, 2021
Here’s how competitor elite status with another U.S. airline maps to Delta’s status under this offer:
| Delta | Delta | Delta | ||||
| Gold | Platinum | Diamond | ||||
| Alaska | MVP | MVP Gold | MVP Gold 75K | |||
| American | Gold | Platinum | Plat Pro Or Higher | |||
| JetBlue | N/A | Mosaic | N/A | |||
| Southwest | A-List | A-List Preferred | N/A | |||
| United | Silver | Gold | Platinum Or Higher | |||
The offer terms says this is targeted (“Only Members who receive this communication directly from Delta Air Lines are eligible to participate in this offer”). That may or may not be the case. Platinum and Diamond ‘choice’ benefits aren’t provided during the temporary status period, but will be provided to those who successfully complete the challenge to keep status. It’s expected to take 3-5 business days to process match requests, which involves verifying the credentials used to demonstrate current elite status.
This is a very generous offer, not just because matching includes top tier Diamond status and greatly reduced flying requirements to keep status but also because it doesn’t include any spending requirement whatsoever to keep matched status like Delta’s regular offer does. “Qualifying dollars” are so 2019.
(HT: R.F.)
Cue the search for the cheapest DL segments to maintain status. New FT thread in 3-2-1….
Hmm, I am already a silver medallion from a past status match that was already extended due to covid. Normally Delta has restrictions on how often you can status match but I don’t see any on here in the fine print. That leads me to believe I could now use my continued AA gold status to bump up to DL gold.
Gary, I received the e-mail from Delta today. The e-mail states that the new status will extend through March 2021, as you state above. But the Delta promotion page detaining the status match states the new status is only good for three months.
@Jonathan
I sure hope they target me! I’ll happily fly six r/t flights from SJC/SFO-LAX for les than $600.
Gary, would an AA plat map to DL diamond? Any idea? Thx
Sorry, I found the chart!
is a “one way flight” one segment? or does a RT w/connection qualify as 4 flights?
Submitted mine earlier today. Perfect timing, as I already had some upcoming DL flights, so the 12 segments by March 31 means I’m a virtual shoe-in for DM status.
How the once “mighty” have fallen…
I wonder if I’m still eligible if I have lifetime status with another airline.
As a Delta Platinum, I really don’t like this. I wish they would offer something to current elites to bump up a tier.
I sure hope UA/AA does the same thing. I’d leave Delta Platinum for United 1K or AA Executive Platinum, particularly if AA also then gave me Hyatt Globalist.
It may be possible for those who match to a Delta elite status to immediately sign up for CLEAR at lower rates than they are eligible for now. Diamonds get it free. A Delta member who is not enrolled in CLEAR and can match other status to Delta Diamond should be able to get CLEAR free. CLEAR is good. Free or less expensive CLEAR is better even in these times when security lines are not as long as normal.
Counting trips booked before enrollment in the promotion seems strange.
Anyone have an airline elite status they could gift me? I don’t know if there are any still doing that but man it would be super awesome to get delta status before our thanksgiving flights. Really wishing I had gotten someone to gift me JetBlue mosaic status back in June now :-\
Do award flights count? Or just cash paid flights?
Looks like I’m not targeted and probably for a good reason. I’m lifetime Gold on DL (approximately 3 million miles) so they don’t need to worry about attracting me. However, I am also lifetime Platinum on AA (over 3 million with them) so I would love to use my AA Platinum status to match to DL Platinum through 3/31. No huge issue though for me since only real benefit is a better shot at an upgrade and I only have one DL flight scheduled (in Feb). Retired and live in an AA hub so I have to go out of my way to fly DL. Did this flight just to get the $120 cash back on my Amex Platinum offer for spending $300 w DL. That is what I love about lifetime status – you can fly anyone you want (and I do).
If I had 4 wheels I would be a bus and if someone would give me two wings I would be a flying bus.