Delta Offering Status Matches To A HIGHER Elite Level Than Customers Have With Competitors

by Gary Leff

American Express is sending out targeted offers – at least to Platinum cardholders, although possibly to customers with other cards – encouraging them to status match to Delta SkyMiles. This has been shared with me by multiple Platinum cardmembers that received the offer. You can see if you’re targeted here by entering your email address (that American Express has for you).

Delta offers a status challenge program anyway. What makes this unique is,

  • Status will last through August 31 (so roughly six months) which is a long period for temporary status before you meet criteria for keeping it.

  • But most importantly they will give you a level higher than what you currently have with a competitor.

Why is Delta doing this? Of course business travel hasn’t fully returned. But that’s not the key value proposition. They know that the target market has a premium travel credit card already. That makes them a prime customer not just for flying the airline but to be profitable beyond that.

  • Delta can sell matched customers a cobrand card.
  • Or maybe the matched customer will be more inclined to transfer your Membership Rewards points to Delta.
  • Either way it’s more money from Amex to Delta.

Premium Amex cardholders are more likely than average to be a premium customer they can sell premium (non-basic economy) products to as well.

The offer is available through August 15, though it would seem silly to do the match at that point to get two weeks of status. Once registered, here are the flying requirements by August 31 to keep the status through January 2023:

  • Gold: fly 18,000 qualifying miles or 12 segments to extend status
  • Platinum: fly 28,000 qualifying miles or 22 segments to extend status
  • Diamond: fly 50,000 qualifying miles or 55 segments to extend status

Notice that they are matching up to Diamond (e.g. for AAdvantage Platinum Pros and above, United Platinums and above) and there’s no spending requirement just miles or segments.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. So it’s essentially a gift of Delta Gold, since it’s a perk of the Amex Platinum Card to get complimentary United Silver. Or am I missing something?

  2. Great, as if we didn’t have enough Delta Diamond members out there. Upgrades are basically impossible.

  4. @Retired Lawyer – Marriott Titanium gives United Silver, not Amex Plat. Had to check since I knew I got it from one of my cards or statuses. Of course I status matched to United Platinum for the rest of 2022 based on my lifetime AA Platinum status

  5. Are they matching JetBlue Mosaic? Seems they could pick off a few Boston based flyers that way. The standard Mosaic to Gold doesn’t interest me, but I could be tempted with a Platinum match…

  6. I received the offer, and I do not have, nor have I ever had, the Platinum card. The offer email indicated my Amex Everyday card at the top of the message.

  8. @CL

    Yes, they are matching JetBlue Mosaic. If you have Mosaic, you will get platinum as part of this promotion.

  9. “Of course business travel hasn’t fully returned. ”

    If that is true, then why are business class fares super expensive??

  10. I don’t have an Amex Plat but the email I received actually referenced my Blue Business Plus

  11. @Ed

    Because that’s not how the business model works. Airlines have learned that it is more profitable to fly empty business class seats than to sell them at discounted prices because if they sold them at discounted prices, no one would want to pay full price.

  13. Any indications of what they’re using for targeting? Myself and P2 are both AA EXP and hold Platinum cards (and I have 6 other Amex cards), significant airfare spend on Amex, but have not received the offer. I’d switch to Delta if I could go to Diamond, otherwise it likely isn’t worth it for me We weren’t targeted with the generous 2020 offer, either.

  14. Amex Platinum here, AA Gold based on flying last year (probably all billed to my Amex), no offer.

  15. ““Of course business travel hasn’t fully returned. ”

    If that is true, then why are business class fares super expensive??”

    If less business travelers are flying, but they still are flying, lowering business class fares would literally be the stupidest financial move possible.

  16. I’ve had an AmEx Plat.card for 40+ years (also United Gold and Delta Silver) and am trying to get Delta Plat.status. No offer. Doesn’t make me feel so good about Am Ex Plat. anymore…..

  17. I’m being asked for a “statement showing your earned elite status with an airline and the corresponding activity with that airline that enabled the status tier with your name on it”

    Anyone know how to get a statement of this from united? I went through the app and its either missing that status tier, my name, or the activity

  18. For those who got the email from Delta, what’s the subject line? Don’t remember receiving it, but I’d sure like to double check!

Comments are closed.