Heads up, Qantas and Virgin Frequent Flyers, Australia! Delta Air Lines is rolling out the red carpet for you with its Delta 2024 status match program. If you’re already enjoying Silver, Gold, or Platinum status with Qantas, Virgin Australia, or a dozen other airlines, you’re in for a treat. Delta offers a three-month instant status match with its SkyMiles loyalty program. Imagine having lounge access, complimentary upgrades, priority screening and boarding, a generous luggage allowance, and more!
What makes this offer so appealing is with status matching, you can retain your Qantas or Virgin Australia status while acquiring your new Delta status, nor do you need to part with any of your points to take advantage of this offer. If you want to know more, keep reading.
So here’s the scoop: You get 90 days of Delta status and all the perks that come with it. And the best part? You can extend this status until January 2026 by taking one return flight with Delta Air Lines. Think premium economy between Sydney and Los Angeles or business class from LAX to New York.
But wait, there’s more! Delta’s offer is a SkyTeam alliance-wide opportunity—this means you’ll enjoy the benefits across all 19 SkyTeam members, including big names like China Airlines, China Eastern, Garuda Indonesia, Korean Air, Vietnam Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic, plus Delta partners like LATAM.
So, what’s stopping you? Here’s a rundown of what you need to know to fast-track your way to those shiny Delta and SkyTeam status perks:
- Status Match: Your existing frequent flyer status can qualify you for one of three tiers in Delta’s program: Silver, gold or Platinum Medallion (sorry, Diamond’s not on the table).
- Delta SkyMiles Status Perks: No matter what tier, you get priority check-in, boarding, free 23kg checked baggage on Delta flights, complimentary upgrades (based on availability), preferred seat selection, and Five Star status in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program.
- SkyTeam Alliance Perks: Your Delta status also gives you Elite status with SkyTeam, opening doors to numerous additional benefits like lounge access, priority waitlisting, and extra baggage allowance.
- How to Apply: Join Delta’s SkyMiles program; ensure you’ve flown at least one Delta-marketed flight in the last three years (higher than Basic Economy) and have not had a status match or complimentary status in the past three years. Then, apply on the Delta website.
- Extend Your Delta Status until 2026: To retain your status, you’ll need to earn a certain number of Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQMs) during your 90-day trial. Delta has lowered these thresholds for this promotion, making it easier to maintain your status.
- Earning Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs): Your status until January 2026 depends on your accumulated MQDs based on the US dollar amount spent on your Delta airfare (excluding taxes and surcharges).
In short, Delta’s 2024 status match program is a fantastic opportunity for Qantas’ and Virgin Australia’s frequent flyers to enjoy a slew of benefits and a fast-tracked path to maintaining that elevated status. So why not take advantage of this offer and elevate your travel experience?
