With Delta Medallion status, you’ll get upgrades, waived change fees, a VIP customer service line and much more. In our in-depth analysis of every benefit offered by each Medallion tier, you see that the top two levels: Platinum and Diamond go above and beyond.
Check out our best credit card bonuses here.
One benefit that stands out from the tiers lets you choose your own perks. Read below for more information on Delta’s Choice Benefits. Then, lay out the options for which ones will get you the most value.
 The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card offers 70,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion(R) Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you'll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together. Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card. Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a First Class, Delta Comfort+(R), or Main Cabin round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. You'll earn: • Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. • Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. • $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles(R) Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required. • $200 Delta Stays Statement Credit: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card Members can earn up to $200 back in the form of a statement credit annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com. • Receive four Delta Sky Club One-Time Guest Passes each year when you fly together on Delta. After that, you may bring up to two guests at a per-visit rate of $50 per person, per location. • Delta SkyMiles(R) Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees. Want even more flexibility? Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com. Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. This card does come with a $650 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. (See Rates & Fees) Terms Apply. |
Choice Benefits Overview
Delta’s most loyal flyers – Platinum and Diamond Medallion members – get their pick of exclusive Choice benefits. The program lets you customize your perks each Medallion Year by what matters most to you.
Platinum members get one Choice Benefit per Medallion Year, while Diamond members receive 3 Choice Benefits per Medallion Year. Diamond Medallions also get more options to choose from as well:
| Benefit | Platinum | Diamond |
| Upgrade Certificates | 4 Regional | 4 Global or 8 Regional or 2 Global + 4 Regional |
| Bonus Miles | 20,000 | 25,000 |
| Travel Voucher or Retail Gift Card | 1 | 1 |
| Gift Medallion Status | Silver | Gold |
| Sky Club Membership/Access | N/A | Individual Membership or Executive Membership or Guest Pass |
If you make it to Diamond Medallion, you’ll pass Platinum Medallion along the way. So Diamond members effectively receive a total of four Choice Benefits.
For complete information, click here
Choice Benefits in Detail
Platinum Medallions can choose Regional Upgrade Certificates (RUCs) while Diamond Medallions have the added options of Global Upgrade Certificates (GUCs) and a mix of both regional and global.
These upgrade certificates are not guarantees. Most likely, you’ll be put on a waitlist, so there is some risk involved.
Regional Upgrade Certificates can be used on paid published Main Cabin and Delta Comfort+ fares (except Basic Economy) on the same routes as Medallion Complimentary Upgrades. This will include all flights in First Class and Delta One.
Use your RUCs on transcontinental flights with Delta One lie-flat seats. Upgrades on these routes usually cost somewhere between $500 to $1,000+ per flight.
Global Upgrade Certificates are like RUCs but obviously apply to international flights. One noteworthy GUC feature is that you can use them on partner flights operated by Aeromexico, Air France (only to Premium Ecomoy), KLM, Korean Air, and Virgin Atlantic.
Platinum Medallions have the option of 20,000 bonus SkyMiles, while Diamond Medallions can choose to receive 25,000 bonus miles.
Diamond members can select this option for 1,2, or all 3 of their Choice Benefits.
According to our most recent valuations, each SkyMile is worth $0.012. That means the Platinum option has a value of approximately $240, while Diamond benefit is worth about $300. However, if you take the time to maximize your SkyMiles, you could squeeze a lot more value out of this Choice Benefit. Read our upcoming article The Best Ways to Redeem Delta Air Lines SkyMiles for Award Flights, for more information on how to do that.
You can gift these bonus miles to a friend or family member.
Both Platinum and Diamond Medallions can choose either a $200 travel voucher or a $200 Tiffany & Co. gift card. Diamond members can select this option for 1, 2, or all 3 of their Choice Benefits.
Given the poor value compared to your other options, we’re going to give this Choice Benefit a hard pass.
Platinum Medallions can choose to give Silver Medallion status while Diamond Medallions are able to give Gold Medallion status.
Diamond members can select this option for 1, 2, or all 3 of their Choice Benefits.
We don’t recommend gifting Silver status because you can get many of their perks with the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card.
On the other hand Gold status holds a fairly high value. So it’s a solid option for a close friend or family member who doesn’t fly often with you.
For a Choice Benefit, Diamond Medallions can select the Sky Club Individual Membership which lets you access Delta lounges for free. That is, only if you’re flying with Delta on the same Day. Remember, this membership allows you to bring up to two guests per visit at $39 each.
Sky Club Individual Memberships can be purchased for $545 or 54,000 SkyMiles per year.
Diamond members can also opt for the Sky Club Executive Membership which allows you to bring up to two travel companions with you to a Sky Club lounge for free. Delta will charge you two Choice Benefits for this perk.
Sky Club Executive Memberships can be purchased for $745 or 70,000 SkyMiles per year.
Diamond Medallions who have an eligible credit card (The Platinum Card from American Express, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card, or Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card). Already have complimentary Delta Sky Club access as well. Instead, you have the option to select a Delta Sky Club Guest Pass for unlimited lounge access. This perk allows up to two travel companions per visit for free.
The Delta Reserve Credit Card has a $550 annual fee.
Click here for complete information on Membership & Access.
For complete up-to-date information, click here.
When You Should Select Your Choice Benefit
All Choice Benefits must be selected by the time your Platinum or Diamond status expires. This will be at the end of January, two years after you earned status. For example, if you earned Platinum Medallion in 2020 for the 2021 Medallion Year. Then, you have Platinum status until January 31, 2022.
If you don’t select all your Choice Benefits by the time your status expires, you’ll lose them. No matter which option(s) you choose, you’ll want to strategize when you select your benefit(s).
| Choose ASAP These benefits are only valid until your Medallion Year is complete. |
Gift Medallion Status Sky Club Individual Membership Sky Club Executive Membership Sky Club Guest Pass |
| Wait to Choose These benefits expire a year from the time they’re selected. |
Upgrade Certificates Travel Voucher |
| Choose Anytime These benefits do not have any time constraints. |
Bonus Miles Retail Gift Card |
 |
 |
Conclusion
Delta rewards their higher-tier Medallions handsomely with a variety of choose-your-own perks. Choice Benefits aren’t all worth the same. There’s a big variety in cash values, but your selection ultimately comes down to what you personally value the most. Remember to time you decision wisely before picking.
