Delta SkyMiles‘ two highest Medallion elite tiers — Platinum Medallion and Diamond Medallion — include Choice Benefits. This exclusive perk lets Delta’s most frequent travelers enjoy confirmed upgrades, bonus miles, and lounge access. But with so many Choice Benefits on offer — and a limited number of choices per year — which should you pick?
In this article, we’ll show you your options and discuss which might give you the most value.
You earn Choice Benefits when you qualify for Platinum Medallion and Diamond Medallion. Specifically, you earn one Choice Benefit at the Platinum Medallion level and three more Choice Benefits when you qualify for Diamond Medallion.
Choice Benefits vary at both levels, with Diamond Medallion getting more premium perks. You must select your Choice Benefits by the end of the Medallion status year (January 31st). So if you earn 2026 Medallion status this year, you must choose your Choice Benefits by January 31, 2027.
You can select Choice Benefits in the Fly Delta mobile app.
Again, when you qualify for Platinum Medallion status, you can choose one Choice Benefit. Here’s a look at your options.
On domestic and select short-haul international flights, you can use Regional Upgrade Certificates to move from Main Cabin to First Class. Availability is limited, and you can see which flights are eligible for an upgrade when searching for flights on Delta’s website.
This is often the best Platinum Medallion Choice Benefit for frequent domestic flyers who purchase Main Cabin tickets. You’ll have the best luck using them on off-peak travel dates, as this is when it’s easiest to find confirmable upgrades. If you can’t confirm at booking, applying an upgrade certificate will prioritize you over other elites.
This one is pretty straightforward—you’ll get 30,000 SkyMiles when you choose it. It is one of the best choices if you don’t think you can use four Regional Upgrade Certificates.
This is helpful when you think you’ll be short of qualifying for status next year, as it applies to the 2027 status year.
If you have friends who fly Delta, this can be a good holiday gift.
This is a discount on Delta Vacations packages. Only select it if you plan on booking one. This benefit can only be selected once per Medallion year.
Take $300 off any Delta flight you book. It’s not the worst choice, but you’ll likely get more value from SkyMiles, which are often worth 1.2 to 1.3 cents apiece.
Get a $400 statement credit to your Delta SkyMiles Platinum, Platinum Business, Reserve or Reserve Business card. If you have one of these cards, this is a great choice to offset their high annual fees.
Wheels Up is a private jet charter service. Only select this if you plan to book a charter with them. This benefit can only be selected once per calendar year.
Contribute $250 to Delta’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) fund. We recommend avoiding this and instead donating to a charity of your choice. Delta’s SAF fund is not a nonprofit.
Another one to avoid. Basic free drinks cost 100 Stars, meaning you’d get 60 cups of coffee with this choice. At $5 per drink, you’d get $300 in value. Consider another option for more value.
You can pick three Choice Benefits when you earn Diamond Medallion in addition to the Choice Benefit selected at the Platinum Medallion level. However, some Choice Benefits can only be chosen once.
You have three options for selecting upgrade certificates at the Diamond Medallion level. You can choose from four Global Upgrade Certificates, eight Regional Upgrade Certificates, or two Global and four Regional. You can only select this benefit once.
Global Upgrade Certificates let you move from Main Cabin to Premium Select or Premium Select to Delta One. If you choose to move from Main Cabin to Premium Select, you’ll also be waitlisted for Delta One 24 hours prior to departure. Moving from Premium Select to Delta One requires available award space.
The only exception to this is two cabin flights without Premium Select. On these flights, you can move from Main Cabin to Delta One if upgrade space is available. Like Regional Upgrade Certificates, you can view availability on Delta’s website.
You can also use Global Upgrade Certificates to upgrade any domestic Delta flight without an upgrade space requirement. This can be a good option for longer domestic flights, like transcontinental flights from New York to California or flights to Hawaii.
Look at your upcoming travel plans and see which upgrades make the most sense for your future travel. Global Upgrade Certificates can easily be worth hundreds of dollars if you use them on flights to Europe or Asia.
Another great option. This adds 35,000 SkyMiles to your account immediately.
Like the $1,000 MQD offered at the Platinum Medallion level, this can be a good choice if you think you’ll be short on MQD next status year.
Gold Medallion includes Comfort+ at booking, higher upgrade priority than Silver and SkyTeam Elite Plus benefits. This can be a nice gift for two friends or family members who fly Delta and don’t have status.
At this level, you have two options: an Individual or Executive membership. The individual membership requires using two Choice Benefits and gives you access to Delta Sky Clubs before and after your flight and during any connections on your itinerary.
Meanwhile, the Executive membership requires three choices and allows you to bring two guests with you every time you enter the Sky Club.
This option is only worth considering if you don’t have a credit card that includes Sky Club access. You can only select this benefit once per Medallion year.
This can be a good option, but choose SkyMiles for more value.
Again, only select this if you’re sure you’ll book a Delta Vacations package.
Like the Platinum Medallion benefit, this is a solid option for offsetting your Delta card’s annual fee.
This Choice Benefit is only worthwhile if used on Wheels Up charter flights.
This is the same benefit offered at the Platinum Medallion level. We highly recommend skipping it.
Again, avoid this option.
The best Choice Benefits for you largely depend on your travel patterns. If you plan to travel abroad and want an upgrade to Premium Select or Delta One, Global Upgrades are your best bet at the Diamond Medallion level. Meanwhile, you might select bonus SkyMiles or a travel voucher if you prefer cheaper airfare.
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