Update 1/24/24: Back for 2024 at this link (ht SL)
Update 10/26/20: Seems to be working for people even if they didn’t get targeted.
The Offer
- Delta is offering a status match when you have status with Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, jetBlue, Southwest Airlines or United Airlines and register by October 31, 2020. You’ll keep your elevated status through March 31, 2021 but if you meet the following requirements you’ll keep that status through January 31, 2022:
- If you receive Gold Medallion® Status: Fly 2 Qualifying Round Trips or 4 One Ways
- If you receive Platinum Medallion® Status: Fly 4 Qualifying Round Trips or 8 One Ways
- If you receive Diamond Medallion® Status: Fly 6 Qualifying Round Trips or 12 One Ways
The Fine Print
-  Only Members who receive this communication directly from Delta Air Lines are eligible to participate in this offer. This offer is non-transferable. SkyMiles Members must first submit online for participation in the offer by October 31st, 2020 (ending 11:59:59 PM, U.S. PST on 10/31/2020). Promotional registration is required before complimentary Medallion Status will be rewarded. Members must have current, elite status with a qualifying airline that was earned through that airline’s published requirements. Qualifying airlines include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, jetBlue, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines.
-  Offer valid for travel completed on or before March 31, 2021. Flights booked prior to enrollment and flown on or before March 31, 2021 will be included. Promotional or temporary elite status on other airlines will not be eligible for this promotion. Elevated Matched Status will expire on March 31, 2021, unless that level or a lower level of Medallion Status is awarded through the promotion prior to that date. Medallion Status must be earned in subsequent years by traveling the required amount of MQMs or MQSs and spending the required MQDs (U.S.-based members only) or earning the MQD Waiver. Flights that are marketed (flight number starts with ‘DL’) or operated by Delta and Delta Connection, including flights purchased with Delta eCredits, will count towards the challenge. Flights that are both marketed and operated by SkyMiles Partner Airlines, Award Tickets, Basic Economy/E fare class, and promotional (including complimentary, barter, or opaque) tickets do not qualify for this offer and will not count toward the challenge.
- All travel must be completed on or before March 31, 2021.
Our Verdict
Fine print does state you need to have receive the communication from Delta, not sure if that will be enforced or not. It’s nice that Delta shows exactly what status you’ll get based on your current status. I’d be surprised if more airlines don’t offer these types of status matches over the next few months.
Hat tip to andrewe0524
Does CC spend count for the MQD requirements?
For this new offering 2024, yes. But any “MQD Boosts” from credit card benefits, do not.
What’s the benefit of this Status Challenge vs the regular one that Delta always has? The original offer back in 2020 was to match you on Delta to the next level ‘up’ from your other airline status (for example Alaska Gold gets you Delta Platinum). This time around it’s just a straight status match like one that’s always available (ie Alaska Gold gets you Delta Gold).
What’s the ‘limited time promotion’ in this one?
FYI, the chart of what tiers for other airlines map to DL tiers has changed, the one in this blog isn’t accurate anymore
How are these status matches verified by Delta? What do you need to send them? Do they verify with the airline you’re matching from, or just rely on what you provide them?
They do verify on the backend (through a third-party vendor)
I thought Delta wanted to trim the number of people with status, so elites could get their upgrades, and prevent lounge overcrowding?
I imagine this is what happens when they trimmed a little too close to the bone due to the changes they made.
They did. You can only match to platinum now
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The fine print says you must have taken one Delta flight in the last 3 years. That leaves me out even though I have had a Delta account for 10+ years. My flights were all with UA and SWA the last 3 years.
That caveat is only for non-US members:
“You are a SkyMiles Member who 1) has been enrolled in the SkyMiles Program for at least 30 days prior to enrolling for the Status Match offer and 2) solely for non-U.S. based members, within the last 3 years as a SkyMiles Member have flown on at least 1 Delta-marketed flight (006 ticket stock) on a fare class higher than Basic Economy”
If you match to Delta status can you then use that status to match to other airlines within the 3 months?
Challenge is back for 2024 https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles/medallion-program/status-match-challenge
They matched me to Plat instead of Diamond from AS 75K. Will update if they fix the mistake. Did not receive email. AS status is organic.
Update to add they only gave me a 3mo status match ending Jan 31, 2021 instead of the offer valid through March 31, 2021. It seems they did not sign me up for the elevated match offer despite signing up via the link.
Final update: Called Delta support. They said if your account is targeted for the elevated offer, you’ll be signed up for it. That offer was not on my account, so I was signed up for the standard status match despite signing up via the elevated offer website.