The Delta Choice Benefits program allows SkyMiles Diamond and Platinum Medallion members to select customized rewards, offering them extra flexibility.
This concept is great, as it allows frequent flyers to choose the benefits that matter most to them each year. For that matter, the confirmed upgrades offered through the program might just be the best way to score a premium seat on Delta, given how rarely complimentary upgrades clear.
In this post I want to take an updated look at Delta’s Choice Benefits program, to reflect the options that are currently available.
In this post:
Basics of Delta SkyMiles Choice Benefits program
With the Delta Choice Benefits program, top SkyMiles elite members can select up to four additional perks per year:
- Upon earning Platinum Medallion status, you can select one Choice Benefits perk
- Upon earning Diamond Medallion status, you can select three Choice Benefits perk
Just to be clear, if you qualify for Diamond status, you can select both Platinum and Diamond Choice Benefits perks, since they stack. Qualifying for status is based on how many Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) you rack up — Platinum Medallion status requires earning 15,000 MQDS in a calendar year, while qualifying for Diamond Medallion status requires earning 28,000 MQDs in a year. MQDs earned from credit card spending and award flights also count toward these totals.
Once you qualify for one of these tiers, you have a bit of time to make your selection. For example, if you qualified for elite status during the 2024 calendar year, for the 2025 program year, you can make your selection all the way through January 31, 2026 (when your status would otherwise expire).
Benefits have different expiration policies, so it makes sense to be strategic with when you make your selection. I’ll note those policies below, when relevant. Though let me say upfront that the upgrades may just be the best benefits, and those expire at the same time, regardless of when you select them.
Delta Platinum Medallion Choice Benefits
Delta Platinum Medallion members can select one of the Choice Benefits perks each year, and can choose from nine different options. These options are as follows:
- Four Regional Upgrade Certificates, each of which is good for an upgrade to first class or Delta One on a flight within North America or to select destinations in South America; these are valid through January 31, 2026
- A $400 American Express statement credit, for those with a co-branded Delta Amex Reserve or Platinum card (personal or business)
- 6,000 Starbucks Rewards Stars; for context, 200 Stars will get you a drink or hot sandwich, so that’s like 30 drinks or sandwiches, and this is valid for six months
- A boost of 1,000 Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) toward status in the following year, which can help you earn status
- The ability to gift Delta Silver Medallion status to two people, which is Delta’s entry level elite tier; this is valid through January 31, 2026
- 30,000 Delta SkyMiles bonus miles, which you can add to your own account, or gift to someone else
- A $400 Delta Vacations credit, to be used toward a flight and hotel package; this is valid for 12 months from when it’s issued
- A $250 donation toward Delta’s sustainable aviation fuel initiative
- A $300 Delta travel voucher, which you can use toward a Delta flight; this is valid for one year from when it’s issued
Which Delta Platinum Choice Benefits are best?
In general I think the option to beat is the Regional Upgrade Certificates. Not only can these be used to confirm an upgrade on some flights where you otherwise wouldn’t be eligible for elite upgrades in advance, but they also give you upgrade priority over other Platinum Medallion members hoping for a complimentary upgrade. Four upgrades on a transcon flight really add up.
I think most reasonable people would value those four upgrade certificates at well over $400, as that would be just $100 per upgrade. With that in mind, I’d consider that to be a better deal than the Delta Amex statement credit, 6,000 Starbucks Rewards Stars, 30,000 bonus Delta SkyMiles, a $250 donation toward Delta’s sustainable aviation fuel initiative, and a $250 Delta travel voucher.
What about the other options? The 1,000 bonus MQDs is of minimal value, and the $400 Delta Vacations credit is pretty restrictive. That leaves two nominations of Delta Silver Medallion status. That could in theory be worth it, though definitely manage your expectations with Silver status.
Assuming you’re not exclusively a long haul international traveler, and/or always pay for first or business class, I think the Regional Upgrade Certificates are the way to go.
Delta Diamond Medallion Choice Benefits
Delta Diamond Medallion members can select three Choice Benefits perks each year, and can choose from 12 different options.
First of all, you could choose from three different combinations of upgrade options (these are valid through January 31, 2026):
- Four Global Upgrade Certificates
- Eight Regional Upgrade Certificates
- Two Global Upgrade Certificates and four Regional Upgrade Certificates
You can find a rundown of the differences between upgrade certificates here. As you may have guessed based on the names, Global Upgrade Certificates are essentially systemwide upgrades, and can be used to upgrade any Delta flight systemwide.
Then you could choose from the following nine non-upgrade options:
- A Delta Sky Club® Individual Membership, valid through January 31, 2026; this would ordinarily cost $695 per year, and you need to use two of your Choice Benefits for this
- A Delta Sky Club® Executive Membership, valid through January 31, 2026; this would ordinarily cost $1,495 per year, and you need to use all three of your Choice Benefits for this
- A $700 American Express statement credit, for those with a co-branded Delta Amex Reserve or Platinum card (personal or business)
- 6,000 Starbucks Rewards Stars; for context, 200 Stars will get you a drink or hot sandwich, so that’s like 30 drinks or sandwiches, and this is valid for six months
- A boost of 2,000 Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) toward status in the following year, which can help you earn status
- The ability to gift Delta Gold Medallion status to two people, which is Delta’s second lowest elite tier; this is valid through January 31, 2026
- 35,000 Delta SkyMiles bonus miles, which you can add to your own account, or gift to someone else
- A $500 Delta Vacations credit, to be used toward a flight and hotel package; this is valid for 12 months from when it’s issued
- A $250 donation toward Delta’s sustainable aviation fuel initiative
- A $350 Delta travel voucher, which you can use toward a Delta flight; this is valid for one year from when it’s issued
Which Delta Diamond Choice Benefits are best?
The Diamond Choice Benefits decision making process is a bit different than with Platinum Choice Benefits, since you can make three selections, but some options are only available once.
I think for almost everyone it’s worth selecting one of the three upgrade packages (you can only select one of these per year, in addition to the Platinum selection). Whether Global Upgrade Certificates or Regional Upgrade Certificates make more sense depends on your travel patterns.
Which other options are most attractive? If you ask me, the two other things that stand out most are the $700 Delta Amex statement credit, as well as the ability to gift two people Gold Medallion status.
As a point of comparison, the $350 travel voucher, $250 donation toward sustainable aviation fuel, and 35,000 bonus SkyMiles, boost of 2,000 MQDs, and 6,000 Starbucks Rewards Stars, are all worth significantly less than that. Furthermore, the $500 Delta Vacations credit is quite restrictive.
Some people might find it worthwhile to use all three choices for a Delta Sky Club® Executive Membership. I just think the opportunity cost there is too big, and I’d rather access Delta Sky Clubs with the Amex Platinum.
Bottom line
With the Delta Choice Benefits program, SkyMiles Diamond and Platinum Medallion members can select special perks when qualifying for status. These perks range from upgrade certificates, to Amex statement credits, to bonus miles, to the ability to gift elite status to others.
Personally I think the upgrade certificates are the most valuable perks offered as part of this program, and then beyond that the value differs depending on whether you’re making your Platinum or Diamond selection.
To those who are Delta loyalists, what’s your take on the Choice Benefits program?
I disagree about the bonus MQDs being of minimal value, at least for the Diamond selections.
For 2025, I selected the 4 GUCs, $700 Amex credit and 2000 MQDs. This allows me to either fly less, or choose a different alliance closer to the end of the year in the event I do need to travel.
I have about 2.5 million “million miler” miles w DL. Was lifetime Gold until they changed program to make me lifetime Platinum. A few weeks later I go the email to select my 2024 and 2025 benefits. I took the 30,000 Skymiles each year (60,000 total) which was nice since I no longer fly DL much and that cover the majority of an 83,000 Skymiles Delta One ticket SEA-TPE next month. Don’t know if I...
I have about 2.5 million “million miler” miles w DL. Was lifetime Gold until they changed program to make me lifetime Platinum. A few weeks later I go the email to select my 2024 and 2025 benefits. I took the 30,000 Skymiles each year (60,000 total) which was nice since I no longer fly DL much and that cover the majority of an 83,000 Skymiles Delta One ticket SEA-TPE next month. Don’t know if I willl keep getting them for not flying solely based on my lifetime status but I’ll take anything the airline gives me
Since Delta started their scam of Premium Select seats on international flights, Global Certificates are almost useless. You have to pay a way overpriced Premium Select seats to be able to upgrade to Delta One. I actually just flew international Premium Select and it is absolutely horrible. It is basically a domestic first class with useless foot rest, limited recline and coach meal served on a tray. An absolute scam.
What plane were you on? Premium Select has been perfectly fine in my experience. Nothing amazing, but certainly not "horrible."
It was a A330. My point is that it is not worth 3x the cost of economy. I used expiring Global Certificates to upgrade from economy to Premium Select.
"My point is that it is not worth 3x the cost of economy"
Oh 100% agree on that.
The 4 Regional UGs were the logical choice when they could actually be used. The lack of success using them low Theo value significantly.
Agree. Was going to select them for my platinum benefit, but searching flights from the Midwest to FL, TX, and CA showed that at least one leg, if not both, required a GUC vs. a RUC. To which I say, what's the point of a RUC? I went w/the $400 statement credit.
For Diamond I did the GUCs, $700 credit, and Gold status for P2, P3.
$1,000 MQD = $1,000 spent on Delta flights or $10,000 on the Delta Reserve Card/$20,000 on the Delta Platinum Card. I wouldn't call that "of little value," necessarily, if one is looking at Platinum status and the year is winding down.
@ Ralph4878 -- If someone is really in a bind, I suppose so. But four upgrade certificates is quite a big opportunity cost, if you ask me.
@Ben Schlampig: Agree but it became very hard to use them. To upgrade to Delta One you have to buy overpriced Premium Select seats and on most flights you won't be able to upgrade even with cabin showing all seats are empty due to "lack of availability" of upgradeable seats on that flights. Total BS.