Delta Silver Medallion is a frequent flyer status tier, not a credit card or financial product
The Delta Silver Medallion is the entry-level elite status in Delta Air Lines' SkyMiles loyalty program. You reach it by flying 25,000 may have access to miles or taking 10 may have access to flights in a calendar year. It is not a credit card, a loan product, or a government benefit — it is a tier of membership that comes with perks tied to flying Delta.
If you are reading this because you hold a Delta credit card or are considering one, note that some Delta cards come with automatic Silver Medallion status as a cardholder benefit. That is different from earning the status through flight activity. This guide covers what the status itself includes and how the two paths to it work.
Key Takeaways
- Silver Medallion status is earned by flying 25,000 may have access to miles or taking 10 may have access to flights on Delta in a single calendar year.
- Certain Delta credit cards grant automatic Silver Medallion status to cardholders without requiring any flights.
- The status includes benefits like priority boarding, a checked bag waiver for the cardholder, and a 10% mileage bonus on all Delta flights.
- Status earned through flying expires at the end of the calendar year; status from a credit card lasts as long as you hold the card.
- The next tier up, Gold Medallion, requires 50,000 may have access to miles or 25 may have access to flights and includes additional perks like seat upgrades and lounge access.
How you earn Silver Medallion through flying
Delta counts two separate metrics: may have access to miles and may have access to flights. You reach Silver Medallion by hitting either threshold in a single calendar year (January 1 through December 31). may have access to miles are the actual distance flown on Delta or its partners, not bonus miles you earn from credit cards or promotions. may have access to flights are individual takeoffs on Delta or its regional partners, regardless of distance.
If you fly frequently but on short routes, the 10-flight threshold may be easier to reach than 25,000 miles. If you take longer trips, you may hit the mileage target first. Delta's website shows your progress toward each threshold in real time under your SkyMiles account. Once you reach either one, your status takes effect when ready and runs through December 31 of that year.
Silver Medallion status from a Delta credit card
Several Delta credit cards — issued by American Express — come with automatic Silver Medallion status as a cardholder benefit. The specific cards that include this vary by card type and issuer, so check the current card terms before you explore. If you hold one of these cards, you receive Silver Medallion status without flying at all, and the status renews each year as long as you keep the card open.
This path is useful if you fly Delta occasionally but not enough to reach 25,000 miles or 10 flights in a year. The card's annual fee and other benefits (such as a statement credit or free checked bag) determine whether the card makes financial sense for your spending. That decision is separate from the status itself.
What Silver Medallion includes
Silver Medallion members receive priority boarding, which means you board before general passengers but after higher tiers. You also get one free checked bag on Delta flights (a benefit that applies to you, not to companions). All miles you earn on Delta flights receive a 10% bonus, so a 1,000-mile flight earns 1,100 miles toward your account.
You receive a $50 statement credit toward a future Delta flight purchase once per year. Seat selection is unrestricted — you can pick any available seat at booking rather than being limited to basic economy seats. If you hold a Delta credit card with Silver Medallion status, the card itself may include additional perks like a free checked bag for the cardholder on all flights, not just Delta.
How Silver Medallion compares to higher tiers
Delta's elite tiers stack upward: Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Diamond Medallion. Each tier adds more benefits. Gold Medallion (50,000 miles or 25 flights) adds complimentary seat upgrades at check-in, access to Delta Sky Club lounges, and a higher mileage bonus. Platinum and Diamond add benefits like priority customer service phone lines, free cabin upgrades, and additional companion certificates.
If you fly Delta regularly, the jump from Silver to Gold is often the most noticeable in terms of daily convenience — lounge access and upgrades matter on frequent trips. The cost in miles or flights to reach Gold is roughly double that of Silver, so whether it makes sense depends on your actual travel patterns.
What happens to your status at year-end
If you earned Silver Medallion through flying, your status expires on December 31. You must earn 25,000 new may have access to miles or 10 new may have access to flights in the following calendar year to keep it. If you fall short, you drop back to the base SkyMiles membership level.
If you hold a Delta credit card with Silver Medallion status, your status renews automatically each year as long as the card remains open. You do not have to fly to keep it. However, if you close the card, you lose the automatic status. You would then need to earn it through flying if you want to keep the tier active.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do companion tickets come with Silver Medallion?
No. Companion certificates are a benefit of Gold Medallion and higher tiers. Silver Medallion includes priority boarding, a free checked bag, and a 10% mileage bonus, but not free or discounted tickets for travel companions.
Can I use miles from a credit card to reach the 25,000-mile threshold?
No. Only may have access to miles earned from actual flights count toward the threshold. Bonus miles from credit card sign-up offers, spending, or promotions do not count. You must fly to earn the may have access to miles needed for status.
What if I earn Silver Medallion in November — does it carry over to next year?
No. Status earned through flying expires on December 31 of the year you earned it. If you reach Silver in November, you have one month to use those benefits before they end. You would need to earn the threshold again in the new calendar year to keep the status.
If I get a Delta credit card with Silver Medallion, do I also get the $50 annual flight credit?
The $50 annual credit is a benefit of Silver Medallion status itself, not the credit card. You receive it whether you earned status through flying or through the card. However, the credit card may include its own separate benefits like a statement credit or seat upgrade certificates — check the specific card's terms.
Can I use Silver Medallion benefits on partner airlines?
Some benefits explore to Delta partners like Virgin Atlantic or Air France, but not all. Priority boarding and the mileage bonus explore to Delta flights and some partners. The free checked bag typically applies only to Delta-operated flights. Check Delta's website for the full list of which partners honor each benefit.