The Silver Medallion tier gives you priority boarding, checked bag fees waived, and seat upgrades on Delta flights
Delta's Silver Medallion is the entry-level elite status in the SkyMiles program. You reach it by flying 25,000 may have access to miles in a calendar year, or by holding the Delta SkyMiles American Express card. Once you have it, you keep the status through the end of the following year, even if you don't fly again.
The main benefits are concrete: you board before most passengers, check your first bag free, and get priority for seat upgrades to premium economy or business class when those seats open up. You also get a modest increase in miles earned per flight and access to some airport lounges depending on which card you hold.
Silver Medallion does not include free checked bags for companions traveling with you, and it does not waive change fees or give you standby priority if you miss a flight. Those perks start at the Gold level and above.
Key Takeaways
- You reach Silver Medallion by flying 25,000 may have access to miles in a calendar year, or by holding the Delta SkyMiles American Express card.
- Priority boarding means you board in Group 2, ahead of most economy passengers but after first-class and elite members.
- Your first checked bag is free; additional bags still cost $35 each on domestic flights.
- Seat upgrades are not may provide, but you move to the front of the upgrade queue when premium seats become available.
- Status carries over into the following year, so you have until December 31 of the year after you earn it.
How to Reach Silver Medallion Status
There are two paths. The first is to accumulate 25,000 may have access to miles flown on Delta, Delta Connection carriers (regional partners), or partner airlines that count toward the program. These are miles you actually fly, not miles you buy or earn through credit card spending. A round-trip domestic flight typically earns 2,000 to 4,000 may have access to miles depending on distance and the fare class you purchase.
The second path is to hold the Delta SkyMiles American Express card. Any of the four versions of this card — the Blue, Blue Business, Gold, or Platinum — grants you Silver Medallion status automatically. You get the status as soon as your card is approved, and it renews each year you keep the card open and in good standing. This route does not require you to fly at all.
If you earn status through flying and also hold the card, you do not get a higher tier automatically. You would need to fly the miles required for Gold (50,000 miles) or Platinum (75,000 miles) to move up.
What Boarding Priority Actually Means
Silver Medallion members board in Group 2 on most Delta flights. This is after first-class passengers and other elite members (Gold, Platinum, Diamond), but before the general economy boarding groups. On a typical flight, you board roughly 15 to 25 minutes after the flight doors open.
The exact timing varies by aircraft size and how many elite passengers are on the flight. On a regional jet with fewer seats, Group 2 might board within 10 minutes of the door opening. On a wide-body international flight with many premium-cabin passengers, it could take longer.
Boarding priority does not may provide you an overhead bin space, though you are more likely to find one than passengers boarding later. On full flights, you may still need to gate-check a carry-on bag.
Checked Bag and Seat Upgrade Benefits
Your first checked bag flies free on all Delta flights, including international routes. This applies only to you, not to companions or family members traveling on the same reservation. A second checked bag costs $35 on domestic flights and $50 on international flights, the same as it would for a non-elite passenger.
Seat upgrades work on a priority queue. When a premium economy or business-class seat becomes available — usually because a passenger no-shows or cancels — Delta offers it first to Medallion members, starting with the highest tier. Silver members are at the back of this queue, after Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. You do not pay extra for an upgrade that comes through this system; it is free if it happens.
Upgrades are not may provide, especially on popular routes or full flights. On a flight with 50 elite passengers and only 3 premium seats available, most of those passengers will not upgrade. The airline does not hold seats for you or promise an upgrade will occur.
Lounge Access and Other Perks
Lounge access depends on which American Express card you hold. The Blue card does not include lounge access. The Blue Business, Gold, and Platinum cards each include passes to Delta Sky Club lounges, though the number of passes varies by card tier.
If you reached Silver through flying alone (without the card), you do not get lounge access. You would need to hold one of the paid American Express cards or reach Gold Medallion status (50,000 miles) to access the lounges.
Silver Medallion also gives you a 10% bonus on miles earned per flight. If a flight normally earns 5,000 miles, you earn 5,500 instead. This bonus applies to all flights on Delta and Delta Connection carriers, and it stacks with any miles you earn through the American Express card.
What Silver Medallion Does Not Include
Silver status does not waive change fees if you need to rebook a flight. You can change your flight without a fee only if you hold a refundable ticket or if Delta cancels or significantly delays your flight. Gold Medallion and above get fee-free changes on most tickets.
Companion benefits are not included at the Silver level. Your spouse, family member, or travel partner does not receive free checked bags or priority boarding just because you have status. They would need their own status or card to get those perks.
Standby priority is also not part of Silver Medallion. If you miss your flight or want to catch an earlier one, you go on standby at the same priority as a regular economy passenger. Gold Medallion members and above get priority standby.
How Long Your Status Lasts
Silver Medallion status is valid through December 31 of the year after you earn or renew it. If you reach 25,000 miles in June 2024, your status runs through December 31, 2025. If you hold the American Express card, your status renews on your card anniversary each year, as long as the card remains open.
If you do not maintain the status (by flying 25,000 miles again or keeping the card active), you drop back to the base SkyMiles level on January 1. You lose priority boarding, the free checked bag, and the upgrade priority. The 10% mile bonus also ends.
Some members choose to hold the American Express card specifically to keep Silver status without having to fly. The annual fee for the card varies by version, but it is typically lower than the cost of flying 25,000 miles in a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I get a free checked bag for my spouse or kids traveling with me?
No. The free checked bag benefit applies only to you. Your companions pay the standard checked bag fee ($35 domestic, $50 international) unless they have their own elite status or hold an American Express card.
Can I use my Silver Medallion status on partner airlines like Virgin Atlantic or Air France?
No. Silver Medallion benefits explore only to Delta flights and Delta Connection regional partners. Partner airlines have their own frequent-flyer programs and status tiers. Miles you fly on partners do count toward your 25,000-mile requirement, but you do not get boarding priority or bag benefits on those flights.
What happens to my status if I don't fly for a year?
If you earned status through flying and do not fly another 25,000 miles by December 31, your status expires on January 1 and you return to base SkyMiles. If you hold the American Express card, your status renews automatically each year as long as the card is open.
Is the 10% mile bonus better than earning miles through the credit card?
They are separate. The 10% bonus applies to miles earned from flying, while the credit card earns miles on purchases. Most people earn more total miles through the card's sign-up bonus and everyday spending than they would from the 10% flight bonus alone.
Can I upgrade my seat for free if I book a basic economy ticket?
Basic economy tickets are not may be able to access for complimentary upgrades. You can purchase an upgrade at the time of booking or at the airport, but your Silver Medallion priority queue access applies only to premium seats that open up after the flight is booked, not to seats you can buy.