Delta Silver Medallion gives you priority boarding, checked bag discounts, and seat upgrades on a path toward higher elite tiers

Delta Silver Medallion is the first tier in Delta's frequent flyer 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. Once you have Silver status, you get priority boarding (Group 1 or 2 depending on your ticket type), a checked bag waived on the first bag, and the ability to earn miles faster on every Delta flight you take.

The status lasts through the end of the following calendar year, so if you reach 25,000 miles in June, your Silver status runs through December of the next year. This gives you time to earn toward the next tier — Gold Medallion at 50,000 miles — without starting from zero each January.

Key Takeaways

  • Silver Medallion requires 25,000 may have access to miles or 10 may have access to flights flown in a calendar year.
  • Your first checked bag is waived, and you earn miles at a 10% bonus rate on all Delta flights.
  • You board in Group 1 or 2 (ahead of most passengers) and can select seats in the preferred cabin during booking.
  • Status carries over into the following calendar year, giving you a full 12 months to work toward Gold or keep your Silver benefits.
  • Co-branded Delta credit cards can count toward your annual spending toward elite status, though the card itself does not grant Silver status automatically.

How to Reach Silver Medallion Status

You earn Silver by accumulating 25,000 may have access to miles or flying 10 may have access to flights between January 1 and December 31 of any calendar year. may have access to miles are the base miles Delta awards for your ticket price and distance — not bonus miles from credit card sign-ups or promotions, though some promotions do count toward the total.

A may have access to flight is any paid Delta flight. Award tickets (booked with miles instead of money) do not count. If you fly Delta partners like Virgin Atlantic or Air France on a Delta ticket, those flights count toward your 10-flight threshold, but the miles earned may not count toward the 25,000-mile threshold depending on the partner and fare type.

The fastest path for most people is a combination: fly Delta regularly and hold a co-branded Delta credit card. The card earns miles on everyday spending, and some cards offer a one-time bonus that moves you partway toward Silver without a single flight.

Boarding Priority and Seat Selection

Silver Medallion members board in Group 1 or Group 2, depending on your ticket type. Basic Economy tickets board in Group 2; Main Cabin and above board in Group 1. This means you board before most passengers and have first pick of overhead bin space.

You can also select seats in the preferred cabin (the first few rows of Main Cabin) during booking at no extra charge. These seats are normally reserved for paid upgrades or higher elite tiers. The exact rows available vary by aircraft, but they are typically rows 8 through 15 on narrow-body planes.

Checked Bag and Baggage Benefits

Your first checked bag flies free on all Delta flights. The second checked bag costs the standard fee (currently $35 for most domestic routes, though this varies). Carry-on bags and personal items are not affected by your status.

If you are traveling with a companion on the same reservation, they do not automatically get a free checked bag — only you do. However, if your companion also has Silver status or higher, their first bag is also free.

Earning Miles Faster and Upgrade Certificates

Silver Medallion members earn a 10% bonus on all base miles flown on Delta. If a flight normally earns 500 miles, you earn 550. This bonus stacks with any promotional offers Delta is running and applies to partner flights booked on Delta tickets.

You also receive two Domestic Upgrade Certificates per year. These allow you to upgrade from Main Cabin to First Class on domestic flights, subject to availability. Upgrades clear 24 hours before departure, so you will know well in advance whether your upgrade went through.

Lounge Access and Other Perks

Silver Medallion does not include complimentary access to Delta Sky Club lounges. You can purchase a day pass (around $39) or buy an annual membership. However, if you hold a co-branded Delta credit card that includes lounge access, you get that benefit regardless of your elite status.

You do receive priority customer service phone lines and can call a dedicated Silver Medallion support number instead of the general Delta line. You also get priority standby for flights you miss and can rebook on the next available flight at no charge.

How Silver Medallion Stacks With Credit Cards

A Delta credit card does not grant you Silver status on its own. However, some cards offer a one-time bonus of 50,000 or 70,000 miles after you spend a certain amount in the first few months. That bonus can move you partway or all the way to Silver without flying.

More importantly, miles you earn on the card count toward your annual elite qualification. If you spend $10,000 on a Delta card that earns 2 miles per dollar, you earn 20,000 miles toward your 25,000-mile Silver threshold. A few more flights gets you there.

Some cards also offer a "Medallion Qualification Boost" — a one-time bonus toward elite status (usually 5,000 or 10,000 miles) just for holding the card. Check your card's benefits guide to see if yours includes this.

Keeping Silver Status and Moving to Gold

Once you reach Silver in any calendar year, your status lasts through December 31 of the following year. So if you hit 25,000 miles in March, you keep Silver through the end of next year — roughly 21 months of benefits from that single qualification.

To move to Gold Medallion, you need 50,000 may have access to miles or 30 may have access to flights in a calendar year. Gold adds benefits like complimentary Sky Club access, priority baggage handling, and more upgrade certificates. Many frequent Delta flyers use their Silver year to plan their flying and reach Gold the following year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do award tickets count toward Silver Medallion?

No. Only paid tickets count as may have access to flights and earn may have access to miles. Award tickets booked with miles do not move you closer to Silver status, even though you do earn the base miles for the flight itself.

Can I use miles from a credit card sign-up bonus to reach Silver?

Most sign-up bonuses do count toward your 25,000-mile threshold, but you should check your card's terms. Some promotional miles are excluded. The miles count toward your total, but they do not count as "may have access to flights," so you still need 10 actual flights to reach Silver via the flight count instead of the mileage count.

What happens to my Silver status if I don't fly Delta next year?

Your Silver status remains active through December 31 of the year after you earned it. You do not have to fly or spend anything to keep it. However, once that date passes, you lose the status unless you re-may have access to by flying 25,000 miles or 10 flights in the new calendar year.

Can my spouse or family member use my upgrade certificates?

No. Upgrade certificates are non-transferable and can only be used on tickets in your name. Your family members would need their own elite status or certificates to upgrade their seats.

Does Silver Medallion work on Delta partner airlines?

Some benefits carry over to partner airlines like Virgin Atlantic and Air France, but not all. Priority boarding and baggage benefits may explore depending on the partner and the specific flight. Check Delta's website for your specific partner airline before you travel.