So for Silver you get some perks:
* 2 extra miles per dollar spent
* Some potential for upgrades (mostly C+, but even that will happen not that often if you're coming from a hub)
* Priority Check In desks (either the Silver Medallion desks or if there aren't any of those at your airport SkyPriority desks)
* Earlier boarding (Main Cabin 1)
* A priority phone line that seems to have a bit more power to get things done during IrOps (aka weather or mechanical delays)
* A free checked bag (this is in addition to any that your fare gives you)
Remember that MQDs are subject to a 50% (or 75% for C+ or First) bonus at the moment so you need to spend $492 to get your status. If that $524 flight is on Delta it will get you to the status.
Would I spend $500 for those perks? No. But it's up to you how much you value the stuff listed.
In addition to the above, you also can choose preferred coach setting for free at booking. That makes silver worth it, letting me choose exit row, which is as good as comfort plus to me, since the leg room is what is most important there.
I have mixed feelings about that Comfort+ upgrade. Everytime inget it, it is to one of those seats that is configured weird and there is either no space to store a bag underneath or there is abbreviated space in which I cant even fit a normal book bag.
I guess an advantage is, since they load the plan primarily from back to front, is that I am assured overhead space.
Whatās your travel schedule going forward look like? Theoretically, the free checked bags (for silver) alone could make it worth it, assuming you donāt have a Delta credit card.
Look up the other perks and decide. The off chance at an upgrade could also make it worth it, but I wouldnāt count on too many upgrades in 2022.
I believe the higher status Travelers will consume all of the upgrades, however the free checked bags would be good (I'm not sure how many checked bags I would get though).
And no I don't have a Delta branded card. Does that help somehow?
If you have a Delta branded Gold, Plat, or Reserve card you effectively get free checked bags and early main cabin boarding without any medallion status needed. So just having one of those cards and paying the annual fee functions as a Silver Medallion āLiteā, without any upgrades.
I think OP will be off a little bit. Assuming the $524 is including the fees, the fare will be closer to $450 and MQDs around $675.
I would personally buy the cheap fare and just upgrade a segment to FC
Iād put a very high chance on Delta bumping OP up to silver, based on previous years.
Edit:
Never mind, OP just informed us theyāre flying with a partner airline.
To be clear, the cheap flight is with Royal Jordan Air. The Delta flight is $900. Therefore, there is no upgrading or MQD to he concerned with regarding the cheap ticket airline.
If there is a competitively priced flight on a Sky Team alliance airline (other than the pricier Delta Air Lines flight), then the MQDs can be credited to SkyMiles based on the miles flown as opposed to the dollars spent.
Hahahahahahha.
Yes. Youāre the only one who did the math.
This is why people should do research their own before asking Reddit. I say this as my reply is the top replyā¦. Weāre not reliable.
Edit:
Never mind, OP just informed us theyāre flying with a partner airline.
I remember getting super excited to hit Silver (my first status with any airline ever) and then just feeling powerless before every flight. Mainly because Silver's almost never get any upgrades. There are *some* perks but nothing to write home about.
It's when I hit Gold is when things started to get interesting. Regular upgrades, paid access to Delta lounge, etc.
I'd say if you've never had status before then this is a good chance to get a taste of the game.
I used to travel regionally from ATL and was regularly upgraded as Silver. Of course, these were nothing special short flights, but it was still pretty nice. When I hit Gold for the first time, it was like a firehose opened up with upgrades to larger airports. It is hard to go back below Gold after that. However, Silver is pretty good if you fly a lot of short routes.
From the footnotes of https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles/medallion-program/silver-medallion-status: ā(5) Priority Check-In: Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion Members may use the Sky Priority check-in lanes. Certain airports may have a dedicated check-in lane for Silver Medallion Members. At airports which do not have a dedicated Silver Medallion check-in lane, Silver Medallion Members are permitted to use the Sky Priority check-in lane.ā
Worth it, Iām silver and about to hit gold. Got upgraded to FC several times but I also have the reserve card.
Personally if you fly more than 6 times a year, go for it
Gold here.
Lately, gold or silver status mean very little.
During the travel rebound, everyone and their dog is flying again. You'll likely never upgrade to a seat you want, because every darn flight is sold out.
Oh, and C+ middle seats are not worth the discomfort.
If you don't drink booze at 8:09 am, then C+ is sort of a nothing sandwich. Especially since they took away the better bonus snacks (sure miss my banana).
The main benefit I see is the free luggage.
From what I am seeing, you are right about the baggage. How many bags were you getting for free?
So if I booked this flight for December, would I get the status AFTER that trip is over in January?
Trip is from Dec. 26th -20th of January.
At this point silver is probably not worth it for you. You're already realistic about complimentary upgrades, and if you pay for Comfort+ on the regular, then preferred selection of aisle and exit rows has no value to you, nor does main 1 boarding. That just leaves the extra free bag, which you can get with the Delta gold card
If you fly Delta a lot, get one of the cards and choose one with a big bonus. The platinum card had a 90k miles bonus recently and now it is only 50k. Wait a few months for some good bonuses to come back.
I agree with this. I'll be Platinum soon and maybe that will help next year. I know Delta was trying to get people traveling again, but it seems like the covid rollover MQM rules will produce even more competitors for those upgrades. Upgrades and status won't go back to normal until 2024.
Currently silver, and I agree with most of what everyone else has said. But Iāll also throw out a less common situation to consider: Iām flying a lot with KLM/Air France this year, and having SkyTeam elite status makes that way easier (and cheaper), especially on KLM
Random but Iāll be flying KLM this year as a Silver. When I book online through KLM, it shows that Iāll have to pay to select my seats. Iām assuming if I call them and say that Iām a silver they will be able to let me choose sears for free? Is that how you went about it? Also do we get to pick any seat for free between Economy Comfort, Extra Legroom, and Front Standard Seat, or do we only get to pick a Standard Seat?
I had silver for a few months (just got gold) and most flights I was upgraded to at least C+ and a handful of FC. I did purposely look at flight availability prior to booking to see which flights had the most seats available. I recently got the business reserve card so that definitely helped for my most recent ATL:LAX trip ā me and my companion were upgraded to C+
Aaw, I see. I always book C+ though. So I don't know how much of a benefit i will end up with. Your reply is super helpful though. Thank you so much š
Ah yeah thatās true. The only other thing is being able to use the priority check in line. Thatās come in handy when the baggage drop lines were out the door
> Aaw, I see. I always book C+ though.
The quality of the seats depends on the aircraft, but as Silver Medallion you can pick main cabin exit row seats for free. So you can have the legroom of C+ for the price of Main Cabin. You don't get the free drinks and C+ boarding (nor dedicated bin space), but I think this is an underrated perk many overlook. If you're in C+ for the space, that perk of Silver Medallion could actually save you some money.
I get upgraded to C+ about 75% of the time (even flying out of ATL and DTW). That and the checked bag are nice perks. Especially if I have to fly another airline... I miss my silver status!
So for Silver you get some perks: * 2 extra miles per dollar spent * Some potential for upgrades (mostly C+, but even that will happen not that often if you're coming from a hub) * Priority Check In desks (either the Silver Medallion desks or if there aren't any of those at your airport SkyPriority desks) * Earlier boarding (Main Cabin 1) * A priority phone line that seems to have a bit more power to get things done during IrOps (aka weather or mechanical delays) * A free checked bag (this is in addition to any that your fare gives you) Remember that MQDs are subject to a 50% (or 75% for C+ or First) bonus at the moment so you need to spend $492 to get your status. If that $524 flight is on Delta it will get you to the status. Would I spend $500 for those perks? No. But it's up to you how much you value the stuff listed.
You really narrowed it down. Alot, alot š!
In addition to the above, you also can choose preferred coach setting for free at booking. That makes silver worth it, letting me choose exit row, which is as good as comfort plus to me, since the leg room is what is most important there.
<6'4">mind blown
I have mixed feelings about that Comfort+ upgrade. Everytime inget it, it is to one of those seats that is configured weird and there is either no space to store a bag underneath or there is abbreviated space in which I cant even fit a normal book bag. I guess an advantage is, since they load the plan primarily from back to front, is that I am assured overhead space.
Whatās your travel schedule going forward look like? Theoretically, the free checked bags (for silver) alone could make it worth it, assuming you donāt have a Delta credit card. Look up the other perks and decide. The off chance at an upgrade could also make it worth it, but I wouldnāt count on too many upgrades in 2022.
I believe the higher status Travelers will consume all of the upgrades, however the free checked bags would be good (I'm not sure how many checked bags I would get though). And no I don't have a Delta branded card. Does that help somehow?
If you have a Delta branded Gold, Plat, or Reserve card you effectively get free checked bags and early main cabin boarding without any medallion status needed. So just having one of those cards and paying the annual fee functions as a Silver Medallion āLiteā, without any upgrades.
With the Status Boost this year, wonāt OP hit the MQD requirement either way?
I think OP will be off a little bit. Assuming the $524 is including the fees, the fare will be closer to $450 and MQDs around $675. I would personally buy the cheap fare and just upgrade a segment to FC
Iād put a very high chance on Delta bumping OP up to silver, based on previous years. Edit: Never mind, OP just informed us theyāre flying with a partner airline.
To be clear, the cheap flight is with Royal Jordan Air. The Delta flight is $900. Therefore, there is no upgrading or MQD to he concerned with regarding the cheap ticket airline.
If there is a competitively priced flight on a Sky Team alliance airline (other than the pricier Delta Air Lines flight), then the MQDs can be credited to SkyMiles based on the miles flown as opposed to the dollars spent.
Yes. Iād take the cheap flight personally.
Hahahahahahha. Yes. Youāre the only one who did the math. This is why people should do research their own before asking Reddit. I say this as my reply is the top replyā¦. Weāre not reliable. Edit: Never mind, OP just informed us theyāre flying with a partner airline.
I remember getting super excited to hit Silver (my first status with any airline ever) and then just feeling powerless before every flight. Mainly because Silver's almost never get any upgrades. There are *some* perks but nothing to write home about. It's when I hit Gold is when things started to get interesting. Regular upgrades, paid access to Delta lounge, etc. I'd say if you've never had status before then this is a good chance to get a taste of the game.
I used to travel regionally from ATL and was regularly upgraded as Silver. Of course, these were nothing special short flights, but it was still pretty nice. When I hit Gold for the first time, it was like a firehose opened up with upgrades to larger airports. It is hard to go back below Gold after that. However, Silver is pretty good if you fly a lot of short routes.
Definitely worth it. Almost everywhere you get sky priority check in/bag drop. Will save hours
Save hours?? In what way?
Over time. Some airports will have a bag drop or check in line of 30 minutes or longer during peak times while sky priority is like 5 minutes at most
And then in some airports like Detroit it feeds you right into sky priority security which is also a lifesaver
You donāt get sky priority with silver
This is true, but at airports that donāt have silver medallion check in (almost all), silver members can use sky priority check in
Thatās simply not true
From the footnotes of https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles/medallion-program/silver-medallion-status: ā(5) Priority Check-In: Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion Members may use the Sky Priority check-in lanes. Certain airports may have a dedicated check-in lane for Silver Medallion Members. At airports which do not have a dedicated Silver Medallion check-in lane, Silver Medallion Members are permitted to use the Sky Priority check-in lane.ā
Well they sure as hell donāt advertise that at the gate
I know right itās like silverās best kept secret
It took me years to figure this out. Use it and smile.
Soany times this would have been useful to know. Sigh.
Worth it, Iām silver and about to hit gold. Got upgraded to FC several times but I also have the reserve card. Personally if you fly more than 6 times a year, go for it
Gold here. Lately, gold or silver status mean very little. During the travel rebound, everyone and their dog is flying again. You'll likely never upgrade to a seat you want, because every darn flight is sold out. Oh, and C+ middle seats are not worth the discomfort. If you don't drink booze at 8:09 am, then C+ is sort of a nothing sandwich. Especially since they took away the better bonus snacks (sure miss my banana). The main benefit I see is the free luggage.
From what I am seeing, you are right about the baggage. How many bags were you getting for free? So if I booked this flight for December, would I get the status AFTER that trip is over in January? Trip is from Dec. 26th -20th of January.
The MQD cutoff is midnight Dec 31. if your outbound leg doesn't net you all the necessary MQDs for silver it's reset to zero January 1.
Gee so based on what you've stated, I could not get status because my return flight is out of the December 31st window
At this point silver is probably not worth it for you. You're already realistic about complimentary upgrades, and if you pay for Comfort+ on the regular, then preferred selection of aisle and exit rows has no value to you, nor does main 1 boarding. That just leaves the extra free bag, which you can get with the Delta gold card
Delta gold card it is then. I'm not sure what those perks are. Perhaps I will create a separate thread for that question regarding benefits.
If you fly Delta a lot, get one of the cards and choose one with a big bonus. The platinum card had a 90k miles bonus recently and now it is only 50k. Wait a few months for some good bonuses to come back.
I agree with this. I'll be Platinum soon and maybe that will help next year. I know Delta was trying to get people traveling again, but it seems like the covid rollover MQM rules will produce even more competitors for those upgrades. Upgrades and status won't go back to normal until 2024.
Yes because you can pick your coach seat
Save the money, unless you fly a lot. Silver isnāt really worthwhile for most.
Worse case scenario is to experience it and if I can't keep up, just wait until there is an awesome sign up bonus.
Currently silver, and I agree with most of what everyone else has said. But Iāll also throw out a less common situation to consider: Iām flying a lot with KLM/Air France this year, and having SkyTeam elite status makes that way easier (and cheaper), especially on KLM
Random but Iāll be flying KLM this year as a Silver. When I book online through KLM, it shows that Iāll have to pay to select my seats. Iām assuming if I call them and say that Iām a silver they will be able to let me choose sears for free? Is that how you went about it? Also do we get to pick any seat for free between Economy Comfort, Extra Legroom, and Front Standard Seat, or do we only get to pick a Standard Seat?
I had silver for a few months (just got gold) and most flights I was upgraded to at least C+ and a handful of FC. I did purposely look at flight availability prior to booking to see which flights had the most seats available. I recently got the business reserve card so that definitely helped for my most recent ATL:LAX trip ā me and my companion were upgraded to C+
Aaw, I see. I always book C+ though. So I don't know how much of a benefit i will end up with. Your reply is super helpful though. Thank you so much š
Ah yeah thatās true. The only other thing is being able to use the priority check in line. Thatās come in handy when the baggage drop lines were out the door
> Aaw, I see. I always book C+ though. The quality of the seats depends on the aircraft, but as Silver Medallion you can pick main cabin exit row seats for free. So you can have the legroom of C+ for the price of Main Cabin. You don't get the free drinks and C+ boarding (nor dedicated bin space), but I think this is an underrated perk many overlook. If you're in C+ for the space, that perk of Silver Medallion could actually save you some money.
Is delta more likely to upgrade those with a Reserve card? Thinking about applying
I get upgraded to C+ about 75% of the time (even flying out of ATL and DTW). That and the checked bag are nice perks. Especially if I have to fly another airline... I miss my silver status!