Delta Medallion Vs. United Premier: Which Status Is Easier To Achieve?

Both Delta Air Lines and United Airlines offer elite status to passengers as a shortcut to smoother travel, with access to shorter lines, improved seats, fee waivers, and a legitimate chance at seat upgrades. If one is considering whether to concentrate travel on one of these two specific airlines in order to attain status, it is important to understand both carriers and the complex systems that passengers must navigate through in order to attain qualifying status. This is ultimately where Delta Medallion and United Premium diverge. Delta Air Lines has leaned heavily into a spending-based model mostly built around its unique system of Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) while United’s MileagePlus Premier system still blends spending with a flight-count option through Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs) and Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs).