Delta starts elite level for 125,000-mile fliers

Updated: July 28, 2009 - 12:07 AM

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Like many airlines, Delta Air Lines has long offered an elite rewards program for its frequent fliers. Now it's creating a new elite within the elite: Diamond Medallion status, earned by accruing a total of 125,000 elite miles per year.

Benefits of being a Diamond Medallion flier include free membership to the Delta Sky Club, a 125 percent mileage bonus for purchases and no baggage fees.

The airline also will announce today that it will let customers carry over elite miles that they earned but that didn't allow them to reach the next level. For example, if you accrue 40,000 miles in one year, that gets you Silver status, which requires 25,000 miles. You can roll over the additional 15,000 miles to start building your status miles for the next year.

The miles in Delta's SkyMiles Medallion program are calculated as a multiple of the distance traveled and the fare class purchased. The program is folding in former Northwest WorldPerks Elite members in the wake of Delta's acquisition of Northwest last fall.

WorldPerks and SkyMiles members were able to start transferring non-elite miles between accounts earlier this year. Delta expects to completely merge the two programs by late this year.

The SkyMiles and WorldPerks elite programs offer the airlines' most frequent fliers complimentary seat upgrades, discounted membership to airport lounges and special boarding and check-in privileges.

SUZANNE ZIEGLER

NEW ELITE STATUS Delta's levels and miles and flights needed to get to that level: Level Miles Flights Silver 25,000 30 Gold 50,000 60 Platinum 75,000 100 Diamond (new in 2010) 125,000 140 Source: Delta Air Lines