{"slug":"delta-skymiles-vs-united-mileageplus","question":"Delta SkyMiles vs United MileagePlus: Status Rules","answer":"Both programs have miles that don't expire and four elite tiers. Delta SkyMiles awards Medallion status on spending alone: $5,000, $10,000, $15,000 or $28,000 Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) for Silver, Gold, Platinum or Diamond. United MileagePlus Premier needs Premier qualifying points (PQP) with flights (PQF) or more PQP alone, for example 5,000 PQP plus 15 flights or 6,000 PQP for Silver, up to 28,000 PQP for 1K, plus at least 4 United flights; PQF ends on January 1, 2027. Choose the airline that serves your home airport.","answer_curated":true,"verdict":"Delta SkyMiles: status on spend alone, $5,000 to $28,000 MQDs.\n\nUnited MileagePlus: PQP with flights, or PQP alone, plus 4 United flights; PQF ends January 1, 2027.\n\nMiles don't expire in either.","keyDifferences":[{"label":"Status currency","entityAValue":"MQDs (dollars)","entityBValue":"PQP plus PQF, or PQP only","winner":"tie"},{"label":"Top tier","entityAValue":"Diamond: $28,000 MQDs","entityBValue":"1K: 60 PQF + 22,000 PQP or 28,000 PQP","winner":"tie"},{"label":"Entry tier","entityAValue":"Silver: $5,000 MQDs","entityBValue":"Silver: 15 PQF + 5,000 PQP or 6,000 PQP","winner":"tie"},{"label":"Mileage expiry","entityAValue":"Miles don't expire","entityBValue":"Miles never expire","winner":"tie"}],"winner":null,"confidence":"high","entities":[{"name":"Delta SkyMiles","slug":"delta-skymiles","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/entity/delta-skymiles","alternativesUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/alternatives/delta-skymiles"},{"name":"United MileagePlus","slug":"united-mileageplus","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/entity/united-mileageplus","alternativesUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/alternatives/united-mileageplus"}],"faqs":[{"question":"How do I earn Delta Medallion status?","answer":"Earn Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs): $5,000 for Silver, $10,000 for Gold, $15,000 for Platinum and $28,000 for Diamond in a calendar year. MQDs come from Delta flights, Delta Vacations and eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express Cards."},{"question":"How do I earn United Premier status?","answer":"Earn Premier qualifying points (PQP) with Premier qualifying flights (PQF), or a higher number of PQP alone, and take at least 4 United or United Express flights. Silver needs 15 PQF and 5,000 PQP, or 6,000 PQP."},{"question":"Do SkyMiles or MileagePlus miles expire?","answer":"No. Miles don't expire in either program."}],"attribution":{"source":"A Versus B","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/delta-skymiles-vs-united-mileageplus","license":"CC BY 4.0","citationFormat":"According to A Versus B (https://www.aversusb.net/compare/delta-skymiles-vs-united-mileageplus), Both programs have miles that don't expire and four elite tiers. Delta SkyMiles awards Medallion status on spending alone: $5,000, $10,000, $15,000 or $28,000 Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) fo","dateModified":"2026-10-16T00:00:00.000Z"},"relatedQuestionsUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/faq/delta-skymiles-vs-united-mileageplus","relatedComparisonsUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/related/delta-skymiles-vs-united-mileageplus","knowledgeGraphUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/knowledge-graph/delta-skymiles-vs-united-mileageplus"}