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Delta SkyMiles vs United MileagePlus

A Versus B

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.

Delta SkyMiles

Delta Air Lines' loyalty program, with Medallion status earned through MQDs.

Travelers based at Delta hubs who spend on Delta flights

Score60%
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VS

United MileagePlus

United Airlines' loyalty program, with Premier status earned through PQP and PQF.

Travelers based at United hubs or flying Star Alliance

Score60%
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5 attributes4 differences10 pros/cons
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4Sources
12Data Points
Sources:Delta: How to qualify for Medallion Status (opens in new tab)·Delta: SkyMiles overview (opens in new tab)·United: How to earn Premier status (opens in new tab)·United: MileagePlus (opens in new tab)
TL;DRVoice-ready

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.

Deciding factor: Delta SkyMiles for status earned on spend alone; United MileagePlus for Star Alliance reach and lifetime status by miles flown.

Key fact: Delta Diamond needs $28,000 MQDs; United 1K needs 28,000 PQP alone or 60 PQF plus 22,000 PQP.

Jump to full verdictSee all attributes

Our Verdict

AI-assisted

Delta SkyMiles: status on spend alone, $5,000 to $28,000 MQDs. United MileagePlus: PQP with flights, or PQP alone, plus 4 United flights; PQF ends January 1, 2027. Miles don't expire in either.

D

Choose Delta SkyMiles if

Travelers based at Delta hubs who spend on Delta flights

U

Choose United MileagePlus if

Travelers based at United hubs or flying Star Alliance

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Key Differences at a Glance

  • Status currency:MQDs (dollars) vs PQP plus PQF, or PQP only
  • Top tier:Diamond: $28,000 MQDs vs 1K: 60 PQF + 22,000 PQP or 28,000 PQP
  • Entry tier:Silver: $5,000 MQDs vs Silver: 15 PQF + 5,000 PQP or 6,000 PQP
See all 4 differences

Key Differences

4 attributes compared head-to-head

DS
0Delta SkyMiles
Evenly matched4 ties
UM
0United MileagePlus
  • Status currency

    Delta SkyMiles

    MQDs (dollars)

    United MileagePlus

    PQP plus PQF, or PQP only

  • Top tier

    Delta SkyMiles

    Diamond: $28,000 MQDs

    United MileagePlus

    1K: 60 PQF + 22,000 PQP or 28,000 PQP

  • Entry tier

    Delta SkyMiles

    Silver: $5,000 MQDs

    United MileagePlus

    Silver: 15 PQF + 5,000 PQP or 6,000 PQP

  • Mileage expiry

    Delta SkyMiles

    Miles don't expire

    United MileagePlus

    Miles never expire

Full Comparison

DDelta SkyMiles
UUnited MileagePlus
Tiers
Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond
Premier Silver, Gold, Platinum, 1K
Thresholds
$5,000 / $10,000 / $15,000 / $28,000 MQDs
6,000 / 12,000 / 18,000 / 28,000 PQP (PQP only)
Basic fares
Delta Main Basic earns no miles or MQDs
Basic Economy earns PQP, not PQF
Card boost
$2,500 MQD Headstart on eligible Amex cards
PQP on eligible United Chase card spend, capped
Lifetime status
Million Miler program
Gold at 1M, Platinum at 2M, 1K at 3M miles

Pros & Cons

6 pros·4 cons across both

DS
UM
DS

Delta SkyMiles

+3-2

Pros

Miles don't expire
Status earned on spend alone: MQDs
Card members get a $2,500 MQD Headstart on eligible Amex cards

Cons

Delta Main Basic tickets earn no miles or MQDs
Diamond needs $28,000 MQDs
UM

United MileagePlus

+3-2

Pros

Miles never expire
Earn on Star Alliance and other partners
Lifetime status after 1, 2 or 3 million miles

Cons

At least 4 United or United Express flights a year needed for status
Basic Economy earns PQP but not PQF

Frequently Asked Questions

6 questions

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. No. Miles don't expire in either program.

  4. Starting January 1, 2027, United will remove Premier qualifying flights (PQF), and PQP will become the primary way to earn Premier status.

  5. Delta Main Basic tickets earn no miles or MQDs. United Basic Economy tickets earn PQP but not PQF.

  1. Yes. Eligible Delta SkyMiles Amex cards give a $2,500 MQD Headstart each year and MQDs on spend. Eligible United Chase cards earn PQP on purchases up to a yearly cap.

Analysis: 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) 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.

Key takeaways

- Delta Medallion thresholds for 2027 status: Silver $5,000, Gold $10,000, Platinum $15,000, Diamond $28,000 MQDs. - United Premier thresholds: Silver 15 PQF + 5,000 PQP or 6,000 PQP; Gold 30 + 10,000 or 12,000; Platinum 45 + 15,000 or 18,000; 1K 60 + 22,000 or 28,000. - Both earn one status unit per dollar of base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges on their own flights. - United requires at least 4 United or United Express flights a year; from January 1, 2027, PQF will be removed. - Miles don't expire in either program.

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Earning status

Delta counts only MQDs. You earn $1 MQD per $1 of ticket price on Delta-marketed flights, MQDs on Delta Vacations, and a $2,500 MQD Headstart each year on the Delta SkyMiles Platinum, Platinum Business, Reserve and Reserve Business American Express Cards, plus MQDs on card spend. United counts PQP, earned at 1 per dollar on United flights and on partner flights by award miles, and PQF, one per flight. Eligible United Chase cards earn PQP on purchases up to a yearly cap.

Fares that don't count

Delta Main Basic tickets earn no miles or MQDs. United Basic Economy tickets earn PQP but not PQF.

Status length and lifetime status

1. Delta 2027 status is earned on 2026 activity and lasts until January 31, 2028. 2. United status reached in 2026 lasts until January 31, 2028. 3. United offers lifetime Gold after 1 million miles, Platinum after 2 million and 1K after 3 million.

Who should pick which

Pick the program of the airline with the most flights from your home airport. Delta Vacations and Amex cards help in SkyMiles; Star Alliance flights and Chase cards help in MileagePlus. Delta vs United compares the airlines.

Drafted with AI from web research. How we research
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