How I Leveraged My Amex Business Platinum Benefits for Delta Medallion Status: Essential Guide for Smart Travelers in 2025
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!- I earned Delta Medallion status on a budget by tactfully using the perks of my Amex Business Platinum Card.
- The 35% points rebate on selected airline flights and access to Insider Fares helped me save thousands of points.
- Delta’s Medallion status opens up perks like complimentary upgrades, waived baggage fees, and Sky Priority boarding.
- Using flexible award flights to meet qualifying Medallion requirements is a travel hack every business traveler should consider.
- This is how I leveraged my Amex Business Platinum benefits for Delta Medallion status—without spending more than I planned to.
Table of Contents
- Why Earning Delta Medallion Status Is Worth It in 2025
- Best Way to Leverage Amex Business Platinum for Delta Medallion Status
- How Much Does It Cost to Earn Delta Medallion with Amex?
- How to Plan This Trip the Smart Way
- HopStrip-Style Tips and Tools for Smarter Travel Perks
- FAQ: How I Leveraged My Amex Business Platinum Benefits for Delta Medallion Status
- Conclusion: Should You Try This Strategy in 2025?
Why Earning Delta Medallion Status Is Worth It in 2025
If you’ve flown Delta in the last few years, you’ve probably noticed how being a regular economy flyer gets you nowhere near the front of the boarding line—or the upgrade list. That’s where Delta Medallion status comes in.
Depending on your tier—Silver, Gold, Platinum, or Diamond—benefits include:
- Unlimited complimentary upgrades on most domestic flights (Gold Medallion and up)
- Waived checked baggage fees
- Priority boarding and security lane access
- Exclusive customer service lines
- Annual Medallion Choice Benefits like systemwide upgrades or Delta Sky Club passes (Platinum and up)
The challenge? These statuses typically require climbing a ladder of MQMs (Medallion Qualification Miles), MQDs (qualifying spend), or the revamped Medallion “MQD-only” system launched by Delta in late 2024.
Enter the Amex Business Platinum Card. With strategic use of its perks—including the 35% points rebate and Insider Fares—I was able to earn enough Medallion Qualification Dollars through revenue flights without increasing my travel budget.
Best Way to Leverage Amex Business Platinum for Delta Medallion Status
To be clear: holding the Amex Business Platinum won’t *automatically* give you Delta status. But if you use it cleverly, it becomes a powerful tool to earn that status while saving money (or points).
Here’s how I leveraged my Amex Business Platinum benefits for Delta Medallion status:
- 📍 Pick Your Selected Airline Wisely
Each year, you’re allowed to choose a “selected airline” with Amex. I chose Delta for 2025, since it made the most sense based on my upcoming flight plans. This is key for unlocking the 35% Membership Rewards® points rebate on flights.
- 💳 Book Flights with Points via Amex Travel
With the Amex Business Platinum Card, I booked revenue (not award) Delta flights through AmexTravel.com using Membership Rewards points. Because Delta was my selected airline, I received 35% of the points back—within a day or two of booking.
- ✈️ Stack with Insider Fares
Some Delta flights on Amex Travel are marked as “Insider Fares,” offering lower point requirements compared to booking cash tickets via Delta directly. I stacked this with the rebate to get flights for 40–50% off in real value compared to traditional redemptions.
- 💼 Earn Real MQDs from Revenue Fares
This is the trick: Although I booked with points, the flight was considered a cash ticket by Delta—perfectly qualifying me for MQDs. This is a loophole that travelers can use in 2025 to climb Delta status tiers faster without spending more money.
- 🗺️ Build an Itinerary with Status Goals in Mind
I mapped out my likely travel for the year (LAX→ATL x3, ATL→JFK, and a few international layover flights through Delta partners) and booked my Delta segments via Amex Travel points accordingly. This allowed me to hit the new $5,000 MQD requirement for Gold Medallion without touching a corporate T&E budget.
How Much Does It Cost to Earn Delta Medallion with Amex?
Here’s a rough breakdown of how the costs worked out when I used this approach:
| Item | Cost in Points (Pre-Rebate) | Cost After 35% Rebate | MQDs Earned |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATL – JFK RT via Delta (Insider Fare) | 20,000 MR | 13,000 MR | $450 |
| LAX – ATL RT x2 | 60,000 MR | 39,000 MR | $950 |
| ATL – CDG (Delta/KLM) RT | 80,000 MR | 52,000 MR | $1,100 |
| Random trips (misc. bookings) | 90,000 MR | 58,500 MR | ~$2,500 |
| Total | 250,000 MR | 162,500 MR | $5,000 MQD+ |
In total, I used around 160,000 net Membership Rewards points to get roughly $5,000 in qualifying spend for Medallion Gold.
For comparison, you’d normally need to spend that in cash—or earn it via hard-to-find partner miles—to hit that tier.
How to Plan This Trip the Smart Way
If this approach sounds like a strategy you’d love to replicate, here’s the step-by-step version for 2025:
- ✅ Apply for the Amex Business Platinum if you don’t already have it. Make sure you’re eligible for the welcome bonus too.
- ✈️ Choose Delta as your airline of choice to unlock the 35% rebate.
- 💡 Map your likely Delta flights for the year based on work or personal travel.
- 🧠 Use AmexTravel.com to book Delta revenue tickets with Membership Rewards points.
- 🔄 Wait for the 35% points rebate (usually credited within 1–2 days).
- 📊 Track your MQDs monthly to make sure you’re on pace for your desired Medallion tier.
HopStrip-Style Tips and Tools for Smarter Travel Perks
At HopStrip, we’re big on using the right gear, tools, and cards to unlock elevated travel—without overpaying. If you’re planning to implement a points-for-status strategy, here are our quick tips:
- 🧳 If you’re chasing Delta flights, compare airfare dates and cabins before redeeming points.
- 🛏️ Traveling to Delta cities like Atlanta or New York? Check hotel prices that stack with airline perks, like free breakfast or late checkout.
- 🚐 Need airport rides in top Delta hubs? Book a fixed-rate airport transfer in advance.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
FAQ: How I Leveraged My Amex Business Platinum Benefits for Delta Medallion Status
Q: Can you really earn Delta MQDs by booking with Amex points?
Yes. As long as your flight is a revenue ticket booked through AmexTravel.com with Membership Rewards, Delta considers it MQD-qualified. Booking with SkyMiles directly on Delta.com does NOT count for MQDs the same way.
Q: Do all Amex Platinum cards offer the 35% rebate?
No. This perk is exclusive to the Amex Business Platinum, not the personal version. Be sure to hold the correct card before trying this strategy.
Q: Which Delta Medallion tier is the best value?
Gold Medallion offers the biggest jump in perks (upgrades, free bags, etc.) for the least amount of qualifying spend—$5,000 MQDs in 2025. Platinum and Diamond unlock more, but require much more consistent flying or spending.
Q: How do Insider Fares on Amex Travel work?
Insider Fares are discounted award rates offered only to Amex cardholders when booking through their site. They often save you 10–15% in points—especially on Delta and other premium carriers.
Q: Can you combine this with other elite status programs?
Yes! If you’re enrolled in airline partnerships (like Air France/KLM Flying Blue), you may be able to credit your flights toward those programs as well—but not if you want MQDs for Delta status.
Conclusion: Should You Try This Strategy in 2025?
Absolutely—especially if you’re already spending enough on flights or travel for business. Learning how I leveraged my Amex Business Platinum benefits for Delta Medallion status was a game-changer in how I book airfare, redeem points, and earn elite status more efficiently.
If you’re a frequent traveler tired of being last to board or paying for bags, the combination of Amex points and Delta earnings makes status accessible without blowing your budget.
Smart travelers know it’s not how much you spend—but how you spend it. With the right tools and timing, you can ride in Style+Sky Priority, all the way to that first class upgrade.
Ready to earn elite status smarter—not harder?
Start planning your Medallion strategy now.
