Do Delta MQDs Reset Each Year?

If you are working toward Delta Medallion Status, understanding how Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) work is important. One of the most common questions among SkyMiles members is whether unused MQDs stay in the account after the year ends.

Yes, Delta MQDs reset each year. MQDs earned during a Medallion Qualification Year are used to determine your Medallion Status for the following Medallion Year. Delta states that MQDs do not extend or roll over from one calendar year to the next, and the MQD balance resets to zero on or around January 1.

That means you generally cannot save excess MQDs from one year and use them toward the next year's qualification requirements.

How Does the Delta MQD Reset Work?

Delta's current Medallion qualification system operates on a calendar-year basis. A Qualification Year runs from January 1 through December 31.

For example, MQDs you earn during 2026 count toward determining your 2027 Medallion Status. Once the 2026 Qualification Year ends, those MQDs do not become a starting balance for 2027. Instead, a new qualification year begins.

Delta currently lists the following MQD thresholds:

• Silver Medallion: $5,000 MQDs

• Gold Medallion: $10,000 MQDs

• Platinum Medallion: $15,000 MQDs

• Diamond Medallion: $28,000 MQDs

These thresholds apply to the applicable qualification year and can change if Delta updates its program terms.

What Happens to Unused MQDs?

Suppose you finish a qualification year with $8,000 MQDs but only needed $5,000 to reach Silver Medallion.

The extra $3,000 does not become $3,000 MQDs for the next qualification year. Your next year's MQD progress starts over according to the applicable program rules.

This is the key difference between MQDs and a traditional banked rewards balance. MQDs are primarily a status-qualification measurement, rather than a currency that you can save and spend later.

Is There a Delta MQD Rollover?

There is no ongoing Delta MQD rollover under the current Medallion qualification system.

The phrase delta mqd rollover can cause confusion because Delta previously had a different system involving Rollover MQMs, or Medallion Qualification Miles. Those were part of the older SkyMiles qualification structure.

Beginning January 1, 2024, Delta moved to an MQD-based system for Medallion Status qualification and stopped awarding new MQMs and MQSs. Delta also provided eligible members with options for dealing with qualifying Rollover MQM balances from the previous program.

Those historical Rollover MQM rules should not be confused with carrying unused MQDs from one year into another.

MQDs vs. Rollover MQMs

FeatureMQDsRollover MQMs

Used in current qualification systemYesNo

Based primarily on qualifying spendingYesNo

Automatically rolls into the next yearNoHistorical program only

Qualification yearJanuary 1–December 31Older SkyMiles system

Determines Medallion StatusYesNo longer used for new qualification

The important takeaway is simple: don't plan your Delta Medallion qualification strategy around a Delta MQD rollover.

How Can You Earn MQDs During the Year?

Because MQDs reset annually, keeping track of your progress throughout the year can help you understand how close you are to the next Medallion tier.

Delta currently provides several ways eligible members can earn MQDs.

Delta and Partner Flights

Eligible Delta-marketed flights can earn MQDs based on the qualifying ticket price. Delta also has specific rules for eligible partner-airline travel and exception fares. Government-imposed taxes and fees generally aren't included in the MQD calculation.

Basic Economy, referred to by Delta as Delta Main Basic, is not eligible for earning credit toward Medallion Status.

Eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express Cards

Eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express Platinum, Platinum Business, Reserve and Reserve Business cardmembers can receive MQD benefits.

For example, eligible cardmembers can receive an MQD Headstart of $2,500 per eligible card type per Medallion Qualification Year, subject to Delta's terms. Eligible cards can also earn additional MQDs through MQD Boost on qualifying purchases.

These benefits are tied to the applicable qualification year. They do not create a permanent MQD balance that can be carried indefinitely into future years.

Delta Vacations

Eligible Delta Vacations packages can also generate MQDs. Delta says eligible members can earn MQDs based on the applicable Total Package Price, subject to exclusions and program terms.

Because the MQD calculation can vary depending on the booking and travelers, it is worth checking the applicable terms before assuming a particular purchase will produce a specific MQD amount.

Why Does Delta Reset MQDs?

The annual reset is connected to how Delta defines Medallion Status qualification.

Instead of accumulating a lifetime or multi-year MQD balance for ordinary Medallion qualification, members earn toward a specific year's qualification target. The activity completed during one calendar year determines the Medallion Status earned for the following Medallion Year.

This creates a fresh qualification period every January.

For example:

2026 qualification activity → 2027 Medallion Status

2027 qualification activity → 2028 Medallion Status

The MQD balance itself does not simply accumulate across those years.

How to Track Your Delta MQDs

You don't have to calculate every eligible purchase manually.

Delta says members can check their MQD progress by signing into their SkyMiles account on Delta.com or using the Fly Delta app.

It's useful to monitor your account because qualifying activity may not appear immediately. Delta notes that some flight-related MQDs can take several weeks to post, depending on the transaction and eligibility.

If you are approaching the end of December and are relying on a particular transaction to reach a Medallion threshold, allow enough time for the eligible activity to be processed.

What If You Earn More MQDs Than You Need?

There is no standard benefit for carrying excess MQDs into the next qualification year.

For instance, imagine you finish the year with:

• $5,000 MQDs — Silver threshold reached

• $10,000 MQDs — Gold threshold reached

• $15,000 MQDs — Platinum threshold reached

• $20,000 MQDs — above the Platinum threshold

The $5,000 above the Platinum threshold does not become a $5,000 starting balance for the next qualification year.

This is why members who are planning their travel or eligible card spending may want to understand the thresholds and their current progress before the end of the year.

Conclusion

Delta MQDs reset each year, and unused MQDs do not roll over into the next qualification year. The current system uses a January 1 through December 31 Qualification Year, with the activity earned during that period determining the applicable Medallion Status for the following Medallion Year.

If you are pursuing Delta Medallion Status, focus on your MQD progress within the current calendar year rather than expecting unused MQDs to carry forward. Also remember that historical Rollover MQM rules are different from the current MQD system.

Tracking your MQDs regularly through your SkyMiles account or the Fly Delta app can help you understand where you stand before the qualification year ends.

Frequently Asked Questions?

Do Delta MQDs expire?

MQDs do not carry forward into a new qualification year. Delta states that the MQD balance resets to zero on or around January 1.

Do Delta MQDs roll over to the next year?

No. There is no standard delta mqd rollover from one Medallion Qualification Year to the next.

When do Delta MQDs reset?

The Qualification Year runs from January 1 through December 31, and Delta states that the MQD balance resets to zero on or about January 1.

Do excess MQDs count toward next year's status?

No. Excess MQDs from one qualification year are not transferred to the next qualification year.

Do Delta MQDs determine Medallion Status?

Yes. MQDs are the primary qualification measure for Delta Medallion Status under the current program.

Can I earn MQDs with a Delta SkyMiles Amex Card?

Eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express Platinum, Platinum Business, Reserve and Reserve Business cardmembers can earn MQDs through applicable card benefits, subject to the program's terms.

Are Delta Basic Economy tickets eligible for MQDs?

Delta Main Basic, or Basic Economy, tickets are not eligible for credit toward Medallion Status.

Where can I see my MQD balance?

You can check your MQD progress through your SkyMiles account on Delta.com or through the Fly Delta app.

Are MQDs the same as SkyMiles?

No. MQDs are used for Medallion Status qualification, while SkyMiles are the program's redeemable mileage currency. MQDs do not have cash value and cannot be redeemed for award travel.