Earn MQDs on hotel bookings and car rentals by reserving through Delta before the end of September

For the final time this year, Delta Air Lines is providing Delta SkyMiles members with another opportunity to earn Medallion Qualification Dollars toward elite status through its Stays and Cars promotion.

You can specifically earn 1 MQD for every dollar spent on hotel bookings and car rental reservations made through the Travel Extras portal by Sept. 30 for trips completed by Oct. 31.

Here are the specifics.

Earn Delta MQDs on hotel accommodations

Throughout this promotion, you will receive 1 MQD for every dollar spent on hotel bookings made through Delta's travel portal. This is in addition to the redeemable SkyMiles (members earn a minimum of 2 miles for every $1 spent on the base hotel rate) that you typically accumulate for most hotel expenditures.

According to the promotion's terms, earnings are only applicable to the base room rate before taxes and fees are added during the booking process.

For instance, here's what you might earn for a three-night stay at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas:

• 1,737 MQDs
• 3,476 SkyMiles (valued at $41.71 according to TPG's September valuations)

Earn Delta MQDs on car rentals

Additionally, you’ll earn 1 MQD for every dollar spent on the base car rental rate for each completed rental booking.

MQDs will not be earned on additional charges such as taxes, one-way rental fees, fuel services, or tolls. Furthermore, when reserving cars through Delta's portal, you can earn bonus SkyMiles with rental car partners if you hold elite status with Delta.

For instance, Hertz is a partner of Delta, and if you book a rental car with them through Delta, basic SkyMiles members will earn 4 miles per $1 spent on qualifying rentals. Depending on your Delta elite status, you could earn between 5 to 8 miles per $1 spent on qualifying rentals.

Thus, if you choose to reserve a Hertz rental car at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) through Delta's portal, here’s how many MQDs and SkyMiles you could earn for a three-day rental with the current promotion:

• 136 MQDs
• 544 SkyMiles (valued at approximately $6.53 based on TPG's September valuations)

Key Terms

Before finalizing your booking, be sure to review the complete terms and conditions of this promotion. A crucial point to remember is that MQDs can only be earned if the name on the credit card used for payment matches the name on your SkyMiles account. Delta will not award MQDs if the first and last names on the card do not correspond to those on the account.

Once your travel is complete, it may take up to eight weeks for your MQDs to be credited.

Moreover, holders of a Delta cobranded card can earn up to $100 or $250 in Delta Stays statement credits each year when they use the card for prepaid hotel or vacation rental bookings through Delta Stays. Additionally, prepaid Delta Stays reservations are now recognized as Delta purchases on cobranded cards.

Delta cardholders, including those with the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, will earn 3 miles for every dollar spent. Cardholders of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card will earn 2 miles per dollar on Delta purchases.

In Summary

This promotion offers another avenue to achieve Delta status without flying. By accumulating MQDs through non-flight activities linked to the airline's cobranded cards, this promotion establishes a new standard for Medallion status. Delta seems to be sending out promotional emails to SkyMiles members in batches, and we look forward to more opportunities to earn MQDs like this in the future.