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🇺🇸 How to get airline status in the US: what Delta, United and American cost in dollars

Rules checked November 11, 2026

The first rung of Delta status costs $5,000 of fares. United's costs $6,000. American's costs $8,000 at its basic earning rate. All three big US airlines now award status for what you spend, not how far you fly, and United is changing its rules again on January 1, 2027, when the cheap route through flight counts disappears and top-tier 1K gets 14% harder. Here is what each tier really costs in dollars, how long status lasts, and the deadlines for 2026.

The short version

These are dollars of ticket price, before taxes, flown on that airline. American's figure uses its basic rate of 5 miles for every dollar, and each Loyalty Point is earned with each mile; it falls as you move up because status adds bonus miles. Credit cards can cover part of the gap, as explained below.

How each airline counts

• Delta: Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs). You earn $1 MQD for every $1 spent on the ticket price of a Delta-marketed flight, excluding taxes and fees. Delta Main Basic tickets don't earn. Status for 2027 comes from your spending in calendar year 2026 and is valid until January 31, 2028.
• United: Premier qualifying points (PQP). You earn 1 PQP for every dollar of base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges on United and United Express flights. You must also take at least four United or United Express flights. Status you earn in 2026 lasts until January 31, 2028.
• American: Loyalty Points. You earn 5 miles for every dollar of ticket price (fare plus carrier-imposed fees), with a bonus of 40%, 60%, 80% or 120% once you hold Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro or Executive Platinum. Each eligible mile earns a Loyalty Point. The year runs from March 1, and status is valid through March 31 of the following year. Basic Economy tickets bought on or after December 17, 2025 earn no miles or Loyalty Points.

United: what changes on January 1, 2027

United announced on October 13, 2026 that Premier qualifying flights (PQF) are being removed, so the lower dollar routes to Silver, Gold, Platinum and 1K go away. You'll still need four United flights.

If you were relying on flight counts, 2026 is the last year. Silver was within reach on 5,000 PQP and 15 flights. From next year it takes 6,000 PQP, and 1K rises from 28,000 to 32,000. Cardholders get "starter" PQP at the start of 2027: 300 for Silver, 600 for Gold, 900 for Platinum and 1,600 for 1K.

A worked example: $600 round trips New York–Los Angeles

Round trips needed to reach the first level from no status, flying that airline in Main Cabin. Each airline's name links to the calculation.

Delta gets there fastest on this trip because one dollar earns one MQD and the first level costs the least. American's points are 5 for every dollar, so its first level, Gold, needs 40,000. Basic Economy is the trap. Delta and American don't count it at all, and United's PQP page doesn't exclude it but pays far fewer miles.

Keeping your status

• There is no cheaper way to keep it. Unlike some programs outside the US, these three airlines' pages list only one target for each level, so you earn the same dollars again each year.
• Status lasts longer than the year you earn it. Delta and United status earned in 2026 lasts until January 31, 2028, and American's until March 31 of the following year, so you get more than 12 months from it.
• The 2026 deadlines are close. Delta and United count what you spend by December 31, 2026. American's 2026 year ends in February 2027.
• Cards help. The Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Reserve American Express cards give an MQD Headstart of $2,500 each year, and earn $1 MQD for every $20 (Platinum) or $10 (Reserve) you spend. United cards earn 1 PQP for every $20 spent, or for every $15 on the United Club Infinite and United Club Business cards, up to a cap for each card.

How we worked it out

Thresholds, earning rates, the 2027 United changes and the card terms come from each airline's own pages, read on November 11, 2026, and linked below. The dollar figures are the threshold divided by the earning rate. The round-trip counts come from our status calculator. Rules change often, so check your own account for exact positions.

Sources: Delta, How to get Medallion status. United, How to earn Premier status and What's new with MileagePlus. American, AAdvantage status overview, AAdvantage miles with American Airlines and AAdvantage FAQ.