Delta’s Limited-Time MQD Promo (Aug 29–Oct 24, 2025): Earn Status on Hotels, Vacation & Car Rentals
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Offer Ends: 10/31/2025
Want a last push to lock in Medallion status this year? Delta’s back with a targeted, end-of-season offer that awards $1 MQD per $1 on Cars & Stays bookings. Book by October 24, 2025 and complete travel by October 31, 2025. The twist: only base rates count and award/redemption bookings don’t qualify. Full details below, plus strategy, use-cases, and gotchas.
The Short Version MQD Promo
- Booking window: Aug 29–Oct 24, 2025.
Travel window: Aug 29–Oct 31, 2025. - Earning: 1 MQD per $1 on the base hotel/vacation rental rate or base car-rental rate (excludes taxes/fees and anything paid/reduced with miles, vouchers, or discount codes).
- Miles, too: Hotels/vacation rentals earn 2 miles per $1 on the base rate. Car-rental mileage varies by company (see table).
- Posting time: Allow up to 8 weeks after completion to see MQDs/miles.
- Where to book: carsandstays.delta.com
- Not included: Delta Vacations or Delta Cruises for this specific offer (those have their own rules/promos).
Here are the current MQD requirements:
| Medallion tier | MQDs required |
|---|---|
| Silver | $5,000 |
| Gold | $10,000 |
| Platinum | $15,000 |
| Diamond | $28,000 |
These thresholds apply to earning 2026 status with 2025 activity (MQDs reset Jan 1–Dec 31). Delta has also said the thresholds will remain the same for 2027 status earned in 2026.
How it works (in plain English)
Hotels & vacation rentals
- Earn 1 MQD per $1 on the base room/rental rate. Taxes, resort fees, parking, etc. don’t count toward MQDs.
- Earn 2 redeemable miles per $1 on the same base amount.
Car rentals
- Earn 1 MQD per $1 on the base daily/weekly rate (no taxes/fees/extras).
- Redeemable-mile earning depends on the rental company:
| Rental brand | Redeemable miles |
|---|---|
| Hertz | 4–8 miles/$ (4× for general members, 5× Silver, 6× Gold, 7× Platinum, 8× Diamond) |
| Dollar, Thrifty | 4 miles/$ (all members) |
| Alamo, Enterprise, National, Avis, Budget, Payless and SIXT Reservations | 2 miles/$ (all members) |
Heads-up: Corporate/government/wholesale/tour/insurance replacement rates typically don’t qualify for the promo.
Fine print you really need to know
- No miles used = eligible. If you redeem miles—even partially—the booking earns zero MQDs and zero promo miles.
- Name must match. The SkyMiles name on the booking must match the traveler; cancelled/no-show/unpaid bookings earn nothing.
- Hotel elite credit/benefits? Because this is an Expedia-powered third-party booking, hotel points/elite night credit and on-property benefits may not apply. That trade-off is called out in Delta’s T&Cs.
Smart Ways to Use This Promo
1) The “top-off” play (you’re close to a tier)
If you’re, say, $1,200 MQDs short of Platinum, you could book $1,200 in base-rate hotel nights or a car rental via Delta Cars & Stays before Oct 24 and complete by Oct 31 to plug the gap—all without flying.
Stacking idea: if you pay with a Delta SkyMiles Reserve or Platinum Amex, you’ll also earn MQD Boost from card spend ($1 MQD per $10 on Reserve; $1 MQD per $20 on Platinum) in addition to the promo MQDs—useful if you’re sprinting to a tier.
2) Hertz status & miles stack
Need a rental anyway? Hertz booked through Delta can return 4–8 miles per $ depending on Medallion tier—plus 1 MQD per $ on the base rate. That’s a nice two-for-one if prices are competitive.
3) Use it for weekend getaways
Because the portal is Expedia-powered, rates can differ from booking direct. Always compare the base rate (since that’s what earns MQDs) vs. direct-book rates—especially if you’d otherwise value hotel elite benefits.
Does Delta Vacations count for this promo?
Can I add my hotel or car-rental loyalty number?
Do award bookings work?
Bottom line
If you’re within striking distance of your next Medallion tier, this last 2025 MQD window is one of the most painless ways to finish the job—$1 MQD per $1 on base hotel/car spend you were going to make anyway. Just remember the trade-offs: no miles redemptions, taxes/fees don’t count, and hotel elite credit/benefits are unlikely on these Expedia-powered bookings. Book by Oct 24 and travel by Oct 31 to lock it in.
