Delta SkyMiles expands hotel‑booking MQD earnings and rises as top American Express transfer partner

Delta Air Lines is running a limited‑time promotion from 15 June to 20 July 2026 that lets members earn 1 Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) and 2 premium miles for every US‑dollar spent on hotel or rental‑car bookings made through Delta TravelExtras. The travel window runs until 15 December 2026, and the earned miles apply only to the base room rate. Examples show that a $10,000 hotel stay could generate enough MQDs to secure SkyMiles Gold status, though prices on the Delta portal can be higher than on other sites.

At the same time, Delta SkyMiles has become American Express’s strongest Membership Rewards transfer partner. Frequent “Flash Sales” have lowered award prices, with Delta One business‑class seats to Europe available for as few as 97,400 miles one‑way, Tokyo for 85,000 miles, and round‑trip London for 19,000 miles. These promotions have made SkyMiles a valuable redemption option for Amex cardholders despite earlier criticism of the program’s value.