For Delta Skymiles, a new concept in 2014 was the introduction of Medallion Qualifying Dollars. This is another hurdle that you need to overcome in order to reach each level of Medallion status. While aggravating for some people who accrue many miles for not so many dollars, Delta gives you a way out by spending at least $25,000 in one year on one of their American Express cards.
So which one makes sense? All three have an annual fee, so you'll have to get over that first. For someone who has never ever paid an annual fee on a credit card, this took some pondering; in the end, hopefully, the benefits outweigh the costs.
In all cases, these make sense because you are getting double miles on Delta purchases. So, if you spend a fair amount on Delta tickets in any given year, you will accrue addition miles versus using a regular credit card. You also get things like free bags, a statement credit with your first Delta purchase, and some other fun stuff.
Level 1 is a standard gold card. It has a $95 annual fee, which is waived in the first year. You get 30,000 bonus miles, which is a nice treat, but none of them are Medallion Qualifying Miles. So, you effectively get enough miles for a free non-peak ticket, but not much more than that.
Level 2 is a platinum card. It has a $150 annual fee... and it is waived... never. But, you get 35,000 bonus miles (assuming you spend money) and then you also get 5000 Medallion Qualifying Miles. If you travel a lot on Delta, and you can find yourself just shy of the next level, this may be a good boost. Also, with Rollover MQM (from year to year), these won't get wasted as long as you maintain some status. So this is a pretty decent choice for getting some MQM benefit on top of just regular miles.
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