Delta’s Global Upgrade Certificate gives you the best value of the choice benefits as a Diamond Medallion.
Here are the Diamond members’ Choice Benefits and their evaluation:
| BENEFIT | DESCRIPTION | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Upgrade Certificates | 4 Global OR 8 Regional OR 2 Global AND 4 Regional (2017 Medallion Year only) | $1,000+ PER GLOBAL UPGRADE CERTIFICATE $200+ PER REGIONAL CERTIFICATE (Routes Matter) LAX to JFK is worth more than SEA to LAX. |
| Global Entry Application Voucher | 2 Vouchers ($100 each) | $200 |
| Delta Sky Club® Executive Membership Upgrade | 1 Membership Upgrade | VARIES Depending on how many times one brings family members to the club. Each guest costs $29 per visit. 20 visits are worth $580. |
| Bonus Miles | 25,000 | $300+ |
| Travel/Retail Gift Card | 1 | $200 DELTA VOUCHER |
| Give Medallion status | Gold Medallion | N/A It really comes down to the complimentary upgrades to the First Class. We know it is even difficult for a Diamond member to get a free upgrade. Gold status is pretty much meaningless. |
I recently used the Global Upgrade Certificates to upgrade my flights from Seattle to Taipei. The round trip economy ticket cost $823. I bought 2 so the total cost was $1,646.
A Delta One ticket was selling for $4,500 on the same flights.
I called Delta and was able to upgrade both tickets to Delta One. Total savings: $9,000 – $1,646 = $7,354.