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Still time to earn MQM's from new AMX Skymiles PLAT for status requalification?

Still time to earn MQM's from new AMX Skymiles PLAT for status requalification?

Old Dec 17, 2019, 8:28 am
  #1  
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Still time to earn MQM's from new AMX Skymiles PLAT for status requalification?

So my spouse is short just under 5K MQM for gold status for next year. He has always been platiunum and is a million miler so dropping down is a sad day indeed, LOL. However, he is 4800 MQM short of gold. Dropping down to silver isn't something he wants to do.

I called Delta to talk abour our options and she happily told me to just have him apply for the Delta platinum card, that it would give him 5K MQM. So we did. Doing the $3K spend isn't an issue as we can just pay off our years worth of insurance bills so the second he is approved, we'll hit the spend within an hour.

HOWEVER....what she told us isn't true. The fine print says the MQM won't be added for 4-8 weeks!

What the hay! How is that going to help him?? Why did she tell us that would take care of it?? Does it truly aways take that long even if we do the spend right away AND pay it off right away??

I'm thinking with hong kong trips, the eventual 5KMQM, the rollovers and him spending on the card he can up the status quickly, but mid year??

Last edited by Hisgirl; Dec 17, 2019 at 9:03 am
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Old Dec 17, 2019, 9:06 am
  #2  
mia
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Originally Posted by Hisgirl
....The fine print says the MQM won't be added for 4-8 weeks!.
Where do you see this? In any event, the issue is whether the MQM's count for the year in which they are earned, or the year in which they are posted.

35,000 Bonus Miles and 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs)
To qualify for the 35,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles you must make eligible purchases with your Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card that total $1,000 or more (the "Threshold Amount") within your first 3 months of Card Membership starting from the date your account is approved. Miles and MQMs will be credited to your account 8-12 weeks after you reach the Threshold Amount. Eligible purchases can be made by the Basic Card Member and any Additional Card Members on a single Card account. Eligible purchases are purchases for goods and services minus returns and other credits. Eligible purchases to meet the Threshold Amount do NOT include fees or interest charges, balance transfers (balance transfers are not available on Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Cards), cash advances, purchases of traveler's checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, purchases of gift cards, person-to-person payments, or purchases of any cash equivalents. Additional Card Members on your account are not eligible for this offer. To receive the 35,000 bonus miles and the 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles your Card account must not be canceled or past due at the time of fulfillment.

You can earn 35,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles after you spend $1,000 or more in eligible purchases on your Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership starting from the date your account is approved. In rare instances, your period to spend $1,000 may be shorter than 3months if there is a delay in receiving your Card. Also, purchases may fall outside of the 3 months period in some cases, such as a delay in merchants submitting transactions to us or if the purchase date differs from the date you made the transaction. (For example, if you buy goods online, the purchase date may be the date the goods are shipped). Miles and Medallion Qualification Miles will be credited to your account 8-12 weeks after you reach the Threshold Amount. American Express reserves the right to modify or revoke offer at any time.

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Old Dec 17, 2019, 9:07 am
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You may still have a chance of it posting before the end of the year. In my experience, the bonus tends to post within a few days of the spending goal being reached. The only time I've run into the "4-8 weeks" language is when I know there's something wrong with the transaction but they make me wait 8 weeks anyway. Perhaps others can provide some data points.
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Old Dec 17, 2019, 9:10 am
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Mia, sorry, not 8 but 12, you are correct.

So my plan is to see the approval, pay off all of our insurance accounts and then pay off the card all within 2 days. I'll call AMX and ask them about getting those MQMs posted before year's end. Thank you!
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Old Dec 17, 2019, 9:20 am
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As I've understood it from other threads, as long as the spend posts to Amex by December 31 (so potentially up to a week after the purchase), the MQMs are backdated to 2019 and 2020 status and rollover are recalculated. Also relevant is that the status in force for benefit purposes in 2019 carries through January 2020 (largely to allow for delayed adjustments like ORC etc.).

In that case (and if I've been understanding these threads properly), this could happen

* finish 2019 with 45,200 MQM
* start 2020 with Silver status and 20,200 MQM, but still enjoying Platinum benefits (I think I got from your post that he had Platinum for 2019)
* if Amex posts the 5k MQM by January 31, that turns into Gold status and 200 MQM plus earnings from 2020 flights
* if the posting is further delayed into February, then it's Silver status and 20,200 MQM plus earnings from 2020 flights until the Gold status in the previous bullet point kicks in

One interesting question would be if it's possible in the last scenario to get bonus RDM that you would have earned on flights in that February interim period of Silver credited or have any fees that would have been waived for a Gold in that period refunded.
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Old Dec 17, 2019, 9:30 am
  #6  
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Originally Posted by hhdl
As I've understood it from other threads, as long as the spend posts to Amex by December 31 (so potentially up to a week after the purchase), the MQMs are backdated to 2019 and 2020 status and rollover are recalculated. Also relevant is that the status in force for benefit purposes in 2019 carries through January 2020 (largely to allow for delayed adjustments like ORC etc.).

In that case (and if I've been understanding these threads properly), this could happen

* finish 2019 with 45,200 MQM
* start 2020 with Silver status and 20,200 MQM, but still enjoying Platinum benefits (I think I got from your post that he had Platinum for 2019)
* if Amex posts the 5k MQM by January 31, that turns into Gold status and 200 MQM plus earnings from 2020 flights
* if the posting is further delayed into February, then it's Silver status and 20,200 MQM plus earnings from 2020 flights until the Gold status in the previous bullet point kicks in

One interesting question would be if it's possible in the last scenario to get bonus RDM that you would have earned on flights in that February interim period of Silver credited or have any fees that would have been waived for a Gold in that period refunded.
Yes in deed! That is an interesting question I will post an update as this scenario plays out. He was only able to thaw two out of three of his credit freezes so they did not give an instantaneous approval. I finally got all three done so hopefully the approval will come through quickly
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Old Dec 17, 2019, 9:31 am
  #7  
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NO. The question isn't when AmEx posts the MQMs to the DL FF account but whether the 5,000 MQMs will count for 2019 or 2020.

The threshold spend MQMs (10,000 MQMs for a $25,000 spend on the DL Plat card and 15,000 MQMs for $30,000 spend on the Reserve card) count spend by the calendar year and even if the miles for 2019 spend are credited in 2020, they will count as 2019 miles for status and rollover purposes.

Whether the miles post by January 31st or not is irrelevant. If they're 2019 miles, he gets GM through January 31, 2021 assuming that the MQD requirement is met. If they're 2020 miles, he'll be FO until a higher status is earned.

With DL one earns status on a CALENDAR year basis but the previous year's status is retained through January 31st to allow late posting stuff to be credited to the account before people lose status.
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Old Dec 17, 2019, 9:33 am
  #8  
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Originally Posted by hhdl
As I've understood it from other threads, as long as the spend posts to Amex by December 31 (so potentially up to a week after the purchase), the MQMs are backdated to 2019 and 2020 status and rollover are recalculated. Also relevant is that the status in force for benefit purposes in 2019 carries through January 2020 (largely to allow for delayed adjustments like ORC etc.).

In that case (and if I've been understanding these threads properly), this could happen

* finish 2019 with 45,200 MQM
* start 2020 with Silver status and 20,200 MQM, but still enjoying Platinum benefits (I think I got from your post that he had Platinum for 2019)
* if Amex posts the 5k MQM by January 31, that turns into Gold status and 200 MQM plus earnings from 2020 flights
* if the posting is further delayed into February, then it's Silver status and 20,200 MQM plus earnings from 2020 flights until the Gold status in the previous bullet point kicks in

One interesting question would be if it's possible in the last scenario to get bonus RDM that you would have earned on flights in that February interim period of Silver credited or have any fees that would have been waived for a Gold in that period refunded.
As I just stated in my post above (where I forgot to quote this post), some of the information in this post is wrong.
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Old Dec 17, 2019, 9:48 am
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
As I just stated in my post above (where I forgot to quote this post), some of the information in this post is wrong.
I'm not sure there's any discrepancy between what we've posted. If the 2019 MQMs don't hit Delta until after January 31, for flights in the period between February 1 and when the 2019 MQMs hit DL one would be flying with the Silver status had absent those 2019 MQMs.
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Old Dec 17, 2019, 10:27 am
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OH gosh yall...I'm sooo confused.

So If he has 45K MQM (and the dollar spend was already done) on December 31, 2019 but he is currently Platinum from the previous years miles, then he goes into 2020 as silver after plat ends Feb 1. THEN...say, sometimes in late January those 5K MQMs post, they'll go into the 2020 box of miles that will determine the following years status AND the current year IF he flies enough to gain MQMs and that spend happens. Right?

OR... He gets credited with the 5K MQMs in late Dec 2019, ends December 31, 2019 with 50K MQMs, he goes into 2020 as a gold after his platinum status ends Fed 1.

But if he flies and flies and spends and spends can he progress up to Platinum mid year? I think my head hurts.
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Old Dec 17, 2019, 3:43 pm
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
NO. The question isn't when AmEx posts the MQMs to the DL FF account but whether the 5,000 MQMs will count for 2019 or 2020.

The threshold spend MQMs (10,000 MQMs for a $25,000 spend on the DL Plat card and 15,000 MQMs for $30,000 spend on the Reserve card) count spend by the calendar year and even if the miles for 2019 spend are credited in 2020, they will count as 2019 miles for status and rollover purposes.
MSPeconomist is definitely correct insofar as the threshold bonus on each 25k (or 30k for the Reserve card). The 5k sign-up bonus *probably* follows the same December 31 "spend" deadline (and not when the miles actually post).

As a side note, it always comes up that someone spends on December 31, and the merchant posts the sale to Amex on Jan 1. In that case, the MQM's will towards a threshold bonus in 2020, not 2019.

As past years go, our Skymiles MQM balances in January will be nonsensical until Delta's computers catch up. Negative balances when Delta deletes the MQM's for 2020 status. MQM's post to a flyer's account at the close of his or her billing cycle. Quite possible for someone to not get their earned status on Delta.com until end of January or even early February.

But the general point is correct that the status update *should* backdate to January 1.
No idea if Delta will handle the timing of the 5k MQM bonus per the OP's question automatically, or whether OP will need to ask Delta to make a correction in February -- assuming the MQM's wrongly credit for 2020.

Same for missed RDM bonuses for January flights taken before the new status is recognized. In any case, I'd give Delta until February to sort this out.

Last edited by Bowgie; Dec 17, 2019 at 4:10 pm
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Old Dec 17, 2019, 4:16 pm
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Originally Posted by Bowgie
MSPeconomist is definitely correct insofar as the threshold bonus on each 25k (or 30k for the Reserve card). The 5k sign-up bonus *probably* follows the same December 31 "spend" deadline (and not when the miles actually post).

As a side note, it always comes up that someone spends on December 31, and the merchant posts the sale to Amex on Jan 1. In that case, the MQM's will towards a threshold bonus in 2020, not 2019.

As past years go, our Skymiles MQM balances in January will be nonsensical until Delta's computers catch up. Negative balances when Delta deletes the MQM's for 2020 status. MQM's post to a flyer's account at the close of his or her billing cycle. Quite possible for someone to not get their earned status on Delta.com until end of January or even early February.

But the general point is correct that the status update *should* backdate to January 1.
No idea if Delta will handle the timing of the 5k MQM bonus per the OP's question automatically, or whether OP will need to ask Delta to make a correction in February -- assuming the MQM's wrongly credit for 2020.

Same for missed RDM bonuses for January flights taken before the new status is recognized. In any case, I'd give Delta until February to sort this out.
Yes, you do pose a lot of things to think about.

My plan is to spend the $3K immediately and pay it off as soon as the charge posts. We'll just go from there. I will update every on what happens.
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Old Dec 19, 2019, 5:48 am
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Same issue

Same issue here. I hit the spend threshold last week and paid it immediately and I need the MQMs to count for 19 to keep my status in 20.
I looked at my delta account and my miles from AmEx seem to hit on the 10th of the following month. So I hit threshold in early December, pay in early December but likely that miles likely not credited until 1/10/20. Going to be really pissed if they dont count toward 19 as I was prepaying bill, buying gift cards etc to hit the threshold by year end. Ugh!
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Old Dec 19, 2019, 5:59 am
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Originally Posted by lawgirl28
Same issue here. I hit the spend threshold last week and paid it immediately and I need the MQMs to count for 19 to keep my status in 20.
I looked at my delta account and my miles from AmEx seem to hit on the 10th of the following month. So I hit threshold in early December, pay in early December but likely that miles likely not credited until 1/10/20. Going to be really pissed if they dont count toward 19 as I was prepaying bill, buying gift cards etc to hit the threshold by year end. Ugh!
Is this the welcome bonus for a *new* DL AmEx card or not?

If you're talking about the annual threshold MQM bonuses (10,000 MQMs for $25,000 and $50,000 on DL Plat card and 15,000 MQMs for $30,000 and $60,000 spend on the reserve card, to be changed somewhat in 2020), please don't worry as spend that POSTS TO YOUR CREDIT CARD during the calendar year (regardless of your billing cycle and regardless of when you pay providing that your AmEx accounts remain in good standing) will lead to MQMs that count for that calendar year, 2019 in your case. For such MQMs, DL backdates them to the calendar year in which the spend threshold was reached regardless of when they actually hit your FF account.

The question here concerns the initial welcome bonus offers that the Plat and Reserve card generally carry for new and upgraded accounts, typically something like 5,000 MQMs for perhaps $3000-$10,000 spend during the first several months. For *these* MQMs, there's a question of whether spend depends on the calendar year or one's own billing cycle for the purpose of determining whether the WELCOME BONUS MQMS (and only these welcome bonus one time MQMs) will count as having been earning in 2019 or 2020.
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Old Dec 19, 2019, 6:28 am
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Is this the welcome bonus for a *new* DL AmEx card or not?

If you're talking about the annual threshold MQM bonuses (10,000 MQMs for $25,000 and $50,000 on DL Plat card and 15,000 MQMs for $30,000 and $60,000 spend on the reserve card, to be changed somewhat in 2020), please don't worry as spend that POSTS TO YOUR CREDIT CARD during the calendar year (regardless of your billing cycle and regardless of when you pay providing that your AmEx accounts remain in good standing) will lead to MQMs that count for that calendar year, 2019 in your case. For such MQMs, DL backdates them to the calendar year in which the spend threshold was reached regardless of when they actually hit your FF account.

The question here concerns the initial welcome bonus offers that the Plat and Reserve card generally carry for new and upgraded accounts, typically something like 5,000 MQMs for perhaps $3000-$10,000 spend during the first several months. For *these* MQMs, there's a question of whether spend depends on the calendar year or one's own billing cycle for the purpose of determining whether the WELCOME BONUS MQMS (and only these welcome bonus one time MQMs) will count as having been earning in 2019 or 2020.
This is strictly concerning the bonus MQMs and whether they will be credited towards the 2020 status if bonus requirements are met in Dec. He was approved and the card is being expedited.
I spoke with AMX yesterday and like on here, the agent wasn't sure what would happen if I spend the $3K and pay it off immediately.

The card should be here hopefully tomorrow and we shall find out just what happens.
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