Can you earn MQM/MQS when booking an award flight with AMEX MRs?
Jan 10, 2010, 2:10 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: TYS
Programs: DL
Posts: 73
Can you earn MQM/MQS when booking an award flight with AMEX MRs?
Hello...I have a newbie question and have looked all over the boards for the answer to this but no luck. I am currently debating on whether to sign up for the Delta Gold/Platinum AMEX card -OR- the AMEX Premiere Rewards Gold card.
I have been able to achieve Gold Status on Delta airlines by building up Medallion Qualifying Segments (MQS). My question is that if I book an award ticket through the AMEX Travelsite using Membership Rewards, when I fly on a Delta flight, will I be able to earn MQS for the flight? I know that booking an award ticket using earned SkyMiles will yield you no MQS/MQM's, which is why I am leaning toward the AMEX Premiere Gold Card since it goes through the Membership Rewards program.
Is my logic sound? Am I missing something?? Also, is there a better time in the year to apply (due to promotion/bonus miles opportunities)?
Thank you in advance for the help!
I have been able to achieve Gold Status on Delta airlines by building up Medallion Qualifying Segments (MQS). My question is that if I book an award ticket through the AMEX Travelsite using Membership Rewards, when I fly on a Delta flight, will I be able to earn MQS for the flight? I know that booking an award ticket using earned SkyMiles will yield you no MQS/MQM's, which is why I am leaning toward the AMEX Premiere Gold Card since it goes through the Membership Rewards program.
Is my logic sound? Am I missing something?? Also, is there a better time in the year to apply (due to promotion/bonus miles opportunities)?
Thank you in advance for the help!
Jan 10, 2010, 3:08 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 552
Yes. When you use Membership Rewards points, it is as if your tickets were purchased through Travelocity (AMEX's travel site is just Travelocity re-branded). It shows up as a purchase, and you receive a statement credit in the amount of your purchase. The airline doesn't know the difference between a standard travelocity reservation and a redemption of Membership Rewards points.
Jan 10, 2010, 4:25 pm
#3
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
The main flaw in your reasoning comes in valuing the points. When booking through MR points you're stuck at a fixed value that is relatively low. So you'll earn more MQMs but your paying more points for the tickets.
Jan 10, 2010, 4:35 pm
#4
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Join Date: Jun 2003
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Welocome to Flyertalk.
There are two unrelated ways to use Membership Rewards points for travel on Delta. If you transfer MR points to Skymiles, then you would redeem for an award ticket and would not earn any Skymiles credit for the flight. If, instead, you purchase a ticket on the American Express website and choose the option to "pay with points" your credit card is billed for the full cost of the fligh, you receive a credit for the number of points redeemed, and the flight qualifies for Skymiles credit.
The problem with "pay with points" is that the points are valued at $0.01 each and it often takes more than twice as many points to pay for the flight compared to a Skymiles redemption.
If you like the idea of using a credit card to earn cash that can be used to purchase airfare, here are three other cards to consider:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/other...astercard.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/other...verything.html
http://www201.americanexpress.com/ge...-about/BlueSky
There are two unrelated ways to use Membership Rewards points for travel on Delta. If you transfer MR points to Skymiles, then you would redeem for an award ticket and would not earn any Skymiles credit for the flight. If, instead, you purchase a ticket on the American Express website and choose the option to "pay with points" your credit card is billed for the full cost of the fligh, you receive a credit for the number of points redeemed, and the flight qualifies for Skymiles credit.
The problem with "pay with points" is that the points are valued at $0.01 each and it often takes more than twice as many points to pay for the flight compared to a Skymiles redemption.
If you like the idea of using a credit card to earn cash that can be used to purchase airfare, here are three other cards to consider:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/other...astercard.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/other...verything.html
http://www201.americanexpress.com/ge...-about/BlueSky