Mileage Run Discussion - New to this: Mileage Run: Need 14K before end of 2012

I have Delta Diamond in my sights....should be about 14K MQM short at moment. Problem is I am pretty booked up work & other travels to get me to 14K short until December (after 11th). Any creative ways to do this at airfare total under $800????
This may last year I get to score Diamond.

Thanks.

Hi geraldj100. Just a few questions. You did not provide your home airport. Shall we assume you are flying from PDX, as your location indicates?

Problem is I am pretty booked up work & other travels to get me to 14K short until December (after 11th).

I wasn't sure what this meant. Did you mean you do not have time to fly MRs until after Dec. 11? 14k miles for under $800 is not particularly difficult, although it is more so if you need to fly during holiday times. That's 5.7 cpm, more than what is generally considered MR worthy, but not unreasonable. However, for $800, it should be reasonably easy for you to achieve Diamond Medallion status if you are only 14k away.

you may want to just bite the bullet and try to jump on one of those international fares being discussed in the premium good deals thread. more $$$ than 800, but less pain -- with the class of service bonus you should be able to get it in a quick weekend over to EUR. otherwise you are looking at three transcons in Y between Dec 11-31, that sounds painful to me.

One TATL trip from PDX would definitely be enough, but I wouldn't necessarily buy a premium fare. I may be mistaken, but PDX doesn't seem like an elite heavy location, and I would assume it wouldn't be that hard for a Platinum Medallion to score upgrades on routes from PDX to a hub. Two transcons should be close to 12k, and another short haul would get you to 14k.

Unfortunately I have limited experience with DL, and it's hard for me to comment on specific routings.

if nothing can be done til 12/11, i would wait & watch for the hoped fall fare sale & maybe 2x mqm promo...

perhaps a fall sale would cover a few of the dec days....

If you do not have a Delta AMEX Reserve you can get 15,000 MQM, the annual fee is $450, very cheap mileage run :)

If you do not have a Delta AMEX Reserve you can get 15,000 MQM, the annual fee is $450, very cheap mileage run :)
I was going to suggest the Delta AMEX Platinum card, which has a current offer for 15,000 MQM after $1,000 spend (from normal expenses ideally) with a $150 annual fee.