I discussed this with a co-worker today (I also got my 10k EQM today too) and we theorized it's great free marketing for DL. It would seem they've hit their target, i.e. people who fly a little, some or a lot within the past x months. Instead of lowering the qualifying thresholds outright, they've done it on the back end. This will inflate elite ranks, most likely at silver, and those of us who realize that will try for one tier higher because now we all feel like we have a horse in the race so to speak. It almost feels like a 401k match where you would almost be giving up something by not contributing on your end. Even better, DL didn't give away any miles that you can actually spend, just EQM/MQM so beyond the cost of picking through accounts, it's cost them nothing but has incentivized enough people here (and I'm sure non FTers) to think strongly about attaining, retaining or bumping up their elite levels with some BIS work on our end. Kudos to you DL marketing you sly devils.