Re your comment about calculating what's a good, I am still not sure whether to count MQM or MQMs. In 2012, I will probably make three trips from NY-London, 5-6 from NY-LA, and a dozen or so from NY-various destinations in the SouthEast US. Any advice out there on which will get me to Silver (and possibly Gold) quicker?

if all your flights are non stops, you will have 40 ish segs...

3 nt-lon is ~ 21k mi.....5 ny-la is ~ 25k mi....12 @ ~ 1.5k is ~ 18k mi....

total 64k mi.....assuming all are on the same airline....

what does that get you on dl?

way back when, i did work trips....on the outbound, i took the safest route [one early enough to have later flights to get there if needed]...

returning, i tried to max it...

anyway, by using 1 carrier most of the time, you have mid tier status in sight...