Well, first of all, $974 for 21,809 MQMs is 4.47 cents per MQM. Just for comparison, mine is 3.44. With today's ridiculously high airfare prices, and "mistake" fares few and far between, 4.47 isn't really all that bad, but, many people here on FT, wouldn't book/pay this as a "pure" Mileage Run. As a great fare to a really cool place to go for a visit, it's a decent price, but, with your itinerary, you're staying less than 2 hours. Is it really THAT important to you, to spend almost 1000 bucks to get 21,809 miles, and not even see the town where you're going? Also, you don't state what your current DL status level is - - For example, as a Diamond Medallion, I get 125% bonus RDMs (spendable miles - 27,216) + 1500 additional miles for using my Delta Amex card to buy the ticket, which sweetens the pot a little!

Just a side note, that, a friend of mine who has a retail shop called me yesterday, when a customer/friend came in the store and told him the she is going to Cape Town next week, and asked me what I paid. I told her - $749 from DC. She paid $2000!!!