Originally Posted by Dick Ginkowski

With mergers and acquisitions that's likely true due to reduced capacity.

SkyMiles and Medallion benefits kept many of us buying increasingly more expensive DL tickets. That I think is less likely to happen without that hook but some people may not have much of a choice.

My strategy is that I will acquire 2MM status by the end of 2024 with a lot of international travel. I will need about 80K MQM.

I will have 280K rollover MQM = $14K MQD. $40K spending on the Reserve Card will bring me to the $18K MQD for another year of Platinum.

As soon as I reach that $18K for 2025 Plat I have no more incentive to retain the Reserve Card due to limited Sky Club access and the fact that status boost is gone.

Because I'll be 2MM that will make me Gold which is what I would probably be able to earn anyway if I was exclusively "loyal" to Delta. It also makes me Sky Team Elite Plus for international lounge access.

So:

1. Once I hit $40K spending on Reserve Card in 2024 I will stop using that card, probably switching back to the DL Plat card.

2. 1/1/25 -- Reserve Card goes bye bye. May purchase standalone Sky Club membership.

3. Continue to fly DL/SkyTeam when it's advantageous to do so.

4. Transition more domestic flying to AS to earn MVP or MVP Gold Status. Otherwise "free agent."