So, I'm weighing this. I should end 2023 with just over 175k MQMs (give or take), so I'll have Plat for '24 and '25. There's no (practical) way for me to get up to 275k MQMs (to cover '26).

I think 15 days of flying per year (especially with the 24-hour qualifier giving cover for forced-overnight IRROPS) is probably a reasonable level for lounge access, and $50/day for further access isn't bad.

As to credit card use...I'm not sure there's any incentive to use the card(s) for quite a while, if ever, under this. I'd actually be tempted to get a Platinum under this, sock drawer the two cards, roll forward with my Silver status and 15 days of lounge access, and never credit a thing to DL ever again (I'm at like 360k Lifetime Miles, so that's a long path; if I credit to Virgin Atlantic, I'll hover with SkyTeam-based lounge access on international flights (incl. Canada), so 15 days might actually cover me for most of my domestic travel). But the 10:1 ratio on the Reserve is still a lousy rate for a card that has both lousy basic earn (no bonus categories to speak of) and weak TI.