Originally Posted by
hhdl
Until last year, the Reserve and Platinum provided MQM boosts, which added to MM balance.
Edit: I would be shocked if there were more than single-digit hundreds of people who had accumulated more than 750k MQM by that route; in any event, these folks nearly by definition don't fly much.
(There also was a period, multiple decades ago, when card RDM counted for MM, but few from that period are flying now).
I worked for a large employer in Atlanta and every single professional had a DL card and was getting the Diamond MQD waiver with the CC. I know at least 40 people like this. They’d have otherwise been Gold or maybe PLT. Because of this, I wouldn’t be surprised if the number of credit card MMers is in the mid-thousands range.
As far as flying much… it’s hard to say. With only a couple seats available, every person matters.