I know there are some Delta cards, like the Skymiles Plat and Reserve cards, that give some kind of MQM's for spending a certain amount. I'm not up on the details anymore.

Probably all airlines have something like that. Just look at their highest-end cards.

First of all, the Priority Club card and Hilton Amex only get you to a lower level of of status, and do so in a way that doesn't help you at all in getting to any higher levle of status. So if that's the level of status you actually want, they're totally useless! (Ie, they don't deposit qualifying night in your account, the way SPG Amex and Marriott Premier Visa do. They just give you status at a particular level after particular spend, but in a roundabout way that still means you have to start "from scratch" to get any higher level of status.)

Meanwhile, had you asked this a month earlier, I would have said it's a lot easier to get to a high AA status level this year by doing some MRs during January (when AA has a double EQM promo -- DEQAA -- that works no matter where you live), than from any credit card.

These airilne credit cards only help at the mergins of status earning, and you have to evaluate whether the big hoops you have to jump through are really easier or cheaper than a mileage run or two.

Priority Club counts all points toward status. 60,000 points are required for Platinum, which means the new account bonus can result in Platinum status and it can be maintained by spending enough each year to top up the points earned through stays.

American Express HHonors Surpass card does offer Diamond status if spending $40,000 in a calendar year.

I think mia is correct. I have Diamond Status due to the HHonors card. The Diamond bump is actually valuable as is free internet. I'm not sure that Platinum status makes a lot of difference for Priority Club. I think they give you water or cookies and gives you nothing at InterContinentals. I don't have any problem with spend levels between my work purchases and personal purchases.

I've never done an MR. I figure life brings me enough flying, but I'll look for the next big promotion. I've also been trying to use free trips I have (a free BA companion ticket from my BA credit card that expires in a year, Business ExtrAA that expire at year-ends, and BA on Business that expire on year-ends) so it is hard to add another unnecessary flights to the mix. I am taking ShawWife to Barcelona for Mother's Day with BA on Business points, I think).

As mentioned above, there is a legacy Chase United card that allows you to earn up to 5,000 eqm's per year, 1 for each $1 spent at united.com, but unfortunately it is no longer offered. . . or at least it's no longer advertised.

Best CC for FC/BC upgrades- Low Fly, High Spend?
 

I don't travel that often (once every 2 months or so) but when I do I'd like to get bumped to first class. I'm able to put all business expenses on my personal card, so is there any CC that I can essentially "buy" my way to free elite status, without having my butt in the seat? I've looked at the Amex Delta Reserve, and that gets you enough MQMs for Silver, almost Gold. Are there any other cards with better offers? My annual spend should be 100k-250k on the card.

Thanks

No credit card assures you upgrades, but some, like the Delta AmEx Reserve and Platinum, can augment your status, which might help. However, while you can reach Silver Medallion status on spending alone, that is no guarantee of an upgrade. In fact, from some Delta hubs you stand no chance of an upgrade just from being Silver or even Gold.

Some programs let you buy upgrades with miles, but they may exclude steeply discounted tickets. You may find it more cost effective to buy full-fare coach or business/first instead, with your limited flying, or use the redeemable miles accrued with your card to get award tickets instead.

You can definintely get some MQM's from Delta cards, but unless you can get enough added to what you fly to make elite, it's not of much use. And if you are only flying 6 times a year, upgrades aren't going to be as big a deal, although it depends a lot what routes you fly on.

I'm not exactly sure how DL "Rollver" works but I think that any miles not used toward status count toward status the next year. (Not sure, but this might apply only if you at least make Silver.) So if your 6 trips a year are transcons earning you (say) 30K miles, you'll make silver, but if you pick up another 10K MQMs from a DL card, you would make gold sometimes also (i.e. this year 15K rollover, next year you get 40K again, you'll use the 50K toward gold, and have 5K to roll over to the next year).

Keep in mind that the reserve card is pricey, and the plat ain't cheap.

Also, I don't know the precise upgrade rules, but they are much more restrictive on international. You usually not only need status miles but also some kind of qualifying certificate, which you may or may not be able to use. It's not like domestic where you simply are put on the list and if your status and inventory allows, you get moved up front.

Moderator action
 

ARex, welcome to Flyertalk. I have moved your question into an existing discussion of the same topic. I suggest you review the preceding posts.

What is the best credit card to earn Domestic First Class upgrades?
 

Looking for a card that gives the most bang for the buck in regards to upgrading to domestic first class flights from multiple airlines --- not just being stuck to one carrier.


any thoughts about which card to get?

I am not aware of any cards that provide upgrades on multiple airlines.

If you are referring to mileage upgrades to domestic first class on various airlines, you'll want to look at a card that will transfer to multiple domestic airlines. Your best bet might be the SPG Amex, as it will transfer 1:1.25 to AA, DL and US.

No card gives a good bang for the buck on domestic first class flights. A card that earns real miles (or points transferrable to real miles) gives the best bang for buck only on longhaul international business or first class flights, but not when used for upgrades (on purchased flights), and only when used for outright awards (on those kinds of flights).

(In other words, the key to getting the best bang for the buck is how you use what you earn on a credit card, nor which exact card you use.)

These days, using miles (the only upgrade instrument you can earn from credit cards) to upgrade paid flights (domestic or international) involves also paying big cash "co-pays", or else buying higher-fare economy tickets (not the low fares in ads, nothing close to that), just to qualify to upgrade.

And you need a lot miles just to upgrade on flight. So unless you fly very rarely, or have unusually huge expenses you can put on a creidt card, you won't be able to earn enough miles from the credit card to upgrade more than a fraction of the lifghts you fly (even with those cash co-factors taken into account).

(Just think about it: It were so easy to upgrade every flight with a credit card, everyone would already be doing it, except then there would be enough seats up front for everyone, and then everyone would be complaining that the other guy got upgrades "too easily" from a credit card! :) )

And, with that in mind, consider that even if you have the miles and the cash co-pay ready, you cannot upgrade every flight you're on. You have to choose flights with upgrades available, or else get on a waiting list. And with no elite status on an airline, you're last in place on that waiting list!

One way to gain status on skymiles that hasn't been mentioned is the recurrent promo for MR transfers to Delta. Transferred 100k over for bonus 25k QMs count = silver and booked a transcont flight that got bumped to 1st!

Then finished off the additional points with cashout amex card (but since value got crappy, so that cashout option is no longer there).

o/w the only airline status on pure spend remains elusive sans the Centurion card.

Let me make one exception: If you can manage this:
AA chairman still allows spend for million mile credit...so spend $1million on card by end of 2012..get lifetime status on spend.