Silver Medallion
Oct 14, 2009 | 6:07 am
#17
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DTW/FNT
Programs: Delta (nee NW), Hilton Diamond. IHG (PT)
Posts: 4,823
Longtime lurker, first time poster.
I am 3,500 MQMs from Silver Medallion with no planned air trips for the rest of the year but could take a quick trip to put me over. I have never been a Medallion and usually take 2-3 business and 2-3 personal trips per year. I am wondering if Silver Medallion is worth obtaining? If so, any ideas for an inexpensive, easy way to get 3,500 MQMs before the end of the year?
Thanks in advance.
I am 3,500 MQMs from Silver Medallion with no planned air trips for the rest of the year but could take a quick trip to put me over. I have never been a Medallion and usually take 2-3 business and 2-3 personal trips per year. I am wondering if Silver Medallion is worth obtaining? If so, any ideas for an inexpensive, easy way to get 3,500 MQMs before the end of the year?
Thanks in advance.
Bob H
Oct 14, 2009 | 6:16 am
#18
Join Date: May 2005
Location: FLL
Programs: DL ♦M MM|HH♦|Marr Slvr|CO UA AA US|Pri Cub Plat|SPG|Avis 1st|Htz 5*
Posts: 5,044
There are no bonus MQMs for status -- only bonus SkyMiles. They will begin on the flight after the one which puts you over the 25,000 MQMs.
However, if that flight is before you are officially upgraded to Silver (usually the following Saturday) you may have to wait until the end of the year before you see the bonus SkyMiles.
eg: You have 24,500 MQMs right now. Tomorrow morning, you fly ATL-DCA and get 500 MQMs. That is enough for Silver, but you will not get the bonus SkyMiles for that flight although will not be officially upgraded until Saturday
Tomorrow afternoon, you fly back to ATL. You will earn the bonus SkyMiles but because you have not yet been officially upgraded they will not be posted to your account until the end of the year.
On Monday, you make the same round trip. Your records now show you are Silver and you will get the bonus SkyMiles immediately.
However, if that flight is before you are officially upgraded to Silver (usually the following Saturday) you may have to wait until the end of the year before you see the bonus SkyMiles.
eg: You have 24,500 MQMs right now. Tomorrow morning, you fly ATL-DCA and get 500 MQMs. That is enough for Silver, but you will not get the bonus SkyMiles for that flight although will not be officially upgraded until Saturday
Tomorrow afternoon, you fly back to ATL. You will earn the bonus SkyMiles but because you have not yet been officially upgraded they will not be posted to your account until the end of the year.
On Monday, you make the same round trip. Your records now show you are Silver and you will get the bonus SkyMiles immediately.
Oct 14, 2009 | 6:53 am
#19
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Yiron, Israel
Programs: Bates Motel Plat
Posts: 68,973
If the SkyMiles post before he is upgraded on the weekend, DL generally does not add the bonus SkyMiles right away. At the end of the year they run a sweep to catch all such missing bonuses (at least that is how they worked it in the past).
Oct 14, 2009 | 6:56 am
#20
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 62
yessss....come to the dark side. The desire is strong in this one it is...
Longtime lurker, first time poster.
I am 3,500 MQMs from Silver Medallion with no planned air trips for the rest of the year but could take a quick trip to put me over. I have never been a Medallion and usually take 2-3 business and 2-3 personal trips per year. I am wondering if Silver Medallion is worth obtaining? If so, any ideas for an inexpensive, easy way to get 3,500 MQMs before the end of the year?
Thanks in advance.
I am 3,500 MQMs from Silver Medallion with no planned air trips for the rest of the year but could take a quick trip to put me over. I have never been a Medallion and usually take 2-3 business and 2-3 personal trips per year. I am wondering if Silver Medallion is worth obtaining? If so, any ideas for an inexpensive, easy way to get 3,500 MQMs before the end of the year?
Thanks in advance.
Oct 14, 2009 | 7:07 am
#21
Join Date: May 2005
Location: FLL
Programs: DL ♦M MM|HH♦|Marr Slvr|CO UA AA US|Pri Cub Plat|SPG|Avis 1st|Htz 5*
Posts: 5,044
Thanks. I did not know about a year-end cleanup sweep.
Oct 14, 2009 | 7:57 am
#22
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: MEM
Programs: AA - PP
Posts: 887
So to echo what everybody's already said, and speaking as someone who's had to go the last couple of years base after being Silver or Gold, as close as you are, it's definitely worth the effort. Should be pretty easy to get that last little bit.
Now I just have to suffer through 6 more weeks of flights (gotta hate short hops) before I finally get back to the happy place.
Now I just have to suffer through 6 more weeks of flights (gotta hate short hops) before I finally get back to the happy place.
Oct 14, 2009 | 8:18 am
#23
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,605
As a Silver Medallion, I have received an upgrade on about 40-50% of my flights. (so far -- including the upgrades I have received this week -- have flown 25 flights)
On several occasions, I have been upgraded 2 days before the flight (so upgrades are not just one day before). Today morning, I received an upgrade notification for a 1,000 mile flight which is two days away.
So Medallion is definitely worth it!
Basically you get
On several occasions, I have been upgraded 2 days before the flight (so upgrades are not just one day before). Today morning, I received an upgrade notification for a 1,000 mile flight which is two days away.
So Medallion is definitely worth it!
Basically you get
- Breezeway Boarding
- 2 Checked Bag fee waivers (70 lbs each)
- SMS -- huge benefit, usually
- 25% bonus miles (roughly an additional 7K miles per year, depending on the amount you fly)
- priority check-in ---which is no longer the benefit it used to be.
- Free upgrades - any fare (domestic) ... and in my experience it actually works!
- Free companion upgrades (K fare and above) .... never tried to upgrade a companion though, so cant tell you my success with this.
Oct 14, 2009 | 8:53 am
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Stansbury Park, UT
Posts: 4
Thanks everybody for their comments. I think I've found an MR to pick up my miles: SLC-ATL-DTW-MHT-DTW-SLC for 4,388 miles (9,766 with double miles) at a cost of $238. This would depart at 12:50 AM and get me back home at 6:30 PM the same day.
My wife thinks I'm crazy for spending the money just to pick up some miles and a stupid airline status. I think it would be an adventure!!!
My wife thinks I'm crazy for spending the money just to pick up some miles and a stupid airline status. I think it would be an adventure!!!
Oct 14, 2009 | 8:58 am
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Under an ORD approach path
Programs: DL PM, MM. Coffee isn't a drug, it's a vitamin.
Posts: 12,935
When she goes on a flight with you, and you get to the airport and the standard check-in line is 60 people long and you bring her with and waltz into the medallion check-in, then check two bags for free, and then at boarding she gets to walk on board with you in zone 2, she'll start to understand...
Oct 14, 2009 | 11:34 am
#27
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: DL Silver, AA, VX, VS, UA
Posts: 198
With that many flights in such a short amount of time, sounds like there are some tight connections. Be emotionally prepared for some re-scheduling or irrops. Even if you end up just SLC-ATL-MHT or SLC-DTW-MHT round trip, you'll still make over 3,500. Earn the miles, but don't wear yourself down too much!
Oct 14, 2009 | 12:16 pm
#28
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 375
I've never had an issue with Security Line priority...
Every Skyteam flight I've made has come with my BP's stamped "Skyteam Elite" and I've never been turned away from the elite entry point at Security
Oct 14, 2009 | 12:21 pm
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Under an ORD approach path
Programs: DL PM, MM. Coffee isn't a drug, it's a vitamin.
Posts: 12,935
Oct 14, 2009 | 1:07 pm
#30
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Madison, NJ
Programs: DL PM, Marriot Platinum
Posts: 2,560
Always feel like a jerk pushing way way through the line to get to the breezeway area. And then get there and no one is manning it. And then have to cut the nice people who were waiting in their zone.