The fine print on "miles boost"
 

Today I read the small print related to the DL Reserve Card Miles Boost perk.

I am confused about why at a certain spend they give you 15K bonus miles + 15K MQMs that are "not redeemable". Why don't they just give you 15K MQMs that are redeemable? (other than maybe fooling some people into thinking they're getting 30K miles?). I am confident there is some real difference that I am just missing. :confused:

MQMs can't be redeemed, they are good for status.

If they said you get 15k MQMs that could lead some to believe that you don't get any actual RDMs (Redeemable miles).

The RDMs post to your account. The MQMs you can gift to someone else if you wish.

This. There is no way to redeem MQMs for anything, so they are non-redeemable MQMs. If you listen to the automatic recording when you call SMS, they say "you have earned xx,xxx non-redeemable miles towards Medallion qualification".

Many, if not most, people (non-FTers of course) don't know the difference between MQMs and RDMs. DL has to fight the confusion by making the distinction between the two constantly. DL offers MQMs that are RDMs. DL offers RDMs that are not MQMs. Why create a third category (MQMs that are RDMs) when it's already confusing to those who don't even know that there are different kinds of miles?

Part of the confusion is that they use the word "miles" in MQM. They should be called "Qualifying Points" or something that is clearly different from SM.

Believe you meant that DL MQM's are not RDM's. Confusing, yes.

And yes, calling them points instead of miles might make the distinction between the two a little easier to understand.