2012 Purchase MQMs is back
Nov 7, 2012, 6:35 am
#31
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: SkyMiles DM, American Gold, Marriott Rewards Gold, Starwood Platinum
Posts: 56
Another piece to this...
Yikes. More expensive than I thought they would be. Cheaper to do a MR if you have the time. I guess that what it comes down to - DL is clearly offering this to those who don't have the time and/or value time more than anything else and find spending $495 to get 5,000 MQMs is better than spending $250 but spending an entire day doing a Mileage Run. I mean, you can easily find east-coast to west-coast trips which will get you 5,000 MQMs for less than the price they're offered 2,500 MQMs for last year.
Nov 7, 2012, 6:41 am
#32
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2012
Programs: DL FO/KM, AA PLT
Posts: 2,594
Think about it from DL's perspective. DL knows there are people who will do mileage runs to otherwise get status. DL probably loses money on those MRs. Here, they're giving you the same result without having to fly you from coast to coast. If you're going to get status anyway, DL would rather take $495 straight cash from you than you take a $250 trip where they'll lose money on the fare. You the traveler get the same result (MQMs), and Delta comes out at least $250 ahead of the game and doesn't sell you a fare they'll ultimately lose on.
Nov 7, 2012, 6:45 am
#33
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: Delta PM, Delta Reserve, Amex Plat, Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold ;)
Posts: 1,776
I'm off to LAS and ATL next week and then I'll be about 2000 MQM short with my December travel plans up in the air.
With how crazy my schedule has been this year, if DL wants to sell me those MQM's I'll happily buy them.
Nov 7, 2012, 6:49 am
#34
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2012
Programs: DL FO/KM, AA PLT
Posts: 2,594
IIRC, at the same time that this deal came out, they also pushed out fairly discounted European trips that highlighted how close both my wife and I were to the next status level; it prompted us to take a quick trip overseas and to buy enough miles to put her back to gold and keep my PM. If they do both, it becomes a pretty good deal.
I did manage a mileage run to LAX at the end of October though to get 4,600 MQMs and push me over the edge to make GM for 2013. Ticket was about $280 and I paid for EC on the return leg since it was a redeye. I did get upgraded on the 777-200ER though from DTW to LAX, which was great and really made the MR worth it. 
Nov 7, 2012, 7:04 am
#35
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
Yikes. More expensive than I thought they would be. Cheaper to do a MR if you have the time. I guess that what it comes down to - DL is clearly offering this to those who don't have the time and/or value time more than anything else and find spending $495 to get 5,000 MQMs is better than spending $250 but spending an entire day doing a Mileage Run. I mean, you can easily find east-coast to west-coast trips which will get you 5,000 MQMs for less than the price they're offered 2,500 MQMs for last year.
Nov 7, 2012, 8:22 am
#36
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,399
I would love to see them bring back the promo they had in 2010 where you got 15K by giving just $500 to three charities. By buying MQM's you have to pay the tax on top of it. With the Charity promo you not only got to help out three charities, I was able to receive a tax donation and the 15K miles were also RDM (It's my understanding with the promo last year to buy the miles they weren't RDM's and the 1,500 MQM's I received for renewing my SC Membership were only MQM's not RDM's).
Nov 7, 2012, 8:34 am
#37
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: MEM
Programs: Delta:PM, US Airways:CP, HH:DM, MR:DM, Avis:First, Hertz: President's Circle
Posts: 237
Nov 7, 2012, 8:36 am
#38
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: DL GM, UA; National EC
Posts: 53
I think the voting begins Nov 11, at http://www.flyertalk.com/talkthevote/
Nov 7, 2012, 8:43 am
#39
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,414
when you buy MQM's they don't also credit as redeemable miles??? That seems kind of crazy to me, especially considering how easy it is to come upon them in other circumstances, as well as the high price for the MQM's.
Nov 7, 2012, 8:49 am
#40
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2012
Programs: DL FO/KM, AA PLT
Posts: 2,594
That was a huge drawback to the MQM promotion I noticed. You'd think the MQMs would at least include an equal amount of redeemable miles too for as much as you're paying for those MQMs.
Nov 7, 2012, 12:12 pm
#42
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Lexington, KY
Programs: DL PM, SPG Gold
Posts: 68
I'd like to see them bring back the charity option as well. I'm going to drop from high tier Platinum (105 mqm) to Silver.
Our company has been cashing in frequent flyer miles for tickets to save cash so no BIS miles earned for me or most of my colleagues. After enjoying Platinum for many years it's just plain frustrating. I hope there is a buy option and would love to see it benefit charities. I have a one trip coming up to the west coast and one to south america which will put me near gold...but the key word is 'near.' I don't have the time to work in a MR...I don't think.
Our company has been cashing in frequent flyer miles for tickets to save cash so no BIS miles earned for me or most of my colleagues. After enjoying Platinum for many years it's just plain frustrating. I hope there is a buy option and would love to see it benefit charities. I have a one trip coming up to the west coast and one to south america which will put me near gold...but the key word is 'near.' I don't have the time to work in a MR...I don't think.
Nov 7, 2012, 12:17 pm
#43
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: Delta PM, Delta Reserve, Amex Plat, Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold ;)
Posts: 1,776
I would love to see them bring back the promo they had in 2010 where you got 15K by giving just $500 to three charities. By buying MQM's you have to pay the tax on top of it. With the Charity promo you not only got to help out three charities, I was able to receive a tax donation and the 15K miles were also RDM (It's my understanding with the promo last year to buy the miles they weren't RDM's and the 1,500 MQM's I received for renewing my SC Membership were only MQM's not RDM's).
I forgot about that.
Nov 7, 2012, 3:07 pm
#44
Company Representative - Delta Air Lines
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 83
Buy MQMs
DLCorpGirl posted a few days ago that I would be joining Delta’s ambassador team and this is my first FT post. I’m going to be here monitoring as much as I can and will post updates as we have them. I’d like to jump in to this conversation to say that we know how big of a hit this program is and we’re working on something similar for 2012, but it’s not quite ready. I’ll be back to update you soon and let you know when it’s live.