Wow, this thread is becoming overly bloated with a few people arguing over what a DL coded flight and ticket number is. Maybe take that to a new thread so the rest of us can discuss the other implications or aspects of the changes? Seriously, the changes will not go into effect until a year from now, DL will have plenty of time to clarify and tweak the program. Is it really worth arguing over wording based on a quickly put together FAQ and policy on the first day it is announced???

Again, none of this matters (aside from M fares earning 100% MQM) until your booking travel for January 1, 2014. The changes were announced officially TODAY, I guarantee that there will be more tweaks to the program since they have a full year before it really goes into effect

On a similar note, I would like to give a thumbs up to DL for making the announcement so far in advance. It gives people PLENTY of time to take in the changes and plan accordingly. It also gives DL plenty of time to hear feedback and tweak the program based on legitimate concerns from fliers that they might not have thought about (i.e. taxes/fees issue and codeshare flights).

I read it that way too, but I'd love for that sentence to include the words "including YQ/YR fuel surcharges" to make it 100% clear.

Edit: Or just add a new column to this page http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...-and-fees.html indicating what does and doesn't count for MQD.

Someone has likely already responded but it can be done, will likely require a good agent on the phone --
I recently ticketed DCA-JFK-CDG-HKG-CDG-CPH-CDG-JFK-DCA on 006 stock. All flights except DCA-JFK-DCA were on AF, but all tickets were on 006 stock. So it would have qualified.

Maybe Delta isn't for you.

Correct, according to the info on the website taxes do not count, which I would have to assume is the 7.5% excise tax along with any of those security fees, immigration fees, other segment fees etc.

Surcharges are going to depend how its defined, and could be a huge hit. Heck, even excluding the taxes/fees is going to reduce your MQDs on a ticket by 8% or more of the price... so that really makes it more like 11cpm instead of 10cpm spend requirement for each status level.

My first thought is to find another airline because I'm one of those low fare medallions. But, methinks that AA and UA will match this same policy.

Now, if I can find a way to pay the mortgage an Amex, it would be really easy to reach $25k in spend.

Why would you spend $25K a year to waive the requirement when you could only spend $12.5K per year, hopefully fly 125,000 miles and get diamond?

I can't get enough of Bubba's frank honesty.

I'm sure it's been mentioned before, but it seems highly likely to me that at the end of 2014 we will see a "purchase MQM/MQD" promotion. I could easily see them offering 10k MQM's or 1k MQD for similar rates as they did this year.

It's not spending $25k, it's just moving money that is already spent to the DL CC instead of through other forms of payment.

No, not really -- and for me, not at all.

The question of MQDs is meaningless for me. There are very few inexpensive routes starting in other countries. If I earn enough MQMs to meet a particular level than I am going to pay at least the required spend amount -- so Delta is merely saving itself some bookeeping expenses by not tracking my MQDs.

(Example: I made Platinum this year with a little over 75,000 MQMs, but I spent $9000 doing it.)

Where it hurts foreign residents -- and badly -- is the elimination of the 50% MQM bonus for M fares. These are not cheap fares (I pay close to twice for an M fare than I would for a LUT fare) and giving me the same MQMs for them means I will not qualify as a Platinum again, and possibly not as a Gold.

Why is that so bad? Because without the 100% SkyMile bonus that a Gold earns, or the 4 SWUs that a Platinum gets, I will not be able to upgrade my M fares.

Right now, I have the SWUs to be able to upgrade two more itineraries. With the SkyMiles that I earn on them I will probably be able to upgrade an additional two. After that, I will not be buying any more M fares.

At my age (67) I do not feel like subjecting myself to 12 hours TLV-JFK in an Economy Class seat, so not only will I not be buying any M fares, but I also will not be buying any K fares or even LUT fares.

(If I were younger, I might buy the LUT fares but why would Delta prefer that I pay $1800 instead of $3000?)

All my travel is leisure. I can fly when I want to fly and to wherever I want to go. In recent years that has generally meant to the States, and that will probably continue in 2013, but as soon as I can no longer upgrade I will have to re-think my travel plans.

One possibility is to look for the least expensive Business Class trips to the States that I can find. This almost certainly means I won't be choosing Delta. Instead, it will be one of the European airlines. Another, and more probable, alternative is to take my vacations in Europe instead of the U.S.

On a 4 hour flight to Western Europe, it really doesn't matter if I am sitting in the front or the back cabin and if I am forking out $400 for airfare instead of the $3000 I pay for Delta M fares, that represents a major savings -- especially if done two or three times each year.

By myself, I represent almost no threat at all to Delta's bottom line. However, there are many Americans living overseas who buy M fares on Delta simply for the upgrades. When we can no longer do that, some will buy LUT fares, others will seek out better prices on competing airlines, and still others will change their travel destinations.

Together, we will be hurting that DL bottom line.

Who's Bubba? Oh yeah, that funny guy you quoted - got it....

I'm still confused: do i earn MQD's on a 057/074 ticket when the flight has an DL coded flight number ( and to make it worse even is DL operated )? From the website it sounds i always get MQD`s when
- the ticket starts with 006 ( dosen't matter what flight number or who operates the flight ) AND
- on other ticket stock as long as the flight is DL marketed ( has a DL Flight number ).

Apparently not... I don't fly on B fare domestic tickets or pay 14k for a full J tpac.

Yes

That is correct.