Or someone like me (DM with Amex card) who doesn't care about the spend requirement, and would grab a $200 JFK-.ca.us fare (possibly paying for the upgrade as well).

I keep hoping DL will change them.

This is continuing despite fuel getting cheaper.
(I crossed the border yesterday and gas was <$3/gallon)
Even in YVR gas prices might fall below $1.20/L which is low considering how heavily taxed it is up there.

What? The increase in Medallion flyers, or the changes?

If it is the latter, I have already taken the step to send my letter to Jeff Robertson and Richard Anderson thanking them for the change.

I agree and offered similar compliment in my 1st post on beginning thread pages. Yes, much better than "sneak attacks" of past. Of course, the full implementation is yet to be announced (next year redeem changes?) but this is a fair way to inform most of us about qualification changes.

And so far, this will weigh favorably in my decision of what to do from here.

Or me, an FO, who pays for P/A/ fares and the occasional B/Y fare, which I convert to F.

I seriously doubt ANY argument with DL on this will have ANY validity. DL is just saying "contribute more than our average passengers, and you will be elite."

The argument that "I want to be Elite, but I am unwilling to pay for it for xxxxx reason" is just comical.

You might need to take a stand against this, but "we" do not. This will impact a tiny portion of "elites".

The very simple stand is:

1) Sit down every fall and re-evaluate your priorities and how FFPs (and their hotel versions) fit into your priorities
2) Plan out your approach to the year accordingly and determine how much and on who you plan to travel
3) Re-adjust when major news or program changes break.

It's not rocket science. Over the last 21 years, I've been mid-tier elite or higher on one of UA, NW, AA, or WN for all but three of them (two years when I switched cities of residence at mid-year). I've never been aligned with the same airline for more than six years, even though I've had the same job for the last 18 and have only lived in two places.

Why? Because carriers keep on tweaking their FFP and their hard product.

Just because we don't want to change doesn't mean that we don't have to change. I still mourn the AA of Don Carty, SWUs without capacity controls or fare class restrictions, 34" pitch throughout mainline coach, and J seat for Y price for elites on domestic 777 and 763 routes. It was the happiest time of my life. But they changed, and I changed too.

We need a 2013 dashboard to remind us of how likely/unlikely thresholds will be met.

Like now.

I don't have time to plow through base fare and applicable surcharges versus taxes and fees to project some MQD sweet spot.

Going forward, $$ requirement levels will only go one direction.

Actually they are only asking that you contribute somewhere between 70 and 90% of the average passenger.

Massive problem.

Well said.

What i'm looking for is the sentence "even if you flying on a non-DL issued ticket" added to the first section of the "How do i earn MQD" in the FAQ's.
That would make it clear. If you think the website states it clearly enough how can somebody working for that company get it wrong?

^

I am not going to hire a secretary to track MQM and MQD for me. A loyalty program should be straightforward and NOT require a degree in higher mathematics or accounting.
Personally, I think I will switch to AS Mileage Plan. Not because I won't be able to reach the MQD treshold but simply because I do not want to deal with extensive bookkeeping considering that a large part of my travels is on KL and AF.

That this change is crap and they should reduce the spend amounts.