The Official Medallion Qualification Update Thread
Jan 17, 2013, 9:50 am
#241
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: SFO
Posts: 329
Jan 17, 2013, 9:50 am
#242
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: DL Platinum
Posts: 27
As a NWA Gold 5 years ago I averaged a 90% upgrade rate spending half what I am spending today on the same amount of flying. Now as a DL PM I average a 40% upgrade rate. If DL is thinning the herd, it must be because customers like me are complaining.
There is no benefit in driving away the incremental business of mileage runners and the gamers unless DL believes the low-yield customer is costing them loyalty of high-yield customers.
Candidly, if you cannot generate $25K of AX spend or $5K of travel spend on DL, you are not a high-value customer. You just aren't. That's why DL is retaining the butts in seats requirements, because they want to reward spend AND the road warriors, not just spend.
They do need to be careful, though, about all these goofy quirks with their JV partners tickets. The system seems perilously complex.
There is no benefit in driving away the incremental business of mileage runners and the gamers unless DL believes the low-yield customer is costing them loyalty of high-yield customers.
Candidly, if you cannot generate $25K of AX spend or $5K of travel spend on DL, you are not a high-value customer. You just aren't. That's why DL is retaining the butts in seats requirements, because they want to reward spend AND the road warriors, not just spend.
They do need to be careful, though, about all these goofy quirks with their JV partners tickets. The system seems perilously complex.
Jan 17, 2013, 9:51 am
#243
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: Formaldehyde Medallion DL DieMiles
Posts: 12,646
Jan 17, 2013, 9:52 am
#244
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ATL Lost Luggage
Programs: Kettle with Kryptonium Medallion Tags
Posts: 10,309
Rollover MQMs will not change with the new program. As long as you earn Medallion status based on the new requirements, any MQMs in excess of the threshold needed for status earned will roll over.
So, I have 5 gazillion MQMs, but if I don't spend at least $2,500 annually starting in 2014 I will lose ALL my MQMs! Am I right? I hope not.
So, I have 5 gazillion MQMs, but if I don't spend at least $2,500 annually starting in 2014 I will lose ALL my MQMs! Am I right? I hope not.
Originally Posted by MQM FAQ
Will my year-to-date Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) still roll over with the new program and will Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) roll over after spending a certain amount?
Rollover MQMs will not change with the new program. As long as you earn Medallion status based on the new requirements, any MQMs in excess of the threshold needed for status earned will roll over. There will be no rollover of MQDs, Eligible Purchases on Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards or Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs).
Rollover MQMs will not change with the new program. As long as you earn Medallion status based on the new requirements, any MQMs in excess of the threshold needed for status earned will roll over. There will be no rollover of MQDs, Eligible Purchases on Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards or Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs).
Jan 17, 2013, 9:52 am
#245
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: DL Silver, UA Silver, Marriott Lifetime Silver, IHG Plat, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,695
Rollover MQMs will not change with the new program. As long as you earn Medallion status based on the new requirements, any MQMs in excess of the threshold needed for status earned will roll over.
So, I have 5 gazillion MQMs, but if I don't spend at least $2,500 annually starting in 2014 I will lose ALL my MQMs! Am I right? I hope not.
So, I have 5 gazillion MQMs, but if I don't spend at least $2,500 annually starting in 2014 I will lose ALL my MQMs! Am I right? I hope not.
Yes, you must spend $25,000 on the Delta Amex each year or get back on a plane and meet the airfare spend level for your Medallion level.
Jan 17, 2013, 9:52 am
#246
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: SFO
Posts: 329
If it's KL coded on a KL issued ticket (074) you do *not* get MQD according to what the current guidelines say.
Jan 17, 2013, 9:52 am
#247
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 15,198
Yup, thats a problem for a lot of people. Work pays for the ticket and/or they have a corp card you use for expense, so that limits what you're able to charge in order to hit the 25k spend.
Jan 17, 2013, 9:53 am
#248
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
So as long as I spend $25K a year on my Delta Am Ex, the spend won't apply correct? I would think most PMs would spend at least $7,500 a year on Delta anyway if the aren't getting the status through Am Ex spend unless it rollovers. Do MM's have to spend the required amount on Delta each year to keep that status as part of the million miler benefits?
Do A & P fares continue to earn the 50% bonus?
My complaint with the M fares not earning the 50% bonus is you have to have an M fare for international SWU's or mile upgrades. If Delta allowed lower fare buckets to be used for those I wouldn't have an issue with this change. Seeing you have to buy such an expensive fare in coach for the SWU's/Miles the 50% bonus helped a lot.
Do A & P fares continue to earn the 50% bonus?
My complaint with the M fares not earning the 50% bonus is you have to have an M fare for international SWU's or mile upgrades. If Delta allowed lower fare buckets to be used for those I wouldn't have an issue with this change. Seeing you have to buy such an expensive fare in coach for the SWU's/Miles the 50% bonus helped a lot.
Jan 17, 2013, 9:53 am
#249
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PlM, 1M
Posts: 6,365
Why did DL actually give us plenty of advance notice of the MQD change?
Answer: So UA/AA would have time to respond.
Jan 17, 2013, 9:53 am
#250
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: MCO
Programs: DL DM/MM, Marriott Plat Premier, HH Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 4,081
Still surprised by this decision but DL is really putting the flier back in frequent flier. Will be most interesting to see what the other legacies do, especially UA who floated the idea of tying status to spend and the comment by one of their VP's regarding 'over-entitled elites'.
Jan 17, 2013, 9:53 am
#251
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: SFO
Posts: 329
Jan 17, 2013, 9:53 am
#252
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Somewhere between here and there...
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Posts: 11,595
Jan 17, 2013, 9:53 am
#253
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS
Posts: 15,027
Jan 17, 2013, 9:54 am
#254
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: ATL F-Terminal
Programs: Hilton C, Marriott Pt, Delta Pt
Posts: 249
Do you actually travel for work? In a normal travel week, I spend $500 on a flight, $400 on rental car, $400 on a hotel and $200 on food/entertainment. That's $1500 per week of travel all on the Delta AMEX. So if you just traveled two weeks a month, that's more than $25k. It's not irresponsible, it's actually traveling for work and being smart enough to stick to a single credit card.
I have to use my company issued AMEX.
While I do keep points/miles, there's no extra incentive for me for using the corporate AMEX.
And I believe most corporate workers here would have to do the same.
Jan 17, 2013, 9:54 am
#255
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: OKC
Programs: DL DM/2.768MM, Global Entry, Titanium_Marriott, GHertz
Posts: 6,752
The loss of a 50% bonus MQMs on M fares will remove me from the DM ranks after 2013. I don't know the origin of the notion that DL will cut the cost of M fares since they have gotten over $5K on two M fare tickets from me this year alone.