Upgrading to DL Reserve AMEX, effect on MQM boosts/certificate timing etc

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Apr 22, 2018, 8:07 pm

#151

jrseattle

Join Date: Aug 2013

Location: Seattle

Programs: Delta Platinum

Posts: 36

Does anyone use the Amex Delta cards to do creative spending at "donationplastics.com" (substitute the somewhat equivalent terms). Is Amex giving miles for those purchases, boosts, waiver? Thx.

Oct 7, 2018, 7:02 pm

#152

Ayase

Join Date: Feb 2014

Location: Seattle

Programs: SPG Platinum, HHonors Diamond, DL Diamond Medallion

Posts: 244

I recently heard that it may be possible to start with Reserve at beginning of a year, spend 60k, then downgrade to Platinum in mid-year and spend another 50k.
Is this possible to get 30000 plus 20000 MQM this way?

I am sure the upgrade route works, just not sure about this downgrade route.

Oct 7, 2018, 7:03 pm

#153

Ayase

Join Date: Feb 2014

Location: Seattle

Programs: SPG Platinum, HHonors Diamond, DL Diamond Medallion

Posts: 244

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrseattle

Does anyone use the Amex Delta cards to do creative spending at "donationplastics.com" (substitute the somewhat equivalent terms). Is Amex giving miles for those purchases, boosts, waiver? Thx.

Yes both boost and waiver for gc.com

Jan 1, 2019, 9:53 pm

#154

bergamini

Join Date: Aug 2003

Location: MSN

Programs: Delta DM, Bonvoy LT Titanium, Hertz PC

Posts: 1,987

What about if I picked Sky Clubs as DM Choice and now have Sky Club with Reserve? Does my DM choice for the remainder of the year (admittedly only a month) convert to the Guest Option? I am guessing not but it would be nice if it was. I do have a need for a guest this month.

Jan 1, 2019, 10:49 pm

#155

rogo

Join Date: Dec 2002

Location: Seattle WA

Programs: DL DM, Marriott Titanium, AA PLT for Life

Posts: 398

Thanks to whoever necro-ed this thread.

I was planning on starting year with Platinum and Reserve (one biz) and then upgrading one and downgrading the other and getting all 8 boosts.

I didn't realize there might be an issue with going down from the Reserve to the Platinum.

This is fixable on my end, but I'd better get it fixed soon.

Jan 2, 2019, 6:22 am

#156

iflyalexair

Join Date: Sep 2010

Location: NYC

Programs: Delta DM, 2MM

Posts: 1,254

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogo

Let us know if you do reserve to platinum and get the boosts. It would be useful for more anecdotal evidence especially now if people are foregoing choosing the skyclub as a choice benefit.

After moving around through the products, I get the sense that it will be fine and you will get the boosts. Amex’s logic is once you move from one product to the next, you’ve essentially opened a new account (although not actually). So they simply ask: what spend has been achieved and not credited to a boost already.

Jan 2, 2019, 10:34 pm

#157

rogo

Join Date: Dec 2002

Location: Seattle WA

Programs: DL DM, Marriott Titanium, AA PLT for Life

Posts: 398

That seems like awfully risky for me to be the guinea pig on.

Jan 3, 2019, 9:01 am

#158

iflyalexair

Join Date: Sep 2010

Location: NYC

Programs: Delta DM, 2MM

Posts: 1,254

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogo

That seems like awfully risky for me to be the guinea pig on.

Can't disagree. Here's a DM I got from the Skymiles team in 2017:

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyMilesTeam

Dear iflyalexair,

Thanks for reaching out to clarify how the Miles Boost benefit works for product transfers. We’d like to clarify that the upgrade scenario does not work in reverse. For example, if a Card Member begins with a Reserve Card and reaches $60k in spend and earns both Miles Boost, then downgrades to the Platinum Card and spends an additional $50k, no additional Miles Boost will be issued by Amex.

Thanks,
The SkyMiles Team

Jan 3, 2019, 9:03 am

#159

iflyalexair

Join Date: Sep 2010

Location: NYC

Programs: Delta DM, 2MM

Posts: 1,254

However, here's what one FT member said:

Quote:

Originally Posted by milesandpoints

Saw your note on FT: - Just a note is I have been moving between the Platinum and Reserve every year to essentially get 50k MQM's each year (15_15+10+10), but I do it in the reverse order as you. I have the Reserve for Jan through early Summer and then Move to Plat for the rest of the year. I saw where you say you couldn't do it this way, but does seem to work for me. Wondering why you thought that it wound't this way?

Jan 3, 2019, 11:50 am

#160

jamesteroh

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogo

That seems like awfully risky for me to be the guinea pig on.

Agree. My paid membership doesn't end until April so I don't need to worry about it this year (It should be for a couple more years but Delta decided to hose diamonds with a paid membership by not extending it) and I'll definitely have of $50K in on my one platinum before then and can upgrade to the reserve but it would be nice in future years to be able to do the reverse. I guess I'll have to keep one of my cards as a reserve until I get the $50K spend in and then downgrade the reserve, only problem is I can get in a LOT of spend in January and don't want to risk that spend not counting towards the reserve spend.

If I have for example $87K in spend in before I upgrade a platinum (just due to waiting on the statement to close for the two 10K MQM booasts) will the additional $20K carry over and count towards my $30K for my 15K MQMs or does the timer start over at zero on the date the card is upgraded. I'm trying to keep my spending on the Am Ex cards limited to $250K total for the diamond waiver just because the value of a skypeso/$ charged isn't that great.

Mar 26, 2019, 12:37 pm

#161

Ayase

Join Date: Feb 2014

Location: Seattle

Programs: SPG Platinum, HHonors Diamond, DL Diamond Medallion

Posts: 244

I have heard from my friend that it is possible to downgrade from Reserve to Platinum mid-year and get MQM boosts again.
He only product changes once every year, and still get 4 boosts.
Example:
2016 spend 60k on Reserve;downgrade->Plat; spend 50k
2017 spend 50k Plat; upgrade->Reserve; spend 60k
2018 spend 60k on Reserve->Plat and so on
I know it is not my personal experience still, but my friend is a DM so he knows what he's doing.

rogo likes this.

Mar 26, 2019, 1:29 pm

#162

iflyalexair

Join Date: Sep 2010

Location: NYC

Programs: Delta DM, 2MM

Posts: 1,254

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayase

Based on AMEX behavior, it seems like the analysis is based on non-awarded spend. What I mean by that is once a certain threshold is reached, they deactivate that spending. What ever is left over is "active" spend and it can be applied to a boost in light of a product change, regardless of the order.

Mar 26, 2019, 2:00 pm

#163

jamesteroh

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayase

Can someone else verify this is the case? I have a business and personal always been Plat on 1/1 and get the $50K spend in and then upgrade to reserve and get the $60K spend in on each card and downgrade both before 1/1 to Platinum again and repeat. My Skyclub membership expires soon and I'd like to have a reserve at all times for access the first couple months of the year until I get the $50K spend in and my statement closes but it isn't worth losing the 30K MQMs for a couple months of Skyclub access.

Mar 29, 2019, 6:21 pm

#164

jerryhze

Join Date: Feb 2013

Location: DTW

Programs: DL Diamond/AA Platinum, Hyatt/Hilton Diamond

Posts: 245

In my experience both upgrade and downgrade works.

Reserve 60k -> Platinum 50k
Platinum 50k -> Reserve 60k

At least in 2018 & 2017 that is. Haven't worked on my 2019 spend yet.

rogo, jamesteroh and Ayase like this.

Oct 1, 2019, 3:09 pm

#165

Ayase

Join Date: Feb 2014

Location: Seattle

Programs: SPG Platinum, HHonors Diamond, DL Diamond Medallion

Posts: 244

I can now confirm that both upgrade and downgrade works. Spend 60000 on Reserve, and downgrade to Platinum, get MQMs again for another 50000.

Just wonder if it will change next year given the new structure. I am planning to start at Reserve in Jan 2020.