tripmaster

So my travels now easily get me to Silver, but not Gold. I think I'll be about 12000 miles short.

My family and I have enough miles to visit Japan next year, I think in Business with miles.

I dont get upgraded often on domestic as Silver, but my regular trip is SEA-SFO.

Is there a benefit to making a MR to hit Gold? Last year as Gold, i got a $99 upgrade to biz from JFK-SEA, is that a perk that only gets Gold?

Advice please!

jrl767

for the rest of this year (to get status for next year), I'd say Gold >>> Silver

for next year, if I were doing SEA<-->SFO on a regular basis, I'd be flying AS, tossing in the occasional PDX connection for additional segments and miles ... MVPG status is 40k on AS metal as opposed to 50k on DL, and there's no spend requirement

puddinhead

GM in international flight can guest in someone to a lounge but as BE or D1 passenger you can't.

MsAssertive

Go for the Gold. Not for the upgrades which have been minimal in my first year as GM but for the ability to SDC on a number of flights this year.

ATOBTTR

If you don't have one, right now DL is offering a 10K MQM (and 70K Skymiles) sign-up offer for the DL Platinum AmEx. That would get you within 2K.

That said, if you're currently 12K short, I would say that's on the border. Guess it depends on how you value your time and $$$ required for a mileage run and what you expect/want out of GM status for next year. To be honest it probably won't provide much value for your trip to Japan if you book J, as any benefits you'd get from GM status you'll also get from being in the J cabin. You might be better taking the rollover and having an easier path to hit Gold in 2018. I would also factor in your planned travel for 2017. If you plan to travel a lot, hitting GM now may be worth it. If not, then taking the rollover may be a better strategy.

NOLAnwGOLD

Gold is much better in terms of upgrades up and down the West coast. If you've got the energy and time and can make a nice trip from a big MR, then go for it.

gooselee

For that big of a gap, consider making your MR into an actual vacation if you do choose to go for it. I don't have anything to add to the pros/cons others have already listed, but if you're spending the time and money to collect an extra 12k MQM (which, even if you found a good premium fare, is still 8k miles of actual travel), go somewhere fun for a few days and make it worth your while.

ATOBTTR

Additional note: if you do decide to go for Gold, with being SEA based, look for reasonable FC fares on Alaska when you're looking for mileage run options. You get a 100% MQM bonus, and you can often find fares FC fares for $300-$400. You can fly half the distance you would need to fly on DL flights and you're confirmed in FC.

tripmaster

Do you do the book a good seat at inconvenient time and then SDC often?

Marq

Go for the Gold!

I made MM while traveling frequently for work. Now that most of my travel is personal, I have made sure to at least make GM each year. Upgrades are terrible. But, lounge access overseas is something i don't want to give up. I have also used SDC frequently purchasing the cheapest fare and then changing if i can.

Marc

tripmaster

Flying on Alaska gets you MQM on Skymiles? I knew they were close partners once, assumed that when Delta moved into SEA that had changed....

Allan38103

Yes, get it.

You get benefits with the status. Check them out if you don't believe me.

ATOBTTR

Yep. Some of the benefits have been cut, such as DL elites no longer get free checked bags on Alaska but you still can earn miles and MQMs. Oddly, if you don't care about MQDs, you can earn more miles on AS (even if on a fare that only earns partial mileage) because AS still awards for distance flown.

Earning chart for DL Skymiles and MQMs when flying AS and crediting to DL:
http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...-airlines.html

MsAssertive

No, I'm not that much of a gambler! I just book what is the best seat/flight in the beginning for my schedule that week. Several times this year I've finished earlier than expected in my sales territory and been able to get on an earlier flight. I always book C+ seats as well and I've been really lucky with keeping C+ seats on the earlier flights too.

gator21

Find a good F fare (P,A etc) where you will get 150% MQM instead of the 100% MQM. Helps you to reach your level quicker. It is also easier to SDC with a "F" seat vs a "Y" seat if "F" seats are available.