Sep 26, 2017, 1:09 pm
Last edit by: Renes Points
On 26SEPT17 Delta changed the MQD AMEX exempt requirements. $25,000 only exempts you to Platinum or lower. $250,000 spend needed across ALL the DL AMEX cards you hold (personal and business in your name) for Diamond exemption for 2019 elite year.
If all you are interested in is the discussion starting when the announcement occurred on Tuesday, September 26, 2017, start here.
The Delta announcement is here https://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/skymiles/news-and-updates.html
There are many data points that Delta will allow a one time exception under the 2017 qualification rules if you request this for the 2019 Medallion year.
If all you are interested in is the discussion starting when the announcement occurred on Tuesday, September 26, 2017, start here.
The Delta announcement is here https://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/skymiles/news-and-updates.html
There are many data points that Delta will allow a one time exception under the 2017 qualification rules if you request this for the 2019 Medallion year.
Delta increasing Diamond MQD Waiver to $250,000
Feb 3, 2018, 9:44 am
#1501
In memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PIT
Programs: DM life is over 2MM PM now & NW MillionAir Wyndham Rewards Plat -Hotels.com Silver -Accor Silver
Posts: 15,408
Personally, I would prefer getting rid of MQMs completely and upping the spending to a minimum of $500,000 even for Silver (although not for foreign residents). Of course, there should be no change in the MQD waiver for those who do not live in the US and while MQMs would be gone, segments should become more valuable.
I suggest that each segment be worth one step up in status. Hence, if I fly TLV-FCO on Alitalia I would become Silver for my outbound flight and Gold for the return trip. If I throw in another trip TLV-CDG on Air France, I would be raised first to Platinum and then to Diamond.
(Diamonds, of course, should be entitled to automatic free upgrades on all flights, foreign and domestic, which would be available at time of booking.)
I suggest that each segment be worth one step up in status. Hence, if I fly TLV-FCO on Alitalia I would become Silver for my outbound flight and Gold for the return trip. If I throw in another trip TLV-CDG on Air France, I would be raised first to Platinum and then to Diamond.
(Diamonds, of course, should be entitled to automatic free upgrades on all flights, foreign and domestic, which would be available at time of booking.)
When you tip a SkyClub bartender $50, you get Silver. $100 tip gets you Gold. $250 tip gets you Platinum, and, <a mere> $1000 tip gets you Diamond. If you tip with a Delta Amex, you get a 20% discount, of course.
Feb 3, 2018, 9:58 am
#1502
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Yiron, Israel
Programs: Bates Motel Plat
Posts: 68,927
However, if you are a U.S. citizen residing in a foreign nation which has no SkyClub (like, for example, Israel) it would be sufficient for you to prove that you paid the above amounts in American income tax.
Feb 3, 2018, 10:18 am
#1503
In memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PIT
Programs: DM life is over 2MM PM now & NW MillionAir Wyndham Rewards Plat -Hotels.com Silver -Accor Silver
Posts: 15,408
. . . . . to your Mohel.
Feb 3, 2018, 10:19 am
#1504
Suspended
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Feb 3, 2018, 6:13 pm
#1505
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: DL DM; Marriott Ambasador Elite
Posts: 626
I’ve never had a problem reaching 15,000 MQDs in the past, but I’m getting a little worried about this year because tickets have been so cheap. I’ve already booked travel for every week though April, mostly within the US but also 2x to Europe and 1x to LatAm, and upon completing all of that will only be at about 5,300 MQD. I’m in the odd position of hoping that ticket prices go up as the year progresses.
Feb 3, 2018, 7:10 pm
#1506
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Look up - On a ✈ DELTA ✈ jet NOW!
Programs: Blogger & Delta Diamond Medallion Million Miler
Posts: 4,174
I’ve never had a problem reaching 15,000 MQDs in the past, but I’m getting a little worried about this year because tickets have been so cheap. I’ve already booked travel for every week though April, mostly within the US but also 2x to Europe and 1x to LatAm, and upon completing all of that will only be at about 5,300 MQD. I’m in the odd position of hoping that ticket prices go up as the year progresses.
Feb 3, 2018, 9:36 pm
#1507
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
I’ve never had a problem reaching 15,000 MQDs in the past, but I’m getting a little worried about this year because tickets have been so cheap. I’ve already booked travel for every week though April, mostly within the US but also 2x to Europe and 1x to LatAm, and upon completing all of that will only be at about 5,300 MQD. I’m in the odd position of hoping that ticket prices go up as the year progresses.
Feb 4, 2018, 3:19 am
#1508
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NYC, MSY
Programs: DL DM, 1.5MM, NEXUS, Sky Club Lifetime, Admirals Club Lifetime, LowValueCustomer everywhere
Posts: 6,447
Feb 4, 2018, 7:48 am
#1509
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: DL DM; Marriott Ambasador Elite
Posts: 626
If you are buying economy class fares and really want to remain diamond have you thought about buying first class fares? That will help you get more MQDS, plus you will get the bonus MQM's and not have to play the upgrade game and will have more flexibility with SDC if you want on another flight
Feb 4, 2018, 7:51 am
#1510
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: DL DM; Marriott Ambasador Elite
Posts: 626
Thanks - that’s another thing I’ll start looking at if it is still looking iffy mid-year. Generally I prefer being on Delta marketed/ticketed flights because I generally have better experiences, but if it takes doing this a couple times to requify for Diamond, it is probably worth it.
MQMs will be no problem at all; I’ll probably be close to 125k by mid-April.
MQMs will be no problem at all; I’ll probably be close to 125k by mid-April.
Mar 4, 2018, 3:30 pm
#1511
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 8
Seriously
So it's not that big of a deal to get DM, but ya you will have to spend some coin on amex and delta and sit your butt in a seat, but that's the reason they make it this way; to make you want DM and spend money.
So then, grab a cobranded amex/delta plat and reserve card. Spend 60k on the reserve and 50k on the plat and POW, you got a waiver to PM and 50 mqms. Then what? Fly like 50k with 50% upgrade mqms and POW your a DM.
So can everyone stop complaining about how hard it is to hit DM please? It's not hard if you spend and fly, that's the whole point .
So then, grab a cobranded amex/delta plat and reserve card. Spend 60k on the reserve and 50k on the plat and POW, you got a waiver to PM and 50 mqms. Then what? Fly like 50k with 50% upgrade mqms and POW your a DM.
So can everyone stop complaining about how hard it is to hit DM please? It's not hard if you spend and fly, that's the whole point .
Mar 4, 2018, 4:10 pm
#1512
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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So it's not that big of a deal to get DM, but ya you will have to spend some coin on amex and delta and sit your butt in a seat, but that's the reason they make it this way; to make you want DM and spend money.
So then, grab a cobranded amex/delta plat and reserve card. Spend 60k on the reserve and 50k on the plat and POW, you got a waiver to PM and 50 mqms. Then what? Fly like 50k with 50% upgrade mqms and POW your a DM.
So can everyone stop complaining about how hard it is to hit DM please? It's not hard if you spend and fly, that's the whole point .
So then, grab a cobranded amex/delta plat and reserve card. Spend 60k on the reserve and 50k on the plat and POW, you got a waiver to PM and 50 mqms. Then what? Fly like 50k with 50% upgrade mqms and POW your a DM.
So can everyone stop complaining about how hard it is to hit DM please? It's not hard if you spend and fly, that's the whole point .
DM is indeed harder to attain now, and while I actually think that's a good thing, these formulas for ways to arbitrarily get status just for the sake or status are silly.
Mar 4, 2018, 5:16 pm
#1513
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 8
Dumb if you are poor
Sure it's a dumb plan if your poor. If you want DM it costs, that's the whole point. If you don't have the money or travel miles to get it then quit crying delta is making it so hard. The reason it's delta's 2nd highest tier is because you need money to achieve it.
Get a second job and stop crying.
Get a second job and stop crying.
Mar 4, 2018, 6:28 pm
#1514
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Back in Reds Country (DAY/CVG). Previously: SEA & SAT.
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Posts: 10,348
So it's not that big of a deal to get DM, but ya you will have to spend some coin on amex and delta and sit your butt in a seat, but that's the reason they make it this way; to make you want DM and spend money.
So then, grab a cobranded amex/delta plat and reserve card. Spend 60k on the reserve and 50k on the plat and POW, you got a waiver to PM and 50 mqms. Then what? Fly like 50k with 50% upgrade mqms and POW your a DM.
So can everyone stop complaining about how hard it is to hit DM please? It's not hard if you spend and fly, that's the whole point .
So then, grab a cobranded amex/delta plat and reserve card. Spend 60k on the reserve and 50k on the plat and POW, you got a waiver to PM and 50 mqms. Then what? Fly like 50k with 50% upgrade mqms and POW your a DM.
So can everyone stop complaining about how hard it is to hit DM please? It's not hard if you spend and fly, that's the whole point .
Mar 4, 2018, 6:33 pm
#1515
In memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PIT
Programs: DM life is over 2MM PM now & NW MillionAir Wyndham Rewards Plat -Hotels.com Silver -Accor Silver
Posts: 15,408
You do realize that if you spend $60K on the Reserve and $50K on the Platinum, that's only $110K, still $140K short of the spend waiver required for DM, right? Otherwise you have to meet 15K in MQDs to get DM with that remaining 75K in MQMs. So no, not quite "POW, you're a DM" with your strategy.
