davetravels

Well, this wouldn't be the first time I have publicly offered to be a Porsche fleet manager / dispatcher!

I'll be in <the limo> business 33 years on May 25, and the way thingz are going, I'm kind of looking for a reason to re-tyre! (That's a joke from another thread! )

SuperG1955

It isn't the MQM's that are the issue for most low value DM's it's the MQD / $250k Delta AMEX.

josephstern

OK. So now I know you're a shill.

You didn't go into Tokyo and suck down some ramen? No chicken rice plan in Singapore? Old Airport Road?

It's just not possible.

nichelle

No comment on the shill part. But the Singapore mileage run thread in the mileage run forum is mostly dedicated to that exact quick-turn trip. Maybe you already knew that, though.

Dovster

How about Cubic Zirconia?

pvn

Why are you putting that much on the reserve card??? It sounds like you don't need the waiver, so after you hit the 2nd milesboost at 60k you should move that spend to another card.

gooselee

I shouldn't be feeding you but....

Why?

You obviously don't fly much if you need to get 100k+ of your MQMs via MR and DL Amex each year. Is having DM on the few other legitimate flights you have actually worth all that diverted/extra spend and trouble?

Ewsmith

You bet DM is worth it. Delta has it figured out so those who want DM need to earn it . I fly every week just like everyone else in the DM but it's only 2k round trip so one big miles run just to make a turn. Just like when I sat next to Renee on the first a350 to NRT. I'm gonna spend about 150k per year on my cards anyway so the delta reserve and plat just up the mqms and I keep rolling them over .

All airfare on an amex metal plat for 5x the points. I pay for 1st class in the first 3 months of the year and after that I ALWAYS get first upgrades ahead of other DMs because of the way delta does rankings since I book my weekly flights as far in advance as the system allows plus holding the reserve .

Anyway, unlike most DMs, 90% of my miles are earned on personal flights and not bc a work for a company paying for my flights. I see all you business travelers in the sky clubs and centurion lounges doing your work on the phone and computer with your business dress and briefcases, and it's interesting to watch. And trust me, delta needs you guys very much and I'm glad lounge access is changing next year. Just like I'm glad the 250k spend was put in place. Why? Bc it thins the herd to either either those who earn DM bc of their job and those like me who earn it with our own money and travel .

gooselee

LOL ok I'll play since I'm just sitting at home waiting for a contractor to show up.

1. If you're rolling over DM every year why does it make a difference to buy FC the first 3 months? It's not like you have to wait for last year's DM to kick back in.
2. Explain why buying your fares 330 days in advance and holding a Reserve makes any difference on a flight that is either sold out in FC or where there are 30 business traveler DMs on last minute YBMHQK fares vs. your advance purchase LUTXV.
3. Whatever do you do when a bunch of those other DMs are ALSO holding a Reserve. You're aware that it's not really that exclusive of a card, right?

MSPeconomist

jamesteroh

And time of purchase isn't the first criteria DL uses anyway. This flyer claims to fly personal on his own dime and most people that fly on their own dime buy the cheapest fare availailable and if he buying a year or even several months out he is probably on a cheap fare class. By the time it's t-5 days there are going to be a lot of DM's on higher fare classes that will trump him for the upgrade.

gooselee

Re-reading, he/she also seems to think that $15k spend on an unbranded Plat Amex will somehow lead to 75k MQM. Or is forgetting that $15k spend on DL tickets does not actually result in 15k MQD (particularly not on int'l fares which may carry higher taxes).

In any case, this thread has turned from the usual FT griping to actually being quite entertaining, so I'm thankful for that.

pvn

yall postin in a troll thread, yall.

Ewsmith

I don't think the metal plat gives mqms. I use it to get 5x points I can transfer to virtually any airline. And yes I know the reserve is not that big of a deal but it does give you 30mqms year if your spending the money anyway. All I am saying is that making the DM spend waiver 250k and the MQD for DM to 15k is a very smart thing for delta to do b/c it forces folks to get the mqms and mqds if they want DM. Why, b/c there are way too many DMs that got their status spending only 25k on the reserve card. However, in 2019 the number of DMs should go way down and thus DMs will get upgraded much easier.

To the question of how does booking early or having the reserve card help with upgrades? Read how delta ranks upgrade priority and then watch your fare class closely. It's really not that hard to get to DM.

https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...-upgrades.html

gooselee

I know, but today is my Friday and it's fun.

I'm quite familiar, as are many others in this thread, as to how DL ranks upgrade priority.

Since you're looking at the same thing - please tell us what fare classes you are generally booking into when you book your flights 330 days in advance (which is as early as the system allows).