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
Dec 9, 2018, 8:43 pm
#1891
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Seattle WA
Programs: DL DM, Marriott Titanium, AA PLT for Life
Posts: 398
I get why they did this, but even having reached the spend requirement, it's pretty clearly unreasonable and the Delta cards are pretty clearly awful for actually using.
Aside from buffing the credit-card benefits it seems like a sliding scale would be interesting here.
If every $15,000 of card spend = $1,000 of MQD you could get there by:
a) Spending $15K on Delta flights or partner flights with the calculations applied
b) Spending $225K on the cards
c) Spending any combination thereof... e.g. $5,000 on flights + $150K on cards
Dec 10, 2018, 5:33 am
#1892
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Los Altos
Programs: Delta DM 2 Million Miler, Hilton DM, Priority Club Platinum
Posts: 1,112
Diamond Waiver
2018 MQMs: 253,792
2018 MQDs: $7509
2018 AMEX Card spend $34-35K
Anyone else get this response after requesting a Diamond waiver:
Because the 2018 elite qualification program is in effect thr 31DEC2018 - we are not reviewing any requests for complimentary status in 2019 at this time.
Please direct your request again after 01JAN2019 - and we will be happy to review your request at that time.
2018 MQDs: $7509
2018 AMEX Card spend $34-35K
Anyone else get this response after requesting a Diamond waiver:
Because the 2018 elite qualification program is in effect thr 31DEC2018 - we are not reviewing any requests for complimentary status in 2019 at this time.
Please direct your request again after 01JAN2019 - and we will be happy to review your request at that time.
Dec 10, 2018, 5:40 am
#1893
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: ATL
Programs: DL DM, UA Plat, HH
Posts: 103
I was Bout to request a waiver with:
MQM: 135k
MQD: 11k
Amex spend: 100k
So a question in HOW is everyone requesting? Maybe those calling the diamond line or email get higher hit rate than others?
MQM: 135k
MQD: 11k
Amex spend: 100k
So a question in HOW is everyone requesting? Maybe those calling the diamond line or email get higher hit rate than others?
Dec 10, 2018, 6:08 am
#1894
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSN
Programs: Delta DM, Bonvoy LT Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,987
I'm not going to lie, the waiver steams me. I probably spent $1K of my own funds doing FCM or getting re-issued in F to increase my MQD on certain tickets this fall when I had a pretty clear what my spend would be for the year. By following the rules, I wasted significant funds and get to compete for RU/RUC/GUC space with those who got the rules waived. If anything, this makes me less loyal.
Dec 10, 2018, 8:19 am
#1895
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: NYC
Programs: Delta DM
Posts: 14
2018 MQMs: 253,792
2018 MQDs: $7509
2018 AMEX Card spend $34-35K
Anyone else get this response after requesting a Diamond waiver:
Because the 2018 elite qualification program is in effect thr 31DEC2018 - we are not reviewing any requests for complimentary status in 2019 at this time.
Please direct your request again after 01JAN2019 - and we will be happy to review your request at that time.
2018 MQDs: $7509
2018 AMEX Card spend $34-35K
Anyone else get this response after requesting a Diamond waiver:
Because the 2018 elite qualification program is in effect thr 31DEC2018 - we are not reviewing any requests for complimentary status in 2019 at this time.
Please direct your request again after 01JAN2019 - and we will be happy to review your request at that time.
Dec 13, 2018, 8:48 am
#1897
Join Date: Aug 2009
Programs: Delta Diamond 1MM, Marriott Plat
Posts: 503
waiver is boiling me too. because of the rule change, I
1) Stopped using the Delta card altogether - I easily qualify anyway for Platinum, the waiver was helping me for Diamond
2) Increased my spending - purposely paying for higher fare classes on many tickets, ie, booking in M when K was available, to hit the MQDs
and I was winning at this game and was happy to know I would make Diamond the "real" way and with the pool being narrowed, meaning fewer Diamonds next year....
and now I see that everyone is going to get it for free and compete with me for upgrades anyway. Sucks. If they are going to announce a drastic rule change they should at least stick with it. By the time the waiver rumors came out, it was already too late for me to spend 25k on the card myself anyway.
Meanwhile I downgraded the Amex to the free version Delta Blue while I sulk and ponder 2019.
1) Stopped using the Delta card altogether - I easily qualify anyway for Platinum, the waiver was helping me for Diamond
2) Increased my spending - purposely paying for higher fare classes on many tickets, ie, booking in M when K was available, to hit the MQDs
and I was winning at this game and was happy to know I would make Diamond the "real" way and with the pool being narrowed, meaning fewer Diamonds next year....
and now I see that everyone is going to get it for free and compete with me for upgrades anyway. Sucks. If they are going to announce a drastic rule change they should at least stick with it. By the time the waiver rumors came out, it was already too late for me to spend 25k on the card myself anyway.
Meanwhile I downgraded the Amex to the free version Delta Blue while I sulk and ponder 2019.
Dec 13, 2018, 8:57 am
#1898
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,062
By Amex spending, I'm guessing you mean the previous $25K Waiver, not the new $250K requirement for DM? You can ask DL for the one-time exception, but it looks like processing these are currently on hold until 2019 based on some previous posts. If you don't want to risk it, you could do an MQD run on a partner.
Last edited by xliioper; Dec 13, 2018 at 9:04 am
Dec 13, 2018, 8:57 am
#1899
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: Delta DM, 2MM
Posts: 1,254
waiver is boiling me too. because of the rule change, I
1) Stopped using the Delta card altogether - I easily qualify anyway for Platinum, the waiver was helping me for Diamond
2) Increased my spending - purposely paying for higher fare classes on many tickets, ie, booking in M when K was available, to hit the MQDs
and I was winning at this game and was happy to know I would make Diamond the "real" way and with the pool being narrowed, meaning fewer Diamonds next year....
and now I see that everyone is going to get it for free and compete with me for upgrades anyway. Sucks. If they are going to announce a drastic rule change they should at least stick with it. By the time the waiver rumors came out, it was already too late for me to spend 25k on the card myself anyway.
Meanwhile I downgraded the Amex to the free version Delta Blue while I sulk and ponder 2019.
1) Stopped using the Delta card altogether - I easily qualify anyway for Platinum, the waiver was helping me for Diamond
2) Increased my spending - purposely paying for higher fare classes on many tickets, ie, booking in M when K was available, to hit the MQDs
and I was winning at this game and was happy to know I would make Diamond the "real" way and with the pool being narrowed, meaning fewer Diamonds next year....
and now I see that everyone is going to get it for free and compete with me for upgrades anyway. Sucks. If they are going to announce a drastic rule change they should at least stick with it. By the time the waiver rumors came out, it was already too late for me to spend 25k on the card myself anyway.
Meanwhile I downgraded the Amex to the free version Delta Blue while I sulk and ponder 2019.
Dec 13, 2018, 9:06 am
#1901
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
I wish this had never started, but given that it's been done, IMO it should become a one time only (once in a lifetime) courtesy waiver available for multi-year DMs. It would seem only fair that those who aren't asking for it this year because we don't need it (MQD requirement already met) have the option for some future year.
Dec 13, 2018, 5:47 pm
#1902
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,043
Regards
Dec 13, 2018, 6:02 pm
#1903
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: 4éme
Posts: 12,043
If a person has say $8K MQDs and $35K in spend, how is it "fair" for a person to believe they should be granted a waiver?
Dec 20, 2018, 7:49 am
#1904
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: Delta DM, United 1K, Bonvoy Plat Elite, HHonors Silver, Hertz PC, Nat'l Executive Elite
Posts: 47
Requested a waiver by email Dec. 14, denied Dec 20. Also tried calling in and was also denied.
Stats:
MQM: 205k
MQS: 25
MQD: 14k
Delta CC spend: $61k
The email from Delta read:
Stats:
MQM: 205k
MQS: 25
MQD: 14k
Delta CC spend: $61k
The email from Delta read:
Thank you for your email. We appreciate your comments.
At this time we are currently not taking any exception requests for status. We have a few options that you can try to maintain your status for the 2019 year.
The first would be the Elevate Your Status promotion where you can purchase additional MQM's. Any dollar amount that is spent on the purchase of MQM's also counts towards your MQD balance.
The next option you will have is the Back to Status challenge. This challenge will require you to travel and we suggest that you not enroll into the challenge until you are ready to fly again at your normal level. The best time to start this challenge will be around the end of January beginning of February.
You can also request an exception again in mid January.
Thank you again for giving us an opportunity to respond to your concern.
We very much appreciate your Diamond Medallion loyalty to Delta and look forward to the privilege of serving you again soon.
At this time we are currently not taking any exception requests for status. We have a few options that you can try to maintain your status for the 2019 year.
The first would be the Elevate Your Status promotion where you can purchase additional MQM's. Any dollar amount that is spent on the purchase of MQM's also counts towards your MQD balance.
The next option you will have is the Back to Status challenge. This challenge will require you to travel and we suggest that you not enroll into the challenge until you are ready to fly again at your normal level. The best time to start this challenge will be around the end of January beginning of February.
You can also request an exception again in mid January.
Thank you again for giving us an opportunity to respond to your concern.
We very much appreciate your Diamond Medallion loyalty to Delta and look forward to the privilege of serving you again soon.
Last edited by NC17376; Dec 20, 2018 at 7:58 am Reason: Forgot to include CC spend
Dec 20, 2018, 7:53 am
#1905
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: CHS
Programs: DL Diamond, WN A-List, Marriott Platinum Elite, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 685
And also the "the Back to Status challenge" is that a new thing?