Renes Points

I knew it was a BIG number but that just shocked me!

The only reason I spend one penny on any of my Delta co-branded cards is for MQMs and MQD exempt spending. I am sure I am not the only one.

SkyMiles are simply a byproduct of earning MQMs. I could earn ZERO SkyMiles and I would still spend for MQMs.

hockeyinsider

Fake news. People who don't fly or only earn status aren't crowding business-class, unless they're paying for a business-class ticket, redeeming a global upgrade certificate, or redeeming miles.

Your beef should be with Delta non-revenue passengers crowding business-class or, better yet, Delta's shadyness with award redemption and constant devaluation of miles.

Who the heck cares if you fly 200,000-butt-in-seat miles at premium prices when the reason behind a frequent flyer program -- redeeming miles -- is worthless.

SamOF

You know there's not a one credit card issuer per person rule, right?

kop84

Nobody tell my wife this!

bdschobel

You aren't the only one!

Bruce

dinanm3atl

So what if you fly a partner and get a MQD 'bonus' because it's distance based? Does not that 'count' in your world? Or some fares earn an MQM bonus and it's not even a premium cabin fare and it's CHEAPER than flying on DL Metal. Does that not 'count'?

Basic business?

You realize someone could spend MORE on a credit card and more money ends up with Delta than spending on actual tickets? Look at the details in this thread about how much the program/credit card racks up.

StayingHomeIsBetter

To you folks who are grousing about the credit card spend waiver inflating the elite ranks... do you similarly post in protest in the "I have a question about my DL status challenge" threads?

(Yes... I know that DL does not do DM status challenges... but the underlying principle remains.)

jamesteroh

Or there was a thread one time where someone was complaining about it being unfair to people that earned status all BIS on Delta that others could earn status through Am Ex spend MQM's but I remember that poster mention in the Hilton thread sometime earlier he earned diamond status at Hilton through $40K spend on a Hilton Visa Apparently it's ok to compete for upgrades at Hilton against people who earn that status BIB but they don't like competiting for upgrades against people who don't earn status BIS

Similar with the Am Ex cardholders complaining about the influx of Chase Sapphire Priority Pass customers taking up a lot of room in a couple of the lounges and overcrowding them. They have issues with that but I'm sure they have no issues using their Am Ex cards to enter the Skyclub crowding the Skyclubs for members who have actual memberships

And speaking of status matches if Delta wants to thin the herds so bad then why are they giving out status matches? And why give MQD on partner purchases?

Renes Points

...because Delta loves their partners....

no wait, they hate their partners......

well they like their partners they own 49% of and put them in group 1

....it really is confusing just who Delta loves isn't it?

jamesteroh

But it's just not Delta. The whole travel industry seems to be going that way.

I have status with Hertz and another car rental company I never use. One is through a credit card and I have presidents club at Hertz through a professional association membership.

Hilton gives you Diamond status with just $40K spend on their card.

I think a fair system would be to do like Hyatt and American does and give partial credit. American gives you credit for half your MQD's or whatever they call it with a large credit card spend. Delta should cut your MQD requirement in half (for all levels for all levels for a certain spend and raise the spend from $25K to $50K).

Same with Hilton. Instead of just giving status out they should do what Hyatt does and after $40K spend on the credit card give xxx nights towards diamond status.

It still requires you to use the travel partner but is giving you a substantial benefit for a large spend but the weekly flyer or weekly hotel guest won't compete for upgrades again the person that flies every other month or stays in a hotel every other month.

jamesteroh

I'm also one of those. Even with Delta purchases at 2 SkyMiles/$, once I have the MQM spend in on all my cards I don't even charge my Delta tickets to the Delta Am Ex since the CSR 4.5 cents/$1 is more rewarding to me than 2 skymiles/$1.

It would be interesting to know what percent of Delta Am Ex Platinum and Reserve card holders max out the MQM's. I'm willing to be bet it the majority on the Platinum since the card doesn't provide any other real benefits over the Delta gold outside of the companion ticket which used to be worthless to me (but is more valuable now that they are eligible for upgrades). I know the reserve provides a lot of other benefits, and I'll probably hold on to one reserve card if this goes through for those benefits. The Skyclub access will be nice since it's no longer going to be a Diamond benefit is great for people who aren't diamonds but fly Delta a lot and the companion ticket on that can be valuable since you can use it on a FCM fare.

Someone in my office who isn't diamond and I were talking about this yesterday and she is worried that if they do this to diamonds will they do this to Platinum members next year (she is PM) or due to all the new PM's will they raise the MQM level to thin the herds there or start doing what American does and use MQD spend for tiebreakers.

I remember you used to get bonus Delta miles in certain categories on Am Ex spend (I think grocery stores and Phone charges were two of them but I may be thinking of the Hilton Am Ex). Maybe Am Ex will start doing bonus categories again if they lose too much spend.

Based on my conversations with people at Am Ex and seeing the posts here about Am Ex conversations either Am Ex was never advised of the changes or their high top brass is keeping totally quiet or is really good at playing dumb

pvn

This is wrong, because you're looking at individuals and ignoring the aggregate.

Love_Travel

How difficult is this to understand?

Form Delta website:

"Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs): earned based on distance flown."

Not based on how much I spend on credit Card

gooselee

Apparently....very.

<too lazy insert screenshot of Amex page displaying DL Plat/Reserve MilesBoost benefits>

pvn

ok? If you only want to earn MQMs via butt-in-seat miles, that's totally up to you. Not sure what the problem is.