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
Aug 15, 2017, 2:40 pm
#631
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Twin Cities
Programs: Delta DM MM, IHG Plat, Hilton DM, Marriott SE, Emerald EE, Oakdale Gun Club, NRA & GOA Life Member
Posts: 3,870
No but I had to call Amex about a charge on my card and was asked how satisfied I was with Amex as a long time customer right after I replied in the affirmative that they had taken care of everything for me. They've never asked me that before but I don't call them that often.
Aug 16, 2017, 12:10 am
#632
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 23
Very easily .. every flight from DTW to BOM (India) for me is 20k miles and costs me about $1000 .. thats 140k miles for 7000$
Aug 16, 2017, 8:33 am
#634
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Back in Reds Country (DAY/CVG). Previously: SEA & SAT.
Programs: DL PM 1MM, AA PLAT, UA Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 10,333
I was contacted by AmEx recently. I did send letters to both. They told me "there's no plan to change anything at this time and they've heard nothing from Delta". Thanks to reading it upthread, I did point out that Delta didn't really give much notice about the change to the SkyClub guest privileges either for those who had the DL AmEx. Granted if this change went into effect we'd have a "one year heads up" in some respect since it would effect qualification for 2019 but it would still impact my travel patterns for next year, which would have impacted my travel patterns for this year too.
Aug 16, 2017, 12:41 pm
#635
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 186
I've got 146k MQM this year, and my MQDs are 6420. I fly far, I fly cheaply.
Granted I have 80k r/o from 2016 but I'll have about the same r/o this year.
Being Diamond isn't all it's cracked up to be. I'd rather be home.
Aug 17, 2017, 7:34 pm
#637
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ATL
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt LT DM, Wyndham DM, Hertz PC, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,038
It is miserable. Being JAX based, no upgrades domestically and even my GUCs barely clear on DoD - some (LAX-SYD) not at all.
I've got 146k MQM this year, and my MQDs are 6420. I fly far, I fly cheaply.
Granted I have 80k r/o from 2016 but I'll have about the same r/o this year.
Being Diamond isn't all it's cracked up to be. I'd rather be home.
I've got 146k MQM this year, and my MQDs are 6420. I fly far, I fly cheaply.
Granted I have 80k r/o from 2016 but I'll have about the same r/o this year.
Being Diamond isn't all it's cracked up to be. I'd rather be home.
Aug 17, 2017, 11:14 pm
#638
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: DL DM, TK Elite (*Gold), AA EXP (matched and prob not for long!)
Posts: 251
This could be the cause of the confusion: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/rumor...ee-delta-card/
Please note above is still a rumor.
American Express To Launch New No Annual Fee Delta Card
More information: Card will be called Delta Blue. It will come with a Medallion Qualification Dollar Waiver (MQD) until the end of 2017. Starting 1/1/18 spend on this card will not count towards the MQD waiver unless you have another American Express Delta card. Awhile ago there was a rumor that the MQD waiver would not apply for Diamond status (this is across all Delta cards). My source states that there is no indication currently that this is actually the case. My gut feeling is that this that confusion might have all been caused by this new Delta card.
Aug 18, 2017, 6:25 am
#639
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP, IHG Diamond, IC Amb
Posts: 5,508
This could be the cause of the confusion: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/rumor...ee-delta-card/
Please note above is still a rumor.
Please note above is still a rumor.
ahh....
Quite interesting!
Maybe somehow the confusion was wrapped around the deletion of the MQD waiver for THIS possibly NEW card....🗣
Aug 18, 2017, 6:50 am
#640
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
ahh....
Quite interesting!
Maybe somehow the confusion was wrapped around the deletion of the MQD waiver for THIS possibly NEW card.... 28483;
Quite interesting!
Maybe somehow the confusion was wrapped around the deletion of the MQD waiver for THIS possibly NEW card.... 28483;
Poking around it looks like it does provide the MQD waiver, although I'd assume the types of people using the waiver are probably paying at least for the Gold card.
If this new rumor is true, then one of three things is happening:
1. Amex is just updating the benefits package of the DL Options card.
2. Amex is ending the DL Options card and replacing it with DL Blue. Same effect as #1 except potentially allows existing Options cards to be grandfathered in.
3. Amex is adding a *fifth* type of DL-branded card. This seems unlikely...but that's just my gut feeling.
Here are some links:
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...s-options.html
https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...edit-card.html
(For the second link, note the second image and the fact that they have differentiated benefits for Gold/Plat/Reserve vs. "all" cards - meaning there is a card outside of Gold/Plat/Reserve that does not receive the top set of benefits.)
Aug 18, 2017, 9:02 am
#641
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: 100,368
It's odd that a new credit card with MQD waiver benefits would be launched so late in the year. It's hard to imagine the profile of someone who would want only this card and be able to spend $25,000 on it during the next four months unless the person just engages in heavy manufactured spending (which I believe AmEx doesn't like or want to encourage).
Aug 18, 2017, 9:37 am
#642
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,396
It's odd that a new credit card with MQD waiver benefits would be launched so late in the year. It's hard to imagine the profile of someone who would want only this card and be able to spend $25,000 on it during the next four months unless the person just engages in heavy manufactured spending (which I believe AmEx doesn't like or want to encourage).
If someone is worried about MQD then they are a medallion and if they are able to put $25K of spend in a card in four months they may as well get the Platinum Am Ex. The 10K MQM boost from the $25K spend plus the MQM and RDM boost you get for sign up bonuses will more than pay for the annual fee.
Not sure why Am Ex has an issue with MS seeing they are collecting the transaction fees but there were reports of financial reviews being triggered when the dollar coin purchase program was around.
Last edited by jamesteroh; Aug 18, 2017 at 9:46 am
Sep 26, 2017, 9:57 am
#643
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: ATL
Programs: DL, Hilton Gold, PriorityPass
Posts: 89
Delta increasing MQD Waiver to $250,000
It looks like Delta will change the requirements for Diamond status in 2019.
"*Effective January 1, 2018, the MQDs requirement to reach Diamond Medallion Status for 2019 and beyond during the qualification year will be waived if you make $250,000 or more in eligible purchases during the calendar year with your eligible SkyMiles Credit Card. The MQDs requirement to reach Platinum, Gold or Silver Medallion Status during the qualification year will remain the same and be waived if you make $25,000 or more in eligible purchases in that year with your eligible SkyMiles Credit Card. Also effective January 1, 2018, the Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card will no longer be eligible for the MQD Waiver. However, if you have another Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card with the MQD Waiver benefit in addition to your Delta Blue SkyMiles Credit Card, Eligible Purchases made on the Blue Delta SkyMiles Credit Card will continue to count towards the MQD Waiver. "
https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...n-dollars.html
"*Effective January 1, 2018, the MQDs requirement to reach Diamond Medallion Status for 2019 and beyond during the qualification year will be waived if you make $250,000 or more in eligible purchases during the calendar year with your eligible SkyMiles Credit Card. The MQDs requirement to reach Platinum, Gold or Silver Medallion Status during the qualification year will remain the same and be waived if you make $25,000 or more in eligible purchases in that year with your eligible SkyMiles Credit Card. Also effective January 1, 2018, the Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card will no longer be eligible for the MQD Waiver. However, if you have another Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card with the MQD Waiver benefit in addition to your Delta Blue SkyMiles Credit Card, Eligible Purchases made on the Blue Delta SkyMiles Credit Card will continue to count towards the MQD Waiver. "
https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...n-dollars.html
Last edited by Chadg; Sep 26, 2017 at 10:05 am
