Gindernation

Hey fellow FTers,

My new spouse is at 37K MQM and ~$7K MQD. I gifted her GM for 2017 but now I'm trying to weigh my options for her 2018 qualifications. Do I gift her GM again for 2018? Or do I use my second DL AMEX reserve MQM boost to gift her 15K MQM?

I'm already at $20K MQD and ~163K MQM and another 25K of upcoming travel in 2017. I currently sit at 915K lifetime miles. In the grand scheme of things, should I be selfish and take the 15K to get to million miles slightly quicker? Or is there a more sensible option here?

Bonus question:
Since the MQD waiver is now eliminated for 2019 DM qualification, I'm only using my DL AMEX reserve for the companion ticket and SC access and not for daily expenses. What's the best bang for my buck in terms of the 3 (DM)+1 (PM) choice benefits?

My apologies if I've left out any pertinent information.

MSPeconomist

I'd give wife the 15,000 MQMs from the Reaserve card. If you gift her GM from your choice benefits, her 37,000 MQMs and $7000 MQDs are wasted.

javabytes

Shouldn't that be viewed as a sunk cost, as you economists like to say?

If the end result is GM for the wife either way, it would seem to make more sense for OP to take the 15k MQMs and push towards 1MM.

MSPeconomist

OP is going to get MM next year naturally, so I'd use the choice benefit to pick something else. The $200 Tiffany gift card would probably please wife, but cause additional money to be spent at Tiffany's. The $200 DL gift card or 25,000 RDMs can always be used somehow.

aacar

If the OP is earning ~180K MQM/yr, he'd get the 15K MQM in a month of travel. One of the other choice benefits would probably be more worthwhile.

aquamarinesteph

You left out if this course of action makes your spouse happy. ;-) In that case, it's priceless.

Gindernation

It's easier to earn the MQM so it'll be in my best interest to gift AMEX reserve MQM boost to her.

The wife is most certainly being spoiled right now. It's a good thing she doesn't care much for Tiffany's!

I plan on taking 2x4 SWUs, and 2x$200 Delta gift cards. Every little penny will help to hit that $15K MQD!

Gindernation

It's easier to earn the MQM so it'll be in my best interest to gift AMEX reserve MQM boost to her.

The wife is most certainly being spoiled right now. It's a good thing she doesn't care much for Tiffany's!

I plan on taking 2x4 SWUs, and 2x$200 Delta gift cards. Every little penny will help to hit that $15K MQD!

MSPeconomist

This sounds like a good plan.

flyerCO

How do you plan on taking 2x 4SWUS? Not possible under current rules. Can take double on anything but it.

Gindernation

Thanks for the clarification. Is it possible to select a combination of SWU and RUG? e.g. 4 SWU and 2 SWU/4RUG? Or will I need to select a non-UG option?

flyerCO

You can pick 4 RUC as PM option and then 4 GUC as DM. However, you can't pick a double option as DM choice of any of the UC options.

jdrtravel

Does your wife travel without you or mostly with you? If you always travel together, then GM is not very valuable to her as she will basically always get your DM benefits with the new upgrade system. If this is the case, you might choose another benefit. If she travels on her own then it is very valuable.

Gindernation

Gifting her GM in 2017 was a waste because she only took 1 trip without me. In 2018, majority of her travel will still be with me, both domestic and international. But she might take a couple more domestic trips by herself.

But this is a good point, I'm not sure how much she's benefiting from GM if she rarely travels by herself. The main reason GM is important is for domestic SDC and lounge access on our international trips. Is the latter even worth it if I will be upgrading to SC guest access (AMEX reserve + choice benefit) along with existing Priority Pass?

jdrtravel

You don't even need to do that. As a Sky Team Elite Plus (which all GM's and higher are) you get lounge access for you +1 guest on all international travel at all Sky Team lounges while traveling on any sky team airline (excluding third party lounges and does not apply to a few international destinations such as the Caribbean).

Domestic SDC is good point, I forgot about that. This cannot be extended to her from you DM status. That being said, paying for SDC is $75, so think about how often you will likely need to pay that as another determining factor.