What's your valuation of MQMs?

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Jun 4, 2018, 10:41 pm

#16

sethb

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A mileage run is generally defined as under $0.05/MQM, for what that's worth.

But the cost to look at is the marginal (excess) cost, not the total cost.

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Jun 5, 2018, 8:00 am

#17

ethernal

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Kacee

I find it really unpleasant intra-California these days. The gates are packed, the flights are packed, everyone's super-aggressive about the line-up, overhead space, saving seats, even fighting over the armrests.

And SAN T1 is one of the worst terminals in the country.

Hmm.. interesting. Perhaps it's a hub/focus city versus non-hub thing. I would say the same is true for the Delta flights I take (minus the saving seats thing) - but that is all into/out of Atlanta.

Quote:

Plus on DL/UA, I will get at minimum C+/E+ and usually upgraded.

Fair enough - if you can get a superior hard product then I suppose it can be worth it (although for any flight under 3 hours I would still take a non-stop in Y over a connection in F but that is a personal preference). Wish I could snag C+ seats regularly (but I'm a lowly Diamond so that's rare

)

Jun 5, 2018, 8:16 am

#18

cestmoi123

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Kacee

I've flown SAN-SLC-OAK to avoid WN (and SAN T1), and would happily do it again.

Wow. I'm not a SW fan by any means, but spending an extra three hours in transit, and adding the risk of blowing a 45 minute connection and getting stuck in SLC, just to avoid a 1.5 hour flight on SW, is a lot farther than I'd take it. To each his own, I guess.

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Jun 5, 2018, 8:58 am

#19

MSPeconomist

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Quote:

Originally Posted by matrixwalker2012

If you’ve got 4 million MQMs lifetime and you’ll never spend enough for Diamond, then MQMs are practically worthless.

If you’ve got the Amex Centurion card and don’t spend enough on air tickets to hit Diamond, then MQMs are practically worthless.

If you’ve spent over $15K on tickets but are sitting on 149,000 MQMs and you have a lot of intl travel to use Global Upgrades on, then those last few MQMs are worth quite a lot.

So, MQMs can range from being extremely valuable to worthless depending on your situation.

HUH? If you have over $15,000 MQDs and 149,000 MQMs, you're (re)qualified for DM and earning more MQMs won't get you any more choice benefits for the year. I don't see any rationale for "those last few" MQMs being so valuable. Any MQMs earned at this point just become rollover for next year.

Jun 5, 2018, 9:36 am

#20

cestmoi123

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Quote:

Originally Posted by MSPeconomist

I think the poster probably meant 124,000, not 149,000.

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Jun 5, 2018, 9:45 am

#21

MSPeconomist

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Quote:

Originally Posted by cestmoi123

I think the poster probably meant 124,000, not 149,000.

Or there's confusion with other programs that give additional SWUs when certain higher status miles thresholds are reached.

Last edited by MSPeconomist; Jun 6, 2018 at 1:10 am Reason: typo

Jun 5, 2018, 10:34 am

#22

3Cforme

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ethernal

Wish I could snag C+ seats regularly (but I'm a lowly Diamond so that's rare

)

Would you care to cite your C+/F upgrade percentage for the past year? How many DL Medallion-upgrade-eligible flights on 2-class planes, how many upgrades you requested, and how many you got?

Jun 5, 2018, 10:51 am

#23

ethernal

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 3Cforme

Would you care to cite your C+/F upgrade percentage for the past year? How many DL Medallion-upgrade-eligible flights on 2-class planes, how many upgrades you requested, and how many you got?

Perhaps a bit of a thread diversion (although that might be my fault with my snarky comment) - but up through May 24th - I flew 48 eligible upgrade segments. Through that time, I received 4 F upgrades. Of those four upgrades:

One was from a RUC
One was from an equipment swap (737 changed to a 767 due to a rescue)
One was on a leisure trip (ATL->AUA - didn't make the return upgrade)
One was morning of January 2nd

For C+ - I don't know the specific number - and I also frequently turn off C+ upgrades if I land a good regular seat (exit row, etc). If I sum up my C+ upgrades and my "good seat" percentages (e.g., exit row), if I had to make an educated guess, I would assume I'm at around 30% (so with F upgrades of a little less than 10%, my net time in "true Y" is around 60% of flights).

With that said, the last two weeks (with a quiet memorial day week and extra flights added for summer), I've actually gotten three additional F upgrades and have only had one of six trips in "true Y" - so that's actually pretty good - and can't complain about that.