Estimating the Diamond Medallion Population
Aug 31, 2018, 3:42 pm
#91
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,677
I didn't start flying Delta regularly until around 2000 and the new program was in place then. I'd guess early to mid 90s? A FT search may turn up some info. I remember in my early FT days there were people still redeeming old miles. Since the old miles never expired and the new skymiles did, when Delta changed the program they felt inclined to be ethical and keep the old rules for the old miles. Given how easy it is to redeem miles, it never seemed to me like a big deal to have them expire if there was no account activity for 3 years.
Aug 31, 2018, 3:53 pm
#92
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,047
OK - thanks. I vaguely recall a time with new and old miles, but I wasn't miles-woke back then. Glad I wasn't missing something more recent. I really liked (and use) the Platinum AA status I got under similar circumstances (but much more recently).
Sep 1, 2018, 5:34 am
#93
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Nashville
Programs: DL DM 3 MM AA PLAT HH Lifetime Diamond Marriott Plat AMB lifetime titanium Hertz PC
Posts: 6,187
MQM boosts went into effect with the introduction of the DL branded AMEX cards.
In the early days of the original Delta Frequent Flyer Program, AMEX spend on Delta counted toward MM status. Sadly, my employer gave me a Diner's Club card for travel. The DC card spend DID NOT count toward MM status.
Also in those days, minimum mileage credit was 1000 miles per segment. I DID benefit from that! ^ 
In the early days of the original Delta Frequent Flyer Program, AMEX spend on Delta counted toward MM status. Sadly, my employer gave me a Diner's Club card for travel. The DC card spend DID NOT count toward MM status.
Also in those days, minimum mileage credit was 1000 miles per segment. I DID benefit from that! ^
Sep 1, 2018, 6:12 pm
#95
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Nashville
Programs: DL DM 3 MM AA PLAT HH Lifetime Diamond Marriott Plat AMB lifetime titanium Hertz PC
Posts: 6,187
Maybe a bit OT, but I ran into a fellow FTer and we joked about this thread.
I told him a story about what an ambassador at the BNA SkyClub told me a few weeks ago after a newly-minted DM (segments) checked in.
She said there is a BNA based flyer in the DL family who is a 9 Million Miler, never flown outside of the US (no passport), and is obviously DM and 360 based on segments every year.
Assuming this guy is still working and is 65 or so, how is this even mathematically possible? That’s a ton of segments- especially from BNA...
Hawaii every week??
I told him a story about what an ambassador at the BNA SkyClub told me a few weeks ago after a newly-minted DM (segments) checked in.
She said there is a BNA based flyer in the DL family who is a 9 Million Miler, never flown outside of the US (no passport), and is obviously DM and 360 based on segments every year.
Assuming this guy is still working and is 65 or so, how is this even mathematically possible? That’s a ton of segments- especially from BNA...
Hawaii every week??
Sep 5, 2018, 2:13 am
#96
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Seattle
Programs: Delta 1MM/DM, *wood Lifetime Gold
Posts: 285
What *new* MQD requirements are you talking about? DL has had MQD requirements for all elite tiers, including DM, for several years, including waiver rules for foreign addresses, although recently the DL AmEx spend requirement for the DM MQD waiver was raised significantly.
Sep 5, 2018, 9:24 am
#98
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: 100,417
It depends on whether you want DM for next year and whether you'll hit the DM MQD requirement anyway.
Sep 5, 2018, 10:36 am
#99
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Treasure Coast, FL
Programs: DL Diamond, Marriott LT Plat, HH Diamond, Avis Preferred Plus, National Executive
Posts: 4,578
PM now DM next month and 95% of the time I either buy F outright at purchase, or with work travel purchase economy and then out of my pocket i pay for the op-up for F. Upgrades are not a big thing for me.
The email about summer travel I got the other day said I sat in the front 68% of the time, but I think their math is off
The reason I was able to hit the MQD waiver of $15k this year was expensive domestic fares at the last minute, and the op ups to F/paying for F outright. Otherwise I can see it being very difficult for people to hit $15k
The email about summer travel I got the other day said I sat in the front 68% of the time, but I think their math is off
The reason I was able to hit the MQD waiver of $15k this year was expensive domestic fares at the last minute, and the op ups to F/paying for F outright. Otherwise I can see it being very difficult for people to hit $15k
There was no mention that I buy F a lot (same as you) and my upgrade % is less than 35% on the year when I ddin't buy F.
Apr 23, 2019, 2:22 pm
#100
Join Date: Apr 2019
Programs: Delta 360
Posts: 3
Apr 23, 2019, 2:34 pm
#101
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Minneapolis
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 2,236
Apr 23, 2019, 2:48 pm
#103
Join Date: Apr 2019
Programs: Delta 360
Posts: 3
6,000 - 360
60,000 - Diamond
120,000 - Platinum
200,000 - Gold
450,000 - Silver
Do you have evidence that would prove otherwise with regards to the 6,000 Delta 360 members? In nearly all cases, I am the only 360 on the aircraft.
Delta has 901 aircraft. If you assume that the average 360 member flies 25 percent of the time (that's about what I do), that puts 1,500 traveling per day spread across Delta's 15,000 flights... or 1 in every 10 flights. Right?
Apr 23, 2019, 3:01 pm
#104
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,394
That number sounds rather solid, based on the figures that a bit of research has me estimating:
6,000 - 360
60,000 - Diamond
120,000 - Platinum
200,000 - Gold
450,000 - Silver
Do you have evidence that would prove otherwise with regards to the 6,000 Delta 360 members? In nearly all cases, I am the only 360 on the aircraft.
Delta has 901 aircraft. If you assume that the average 360 member flies 25 percent of the time (that's about what I do), that puts 1,500 traveling per day spread across Delta's 15,000 flights... or 1 in every 10 flights. Right?
6,000 - 360
60,000 - Diamond
120,000 - Platinum
200,000 - Gold
450,000 - Silver
Do you have evidence that would prove otherwise with regards to the 6,000 Delta 360 members? In nearly all cases, I am the only 360 on the aircraft.
Delta has 901 aircraft. If you assume that the average 360 member flies 25 percent of the time (that's about what I do), that puts 1,500 traveling per day spread across Delta's 15,000 flights... or 1 in every 10 flights. Right?
Apr 23, 2019, 3:21 pm
#105
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Minneapolis
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 2,236
So you are trying to make sense of something involving the airlines?? Maybe, you can help us all figure out why they
do anything else, without know their inner most secrets. Trust me, I know people in upper management at Delta. Either they
really don't know or they are forbidden from sharing.
do anything else, without know their inner most secrets.
Trust me, I know people in upper management at Delta. Either theyreally don't know or they are forbidden from sharing.