Buying MQDs

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Nov 19, 2018, 12:30 pm

bigcahonna

Original Poster

Join Date: Jun 2009

Posts: 263

Buying MQDs

I am about $70 short of the next medallion level for the year. Is there anyway for me purchase a small amount of MQD credits other than buying a ticket and hopping on a plane?

Nov 19, 2018, 12:45 pm

dmac7273

Join Date: Dec 2015

Location: Atlanta, GA

Programs: DL PM, Hilton Gold

Posts: 122

Normally in early December, Delta will email out offers to buy 1-10K of MQMs to help you get to the next level. Typically though, the prices start around $800-$1200 (these will count towards MQDs) depending on some factors.

In almost any scenario, it'll be better for you to hop on a short mileage run than buy MQMs/MQDs.

Nov 19, 2018, 12:52 pm

TheHorta

Join Date: Sep 2016

Location: HSV

Programs: Bellevue Lifetime Premiere Mega Elite Supreme

Posts: 1,509

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigcahonna

I am about $70 short of the next medallion level for the year. Is there anyway for me purchase a small amount of MQD credits other than buying a ticket and hopping on a plane?

I’m on the mobile site and can’t see where you’re based, but more often than not, there is a 30 minute flight from most places (in my case, HSV>ATL) where you can hop a plane, grab some dinner in town or catch a museum, and fly back again later in the day — for ~$100.

Have some fun with it.

Nov 19, 2018, 1:07 pm

SpartanPope

Join Date: Oct 2017

Posts: 4

If you have an upcoming flight, consider buying an upgrade on a segment, as that will count toward your MQD.

Nov 19, 2018, 1:14 pm

yaychemistry

Join Date: Jan 2010

Location: BOS

Programs: DL GM

Posts: 300

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpartanPope

If you have an upcoming flight, consider buying an upgrade on a segment, as that will count toward your MQD.

Some percentage of the upgrade price will be considered taxes and fees, so make sure the upgrade costs about ~10% more than the amount of MQDs that you need.

I believe that the US excise tax is 7.5% for flights, but upgrading cabins may trigger higher airport fees depending where you're flying.

MSPeconomist likes this.

Dec 16, 2018, 4:09 am

PeterPorker

Join Date: Dec 2018

Posts: 5

Delta Trying to Screw me out of status. What are my options

NEED URGENT HELP! Needed $MQDs to get to diamond. Figured out a flight and an upgrade on my last work trip would get me where I needed to go. The upgrades for my last work trip showed as $111 each way. The trip I needed to take was $674. Upgrading one leg of the work trip and booking the other flight would get me just over the threshold. I booked the MQD run first and then the last upgrades on the work trip immediately changed $106 and $248. The new reduced fee on the first leg just got me under but I saw that if I did an upgrade on my MQD too I would be over the threshold by $50 again. So I booked the $106 for the first leg of my work trip and the $64 for upgrade to my MQD trip. The work trip shows the upgrade as a seat upgrade vi but the MQD run upgrade shows as an eFirst upgrade. The miles just posted from my MQD run and the first upgrade didn’t post. Now I’m going to miss Diamond by $4. What are my options to get the credit for the upgrades I purchased since they didn’t post?