Questions regarding earning MQMs
Nov 19, 2018, 12:44 pm
#1
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Join Date: Nov 2018
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Questions regarding earning MQMs
Hello Everyone - I'm new to this forum. I'm currently a Delta SkyMiles Gold Medallion member, and will need roughly additional 9k MQMs to reach the threshold to become a Platinum Medallion member for 2019. I'm flying from DTW to HNL (round trip) end of December 2018, and that is supposed to give me enough MQMs so I can reach the threshold. However, my returning flight will depart from HNL on December 31st 2018 and land at DTW on January 1st 2019 (I will layover and make a connection at LAX on January 1st 2019). My question is will I get full MQMs credit counted towards 2018 for the entire trip from HNL to DTW (HNL-LAX and LAX-DTW)? Or, the MQMs from LAX to DTW will be counted towards 2019 since it's actually departs on January 1st 2019? In this case, I will not have enough MQMs to become a Platinum Medallion member for 2019. P.S. Every segment of my flights is under the same reservation. Thank you.
Nov 19, 2018, 1:16 pm
#3
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My experience is that they credit the MQMs based on departure time of the flight, even if it is in the new year, i.e. if any segment of your flight departs after midnight on 1-1-19, then you are off to the races for next year's status and it doesn't count for 2018 status. I took a ANC-SEA-DTW return flight departing 1:30 AM a couple years ago just to get a head start on the new year (had already hit DM status). Not the same situation as yours, I recognize that, but even a connecting departure after midnight will credit to 2019.
Nov 19, 2018, 1:49 pm
#5
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MQM is done per flight. Any flight scheduled on Jan 1 will credit for 2019. Any flight scheduled till 2359 on Dec 31st for 2018 totals.
Nov 19, 2018, 1:57 pm
#6
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My experience is that they credit the MQMs based on departure time of the flight, even if it is in the new year, i.e. if any segment of your flight departs after midnight on 1-1-19, then you are off to the races for next year's status and it doesn't count for 2018 status.
Nov 19, 2018, 3:02 pm
#7
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Would be helpful to know what flights OP is on. If DL1284/1106, he should be good as 1106 scheduled departure is 11:17PM. If on the DL1212 "direct" flight, he should also be okay even though the LAX-DTW flight departs at 7:00AM 1/1 as it should credit as a single flight with the 12/31 departure date. Note, however, that the direct flight earns 4475 MQM's vs. 4535 for non-direct connections.
Nov 19, 2018, 4:18 pm
#8
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I don't have any reason to believe that the first flight will post for 2018 and the second one for 2019.
Nov 19, 2018, 5:14 pm
#9
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Rollover is delayed slightly partly because of this reason. Regardless they can figure it out. I have definitively qualified for DM on Dec. 31 before and it didn't post for a couple of days.
I don't have any reason to believe that the first flight will post for 2018 and the second one for 2019.
I don't have any reason to believe that the first flight will post for 2018 and the second one for 2019.
Nov 19, 2018, 5:47 pm
#10
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Would be helpful to know what flights OP is on. If DL1284/1106, he should be good as 1106 scheduled departure is 11:17PM. If on the DL1212 "direct" flight, he should also be okay even though the LAX-DTW flight departs at 7:00AM 1/1 as it should credit as a single flight with the 12/31 departure date. Note, however, that the direct flight earns 4475 MQM's vs. 4535 for non-direct connections.
Hello LBJ, my flights will be DL1212, which departs from HNL at 9:35PM on 12/31 and departs from LAX at 7:00AM on 1/1.
Nov 19, 2018, 5:56 pm
#11
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As stated above, if you are booked on DL1212 as 'direct' flight with a stop in LAX, then both segments will post as a single flight, departing on 12/31. So you will earn MQM based on the direct distance from HNL-DTW, and it will credit in 2018.
If for some reason your itinerary has booked DL1212 as two separate segments (unusual but not unheard of), then you will earn HNL-LAX MQM in 2018 but LAX-DTW MQM will post towards 2019 status.
Most people will try to 'force' booking as separate segments as you would earn more MQM. You have an unusual case where you would prefer the direct flight.
Nov 19, 2018, 9:51 pm
#12
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My understanding from past years is that the rule was that the segment was credited for the year of its scheduled departure, so that delayed flights didn't make a difference. However, a further complication is that direct flights (stop and/or aircraft change but single flight number) credit according to scheduled departure of the first segment, unless one has a broken fare--I'm not sure how having an agent split the segments would affect this. Yet a further complication is that new sections (with something like a 9xxx flight number) after diversions/cancellations should count for the year of scheduled departure for the 9xxx flight (which can be very fluid), although one would presumably be able to request ORC. IROPs rebookings would presumably also entitle one to ORC unless they're considered voluntary, as a VDB would be.
My best guess is that the OP's LAX-DTW segment will credit for 2018 since there's a connection on January 1st.
Can the OP perhaps do a paid upgrade to FC now on the outbound in order to earn enough MQMs in 2018?
My best guess is that the OP's LAX-DTW segment will credit for 2018 since there's a connection on January 1st.
Can the OP perhaps do a paid upgrade to FC now on the outbound in order to earn enough MQMs in 2018?
Nov 19, 2018, 10:14 pm
#13
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If a direct flight, it is unquestionably posting in 2018.
Nov 19, 2018, 10:32 pm
#14
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I agree, and I made the same point about direct flights, but the OP refers to this as a connection (and a layover).