End of year MQM options - credit cards

Old Nov 29, 2018, 9:38 am
  #1  
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End of year MQM options - credit cards

I'm a Gold sadly set to turn into nothing at the end of the year. I actually hit my MQD, but I'm about 6,000 miles short on MQM. If it was 5,000 a round trip to family on the other coast might be tempting, but mileage run is (1) a few hundred bucks I'd rather not spend; (2) a couple days away from my family, which isn't really fair. Besides mileage run, there are MQM bonuses I could earn with sufficient Amex spend, but I'm just not close. So I think my best option is to sign up for a new Amex Delta card with a MQM spend bonus. That's usually $3000, which I can hit as I have major expenses at the end of this month.

Am I missing another option out there? I already have the Platinum card, so I'm thinking Amex Delta Reserve is the best bet. Steep at $450, but not much more than a mileage run and includes a year of SkyClub access.
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 10:03 am
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You said you already have the "Platinum card", but is that the AmEx Platinum or Delta Platinum AmEx? Signing up for the Delta Platinum AmEx will get you 5,000 MQMs (and 35k RDMs) after $1k of spend, for a $195 fee. Unless there is a signup offer I'm not aware of, the Delta Reserve AmEx will get you 15k MQMs, but after $30K of spend, not $3k.

Edit: Oops, you need 6,000 MQMs, I read it at as 5,000.
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 10:10 am
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The Reserve card has a 10K MQM/40K miles offer after first $3K spend. Presumably, OP has not had this card before (otherwise would be ineligible for bonus). If OP means end of this month (tomorrow), I would not expect card to be available by then. If OP means end of Dec, it's a bit risky as the MQM bonus might post in January. Unlike the annual spend MQM boosts, I don't believe they backdate the sign-up bonus MQM's just because spend was in previous year. If OP has DL Plat Amex, there's a 5K MQM bonus for upgrading it to a Reserve card (or at least there used to be) which I believe posts immediately (I did the upgrade a few years ago).
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Last edited by xliioper; Nov 29, 2018 at 10:17 am
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 10:19 am
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Originally Posted by LBJ
The Reserve card has a 10K MQM/40K miles offer after first $3K spend. Presumably, OP has not had this card before (otherwise would be ineligible for bonus). If OP means end of this month (tomorrow), I would not expect card to be available by then. If OP means end of Dec, it's a bit risky as the MQM bonus might post in January. Unlike the annual spend MQM boosts, I don't believe they backdate the sign-up bonus MQM's just because spend was in previous year. If OP has DL Plat Amex, there's a 5K MQM bonus for upgrading it to a Reserve card which I believe posts immediately (I did the upgrade a few years ago).
Yep, there is is right on Delta's site. I checked the AmEx site and didn't see that offer, but it seems it won't show me that offer because it "knows" that I have that card already, even if I'm not logged in to my account.
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 12:21 pm
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Originally Posted by Magnum75
Yep, there is is right on Delta's site. I checked the AmEx site and didn't see that offer, but it seems it won't show me that offer because it "knows" that I have that card already, even if I'm not logged in to my account.
Where is that? Getting 5,000 MQM to upgrade might be a better approach, as having 2 Delta Amex cards isn't my preference. If I do upgrade, when does the annual fee hit? And is the anniversary date for the companion ticket rest?

It would leave me 1000 MQM short, but that's much easier & cheaper to pick up.
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 12:37 pm
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If you are at 19,000 MQM for the year (counting rollover from 2017), you might legitimately ask yourself if it's better to push any additional MQM earnings into 2019 rather than making a push for FO now. Of course it depends on your 2019 plans and patterns, but was 2018 an unusually low year, such that an added 6,000 MQM may push you over in 2019 (to FO or GM, as applicable)? Not your question, but just a thought. There are a few threads on "is FO worth it?" that might be helpful.
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 12:59 pm
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Originally Posted by vbjd1111
If you are at 19,000 MQM for the year (counting rollover from 2017), you might legitimately ask yourself if it's better to push any additional MQM earnings into 2019 rather than making a push for FO now. Of course it depends on your 2019 plans and patterns, but was 2018 an unusually low year, such that an added 6,000 MQM may push you over in 2019 (to FO or GM, as applicable)? Not your question, but just a thought. There are a few threads on "is FO worth it?" that might be helpful.
If you don't earn at least FO during the year you get no rollover at all (and of course lose any previous rollover). The hold back strategy works only if you can hit FO.
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 1:08 pm
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Originally Posted by jakers3200
If I do upgrade, when does the annual fee hit? And is the anniversary date for the companion ticket rest?
I upgraded my DL Plat Amex to DL Reserve Amex. Anniversary stays the same, and the new Reserve annual fee was prorated based on my existing anniversary date. The new Reserve prorated fee posted about 30-45 days after I did the upgrade.
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 1:16 pm
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What MSPeconomist said. Not only will you lose status, but also the benefit of the 19K you already earned this year. Even if you don't fly a ton next year, between FO and the Reserve card, you'll have most of the benefits you need, like Skyclub access, medallion upgrades and the Companion certificate. Now, if you don't use the Platinum card companion ticket or you never buy F, then this certificate won't be any different than you have now. But lounge access helps, and the odd upgrade is a wonderful surprise. And next year, you can decide how much spend to allocate to the Reserve card, which could get you up to two 15K MQM boosts at $30K and $60K spend. Just the first bump of 15K could put you over again next year for Silver, if not Gold, depending on your travel patterns.
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 1:57 pm
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
If you don't earn at least FO during the year you get no rollover at all (and of course lose any previous rollover). The hold back strategy works only if you can hit FO.
I did not mean to advocate a hold back strategy, as I understood/understand there is no rollover unless you hit FO. What I was trying to say (maybe inartfully) is that if OP is going to get a reserve card, one can ask -- is the signup boost best used this year to hit FO for 2019, or next year to help qualify for FO and possibly higher for part of 2019 and through the end of 2020? It would depend on spending and travel patterns, but if you are going to spend $30K on your AMEX Reserve in Q1, for example, you could stack the signup bonus on the first 15K boost and be only 5,000 MQM short of FO by April, with status that extends to end of 2020. What's not clear is whether the OP's 2018 travel pattern was low for some reason that will not be repeated in 2020 (his GM status indicates he had higher travel in prior years). Also, his 19,000-ish balance presumably has some rollover already baked in and that means he travelled less than 19,000 this year . . . . which would make me look at why and what that means for 2019.
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 2:26 pm
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Originally Posted by vbjd1111
I did not mean to advocate a hold back strategy, as I understood/understand there is no rollover unless you hit FO. What I was trying to say (maybe inartfully) is that if OP is going to get a reserve card, one can ask -- is the signup boost best used this year to hit FO for 2019, or next year to help qualify for FO and possibly higher for part of 2019 and through the end of 2020?
Thanks, now I understand what you were getting at, and I agree it depends on OPs future travel plans. If OP wants to keep some status and not lose the 19K in the bank, then it's either upgrade to Reserve, or go on a mileage run. 6,000 MQMs is not that much for an intl MR, but OP indicated s/he didn't want to spend a few hundred on what could be perceived as a 'wasted trip.'

But if OP had travel and significant charges coming up early next year, then s/he could just apply for the Reserve card next year, get the full MQM bonus rather than the upgrade bonus, and hit Silver when the first MQM bonus at $30K is posted. And then decide whether to keep the Platinum card or not. Throw in some traveling or two Amex bonuses and OP could hit Gold again.
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 4:09 pm
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Great thoughts here, appreciate everyone's feedback. I earned Gold 2016 & 2017, but first year was a status challenge, and the 2nd year was due to combination international R/T, plus 20K in MQM bonuses. Then I still needed a mileage run to reach MQM requirements. Realistically, I'm only earning Silver, and not in the first quarter. I do expect to travel more next year on Delta-- I had a few x/c flights that I had to take on other airlines this year.

I'm going to figure out about upgrading my card, and if that works I'll quickly spend $3K and find a short mileage run.Sadly, I'm 6055 MQM short, so I can't qualify with a super short flight as that would leave me with 24,945 MQM.Or I might just dive into Reserve and get a new card, which will give me a head start on 2019.
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 4:27 pm
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Originally Posted by jakers3200
I'm a Gold sadly set to turn into nothing at the end of the year. I actually hit my MQD, but I'm about 6,000 miles short on MQM. <snip>
I am confused by this statement. If you have hit Gold MQD, then you have spent >$6,000, yes? And if you are short 6,000 MQMs, that would mean that you have somewhere around ~44,000 MQMs. The qualification for FO is 25k MQM and $3k MQD. With those numbers you should be Silver for next year. FO isn't great, but it is definitely better than nothing.

Why not stick with Silver in 2018, roll over the extra 19,000 MQMs, and take the head start to Gold in 2019 - which would carry you through the rest of 2019, plus 2020 medallion year?
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 4:56 pm
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Apologies, I should have been more clear. I've met the MQD requirement for Silver only. Wish I were at 44K!
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 5:09 pm
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Originally Posted by jakers3200
Apologies, I should have been more clear. I've met the MQD requirement for Silver only. Wish I were at 44K!
So you are a Gold currently (through 1/31/19), and you have $3k in spend and 19k MQM?

That is very different, and I am not sure how I would choose to go. 6,000 MQM is quite a bit to be looking at with only 5 weeks left in the year. Especially if you don't already have some additional travel scheduled or some big spend already identified that you can move onto a card.

Good luck, whichever way you decide to go.
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