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Old Dec 3, 2018, 11:24 am
  #1  
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Question Delta Status Challenge question

I will be flying to the Galapagos islands this summer for vacation. I'm currently in the process of booking the flights and wanted to ask some questions. After seeing some posts about this exact route being part of a mileage run. It got me thinking I may be able to earn Gold status through a status challenge.

I was looking at flying AeroMexico from JFK - UIO in Comfort class on the Dreamliner (JFK-MEX) and then 737 (MEX-UIO). Booking directly through Aeromexico
I'm not sure of the actual fare class letter as I couldn't seem to locate that during a trial booking. It is however in business class. Cost of RT is $841.
According to previous posts on this forum and TPG this should net me 12,102 MQMs and 3,227 MQDs.
I will then fly from JFK-ATL-FLL in paid first (I or Z). This should give me around 1600 MQM

If I received a delta Status challenge that required 12,500 MQM or 15 MQS within 90 days.

Questions.
1. Will the Aeromexico flight earn MQM's that are valid to be used with the delta status challenge or do I have to earn the MQM's on delta metal during the challenge ?
2. Is that calculation of MQM correct for a general skymiles member ?
3. Any flaws in the logic ? I'm very new to this. I just graduated college 2 years ago so I'm just starting to really travel.

Thank you for the help.
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 11:44 am
  #2  
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It would require looking carefully at the T&Cs of your particular status challenge as well as details such as codeshare numbers, but I would *not* assume that MQMs earned on partners would count.

BTW, if you plan to request a status challenge, with what airline do you currently have earned status and what is that status tier? Do not assume....
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 11:52 am
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I don't have any airline status. One of my friends does and said he could get me a status challenge to Delta Gold. I guess I would have to ask him about the T&C.

My other option is opening the Delta Reserve and getting the 10,00 MQM before this flight.
If the above MQM and MQD calculations are correct. Combining the MQM bonus and the flight should net me silver status ?
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 11:58 am
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Originally Posted by Shadowfactor
I don't have any airline status. One of my friends does and said he could get me a status challenge to Delta Gold. I guess I would have to ask him about the T&C.

My other option is opening the Delta Reserve and getting the 10,00 MQM before this flight.
If the above MQM and MQD calculations are correct. Combining the MQM bonus and the flight should net me silver status ?
AFAIK it's not a published elite benefit on DL to be able to obtain status challenges at will for friends with no airline status. I suspect this is incorrect.

I hopes you're not planning to pay the "friend" for this.
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 12:04 pm
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So it's not possible to get someone a status challenge if you're an elite ?

Would the credit card bonus and then flight work for silver ?
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 12:13 pm
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Originally Posted by Shadowfactor
So it's not possible to get someone a status challenge if you're an elite ?

Would the credit card bonus and then flight work for silver ?
Diamond medallions can gift gold status to another person, this is not a challenge. Platinum medallions can gift silver status to another person, this is not a challenge.
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 1:17 pm
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Originally Posted by jerry a. laska
Diamond medallions can gift gold status to another person, this is not a challenge. Platinum medallions can gift silver status to another person, this is not a challenge.
In these cases, it costs the elite a choice benefit and as you point out, it's not a challenge at all.
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 1:50 pm
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Oh okay. I’d had to ask what he meant by that.

Would the Delta MQM bonus of 10K plus the above flight work to earn me silver status on my own ?
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 2:14 pm
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Originally Posted by Shadowfactor
Oh okay. I’d had to ask what he meant by that.

Would the Delta MQM bonus of 10K plus the above flight work to earn me silver status on my own ?
Not by your numbers. Silver is 25,000 MQM and $3,000 MQD. You said you would have 12,000 and 1600 = 13,600 + 10,000 Amex = 23,600.

Also, you mentioned "MQM for a general member" but medallion status does not change MQM, only redeemable (skymiles). TO get any MQM bonus you need to fly in the appropriate class of service (usually business for 150%).
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 2:17 pm
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Originally Posted by Gig103
Not by your numbers. Silver is 25,000 MQM and $3,000 MQD. You said you would have 12,000 and 1600 = 13,600 + 10,000 Amex = 23,600.

Also, you mentioned "MQM for a general member" but medallion status does not change MQM, only redeemable (skymiles). TO get any MQM bonus you need to fly in the appropriate class of service (usually business for 150%).
The ticket price, about $800, doesn't give nearly enough MQDs either, although OP could spend $25,000 on a DL AmEx card to get the waiver.
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 3:09 pm
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From what I’ve read on The Points Guy and also the Premium fare section on this forum listed this exact same route.

it was mentioned that MQD when flying on Aeromexico is 40% of distance flown and that fare price doesn’t have any effect due to it being a partner.

is that not correct ?
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 3:42 pm
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
The ticket price, about $800, doesn't give nearly enough MQDs either, although OP could spend $25,000 on a DL AmEx card to get the waiver.
I was trusting OP's calculation that the MQD were 40% of the distance flown.
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 7:33 pm
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Originally Posted by Gig103
I was trusting OP's calculation that the MQD were 40% of the distance flown.
OK, if that works (but for a statues challenge, there could be a problem), but I think we've decided that one cannot buy or be gifted a status challenge, so this won't matter.
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