Currently at 75k MQM (plat), $15k MQD (diamond) - options?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 2
Currently at 75k MQM (plat), $15k MQD (diamond) - options?
I'm at 74,880 miles, and after today I'll be platinum for next year. The funny thing is due to a lot of last minute travel I'm over $15k MQD which is diamond. I wasn't planning on it, but I'm wondering if there are any options short of a crazy mileage run that would make up the difference in MQMs. I started to look at the Delta Amex cards, but tough to weed through the details.
#2
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,991
Realistically - barring a big investment in spend and time - you are not going to make Diamond. We are now in the expensive part of the year for mileage runs (the last two weeks in December meaning there are few cheap fares). Even if you could do mileage runs, 50K is more than two trips around the globe - this is 5+ days of time just in the air alone not even talking about layovers, etc. Even in business we're talking about 3 days+ in the air.
If you are able to manufacture spend and put a bunch of money on Amex cards, in theory you could get two Reserve cards (one personal, one business) and get 60K of MQMs. This would require $120K in manufactured spend in less than two weeks - if you even get the card on time and have expenses to post on time.
If you are able to manufacture spend and put a bunch of money on Amex cards, in theory you could get two Reserve cards (one personal, one business) and get 60K of MQMs. This would require $120K in manufactured spend in less than two weeks - if you even get the card on time and have expenses to post on time.
#3
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: Delta DM, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,492
Realistically - barring a big investment in spend and time - you are not going to make Diamond. We are now in the expensive part of the year for mileage runs (the last two weeks in December meaning there are few cheap fares). Even if you could do mileage runs, 50K is more than two trips around the globe - this is 5+ days of time just in the air alone not even talking about layovers, etc. Even in business we're talking about 3 days+ in the air.
If you are able to manufacture spend and put a bunch of money on Amex cards, in theory you could get two Reserve cards (one personal, one business) and get 60K of MQMs. This would require $120K in manufactured spend in less than two weeks - if you even get the card on time and have expenses to post on time.
If you are able to manufacture spend and put a bunch of money on Amex cards, in theory you could get two Reserve cards (one personal, one business) and get 60K of MQMs. This would require $120K in manufactured spend in less than two weeks - if you even get the card on time and have expenses to post on time.
#5
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: 100,334
The fees would make this an expensive undertaking. A couple cheap MRs would probably cost less.
#6
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,991
There are no cheap MRs left. We're in the blackout period for the holidays (+ past two week advanced purchase when fare buckets become a lot more expensive regardless of availability - at least on DL metal).
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 2
Thanks all! My sense was that if 10k, the Amex option or similar might work, but more than double that it wouldn't make sense. I would've been kicking myself if there was a one-time thing. I'm happy to stay at the platinum level again
#8
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Body in the CLE, soul still in New England
Programs: In 2023? Does it matter? SPG/Marriott: Plat; DL: Plat; B6: Mosaic
Posts: 2,979
You'd have to do a NYC>SIN China Eastern type mileage run in business....and even that would only net you around 31k (trust me, I just did it). I attempted to reprice my just completed MR, and it would have been well over $3500 for the last week of December. Not really worth it, IMHO