Race to Diamond - 2020 Edition!
Jan 4, 2019, 1:01 pm
#17
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 11
My status for 2019 still shows all zeros (even though I have a bunch of carryover MQM, around 140k). I wish I knew how they work through the list (might be reverse alphabetically?). I don't think I've ever gotten the new year's data to show up before mid-January.
Jan 4, 2019, 1:04 pm
#18
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: 100,404
Then you just need to charge $250,000 on one or more DL AmEx cards and you'll be our winner. Maybe you need a really nice sports car as a new year's gift to yourself?
Jan 4, 2019, 5:53 pm
#19
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 47
Maybe this is a super newbie question, so I apologize in advance for the ignorance, but how in the world are you manufacturing $250,000 in spend for $5,500? Is that taboo to ask?
Jan 4, 2019, 7:14 pm
#20
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Nashville
Programs: DL DM 3 MM AA PLAT HH Lifetime Diamond Marriott Plat AMB lifetime titanium Hertz PC
Posts: 6,187
If My wife would let me I would, but that way it stands now I will make it in Mid to late March. I am rolling over 250K this year. And will probably fly another 300 - 350 K this year,
Jan 4, 2019, 8:57 pm
#21
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: 100,404
My real math, by the way, is more likely close to this:
Cost of generated spend: $5500
Net cost of Reserve cards: $0 (thanks companion certs)
Value of 350K SkyMiles: $4500 (minimum)
------
Total cost = $1000
Time spent = maybe 5-7 hours over the whole year
The 100K MQMs without flying are nice too. I have a backstop to re-qualify for Platinum for several years after leaving the DM treadmill
Cost of generated spend: $5500
Net cost of Reserve cards: $0 (thanks companion certs)
Value of 350K SkyMiles: $4500 (minimum)
------
Total cost = $1000
Time spent = maybe 5-7 hours over the whole year
The 100K MQMs without flying are nice too. I have a backstop to re-qualify for Platinum for several years after leaving the DM treadmill
If you can do all that MS in just 5-7 hours total, you should have achieved DM already (since we're four days into the year, with three of them being regular weekday business days) by the MQD waiver, although if you don't have enough rollover you might have to wait for your AmEx statements to close so that the MQMs can post to your DL FF account. <joke>
Last edited by MSPeconomist; Jan 5, 2019 at 10:00 am Reason: typo
Jan 4, 2019, 11:03 pm
#22
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,925
i.e. $5500 is 2.2% of 250k. You can use your credit card to pay income taxes etc. for a "convenience fee" of ~1.87%-2%, there are services to pay rent and such for around the same percentage I think, and so on.
Jan 5, 2019, 10:42 am
#23
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 47
I'm not sure if your thought is that they are putting $5500 worth of expenses on the card and getting credit for spending $250k, but my read is that they are paying $5500 in fees to generate spend they wouldn't otherwise have organically.
i.e. $5500 is 2.2% of 250k. You can use your credit card to pay income taxes etc. for a "convenience fee" of ~1.87%-2%, there are services to pay rent and such for around the same percentage I think, and so on.
i.e. $5500 is 2.2% of 250k. You can use your credit card to pay income taxes etc. for a "convenience fee" of ~1.87%-2%, there are services to pay rent and such for around the same percentage I think, and so on.
Jan 5, 2019, 10:06 pm
#24
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Seattle WA
Programs: DL DM, Marriott Titanium, AA PLT for Life
Posts: 398
If you can do all that MS in just 5-7 hours total, you should have achieved DM already (since we're four days into the year, with three of them being regular weekday business days) by the MQD waiver, although if you don't have enough rollover you might have to wait for your AmEx statements to close so that the MQMs can post to your DL FF account. <joke>
It takes 5-7 hours total. Sorry that bugs people. It also takes the whole year to execute those transactions because I'd rather no loan the government money for 12 months. And I'd rather space up my other spending (some of which is charitable) through the year.
I, incidentally, have 88K of rollover coming. I'll have 125K MQMs by February 3 I believe. However, I will only have about 50K of Delta Amex spend and <$1K MQDs at that point.
Jan 6, 2019, 1:49 am
#27
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,925
Jan 9, 2019, 10:04 am
#30
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: West LA
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 957
I'm not sure if your thought is that they are putting $5500 worth of expenses on the card and getting credit for spending $250k, but my read is that they are paying $5500 in fees to generate spend they wouldn't otherwise have organically.
i.e. $5500 is 2.2% of 250k. You can use your credit card to pay income taxes etc. for a "convenience fee" of ~1.87%-2%, there are services to pay rent and such for around the same percentage I think, and so on.
i.e. $5500 is 2.2% of 250k. You can use your credit card to pay income taxes etc. for a "convenience fee" of ~1.87%-2%, there are services to pay rent and such for around the same percentage I think, and so on.