mridley2

Hello,

I've searched FT and cannot find any up to date information. I need your help, please.

I have Delta AMEX Gold and use that for MQD waiver to achieve PM status. I have already met my MQD waiver in 2018 (for 2019 PM status).

I would like to switch to Delta AMEX Platinum for my spending in 2019. When is the best time to do this? I assume January 2019. I spend about $30K per year on AMEX, so I need to start spending pretty quickly in 2019 to make sure I hit the $25K threshold by December. MQMs from card spend would be nice but likely not required for PM status.

I assume I would get more bonus miles, etc if I open a new Delta AMEX platinum account rather than upgrading my current Gold?? CORRECT?

How will Delta know about my new Delta platinum card? Do I need to let them know through skymiles? Will cancelling my Gold card in 2019 affect my MQD waiver for spend in 2018?

I'm a little nervous and want to avoid having my status yanked away.

Thanks

iflyalexair

All Amex cards are linked with your profile, so worries about things being yanked away. You have met your qualification for the year; you'll keep your status even if you close the card. Just be sure to use your skymiles number when opening a new account.

You most certainly should not upgrade from gold to Platinum. You should wait until there is an elevated offer (in the recent past, it's been 10k MQMs and 70k RDMs as a welcome bonus!). Amex has a once per life time rule, so if you were to upgrade to Platinum, you would preclude your ability to get the big welcome bonus. Usually, there is one by May.

There is also a current Reserve Card bonus out there. Someone can refer it to you for 20k RDMs and it comes with a 70k bonus. Of course, the annual fee is $450, but if you would use the club access and the buy one get one free card, it might be an option. The thresholds for boosts on that card are 30k and 60k in spend, but are 15k MQMs/15k RDMs.

mridley2

Thank you. I will be on the look out for a good platinum offer.

Follow up question. Does spending across two cards accumulate? For example, if I spend 5K in Jan/Feb on AMEX gold and then switch to platinum in March and spend the remaining 20K in 2019 will Delta count dollars from both cards? or just the active card at year end? Hope that makes sense.

iflyalexair

Yes, it does. I have a friend who held the gold card until about April. She was about to pay the 95$ annual fee, so I suggested she go the Platinum route by opening a new account when there was a good offer. She did just that, and she closed the gold card. Her MQM waiver is marked as complete, while she only has spent 22k on her Platinum card YTD.

dLo GSR

if you've hit the $25k mark on your gold, and you *did* upgrade to platinum before year-end, you will get the 10k MQM bonus that applies for platinum card owners. the rule there is if you have $25k spend on that account at year-end, you are eligible. upgrading from gold to plat is the same account so you don't lose any accumulation. I've been waiting all year for a targeted gold-plat upgrade offer (i got 2 offers in 2017) so i could do this, but nothing yet the two elevated offers i got were for 15k miles, so definitely not that 10k/70k that iflyalexair saw. i may do the upgrade to get my 10k MQMs.. not sure yet if it's worth it.

mridley2

I'm about to pull the trigger on the current Delta AMEX platinum offer (expires april 3rd). I spoke with two seperate AMEX agents today and they both confirmed the same thing. All $$'s spent on AMEX DL Gold YTD 2019 would not count toward $25K Platinum Medallion waiver if the Gold card is subsequently cancelled before Jan 1, 2020.

I understood that spending on both card would count even if one card was cancelled mid year.

Here is my sitch. I have spent $7K on AX GOLD. Would like to open new platinum DL Card (linked to same Skymiles #). Cancel gold card in a few weeks. And then resume all my spending on AMEX DL Platinum. if I do this, will I lose the $7K in spend on the DL Amex GOLD?

THanks

ATLflyer2017

Is it unlikely that you will spend $25k before the end of the year? That really isn't much if you use it for every purchase. I have gold and platinum and so I can't know if closing one would cause you to lose the spend on it.

mridley2

iflyalexair