Best Way for Round Trip London
Sep 1, 2019, 1:28 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: Delta Diamond, United 1K, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 38
Best Way for Round Trip London
I have a business trip to London coming up (and figure I'll stay the weekend and fly back Sunday to get back here Sunday afternoon/evening)
Dates: 9/11 - 9/15
Departure: Denver
Arrival: London
Current States: Platinum
MQMs: 85,643
MQDs: $8245
Card Waiver: $25k+ (no prayer of hitting $250k)
So, with less than 40,000 MQMs to Diamond and under $7000MQDs, the question becomes whether I'm able to reach Diamond this year.
Coming up in September:
- Dallas RT (through a hub from Denver)
- London as mentioned
- Houston
- San Diego
And probably another 2-3 trips to Texas and a few other cities are likely to go into the holiday season.
Is it better to fly a partner airline to London rather than book on Delta? What does this mean for upgrade opportunities? The real question here is whether I have a shot at hitting Diamond and if I think that's worth potentially sitting in the lower decks next to a bathroom on both transatlantic hops.
Dates: 9/11 - 9/15
Departure: Denver
Arrival: London
Current States: Platinum
MQMs: 85,643
MQDs: $8245
Card Waiver: $25k+ (no prayer of hitting $250k)
So, with less than 40,000 MQMs to Diamond and under $7000MQDs, the question becomes whether I'm able to reach Diamond this year.
Coming up in September:
- Dallas RT (through a hub from Denver)
- London as mentioned
- Houston
- San Diego
And probably another 2-3 trips to Texas and a few other cities are likely to go into the holiday season.
Is it better to fly a partner airline to London rather than book on Delta? What does this mean for upgrade opportunities? The real question here is whether I have a shot at hitting Diamond and if I think that's worth potentially sitting in the lower decks next to a bathroom on both transatlantic hops.
Sep 1, 2019, 2:57 pm
#3
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
Look at using VS, especially if your employer will buy premium economy. Others have reported success in using reasonable amounts of money (or DL miles???) to upgrade to their business class, but their premium select product is considered good too. If you ticket it right, you would earn MQDs as a percentage of distance (perhaps 40%) rather than spend and 125-150% MQMs IIRC, although perhaps less on the domestic coach segments depending on the fare code and booking classes for the domestic connecting flights. CarmonOM is one of our experts here on this, so look for her posts on the topic.
Since you've earned the card MQD waiver, any hope of earning more MQMs from AmEx spend?
You need to calculate the MQMs and MQDs you'll likely earn from the other planned trips you list and some hypothetical scenarios for Texas and holiday travel to see where you stand.
Since you've earned the card MQD waiver, any hope of earning more MQMs from AmEx spend?
You need to calculate the MQMs and MQDs you'll likely earn from the other planned trips you list and some hypothetical scenarios for Texas and holiday travel to see where you stand.
Sep 1, 2019, 3:16 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: Delta Diamond, United 1K, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 38
Look at using VS, especially if your employer will buy premium economy. Others have reported success in using reasonable amounts of money (or DL miles???) to upgrade to their business class, but their premium select product is considered good too. If you ticket it right, you would earn MQDs as a percentage of distance (perhaps 40%) rather than spend and 125-150% MQMs IIRC, although perhaps less on the domestic coach segments depending on the fare code and booking classes for the domestic connecting flights. CarmonOM is one of our experts here on this, so look for her posts on the topic.
Since you've earned the card MQD waiver, any hope of earning more MQMs from AmEx spend?
You need to calculate the MQMs and MQDs you'll likely earn from the other planned trips you list and some hypothetical scenarios for Texas and holiday travel to see where you stand.
Since you've earned the card MQD waiver, any hope of earning more MQMs from AmEx spend?
You need to calculate the MQMs and MQDs you'll likely earn from the other planned trips you list and some hypothetical scenarios for Texas and holiday travel to see where you stand.
My planned trips coming up:
- DEN-SLC-DFW-Z-MSP-DEN = ~3500 MQMs
- DEN to London RT (about 11,000 MQMs on Economy) -- Unlikely I'll be able to book anything higher since the price goes up to $3k+ and I've been approved in the $1500-1800 range.
- DEN-IAH (to be booked) - likely 3400 MQMs
- DEN-SAN (to be booked) - likely 2500MQMs
Which means I'll earn about 21,000 MQMs in September, leaving 18,000 remaining to hit Diamond.
Definitely not impossible. I think 20% with the MQDs with Virgin Economy means 11,000 x 20% = $2200 + $1700~ = $3900. That leaves just shy of $3k remaining and I have another $1200 with the DFW/SAN/IAH trips coming up, which puts me about $1500-1800 MQDs to hit Diamond, assuming I fly another 18,000~ MQMs in Oct/Nov/Dec....damn... seems doable.
Out of curiosity, how are those upgrades? Am I even giving anything up in terms of getting a Premium Select bump due to Platinum status by not booking Delta?
Sep 1, 2019, 3:19 pm
#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: 100,404
This is exactly what I'm trying to work through.
My planned trips coming up:
- DEN-SLC-DFW-Z-MSP-DEN = ~3500 MQMs
- DEN to London RT (about 11,000 MQMs on Economy) -- Unlikely I'll be able to book anything higher since the price goes up to $3k+ and I've been approved in the $1500-1800 range.
- DEN-IAH (to be booked) - likely 3400 MQMs
- DEN-SAN (to be booked) - likely 2500MQMs
Which means I'll earn about 21,000 MQMs in September, leaving 18,000 remaining to hit Diamond.
Definitely not impossible. I think 20% with the MQDs with Virgin Economy means 11,000 x 20% = $2200 + $1700~ = $3900. That leaves just shy of $3k remaining and I have another $1200 with the DFW/SAN/IAH trips coming up, which puts me about $1500-1800 MQDs to hit Diamond, assuming I fly another 18,000~ MQMs in Oct/Nov/Dec....damn... seems doable.
Out of curiosity, how are those upgrades? Am I even giving anything up in terms of getting a Premium Select bump due to Platinum status by not booking Delta?
My planned trips coming up:
- DEN-SLC-DFW-Z-MSP-DEN = ~3500 MQMs
- DEN to London RT (about 11,000 MQMs on Economy) -- Unlikely I'll be able to book anything higher since the price goes up to $3k+ and I've been approved in the $1500-1800 range.
- DEN-IAH (to be booked) - likely 3400 MQMs
- DEN-SAN (to be booked) - likely 2500MQMs
Which means I'll earn about 21,000 MQMs in September, leaving 18,000 remaining to hit Diamond.
Definitely not impossible. I think 20% with the MQDs with Virgin Economy means 11,000 x 20% = $2200 + $1700~ = $3900. That leaves just shy of $3k remaining and I have another $1200 with the DFW/SAN/IAH trips coming up, which puts me about $1500-1800 MQDs to hit Diamond, assuming I fly another 18,000~ MQMs in Oct/Nov/Dec....damn... seems doable.
Out of curiosity, how are those upgrades? Am I even giving anything up in terms of getting a Premium Select bump due to Platinum status by not booking Delta?
MQDs with Virgin would be (depending on fare) 20% of 11,000 miles. I don't know where you're getting the +$1700.
Sep 1, 2019, 3:21 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: Delta Diamond, United 1K, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 38
If that's the case, then I'm only gaining about $500MQDs by booking Virgin instead of booking Delta. Maybe to maintain upgrade eligibility on my Domestic hops, at least, I should book Delta rather than Virgin.
Sep 1, 2019, 3:48 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Mostly living in the basement
Programs: Newly minted free agent; MR LT(!)TE, HH SE, BA SECM, DL MM, UA PS, 2V Fanboi, CBP GE
Posts: 5,108
There's no Premium Select bump due to Platinum status unless you pay for it or get an OPUP. You would get a Comfort+ upgrade, if available.
Sep 1, 2019, 4:10 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 3,097
Sep 1, 2019, 4:26 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2004
Location: formerly Gold now Diamond, formerly MSY, now LAX, formerly NW, now DL
Programs: Hyatt Plat, Hilton Gold, SPG Gold, Delta Diamond/1MM
Posts: 4,635
VS is awesome
Remember, you will get miles based on what you purchase, not likely the upgraded seat via $$ or VS miles. Also if you want to play the MQM/D game you need to buy VS coded flights only, no delta flight numbers. No upgrade benefits on VS and you can only upgrade with VS miles.
Remember, you will get miles based on what you purchase, not likely the upgraded seat via $$ or VS miles. Also if you want to play the MQM/D game you need to buy VS coded flights only, no delta flight numbers. No upgrade benefits on VS and you can only upgrade with VS miles.
Sep 1, 2019, 4:27 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta PM, 1MM
Posts: 3,784
MSPeconomist is generous to call me an expert, but I do a bit of creative route planning each year to make Platinum. I have two great advantages over the OP in regard to my travel: I only need the $25K AmEx waiver since I am aiming for PM, and I am retired and a leisure traveler, so have the time and flexibility for longer routes and for choosing lower priced travel dates.
I usually book Premium Economy on international flights; the 150% MQM makes a big difference in accumulating MQMs, not to mention the greater comfort. I also look at longer, somewhat more circuitous routes, which add MQM and also provide more PE options.
Here’s an example:
For a trip to England in September, a round trip MSP-LHR itinerary would earn about 8072 MQM. I am flying MSP-ATL-MAN (it actually suits my plans to fly to MAN) on the outbound and LHR-JFK-MSP on the return, with the TATL portions in PE on VS. Total MQM earnings: 13339. I paid $1640 and could have gotten it for a bit less if I hadn’t dawdled on the purchase. That price is within what the OP’s employer would cover.
It seems to me the OP has a Catch-22 in terms of accumulating the MQD while flying within the his/her employers travel budget restrictions.
I usually book Premium Economy on international flights; the 150% MQM makes a big difference in accumulating MQMs, not to mention the greater comfort. I also look at longer, somewhat more circuitous routes, which add MQM and also provide more PE options.
Here’s an example:
For a trip to England in September, a round trip MSP-LHR itinerary would earn about 8072 MQM. I am flying MSP-ATL-MAN (it actually suits my plans to fly to MAN) on the outbound and LHR-JFK-MSP on the return, with the TATL portions in PE on VS. Total MQM earnings: 13339. I paid $1640 and could have gotten it for a bit less if I hadn’t dawdled on the purchase. That price is within what the OP’s employer would cover.
It seems to me the OP has a Catch-22 in terms of accumulating the MQD while flying within the his/her employers travel budget restrictions.