8420PR

My opinion: Premium Select offers the best ratio of MQM's (and skymiles if you book on non-delta code-share flight numbers) for money. The service (especially on Delta) is also many steps above normal economy.

E.g. from MCO to Tokyo in PS: approx 21k miles for approx USD1000
https://www.google.de/flights?hl=de#...;sc:p;sd:1;t:f

From MCO to CPH in PS: approx 16k miles for approx USD1050
https://www.google.de/flights?hl=de#...;sc:p;sd:1;t:f

I have no idea about MQD's as I'm based in Europe. At least here there are often very good deals available:

From BUD to LAX (via AMS and SEA) in PS: approx 20k miles for approx USD676
https://www.google.de/flights?hl=de#...;sc:p;sd:1;t:f

In basic economy (book AF or KL codeshare so you can select seats, or add a hotel night on expedia to maximise skymiles) transatlantic flights start at approx USD 350 return. E.g. NUE to LAX for approx 13k MQM's and approx USD 395
https://www.google.de/flights?hl=de#...91*2.EUR.35891

Lastly, I recommend travelling mid-week and shoulder season: Flights are less full which makes the experience much more pleasant and hotels are cheaper (in shoulder season in non-business travel cities).

If you are flying just for the miles and status then just spend a few days at each city and head back. Otherwise if I was in your position (retired with lots of time free and looking to maximise my 5k annual travel budget) I would fly to a cheap gateway city, spend a few days there and then use the skymiles to explore the region. E.g. fly to Copenhagen in PS for USD1000, spend a few days there, then 10k miles to fly to Barcelona (one-way), a couple of nights on a cruise ship to Italy, then fly back (either using miles to get to Copenhagen or looking for an open jaw flight from somewhere else back to Orlando if the price is right). Using skymiles on partner airlines can be good value - e.g. one-way in business class from Tokyo to Bali for 45k miles is 7 hours in a lie-flat seat, but check the price in dollars first.

Have fun!

MarkCron

I think if i was in your shoes I would get lounge access with credit card, and pay for either C+ or first class for everything else you want, rather than doing multiple mileage runs to get Platinum.

MSPeconomist

I don't think the cruise ship to Italy is a good idea right now. I'd also be reluctant to commit to Japan (as well as Korea or China) right now.

mattya9

Good information here. You might also look into cheap business class flights on China Eastern (MU) from JFK to SIN. Of course the coronavirus will have a big impact on this option. But you would get a ton of MQDs out of it.

OPS

mattp1987

It's the opposite. The Delta AMEX Plat used to earn 10k MQMs and 10k RDMs when you reached $25k in spending. As of Jan 31, the RDMs went away.

GateGuardian

Book Premium Economy through Air France to Asia (assuming it doesn't get cancelled with Corona). It'll route through Europe taking the long way around. I usually fly out of YYZ and get about 29,000 MQM per trip.

daloosh

Everyone's schedules are up in the air now, so it's really hard to plan your Asia trips. Now Europe is catching up, I think France is about to cross the 1000 patient mark, so the backup trips thru Europe are in jeopardy as well. On the other hand, the airlines have a nice cancellation policy for trips booked this month, I'm thinking about planning some business travel for the rest of the year now, and if the meetings get cancelled, there's some recourse. Problem with bookings near the end of the year, or early next year, is that the rescheduled trips have to be done by May of 2021.

FBplatinum

Same for me in PE, but I travel YUL-CDG-PVG