Any updates on 2021 Medallion status requirements?
Nov 26, 2020, 8:14 pm
#61
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 258
The company I work for works off expense reports for travel. So the tickets , hotels, rental cars, etc all go through my personal cards and I get reimbursed. Generally it is ~3k a week for me to be somewhere so it adds up. I also need a lot pieces and parts for my job and they also get reimbursed. We needed two Sans in 3 days six months ago for a project and our procurement department is not fast enough so it was 16k on my Amex. When I sign up for IT conferences it also goes through my cards. Cisco Live is just one and runs about 4.5k in registration. I had very little travel this year compared to normal and no conferences and I hit the 60k threshold on my delta reserve and 30k on my wife's delta reserve. Not sure I will make the 90k on mine though. Need 15k in the next 30 days and not much to gain. I have PM and will rollover 110k MQM.
I have never really understood how people easily reach this unless they have their own business they are running off these credit cards or making very questionable decisions. I know some people can pay their mortgage using a cc (I can't) and some people pay taxes using a cc (I do have some that I pay, but most are withheld from my paycheck or have to be paid through escrow with my mortgage). Outside of that, we have never even come close to spending that much in a year excluding the mortgage. We take lots of really nice trips, eat good food, have cars that fit our needs perfectly, and live a fantastic life. I honestly have no idea what else we could spend money that would get us there that would not be wasteful and unnecessary. Frankly, I would rather save that amount anyway so that we can retire while we are still young. We do not have DL amex cards, but cash back cards that generate much more value (2.625% to 5.25% depending on purchase category in cash) than the ever-diminishing skypeso.
Nov 27, 2020, 8:27 am
#62
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: Delta DM, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,495
My wife, kids and I are European citizens and we haven't had any issues going back and forth. A couple trips to see family and also a couple leisure trips to countries that don't require quarantine from the US. There has been wide open award availability on KLM and AF transatlantic flights (on nearly-empty flights), so it's been easy to burn SkyMiles for my wife and kids while buying a cheap J ticket just for me for me to rack up some MQDs.
Nov 29, 2020, 5:33 am
#63
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: New York City
Programs: DL DM & 2MM; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 664
Most DL DMs & 360s are heavy business travelers and spenders. With most business related travel expected to be depressed and not returning to pre-COVID levels for at least another 2-3 years, we are looking at some significant changes in the SkyMiles program. As someone commented in this thread, absent that, DL might loose almost 80% of the current DMs who will not requalify.
Nov 29, 2020, 6:35 am
#64
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 5,185
Most DL DMs & 360s are heavy business travelers and spenders. With most business related travel expected to be depressed and not returning to pre-COVID levels for at least another 2-3 years, we are looking at some significant changes in the SkyMiles program. As someone commented in this thread, absent that, DL might loose almost 80% of the current DMs who will not requalify.
Nov 29, 2020, 6:38 am
#65
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Miramar, FL
Programs: DL Charter DM/3.4 MM, DLAmex Plat, PC Plat, MR Gold, HH Diamond, National Exec Elite, Hertz Gold 5*
Posts: 263
So far this year, I've got about 76,000 MQMs and $10,500 in MQDs. With two trips left I'll be at about 82K MQMs and $11,500 in MQDs. This will be with a total of 56 MQSs. Rollover will be easy, love to see a reduced or rollover MQD.
Nov 29, 2020, 6:46 am
#66
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: SE USA
Programs: DL DM/MM , IHG Plat, MR Titanium, HH Gold, EK Frequent Kettle, UA Silver, AA Hater
Posts: 2,020
The problem now as I see it is that we still have no idea what will happen with covid and international travel. Don't see how DL can make a decision on 2022 qual since so much is up in the air.
I am no longer employed so lost DM after 10 years; however, I retained PM and have 35K to rollover. I also dumped my DL AX since I won't have the spend (never actually needed the waiver before but the 10K was nice).
I am ready to travel to get the additiional 40K but now of course will need 9K spend (just trying to maintain PM at this point).
I have a a bunch of e-credits and GUC's so I'm ready January 1 but where? Also will need Virgin for MQD and who knows what they will be flying.
I regret not doing quick one to IST in 2020 but of course that would not help with MQD.
I am hoping for some reduced MQD scheme for 2021 so I can just use DL and not worry about Virgin.
I left $8K MQD on the table at the end of 2019 (did not have the MQM).....ugg.
I am no longer employed so lost DM after 10 years; however, I retained PM and have 35K to rollover. I also dumped my DL AX since I won't have the spend (never actually needed the waiver before but the 10K was nice).
I am ready to travel to get the additiional 40K but now of course will need 9K spend (just trying to maintain PM at this point).
I have a a bunch of e-credits and GUC's so I'm ready January 1 but where? Also will need Virgin for MQD and who knows what they will be flying.
I regret not doing quick one to IST in 2020 but of course that would not help with MQD.
I am hoping for some reduced MQD scheme for 2021 so I can just use DL and not worry about Virgin.
I left $8K MQD on the table at the end of 2019 (did not have the MQM).....ugg.
Nov 29, 2020, 6:57 am
#67
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 5,185
The problem now as I see it is that we still have no idea what will happen with covid and international travel. Don't see how DL can make a decision on 2022 qual since so much is up in the air.
I am no longer employed so lost DM after 10 years; however, I retained PM and have 35K to rollover. I also dumped my DL AX since I won't have the spend (never actually needed the waiver before but the 10K was nice).
I am ready to travel to get the additiional 40K but now of course will need 9K spend (just trying to maintain PM at this point).
I have a a bunch of e-credits and GUC's so I'm ready January 1 but where? Also will need Virgin for MQD and who knows what they will be flying.
I regret not doing quick one to IST in 2020 but of course that would not help with MQD.
I am hoping for some reduced MQD scheme for 2021 so I can just use DL and not worry about Virgin.
I left $8K MQD on the table at the end of 2019 (did not have the MQM).....ugg.
I am no longer employed so lost DM after 10 years; however, I retained PM and have 35K to rollover. I also dumped my DL AX since I won't have the spend (never actually needed the waiver before but the 10K was nice).
I am ready to travel to get the additiional 40K but now of course will need 9K spend (just trying to maintain PM at this point).
I have a a bunch of e-credits and GUC's so I'm ready January 1 but where? Also will need Virgin for MQD and who knows what they will be flying.
I regret not doing quick one to IST in 2020 but of course that would not help with MQD.
I am hoping for some reduced MQD scheme for 2021 so I can just use DL and not worry about Virgin.
I left $8K MQD on the table at the end of 2019 (did not have the MQM).....ugg.
Nov 29, 2020, 5:28 pm
#68
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
As someone who does not look at the data DL has but does see what other airlines are doing, I think DL will have to do something about MQDs. If fares stay low and business travel is still half a year from beginning to recover, people are not going to meet thresholds. I know there are folks on here who think otherwise, but something tells me the FT population is likely a highly unrepresentative slice of DL flyers.
I wonder if part of the reason they haven’t announced anything is because of marketing: they want to be seen as the “safe” airline. Doing what UA did and incentivize the first trips you take in ‘21 would be incentivizing travel during a pandemic, which they might not want to do if they are riding the COVID-responsible wave.
I think the more interesting question is how DL is going to manage a status program if future business travel remains depressed. It makes me wonder if they will just cut the ranks to reduce their liabilities in terms of bennies. This would give them the chance to monetize the products even more for leisure travelers (ie cheaper upgrades). The other interesting question is what a status program looks like if the future of travel really does change and is shifted towards larger shares of leisure travel. Incentivizing those folks might look really different from how they incentivize business travelers who aren’t paying for their flights.
I wonder if part of the reason they haven’t announced anything is because of marketing: they want to be seen as the “safe” airline. Doing what UA did and incentivize the first trips you take in ‘21 would be incentivizing travel during a pandemic, which they might not want to do if they are riding the COVID-responsible wave.
I think the more interesting question is how DL is going to manage a status program if future business travel remains depressed. It makes me wonder if they will just cut the ranks to reduce their liabilities in terms of bennies. This would give them the chance to monetize the products even more for leisure travelers (ie cheaper upgrades). The other interesting question is what a status program looks like if the future of travel really does change and is shifted towards larger shares of leisure travel. Incentivizing those folks might look really different from how they incentivize business travelers who aren’t paying for their flights.
Last edited by troyintn; Nov 29, 2020 at 5:49 pm
Nov 29, 2020, 7:59 pm
#69
Moderator, Delta Skymiles and Mileage Run
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Seat 2A
Programs: DL Diamond/MM, Hyatt Diamond, former AS MVPG 75K, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,940
Most DL DMs & 360s are heavy business travelers and spenders. With most business related travel expected to be depressed and not returning to pre-COVID levels for at least another 2-3 years, we are looking at some significant changes in the SkyMiles program. As someone commented in this thread, absent that, DL might loose almost 80% of the current DMs who will not requalify.
I would fall into this category as a DM with typically 1x a month F ticket transcon, and 3-4 J international tickets a year. I don't see my travel returning to the pre pandemic level in 2021, and I don't see Delta wanting to lose me when it might.
What they may come up with no one can predict at this point.
Nov 30, 2020, 9:15 am
#70
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,677
Unless they roll over all MQMs again like they’re doing this year, you’d need to make sure you actually qualify as FO to get the rollover at the end of 2021. The ideal situation in that case would be to finish 2021 with 80k or more MQMs and 3000-5999 MQDs. Then you’d qualify as FO for program year 2022 and roll over 65k or more MQMs. If you then spent $25k on the Delta Platinum card in January 2022, you’d requalify as Platinum through Jan 2024 before your 2021 status expired.
In my case, I won’t be going that route. I’m currently GM and will finish 2020 with ~60k MQMs that will all roll over. I’ll then spend $30k on my Delta Reserve as quickly as possible in 2021 to make PM through Jan 2023.
In my case, I won’t be going that route. I’m currently GM and will finish 2020 with ~60k MQMs that will all roll over. I’ll then spend $30k on my Delta Reserve as quickly as possible in 2021 to make PM through Jan 2023.
Last edited by El Boocho; Nov 30, 2020 at 1:52 pm
Nov 30, 2020, 10:04 pm
#72
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Canada
Programs: Delta SM Diamond
Posts: 146
Dec 1, 2020, 5:38 am
#73
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 5,185
It would be an easy trade for me. The $250,000 Amex waiver for DM might as well be $1M as it is virtually impossible to achieve for those who are salaried workers without their own business. Canadians still get the MQM rollover and can simply get 125,000 MQMs combined in 2020 and 2021.
Dec 1, 2020, 7:10 am
#74
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Canada
Programs: Delta SM Diamond
Posts: 146
It would be an easy trade for me. The $250,000 Amex waiver for DM might as well be $1M as it is virtually impossible to achieve for those who are salaried workers without their own business. Canadians still get the MQM rollover and can simply get 125,000 MQMs combined in 2020 and 2021.
But I must agree, not to have to worrie about the MQd is a +.
Dec 1, 2020, 7:59 am
#75
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 799
I was at $13500 MQD's at the end of Q1. I could have easily made diamond this year with just a few trips. Those trips went to UA, AA and even F9. Why spend money on DL when they don't value it? They certainly should have done something this year for the travelers that were still traveling (however few of us there are). In the end it worked out I suppose. I had a cancun flight I had booked at christrmas for $1200 to make sure I hit the 15k. After finding out it doesn't matter at all I canceled and had it refunded and booked for $350 on UA. The UA flight is direct, and I am platinum so comfort + is automatic for me.
The airlines better get their collective heads out of their rectums. The current situation is a complete loser for them and I frankly do not see how they survive it using the current loyalty model. the old guy who travels for business(i.e. me) will be a dinosaur soon. The underwhelming status racket won't be sustainable when travel resumes. People who still travel a lot will demand higher levels of service while those that used to travel a lot will be resentful if the airlines reduce their service offering to them based on circumstances beyond their control. is it worth the premium if you don't receive the level of service you once had?
I suppose some will fly DL no matter what. The hub captives are probably a given market but at some point people have to look around and say "no way!"
Personally I found it easier to just book tickets in first. Between that and buying a few lounges (AA and UA) I actually spent less than I would chasing status on one airline and working myself into a pretzel to meet the requirements.
The airlines better get their collective heads out of their rectums. The current situation is a complete loser for them and I frankly do not see how they survive it using the current loyalty model. the old guy who travels for business(i.e. me) will be a dinosaur soon. The underwhelming status racket won't be sustainable when travel resumes. People who still travel a lot will demand higher levels of service while those that used to travel a lot will be resentful if the airlines reduce their service offering to them based on circumstances beyond their control. is it worth the premium if you don't receive the level of service you once had?
I suppose some will fly DL no matter what. The hub captives are probably a given market but at some point people have to look around and say "no way!"
Personally I found it easier to just book tickets in first. Between that and buying a few lounges (AA and UA) I actually spent less than I would chasing status on one airline and working myself into a pretzel to meet the requirements.