Any good MQD flights
#16
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Los Angeles
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If ATOBTTR hadn't posted, I would say you guys don't understand how this works, but now I see you're just wasting time.
#17
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#18
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Folks are just having a little fun with you. Let's face it, if you have the disposable income to consider dropping thousands for J on mileage runs for MQDs, I'm sure you can shift a little spending over to your DL Amex to hit the $25k waiver threshold. Your question is legitimate, but for good options with the least amount of work, check out the mileage run forum. There's a premium section that will generally allow your fare to qualify for the MQD multipliers.
Last edited by nrr; Mar 22, 2021 at 10:37 pm
#19
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Delta Vacations use mileage as the base for MQD; for some of these the price for air + hotel is cheaper than the airfare ONLY.
Unfortunately there are NO long distance routes (now) to places I want to visit.
Unfortunately there are NO long distance routes (now) to places I want to visit.
#20
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Seattle WA
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I seriously doubt there will be any drop in MQD requirements to PM or DM, and MQDs are at the premium they always are. I've waiting for opportunities myself. Mexicon might be a good one.
#21
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NYC, MSY
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AeroMexico J fares are among the best for earning MQDs. Business Class fares earn based on 40% of distance flown. So for example, a JFK-MEX round trip, which is ~4,000 miles in distance round trip, would earn about 1600 MQDs, regardless of how much you actually paid for the ticket. Do note: the flight must be MARKETED by AeroMexico to earn this. If you book via DL.com and the flight is booked as a DL codeshare, you would earn based on if DL operated the flight, and earn MQDs based on what you paid for the ticket. You'll want to book through AeroMexico to ensure the flight is marketed by AM so you earn based on the AM rate. The same is true with other partners.
Other partner MQD earnings are available here:
https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles...rline-partners
Another note: Int'l Partners often offer great MQD redemptions if you can find a cheap business class fare but due to COVID right now, entry into many countries could limit what options are available.
Other partner MQD earnings are available here:
https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles...rline-partners
Another note: Int'l Partners often offer great MQD redemptions if you can find a cheap business class fare but due to COVID right now, entry into many countries could limit what options are available.
You want to book in Comfort Class which books into Class I (discounted J, which credits the same 40% as Full J) and many times this is reported to DL not as I, but as an upfare from a Y class and you'll have to fight with DL for the proper credit without documentation. Book through an OTA such as Orbitz which shows the correct booking Class on your receipts. Also, save all receipts, a copy of your ticket, and PAPER boarding passes.
If you're booking a US-Mexico trip such as JFK-MEX, think about something like JFK-MEX-TIJ-MEX-JFK for more miles and more MQD at about the same cost.
Many pertinent posts in https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/othe...-airlines-472/
#22
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 5,185
Folks are just having a little fun with you. Let's face it, if you have the disposable income to consider dropping thousands for J on mileage runs for MQDs, I'm sure you can shift a little spending over to your DL Amex to hit the $25k waiver threshold. Your question is legitimate, but for good options with the least amount of work, check out the mileage run forum. There's a premium section that will generally allow your fare to qualify for the MQD multipliers.
#23
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,677
#24
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,677
Agreed, it is a good option if you pay estimated taxes. It's much cheaper than mileage runs to hit the normally $9K PM MQDs. 2% of 25K is $500. Assume the DL Plat Amex: This year you get 25,000 to 37,500 skymiles (depending on the card you use) plus the 12,500 MQMs. Even at 25,000 skymiles and the value of the miles at .01 each, the total value of the miles is at least $250. Your call if the 12,500 MQMs are worth $250 and a whole lot of time saved, but to me it is. Plus you get an upgrade tie breaker by achieving the waiver threshold. Really, there is no little reason to hold the DL Amex cards if you aren't getting the MQMs. To me, the companion tickets are nice, but generally do little more than offset the annual fee.
#25
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Agreed, it is a good option if you pay estimated taxes. It's much cheaper than mileage runs to hit the normally $9K PM MQDs. 2% of 25K is $500. Assume the DL Plat Amex: This year you get 25,000 to 37,500 skymiles (depending on the card you use) plus the 12,500 MQMs. Even at 25,000 skymiles and the value of the miles at .01 each, the total value of the miles is at least $250. Your call if the 12,500 MQMs are worth $250 and a whole lot of time saved, but to me it is. Plus you get an upgrade tie breaker by achieving the waiver threshold. Really, there is no little reason to hold the DL Amex cards if you aren't getting the MQMs. To me, the companion tickets are nice, but generally do little more than offset the annual fee.
[Giving the IRS an interest free loan is normally not considered prudent, but with short term interest near 0%, it isn't that bad.]
#26
Join Date: Dec 2010
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This is the approach I am taking. I have been a Diamond as long as the program has existed. I currently have 6.3MM miles and 200,000 MQM's awaiting my MQD's for 2022. Thus far, it looks as though my company will not approve International travel until late fall. I inquired today with Delta as to what they are going to do about my shortfall (it is ridiculous to try and attain 15,000 without the International J fares). I was given no information other than the fact that dollars spent may have a 'kicker' employed to the flights you take. My problem is that although I have had several personal flights domestically, I will not achieve anywhere near the 15,000 required. I am waiting for Delta to react but they are likely going to wait until late in the year since most, will anxiously try to find their way until the allowance is announced. They have to do this or the upgrades will soon be coming to the Platinum's of the world.
#27
Join Date: Jan 2008
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This is the approach I am taking. I have been a Diamond as long as the program has existed. I currently have 6.3MM miles and 200,000 MQM's awaiting my MQD's for 2022. Thus far, it looks as though my company will not approve International travel until late fall. I inquired today with Delta as to what they are going to do about my shortfall (it is ridiculous to try and attain 15,000 without the International J fares). I was given no information other than the fact that dollars spent may have a 'kicker' employed to the flights you take. My problem is that although I have had several personal flights domestically, I will not achieve anywhere near the 15,000 required. I am waiting for Delta to react but they are likely going to wait until late in the year since most, will anxiously try to find their way until the allowance is announced. They have to do this or the upgrades will soon be coming to the Platinum's of the world.
#28
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NYC, MSY
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This is the approach I am taking. I have been a Diamond as long as the program has existed. I currently have 6.3MM miles and 200,000 MQM's awaiting my MQD's for 2022. Thus far, it looks as though my company will not approve International travel until late fall. I inquired today with Delta as to what they are going to do about my shortfall (it is ridiculous to try and attain 15,000 without the International J fares). I was given no information other than the fact that dollars spent may have a 'kicker' employed to the flights you take. My problem is that although I have had several personal flights domestically, I will not achieve anywhere near the 15,000 required. I am waiting for Delta to react but they are likely going to wait until late in the year since most, will anxiously try to find their way until the allowance is announced. They have to do this or the upgrades will soon be coming to the Platinum's of the world.
Change your thinking! Don't look for cheap tickets. Be as extravagant as you can. The more ridiculously priced the trip is and the shorter it is, the better it is for you. I did a 12.5 hour trip MSY-ATL-JFK-DTW-MSY in F for 114,000 RDMs. Outrageous cost? Of course - but $1,996 MQD and 8379 MQM and Out of Pocket $ cost = $0. You could probably do it in 3 -4 days of Domestic MR's.
I don't know about you but I almost never use RDMs. I'm always fighting to get to the $15K MQD to requalify as a DM.
#29
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You can book a fully refundable full F ticket at any point; there's no need to wait until the last minute. In fact, you can upfare to FULL F/J at any time by calling DL and paying the price difference. It's easy to give DL more money than necessary for your travel. Often there's an "upgrade to a refundable fare" option when booking online or in the app.
#30
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This is the approach I am taking. I have been a Diamond as long as the program has existed. I currently have 6.3MM miles and 200,000 MQM's awaiting my MQD's for 2022. Thus far, it looks as though my company will not approve International travel until late fall. I inquired today with Delta as to what they are going to do about my shortfall (it is ridiculous to try and attain 15,000 without the International J fares). I was given no information other than the fact that dollars spent may have a 'kicker' employed to the flights you take. My problem is that although I have had several personal flights domestically, I will not achieve anywhere near the 15,000 required. I am waiting for Delta to react but they are likely going to wait until late in the year since most, will anxiously try to find their way until the allowance is announced. They have to do this or the upgrades will soon be coming to the Platinum's of the world.
Buy a fully refundable F fare bucket (not the lowest F fare), and watch your MQD increases (after flying the ticket, of course).