ElmhurstNick

I pushed hard to barely retain DL Plat in 2019. I really hadn't planned to make more than Gold after that because I was already cutting way back on work travel in 2020 even before COVID. I'm going to end this September with 52k MQM and a waiver, and was looking to use up my RUCs and do some other short haul travel via Detroit and cruise in around 70k. Now I don't have to use the RUC from 2019 status right away, and I have my new RUC as well. So I will probably just stick to short haul for the rest of the year to visit family, and see what the landscape looks like at the beginning of 2022. Ideally thing will improve and I can end 2022 at 110k MQM and be in a position to stay Platinum through 2024.

In the long run, the question for me is what the reemergence or lack thereof of business travel will have on the RDU focus city. I really liked the CR9 network out of Raleigh and hope it comes back.

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exwannabe

It would be more user friendly if the website does not reflect the extension. That way we can quickly see what is needed to "earn" the status level in question.

Lomapaseo

I got an idea Delta, On your various upgrade lists (gate boards or phone apps list the "extended" names in flashing. That would surely make all of the "earned" folks recognize their new advantage on a 30 name upgrade list

AndyKehn

Put an asterisk next to the extended names. If they actually get the upgrades then ring cowbell and shout Shame Shame Shame.

DiverDave

True enough, but the article is the only reference I could find that listed actual fare codes.

Perhaps one day I will send Delta a request for a list of codes in each grouping. I expect 100% they will say no, but the response might be entertaining anyway.

cfelbab

It's not clear to me what the rules are for 2022 to quality for 2023. Did Delta extend the "accelerator" program to include travel in 2022 for 2023 status or are we back to the "normal" MQM and MQD requirements (e.g. $15,000) for Diamond?

FlyAO2

I'd sooner like to see them expand the Companion Certificates to include the Caribbean flights which they treat at "domestic" for first class medallion upgrades and service purposes, but Int'l for certificate use

SuperG1955

As of now DL is rolling existing Status and MQM into 2022. They will distinguish sub-groups of those who actually qualifies for 2022 vs rollover from 2021. Those DM/PM's who actually requalified will get their Choice Benefits and the remainder will not. The requalified Medallions will also get upgrade priority over the on.y rolled over group

The Accelerator provided bonuses for MQMs, MQSs, and MQDs but did not change the requirements for achieving a status level. There is a rumor that the Accelerator may continue into 2022 but that it will be a later in the year decision by DL.

The awarding of MQMs, MQSs and MQDs for Award tickets has been continued for 2022.

exwannabe

My email says clearly that the benefit of earning MQM/MQS/MQD on award tickets is extended.

It says nothing about the extra bonus on front cabins being extended..

Adelphos

One Reserve MQM boost (about $5k away) and one short round trip to Platinum status through 2024 (assuming another Reserve boost next year).

MSPeconomist

Ever since the earned versus extension priority was announced, I've been speculating on whether having earned a lower status would be taken into account. For example, lots of extended DMs will have earned PM (due to spend on the DL Plat AmEx credit card or Reserve card giving the MQD waiver---and I suspect that the rollover rules make it impossible for a DM qualifying on MQMs not to have enough MQMs for DM), others will have earned GM (or have "earned" GM from 2MM), others might have enough MQDs for FO, etc. In the case of PM (assuming not $25,000 spend on a DL AmEx Plat and Reserve cards), some will have earned GM, some will have earned FO, and others would not have earned any status, For GM, the question would be whether the person has earned FO or not. Will DL take these subsets of extended status tiers into consideration? To me, this would be logical and in principle wouldn't require much more programming beyond what's needed to implement priority for earned versus extended status.

Adelphos

I don’t think it matters that much - as far as we can tell, earned vs extended only matters for
1) Upgrades
2) Choice Benefits

1) For upgrades, I guess you could theoretically rank an “extended” DM that “earned” PM over an “extended” DM that “earned” GM. However, Both would be below a DM that “earned” DM, and both would be above “earned” GM that only has GM. But it seems like Delta is not doing this. If it were, they could do something like rolling MQM (American does it), and they haven’t announced that

2) For benefits, only for earned PM and DM get them

So no, I don’t think Delta is effectively doing a rolling MQM system. Delta pretty clearly said that earned vs extended only really matters in the same tier - no other changes to upgrade priority seem to be a part of this

MSPeconomist

I didn't say anything about rolling MQM, not would it make sense for DL since for many customers, especially DMs, the MQD requirement or waiver is the hard part. So 2) is irrelevant. DL has made clear that we will get the choice benefits we have earned, which means that an extended DM who has met the PM requirements will get one PM choice benefit.

My post was solely about subdividing the extended DM/PM/GM categories. Of course there's no indication that DL will do this, but IMO it would be natural and would reward the extended elites who have earned a lower tier status rather than nothing.

IMO rolling MQMs would be a bad idea, partly because DL doesn't permit customers to earn status solely based on MQMs, except for those with verified foreign addresses. DL also permits one to earn status based on MQSs, so should there be consideration of "rolling" MQSs too, even though MQSs don't roll over? Just because AA uses this as a criterion doesn't imply that it would make sense for DL.

TheHorta

IMO, anyone who makes DM on segments deserves to sit up front. Period (and hats-off to you).

/interjection

MIA-SAT

You raise a good point. Although the logistics might be interesting from an IT perspective, should Skymiles recognize a distinction between an extended Platinum who did not fly at all and a Platinum who did fly in 2021, but only had enough flights to qualify for Gold? I fully understand the creation of a distinction between extended elites and those who do the BIS travel in 2021 necessary for normal requalification at the same level. OTOH, DL may believe that the grant of beneficence in the newly announced policy is sufficient.