MarkCron

Qualified for Diamond for first time in Feb by doing 2 MR's on AM that cost ~$2400 and got me ~14k MQDs. At the time, I was happy to spend the $2400 to secure 2 calendar years of DM (this year and next).
I have been pretty unsatisfied with upgrades as a DM flying out of Detroit. Have not selected any GUCs yet, so no opinion on those. But am enjoying the SkyClub benefit I did select.

latexlegend

Made DM on June 8th thanks to partner-accrued MQDs after flying KL back from AMS—earliest I've ever made DM! Lots of flights in front this year on LA, AM, KL, etc. for the MQDs. Flying less until summer's over given meltdowns. Still haven't chosen my choice benefits as I'm waiting to see how the new GUC rules shake out over the next few months as I use my last few. UCs in general have been way too difficult to use.

sydneyracquelle

Why not then also go for status on AA once you have UA an DL top status?

mot29

Most all of my travel this year has been burning miles - and although I've flown to the UK 2x in D1 with a 3rd scheduled I've used GUCs for all of the upgrades.
So I'm at
MQMs - 92,938 (but 2/3 rollover)
MQSs - 16
MQDs - $1,422

I may try for the Plat MQD waiver.

Glad I hit 2MM lifetime a few years back and snared continuing (as long as DL doesn't take it back) Gold - at least I get ST E+. I guess I'm going to start paying for C+ next January!

Towerjay

Unfortunately AA's schedules really don't work well for my usual travel destinations. Additionally, I am somewhat allergic to CLT after spending more nights on the floor there than I care to remember thanks to a wave of WX issues a few years back when I gave them a try, lol

TommyD2

MQMs: 190K (lots of rollover)
MQSs: 35
MQDs: $6,150
Card Spend: $21K+

While MQD's seem like it won't be enough, I've got about $5k booked already (PS fare then GUC to D1, plus a few other trips) and will get the other $4k for diamond pretty easily. Most of my (work) trips are only booked 1-3 weeks out.

I could change airlines for some flights and hold short of the MQDs but I like the GUCs/Club/etc. I choose for Choice Benefits.

So having Diamond for another year+ is a positive for me. Hoping to retire in next 12-18 months, and at least - like mot29 above -- have 2MM so gold for...who knows how long.

I also have an embarrassing amount of sky pesos - which is why I didn't post a screen shot LOL.

FlyingBeanCounter

I hit Diamond and 1k. Now I am debating flying a foreign carrier to see if I can arbitrage something for next year. If I get status on a star alliance carrier I get into the UC for free. No that it is worth much.

Does DL reward flights above 15k? UA gives away more plus points for spend above the 1k threshold.

If I could guarantee GS I would probably focus on UA. Alas, there is nothing that can be done to guarantee it.

troyintn

I am in the same boat I keep wondering if I should give AA a try or go for my 3MM which I might make this year or early as next since I am 125K short, and can make 4 MM in before I come off the road. I think AA also has a Concierge Key challenge which would be a plus since I am always close to 360 but will never make it.

atldiamond

Hit Diamond last week
MQMs: 298K: 233K rollover, 50K BIS + 15K amex reserve
MQSs: 36
MQDs: $15,641

Debating switching to fly UA and AA to earn status with them or just continuing to rack up rollover MQMs.

coast_2_coast

Work travel hasn’t picked up again to pre pandemic levels yet so if I requalify for DM it will be by the skin of my teeth.

Currently sitting on 316k MQMs thanks to rollover and not burning any last year but only $5600 on MQDs with about $6k in travel booked for the rest of the year.

GagaPilot

Just requaled for PM by hitting the $25K Amex waiver. Not a chance of making DM this year due to new job, but totally happy with PM.

Question though: I hit the $25K threshold with the purchase of a refundable $2K DL ticket for next month. Things are looking like I might need to cancel it and take the refund. Assuming I don’t hit $2K in additional spend between now and then, how much of a headache is it going to be if spend is retracted in terms of DL status/waiver qualification? I totally know I’ll spend way more than $2K before the year’s end, but just wondering what chaos a refund right now would cause if that makes sense!

matchbox20_is

I am in the same club and suspect there are a lot of us in it. I fly enough for FO and got PM because of the Covid exceptions. It should last a few years, and I’m enjoying it. I won’t hit DM but would avoid DL if I was in danger of hitting it as I’d rather have PM for longer.

robnsfla

Any word on an accelerator promotion for the fall or year end….???.
I believe American and United lowered their top tier requirements for 2023 status earlier in the
year….but Delta held back
Currently a Diamond
with mqms 326,531 and mqds YTD 6920
expect another 6000 mqds by year end with trips currently booked

beachmouse

Given the infinite rollover of 2020-21, I can only see another accelerate promo if the economy tanks enough that we see 70% load factors for 4Q.

ATOBTTR

Sitting at 177K MQMs and 4K MQDs with 10 Segments. Like others, sitting on a bank of rollover from 2020 and 2021. Also closing in on the AmEx MQD Waiver so I'll be PM for 2023.

I currently have about 18K more MQMs booked plus will get the first Reserve boost for an additional 15K so barring any changes I should be sitting at well over 200K MQMs by the end of year even without any additional flights booked, though I am expecting more travel. The currently booked MQDs will put me around 8-9K MQDs.

Had I directed some flights that I took earlier this year to DL instead of UA, I would be qualifying for DM. That said, given the changes to DM, I'm not all that sad and instead have hit UA Gold and am close enough to UA Plat that I will MR for that if I otherwise don't get any natural travel on UA. If I still happen to fly enough on DL to cross the DM MQD threshold, then great, but I won't be going much out of my way to do it given the changes to DM and what I would value out of it (GUCs) and I may well direct that travel to UA to close in on the gap for UA 1K if UA is a viable option. For now, WRT to DL, I'm happier to take the rollover and keep PM projected further versus getting DM.

My guess is no. Planes are packed - perhaps even over-packed right now. I don't see DL needing to do much to entice elites this year. Also, AA didn't lower its requirements - it just outright changed the program to the new "Loyalty Points" program and if you make it just by flying, even as an already EXP, it's close to double what it used to cost to obtain EXP unless you also earn "Loyalty Points" via other methods to reduce the amount of flight spend LPs needed (EXP would cost you at least $18,182 dollars in base fare of flying unless you earn LPs via other methods too or via partner flights).