DL Deducted MQMs For My Complimentary Gold Status
May 5, 2023, 4:32 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
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Programs: DL DM 2mm, AA EXP mm, UA SL, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Platinum, Hilton Gold
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DL Deducted MQMs For My Complimentary Gold Status
Over years of membership in the NW and DL programs I earned more than 2.6 million MQMs, all from butt-in-seat flying. DL grants "complimentary" Lifetime/Annual Gold status for reaching 2mm. To retain Gold status each year, Lifetime/Annual Golds need not accumulate any new MQMs, spend any money on flights, or spend any money of a DL credit card (MQD waiver). If you have a bunch of rollover MQMs and are Silver, Gold or Platinum by virtue of Million Miler status, putting $25,0000+ on a DL card or exceeding your MQD threshold without reaching a higher Medallion level is about the worst thing you could do because Delta will make you pay for the status it claimed was complimentary.
In January 2022 DL rolled over 369,094 MQMs to my account and retained my DM status. In 2022 I accumulated 42,271 MQMs and $6,856 MQDs (one trip). As of 12/31/22 MQMs were 411,365 (No MQMs from Amex spend.) But on 1/1/23 DL rolled over 361,365 MQMs. DL says it deducted 50,000 MQMs because I "earned" the Gold status I was already entitled to!
I think DL is wrong to deduct MQMs just because I met the 2022 Gold spend threshold. I did not reach 50,000 MQMS from flight or other activity in 2022. DL is charging MQMs for Gold status that it claims is "complimentary" by virtue of 2mm+ loyalty!
For the 4-5 years prior to Covid, I maintained DM status by exceeding the DM MQD threshold. In those cases, DL correctly deducted 125,000 MQMs from my account each year because DM status is not complimentary. Gold, on the other hand, is "complimentary" for 2mmers irrespective of meeting threshold requirements. DL's interpretation of "complimentary status" encourages those with Lifetime/Annual status to refrain from flying DL and spending on a DL credit card unless they are certain they will reach a level higher than their complimentary status. Last year, I gave Delta $6,856 and was penalized for it. That won't happen again.
Is DL correct to deduct 50,000 MQMs for a 2mm member with Lifetime/Annual Gold status who meets the spend (but not MQM) requirements in a calendar year? What would DL do if a member with complimentary status "earned their status" but did not have enough MQMs to deduct?
In January 2022 DL rolled over 369,094 MQMs to my account and retained my DM status. In 2022 I accumulated 42,271 MQMs and $6,856 MQDs (one trip). As of 12/31/22 MQMs were 411,365 (No MQMs from Amex spend.) But on 1/1/23 DL rolled over 361,365 MQMs. DL says it deducted 50,000 MQMs because I "earned" the Gold status I was already entitled to!
I think DL is wrong to deduct MQMs just because I met the 2022 Gold spend threshold. I did not reach 50,000 MQMS from flight or other activity in 2022. DL is charging MQMs for Gold status that it claims is "complimentary" by virtue of 2mm+ loyalty!
For the 4-5 years prior to Covid, I maintained DM status by exceeding the DM MQD threshold. In those cases, DL correctly deducted 125,000 MQMs from my account each year because DM status is not complimentary. Gold, on the other hand, is "complimentary" for 2mmers irrespective of meeting threshold requirements. DL's interpretation of "complimentary status" encourages those with Lifetime/Annual status to refrain from flying DL and spending on a DL credit card unless they are certain they will reach a level higher than their complimentary status. Last year, I gave Delta $6,856 and was penalized for it. That won't happen again.
Is DL correct to deduct 50,000 MQMs for a 2mm member with Lifetime/Annual Gold status who meets the spend (but not MQM) requirements in a calendar year? What would DL do if a member with complimentary status "earned their status" but did not have enough MQMs to deduct?
May 5, 2023, 5:06 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: PDX
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Posts: 3,938
I'm confused. No miles are deducted for earning status. Each year the number of MQM you earn resets. But that has nothing to do with the overall balance of miles in your account..
May 5, 2023, 5:09 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2021
Posts: 102
This is because complementary MM status does not entitle you to the rollover MQM and MQM rules apply as if you weren't an MM. This means that if you don't earn Silver, then you simply lose all of your MQMs as you wouldn't be eligible for any rollover, and if you hit exactly Silver and no higher, you only lose 25k MQMs, which answers your last question.
However, I do agree that current system isn't really fair as it encourages you to only maintain Silver status while punishing you for earning Gold by deducting more MQMs without providing any further benefits. You'd essentially need to either toe the line of flying Delta just enough to maintain Silver and to enjoy your complementary Gold status while holding back enough to avoid actually earning Gold, or go all in and earn Platinum or Diamond. My guess is that this is simply too niche of a case for Delta to care about adding an exception to their MQM logic for.
However, I do agree that current system isn't really fair as it encourages you to only maintain Silver status while punishing you for earning Gold by deducting more MQMs without providing any further benefits. You'd essentially need to either toe the line of flying Delta just enough to maintain Silver and to enjoy your complementary Gold status while holding back enough to avoid actually earning Gold, or go all in and earn Platinum or Diamond. My guess is that this is simply too niche of a case for Delta to care about adding an exception to their MQM logic for.
May 5, 2023, 5:47 pm
#4
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Over years of membership in the NW and DL programs I earned more than 2.6 million MQMs, all from butt-in-seat flying. DL grants "complimentary" Lifetime/Annual Gold status for reaching 2mm. To retain Gold status each year, Lifetime/Annual Golds need not accumulate any new MQMs, spend any money on flights, or spend any money of a DL credit card (MQD waiver). If you have a bunch of rollover MQMs and are Silver, Gold or Platinum by virtue of Million Miler status, putting $25,0000+ on a DL card or exceeding your MQD threshold without reaching a higher Medallion level is about the worst thing you could do because Delta will make you pay for the status it claimed was complimentary.
In January 2022 DL rolled over 369,094 MQMs to my account and retained my DM status. In 2022 I accumulated 42,271 MQMs and $6,856 MQDs (one trip). As of 12/31/22 MQMs were 411,365 (No MQMs from Amex spend.) But on 1/1/23 DL rolled over 361,365 MQMs. DL says it deducted 50,000 MQMs because I "earned" the Gold status I was already entitled to!
I think DL is wrong to deduct MQMs just because I met the 2022 Gold spend threshold. I did not reach 50,000 MQMS from flight or other activity in 2022. DL is charging MQMs for Gold status that it claims is "complimentary" by virtue of 2mm+ loyalty!
For the 4-5 years prior to Covid, I maintained DM status by exceeding the DM MQD threshold. In those cases, DL correctly deducted 125,000 MQMs from my account each year because DM status is not complimentary. Gold, on the other hand, is "complimentary" for 2mmers irrespective of meeting threshold requirements. DL's interpretation of "complimentary status" encourages those with Lifetime/Annual status to refrain from flying DL and spending on a DL credit card unless they are certain they will reach a level higher than their complimentary status. Last year, I gave Delta $6,856 and was penalized for it. That won't happen again.
Is DL correct to deduct 50,000 MQMs for a 2mm member with Lifetime/Annual Gold status who meets the spend (but not MQM) requirements in a calendar year? What would DL do if a member with complimentary status "earned their status" but did not have enough MQMs to deduct?
In January 2022 DL rolled over 369,094 MQMs to my account and retained my DM status. In 2022 I accumulated 42,271 MQMs and $6,856 MQDs (one trip). As of 12/31/22 MQMs were 411,365 (No MQMs from Amex spend.) But on 1/1/23 DL rolled over 361,365 MQMs. DL says it deducted 50,000 MQMs because I "earned" the Gold status I was already entitled to!
I think DL is wrong to deduct MQMs just because I met the 2022 Gold spend threshold. I did not reach 50,000 MQMS from flight or other activity in 2022. DL is charging MQMs for Gold status that it claims is "complimentary" by virtue of 2mm+ loyalty!
For the 4-5 years prior to Covid, I maintained DM status by exceeding the DM MQD threshold. In those cases, DL correctly deducted 125,000 MQMs from my account each year because DM status is not complimentary. Gold, on the other hand, is "complimentary" for 2mmers irrespective of meeting threshold requirements. DL's interpretation of "complimentary status" encourages those with Lifetime/Annual status to refrain from flying DL and spending on a DL credit card unless they are certain they will reach a level higher than their complimentary status. Last year, I gave Delta $6,856 and was penalized for it. That won't happen again.
Is DL correct to deduct 50,000 MQMs for a 2mm member with Lifetime/Annual Gold status who meets the spend (but not MQM) requirements in a calendar year? What would DL do if a member with complimentary status "earned their status" but did not have enough MQMs to deduct?
They wouldn't have earned the status without sufficient MQM.
Is DL correct to deduct 50,000 MQMs for a 2mm member with Lifetime/Annual Gold status who meets the spend (but not MQM) requirements in a calendar year?
You did meet MQM. I'm confused why you think you didn't. What do you think rollover means? It's earned MQM, just moved over to the next year. What would the point of rollover be otherwise? Very confused by your logic here.
May 5, 2023, 6:18 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
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Your not alone being confused. I'm confused why Delta makes you pay (by deducting MQMs) for a status that it says is complimentary. What is the explanation for that? Those MQMs are valuable and could be used in future years to attain DM or PM.
May 5, 2023, 6:22 pm
#6
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What would DL do if a member with complimentary status "earned their status" but did not have enough MQMs to deduct?
They wouldn't have earned the status without sufficient MQM.
Is DL correct to deduct 50,000 MQMs for a 2mm member with Lifetime/Annual Gold status who meets the spend (but not MQM) requirements in a calendar year?
You did meet MQM. I'm confused why you think you didn't. What do you think rollover means? It's earned MQM, just moved over to the next year. What would the point of rollover be otherwise? Very confused by your logic here.
They wouldn't have earned the status without sufficient MQM.
Is DL correct to deduct 50,000 MQMs for a 2mm member with Lifetime/Annual Gold status who meets the spend (but not MQM) requirements in a calendar year?
You did meet MQM. I'm confused why you think you didn't. What do you think rollover means? It's earned MQM, just moved over to the next year. What would the point of rollover be otherwise? Very confused by your logic here.
May 5, 2023, 6:26 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Now in SLC
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The only time DL ever did 100% rollover for anyone (whether status was earned for that year or due to lifetime status) was during the pandemic, when everyone, even non-status flyers, had 100% of their MQMs rolled over from 2020 to 2021 and again from 2021 to 2022. Otherwise, the MQMs rolled over were always those above and beyond whatever your status was, no matter how you earned it. In other words, there has never been a rule that lifetime elites had an exclusive situation where they got 100% MQM rollover.
May 5, 2023, 6:30 pm
#8
Join Date: Oct 2019
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Accordingly, the choice is between having 50k MQM deducted to earn GM for a year and rollover the excess to attain PM/DM the next year or having the complimentary GM for a year and no MQM because you didn't qualify for rollover.
It does bring up the question of whether a 2MM who only meets Silver MQD requirement could opt for the earned Silver status and keep their rollover vs. take complimentary GM and roll nothing over.
May 5, 2023, 6:32 pm
#9
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It is a confusing situation. In this case DL deducted MQMs (not miles) for Gold status even though I was automatically complimentary Lifetime/Annual Gold.
May 5, 2023, 6:34 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2016
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If you hadn't met the requirements for Medallion status last year, you would have lost all of your MQMs and started this year with 0...
May 5, 2023, 6:40 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2019
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One equivalent way to think about the process is that DL doesn't deduct MQMs for status. They grant GM for a year to people who meet requirements, including those with 2MM. Separately, people who have at least 50k MQM and who satisfy the MQD requirement have 50k deducted in order to participate in rollover MQM.
May 5, 2023, 6:42 pm
#12
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Complimentary status is not eligible for rollover MQM because it's not earned by the published requirements.
Accordingly, the choice is between having 50k MQM deducted to earn GM for a year and rollover the excess to attain PM/DM the next year or having the complimentary GM for a year and no MQM because you didn't qualify for rollover.
It does bring up the question of whether a 2MM who only meets Silver MQD requirement could opt for the earned Silver status and keep their rollover vs. take complimentary GM and roll nothing over.
Accordingly, the choice is between having 50k MQM deducted to earn GM for a year and rollover the excess to attain PM/DM the next year or having the complimentary GM for a year and no MQM because you didn't qualify for rollover.
It does bring up the question of whether a 2MM who only meets Silver MQD requirement could opt for the earned Silver status and keep their rollover vs. take complimentary GM and roll nothing over.
A 2MM (annual complementary Gold) who earns Silver (MQM and MQD/Waiver), will rollover everything above the 25k MQM required for Silver. They still will be Gold regardless.
May 5, 2023, 6:45 pm
#13
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The only time DL ever did 100% rollover for anyone (whether status was earned for that year or due to lifetime status) was during the pandemic, when everyone, even non-status flyers, had 100% of their MQMs rolled over from 2020 to 2021 and again from 2021 to 2022. Otherwise, the MQMs rolled over were always those above and beyond whatever your status was, no matter how you earned it. In other words, there has never been a rule that lifetime elites had an exclusive situation where they got 100% MQM rollover.
May 5, 2023, 6:48 pm
#14
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May 5, 2023, 6:55 pm
#15
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Are you saying that if I didn't meet the spend requirements for any Medallion status last year I would have lost all 411,000 MQMs? I appreciate your helping me with my question but don't understand how that could happen.