if they go to a pure "points system," Hopefully they won't change the generous partner marketed/operated MQM earnings. I've got a couple long haul biz flights next year booked on partners.

United capped the amount of points earned when booking w/ partners back in 2020

Partner marketed flights generally earn the same MQM as DL marketed flights. Perhaps you are thinking of MQD/mileage earn? Most likely, they will do away with MQM/MQDs and replace them with something like MQPs (and convert existing rollover MQM balances into MQPs). I would expect mileage/MQP earn on partner marketed flights to continue to be mileaged based (just like AA LP earn on partners).

On AA spend itself directly contributes to earning elite status; now on the Citi AA Exec Card (the one w lounge access), there are also boosts built in. On UA, there are certain thresholds for card spending that give you boosts.

Honestly, from a communications standpoint it's almost better to rip off the band aid and piss off everybody all at once rather than do it piecemeal

Agree. I don’t think they would need special training for staff just for an increase in MQD waiver. That’s pretty self explanatory so most customers I think would figure it out.

A whole new medallion qualification system similar to UA or AAs changes would require a lot of staff training because I’m sure they will be getting questions all day every day for months.

If they are going to a points system, there is no need for either MQM or MQD (or MQD Waivers). If they were to copy AA, they would just create something like MQP to replace them both. They could convert any rollover MQM balances to MQP and just start doing MQP rollover instead of MQM rollover for excess MQP at the end of the year.

And this could explain why they don’t seem to be prioritizing fixing the e-credit mqd/mqm/rdm IT issues.

I'm fine with going to a mile-less qualification system. But with some obvious questions on how the program moves forward.

1) How would it effect rollover MQM for 2025? (Conversion to a set amount of points?)
2) How would it effect earning on partners?
*(If they copy UA on this and cap earning on these flights, as UA has, to 1500 points per flight segment, it would be *terrible* for most long haul biz tickets which from the west coast are easily $4.5-5K. - will be really annoyed if they do this).
3) Would they switch to an AA-style or UA-style qualification system, where AA offers tons of flexibility based on CC spend on the ground. UA has spending thresholds with boosters.

The whole Medallion system is currently a joke with everyone swimming in rollover MQMs and a very low $25k Amex waiver to make PM indefinitely. When everyone is PM no one is PM.

This is me. I fly enough for FO and will have 5 years of PM because of that generosity if nothing is changed.

How will this affect DL's LT program?

It’s me as well. I was hoping to float along as a PM until we move to Denver in a couple of years but eh, I can go back to free agent ing it again if need be.

My issue with United’s system is there is no benefit for flying on premium fares (like first class). Also they are huge in Asia/OZ which have such expensive J tickets like 2 round trips gets you 1K. Add to that there a lot of Global Service (while Delta 360 seems like a small pool) - so 1K Is not really equal to Diamond

AA and UA continued tracking BIS flown miles for lifetime status. DL could continue the current MQM earning chart solely for lifetime status, could switch to BIS miles, or could base it on the new system.

Incidentally, I do think DL will switch to a loyalty points system similar to what AA and B6 have (and UA will tune their PQP program to similarly value card spending), because under the current system people who don't spend $25k/year on credit cards to earn the MQD waiver are not particularly incentivized to spend money on them besides earning SkyMiles. For personal spending, $25k/year is a lot to put on a credit card unless you put rent / mortgage payments on it, and not everyone can/wants to put business expenses on their personal card and be reimbursed. A continuous points earning system instead of a cut-off means DL can capture some of the $10k/year spenders who might otherwise use a 2% cash back card – the fact elite status is hard to put a dollar value on (and most people over-value it) helps make up for the lower value of SkyMiles.

A Diamond who seldom actually flies makes a lot of money for Delta, right?