ffI

I have 3 real people to consider and would like serious advice.

#P1
4.3MM DL MQM - rollover 2.3M.
Spend on DL cards 250k a yr - My advice is to get out of DL spend and just spend on a BofA rewards card for a while now
Cost of 250k spend = 6562.50+ cost of 2 Delta Reserve cards = 120 = 7500 a yr fpr 250k miles worth 2500 = 5000$ for DM status
Gets 4 GUCs a yr - uses them each time, likely gets 1000$ value each time

The ROLLOVER MQMs have been significantly devalued
Feb 2024 - 2.3M MQM convert to 1.15M DL miles worth $11,500 or 115k MQD or fractions at 25% 50% 75%
Will the MQD have rollover? - what happens over 35k ?
At least if there is some rollover beyond 35k, then it will give at least 4 yrs of DM status
As it stands the 2.3M miles would have given 20 yrs of DM along with ongoing spend of 250k a yr
My advice is to forget about DL after 2025 end and go with best option

Value of Amex Spend has declined as well - this is a devaluation
Spend on Amex = 250k gave 120k MQM; now will give 25k MQD - only 70% of the value previously

#P2- Me - PM this year 100k rollover - not flying DL actively anymore
930k lifetime MQM - can hit 60k MQM with DR spend by boost and MS till yr end = 60k more = 990 and then the next 10k by 25k spend on a DL Plat card before Dec
Cost of 145k spend = 3800$ (forgetting about cost of cards) - less 1450 value of DL miles = about 2500 for lifetime SM
? worth it?
Most trips abroad have lounge access anyway due to bz class.
Domestic trips unlikely to ever see an upgrade - can always buy up as needed

#P3
630k MQM PM with 100k MQM now; 30k spend for waiver
Needs 720k spend from 3 people using 6 DR cards - 120 x 2 x 3 = 720k for 60x6 = 360k MQM
Cost 18900, when including cards cost - another 3600 = $22500 for lifetime SM
(add 1000$ a yr in interest earned on this money today @5% for life) to the costs as a hidden cost

My thought is that
#P1 can stay DM as needed by increasing spend - really should reconsider value of DM
360k spend cost is 9450 + add cost of card 600 = 10500 for 360k DL miles worth 3500 = about 7k for 4 GUCs and 2 GM sponsoships
I do not think it is worth it but may have value in sponsoring GM in future as that may get more valuable relatively.

#P2 - ? worth it to spend 120k on an DR Amex to get lifetime status?

#P3 - NOT worth it at all to spend real cash lost of 18k for lifetime SM.

Opinions welcome

xliioper

The Wiki in the master thread notes there will be no MQD rollover of excess MQD into the following year. I'm afraid your choice here on what to do with MQM is pretty straightfoward and you are pretty much screwed. I'll start next year with about 235K MQM in rollover and had been planning on that keeping me at Plat status for next 4-5 years. Obviously that is out the window now. Did a lot of MQM runs during Status Accelerator program which now feels pretty foolish.

johndoe123

I'll either suck it up and pay 100k tax bill (1.85% fee) and pay $1800 for close to platinum, when combined with other travel + $500 annual fee, or just forgo it. At least I get 100,000 RDM out of this.

ffI

125k rollover MQM is now 6k MQD which is just SM !
DL is saying that if you flew TWICE the requirement for DM in a prior yr, we will just give you SM for an extra year
236k MQM will be about 11k MQD for next yr - at least GM now to get the remaining 24 MQD done in 2024

ffI

It took 30 min to figure out our best options for now; still open to suggestions

#P2 HRH = 930k lifetime MQM + PM now 100k MQM this year with 30k spend for waiver
most travel plans already locked in till yr end and quite busy so no more mileage runs to get MQM

#P3 630k Lifetime MQM + PM 124k MQM and 30k spend for waiver
plan was to roll over 49k to next year and hit PM quickly or even DM based on spend waiver

Now - current game plan is as follows
#P3 will spend 220k more on 2 DR cards = 120k MQM - 15 already spent = 105 left - requires a bit of MS and have to watch with Amex
give 75 to #P2 = hits lifetime SM; has 175k MQM but only 75 used for PM = 100k MQM rollover = 50k DL RDMs in Feb
#P3 takes 30k = 29k rollover = 15k RDM in Feb

Total RDMs = 220 from spend +50 from MQM rollover of #P2 +15k RDMs rollover #P3 = 285k RDMs worth $2850 at least (actually 1.15c = about $3275)
Cost 220*2.625 = 5775 -3275 = 2500 for 1 yr of DM with 4 GUCs and several RUCs - not too shabby an outcome

#P3 will be 330k short of SM but that is certainly not worth the squeeze of spending for MQM and flying weekly till yr end
Better to buy C/F as needed

ffI

Sorry posted here

xliioper

The complicating factor is that I'll end the year at around 1.94 MM. Seems like a waste to convert my rollover MQM into MQD to get Gold status when I could get Gold status just by somehow ekeing out another 60K BIS miles next year.

GrayAnderson

Here's my thinking:
P1: After the new year/end of Status Boosts, kill one of the DL Reserves and consolidate the credit line to the other. Preferably the Business card - at their spend level, putting all of the spend on the Business Amex would kick out at least another 100k RDMs/yr if they stick with DL. 1.15m RDMs is probably closer to $15k than to $11,500 in value. Convert most of the rollovers to RDMs (basically, anything not needed for status in 2025 - you don't say their annual spend on Delta, which is a key factor here - if they're regularly spending $10k+/yr on DL, then sticking with the CC spend is probably still a decent move; if they're not, then move spend elsewhere) and sock drawer the DL Amex for 2024. Re-evaluate their options as 2025 approaches, but they arguably have until sometime in 2025 to make a decision as to what to do for 2026.

P2: Make the run for lifetime Silver. The main silver lining (no pun intended) is that LTS will give you the ability to buy an SC membership out-of-pocket and to H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks with the credit cards.

P3: This sort of insanity isn't worth the effort right now. I'd advise getting as close as they can without acrobatics and contortions, and then letting the fates handle filling in the remaining distance.

ffI

Outcome - plans as of now
P1 - Plan to close most cards and with 10k spend on DL will reach DM again next year then wait and see. PM may be enough long term
P2 - As suggested, run to LT silver worth it as doorway to SkyClub .
P3 - Plan to stay out and enjoy F/C paid as needed.

flynhigh

P1 spend has enough to reach AA top tier purely on spend, not sure what routes you are flying but that would be an option. I feel like it's odd to have invested all that spend into Delta just to change to a 2% card. Would be much better with a Chase Ultimate Rewards or Amex Membership Rewards if international travel is what they are seeking.

ffI

Cash is 2.625% not 2% and it earns interest too @5%
AA EXP is easy as is UA GP with card spend alone.
Many options

ffI

1
Our family Amex fees will fall next year
We have 2 Personal Plats, 4 Business Plat (150k offers) 2 Delta Reserve cards for upgrade priority, 2 Delta Platinum cards for companion
Fees Cost now is approx 700x6+550x2+250x2 = 5800 a yr which we were planning to prune anyway
Next year it makes sense to have 1 Personal Amex, focus spend - add 4 family as members = 700+200x4 = 1500 and 1 DL gold card = 95$ = 100 Total 1600
We will ALL continue to have UNLIMITED lounge visits (can hit 75k easily without MS spend by making 5 people share all their business expenses reimbursed on 1 account but 5 cards - amex allows each to have access separately and download transactions)
2
Our Amex spend will fall next year to exactly a bit above 75k
This year - for next 3 months - we plan a large family pool to spend 220k to get 1 member to lifetime SM and the other to DM instead of PM
- 930 to 1MM seems easy for status and to get lounge membership later if needed
75k MQM takes 150k spend; 30k is done already for the MQD waiver -30+150 is 180 so only 70k more gets DM status and GUCs and GM gifts etc
Doing each alone = 150k more spend by one for the MQM and 220k spend by the other for DM waiver is not a good idea, but doing both goals with same spend seems more reasonable
The P2 will be DM with the remaining 2 MQM boosts and 250k spend
The others will drop off from next year and from 2025 only 1 person left on DL train
We all will downgrade Delta cards - just keep 1 card active with 95$ to use up DL miles with 15% extra value
3
Our DL cash spend on tickets will fall as we use up our accounts one at a time
Our DL Reserve spends 25k each - we were doing 30 to get the MQM is no longer needed

The only way to hit them where it hurts is in their pocketbook by walking away.
I was wondering if it even made sense to help get the SM for life- but by moving the spend to the other without status, the benefits of DM will help next year

Don't bother to call and waste time - just take a few seconds to figure out what you need and where you should spend your money

If you read my thread in Capital One forum - on the cost of miles, I found that Almost ALL Amex partners except ANA & DL can be covered by Capital One at 2x instead of 1x.
I have a few MM MRs that I was hanging on to, but with schwab now at 1.1c,
each MM MR is $11k - and will give interest @5% - after tax 3% = 330$ cash in hand each year
Thinking as miles 330$ is 30k miles in many programs - without spending a cent
if you have 3MM MR that is $1k interest after tax each year for "free"
The opportunity cost of saving large balances as miles is staggering with rising interest rates.

ffI

I was asked by a colleague with 730 MQM - is it worth shooting for lifetime Silver?
He has his own company - can get enough people to spend on his card

These were my calculations for his family
Each DL member can get 105k more MQM on their cards this year (each has done 30k for the waiver)
2 people spending 210k will get 105k MQM each (and for DM status spend 220k - just 10k more)
His son can do 120k spend = 60k more MQM
total 210+60= 270k MQM for lifetime Silver

Cost of spend of 540k is 14175$ Lost cash
Cost of 3 new DR cards = $1500 (but can downgrade next year) so perhaps 600$
Value of DL miles 1.15c x540 = $6210
Real cost in cash lost = 16000-6000 = about 9-10k (not counting 500$ a yr in lost interest) - for what?
Ability to select a better seat @24hr ?
Free bags - available with a DL Gold card
I told him not worth it

For 950k MQM I would strongly urge him to do it
for 1900k to get 2M it may be well worth it at 200k spend = 3000$ real cost
For 3700 MQM to get to 4MM and lifetime platinum with 300 MQM this year, it may just may be worth the money of 10k lost but not for lifetime silver

540k spend will get all 3 of them to AA EXP - but best used on cash back

ffI

1
This will increase Medallions - did you not tell us there were too many of us?

Now instead of spending 250k for a waiver and paying for 2 Reserve Cards = 550 $ each,
I will use the 550$ saved to spend 30k more = 780$ lost cash cost less 330$ miles gain = 450$ net cost
= less than before!!

Thanks ED, I did not know the point of the whole exercise was to make it easier to get to DM!
I am now DM for 1 yr (and also now Lifetime Silver/Gold)
AND don't forget, I now have JetBlue Mosaic with 4 blade transfers for free!
AND I also got AS status for 15 months with my BofA card - made me apply to get the status and 65k miles

Making Medallion Status More Accessible: We will reduce the proposed number of Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) needed to earn 2025 Medallion Status.

• Silver Medallion Status: from 6,000 to 5,000 MQDs
• Gold Medallion Status: from 12,000 to 10,000 MQDs
• Platinum Medallion Status: from 18,000 to 15,000 MQDs
• Diamond Medallion Status: from 35,000 to 28,000 MQDs

2
Crowded skyclubs - tell us how this will make them less crowded?
Does not affect me in the least anyway, but I fail to see how you made the experience better for all ??

Greater Flexibility for Delta Sky Club Access:

• Card Members will now receive 15 days per year (up from 10 visits); all visits made in a 24-hour period will count as one day.
• = 15 trips
• Card Members will also be able to purchase Club access for $50 per day after using all allotted days.
• = ok
• Card Members can earn unlimited Delta Sky Club access after spending $75,000 on an eligible card in a calendar year
• - No Change.
• Medallion Members also have the option of purchasing an annual individual Delta Sky Club membership for $695.
• - same as before

3
Rollover MQM will now be useful for MUCH MUCH longer
- I know people with >1M rollover - who will now stay 360 for life with Zero flights to DL !
You really don't know how to play poker!

More Options for MQM Rollover Balances:

We have heard from many Members who had long-term plans for their Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQM) Rollover balances. Customers with high balances will receive special multi-year options to extend their Status, including the ability to choose complimentary Medallion Status at your current tier for one year per every 100,000 MQMs.

4
They blinked and became scared - NOW THIS WILL BOOST MEDALLION status LIKE NEVER BEFORE
- now tell me current medallions will be first on upgrade list - not at all - the list for upgrades will get longer than before!

More Recognition and Rewards for Long-Term Loyalty:

We want our long-term loyalists to know how much you�re truly appreciated. Effective February 1, 2024, we are significantly upgrading annual Complimentary Status achievement levels for all Million Milers.

• 6M+ from Diamond Medallion to Delta 360��
• 5M from Platinum Medallion to Delta 360��

• 4M from Platinum Medallion to Diamond Medallion
• 3M from Gold Medallion to Diamond Medallion
• 2M from Gold Medallion to Platinum Medallion
• 1M from Silver Medallion to Gold Medallion

Basically, I am now a lifetime Gold instead of Silver - in just 1 week, I went from 1MM SM to 1MM GM
This will not affect my status with respect to other lifetime medallions - the relative position will be same, but I am now ahead of all other current Silvers!
Wow!
UNINTENDED FOR SURE!
Just 2 weeks ago I was behind all current silvers and useless, now they are giving the farm away along with the baby!

- This is running totally scared - Even if they had just lowered PM to 3MM and DM to 4MM, that would have been enough.

THE REAL LOSER IN THIS FIASCO IS AMEX - LESS CHARGES IN FUTURE AND LESS LOYALTY TO AMEX!
LASTLY they have taken away incentive to spend more for MQM - previously the cost of MQM was 3-4c = 30k spend = 785 - less 30k miles = 330$ = 450$ cost for 15k MQM = about 3c - a bit more, ~4c, with card cost factored in.
I have zero incentive to spend more on Amex - even if he had said lifetime MQM will count going forward and you can get MQM - say 1 MQM for 5$ spend (as on UA), that would have kept folks loyal to card

ffI

I am thinking out loud here; for advice

A
With 750k MQM lifetime - 150k MQM and DM - is it worth 250k MQM run?
Cost 570k $ on taxes = >$11k lost cash not worth it - certain !

B
Rollover 25k MQM on Jan 2024 -
But a 75k MQM run for 1 yr more of DM may be well worth it ?
Cost now 150k spend = DM for 1 yr in 2025-26
in future that spend will give 1 yr PM if done in 2024 or 2 yrs of PM if done in 2025

C
The kicker is the MQD boost from cards
1 Plat + 1 Reserve= 5k MQD for 800$
T&C states only 1 boost per card type - so not clear if Plat+ Reserve are counted as types or Personal & business for same card counted as same type
e.g., if you have Delta Platinum, can you have DL Business Platinum and count as 2 cards for 5k boost??
If 5k boost easy, then only 230k spend in 2026 Jan will give 2 yrs of DM= 120k spend / yr of DM
If 10k boost for 1600, then only 180k spend needed for DM for 2 yrs