MM status and earnings via award tickets
Nov 2, 2023, 12:34 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: New York City
Programs: DL DM & 2MM; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 664
MM status and earnings via award tickets
I am making few award ticket travel plans for Summer 2024. I will earn MQDs at 100:1 ratio, but no RDMs. Has DL released any information about how such award tickets will get counted towards MM status when only MQDs and no RDMs are earned?
Mods - I am creating this as a separate thread due to lack of DL's clarity on this issue. Of course, please feel free to merge with any other relevant thread.
Mods - I am creating this as a separate thread due to lack of DL's clarity on this issue. Of course, please feel free to merge with any other relevant thread.
Last edited by metalblaze; Nov 2, 2023 at 1:44 pm
Nov 2, 2023, 1:55 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,063
I am making few award ticket travel plans for Summer 2024. I will earn MQDs at 100:1 ratio, but no RDMs. Has DL released any information about how such award tickets will get counted towards MM status when only MQDs and no RDMs are earned?
Mods - I am creating this as a separate thread due to lack of DL's clarity on this issue. Of course, please feel free to merge with any other relevant thread.
Mods - I am creating this as a separate thread due to lack of DL's clarity on this issue. Of course, please feel free to merge with any other relevant thread.
Nov 2, 2023, 3:05 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: New York City
Programs: DL DM & 2MM; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 664
Under the new rules, only paid tickets earn RDMs (+ MQDs) which will count towards MM status. Since award tickets only earn MQDs, how will they count towards MM status?
Nov 2, 2023, 3:29 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: ATL
Programs: DL DM/2.7MM, HH Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Gold
Posts: 259
While not explicitly stated anywhere - yet, I think it's safe to presume MQMs will continue to be calculated for distance in order to credit to MM status. Being MM will now only accrue
based on BIS (butt-in-seat) miles flown (no class of service bonuses or CC spending boots, etc...), maybe they will call it something else in order to "retire" the MQM name and simply call it "Miles Flown" or "Distance."
based on BIS (butt-in-seat) miles flown (no class of service bonuses or CC spending boots, etc...), maybe they will call it something else in order to "retire" the MQM name and simply call it "Miles Flown" or "Distance."
Nov 2, 2023, 3:47 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: New York City
Programs: DL DM & 2MM; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 664
Just tried an itinerary that I am exploring for next year....
Nov 2, 2023, 3:50 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2019
Programs: Flying Blue, Hilton Honors, Amtrak Guest Rewards
Posts: 2,402
Yep that's 25,256 SkyMiles, 2296 MQDs, and a bit under 4950 BIS miles towards MM.
Nov 2, 2023, 8:16 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: ATL
Programs: DL DM/2.7MM, HH Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Gold
Posts: 259
That is correct. Starting 01/01/24 MM status will only be accrued based on BIS miles (aka distance flown). It's going to be much more difficult to achieve MM status, as it should be, especially with the increase in status level they are providing yearly as complimentary.
That said, I'm a little surprised they dropped the class of service boost, but I do get it with the simplification of the program.
Nov 2, 2023, 8:25 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: SQ, QF, UA, CO, DL
Posts: 2,887
While not explicitly stated anywhere - yet, I think it's safe to presume MQMs will continue to be calculated for distance in order to credit to MM status. Being MM will now only accrue
based on BIS (butt-in-seat) miles flown (no class of service bonuses or CC spending boots, etc...), maybe they will call it something else in order to "retire" the MQM name and simply call it "Miles Flown" or "Distance."
based on BIS (butt-in-seat) miles flown (no class of service bonuses or CC spending boots, etc...), maybe they will call it something else in order to "retire" the MQM name and simply call it "Miles Flown" or "Distance."
I think they are matching UA in that regard. But overall there is some give and take in the recent MM changes. The give part surprised me, nearly all program changes favor DL over members. Maybe the take part will impact us more than we realize....
Nov 8, 2023, 8:04 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: New York City
Programs: DL DM & 2MM; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 664
I am making few award ticket travel plans for Summer 2024. I will earn MQDs at 100:1 ratio, but no RDMs. Has DL released any information about how such award tickets will get counted towards MM status when only MQDs and no RDMs are earned?
Mods - I am creating this as a separate thread due to lack of DL's clarity on this issue. Of course, please feel free to merge with any other relevant thread.
Mods - I am creating this as a separate thread due to lack of DL's clarity on this issue. Of course, please feel free to merge with any other relevant thread.
If award tickets do not count towards MM status, this is another major devaluation IMO.
Has anyone seen official DL info on this?
Nov 9, 2023, 6:22 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,044
On the one hand, they keep saying it's about miles flown. These are flown miles.
On the other hand, Delta was the only carrier I've known of to ever count award tickets toward either elite or lifetime status, so I could see them cutting this perk back.
On the other hand, Delta was the only carrier I've known of to ever count award tickets toward either elite or lifetime status, so I could see them cutting this perk back.
Nov 9, 2023, 6:28 am
#12
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Minneapolis
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 2,235
Award tickets only started to count towards any status back in 2021. It is a loss, but it was surprise when they made that change anyway. My guess is they will not count, but that is one of the many items that Delta has not addressed.
Nov 9, 2023, 7:33 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,063
I'm guessing they will continue to earn MQD/MM miles, but we probably won't find out until Jan 1st. No point in hammering agents on this as it is pretty clear in vast majority of cases that they have no more info than what can be found on website.
https://news.delta.com/delta-rewards...m-enhancements
https://news.delta.com/delta-rewards...m-enhancements
Nov 17, 2023, 7:24 pm
#15
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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My understanding is that after the end of 2023, only BIS miles will count for MM status, whether they're flown on paid or award tickets. There won't be anymore class of service bonuses.