Exactly. The choice of converting to MQDs makes no sense so with 300k rollover MQMs the choice is either 150k RDM (worth around $1,500-$1,800) or 3 years of DM extension. I’ll take the extension given that no one knows what the 2025 or 2026 DM requirements will be and lock it in now.

Not sure if Delta/Amex anticipated this scenario, but anyone using the 100k MQM conversion to extend status has no incentive to rack up MQDs until the final year of extended status. I am shifting all my spend away from the Reserve Card, though I still value it for SkyClub Access, Centurion Lounge Access, First Class Companion Cert, 15% RDM discount, (now) Resy credit, (now) Rideshare credit, and (TBD) $200 Delta Stays credit. I haven't seen any stays that qualify for the credit when I search Delta Stays, so remains to be seen if this will become a valuable benefit. Oh yeah, forgot about the $100 travel voucher all legacy Reserve card holders are getting this year.

The extension allows me to get high status on both AA and UA and try them out for a few years and cancel my Reserve without losing my DL DM status. I am very far away from 2MM so this is not an incentive to fly DL. Not sure this was such a wise move by DL.

Today's email has me just short of 100K rollover. I did not do a screenshot of MQMs prior to 1/1/24.
Is there a way to confirm DL's math?

If you get the monthly email statements and save them, the December statement (sent 12/9) will have your MQM Balance through the end of November. You could then add any posts from December to get year end balance. They only keep 9 months of activity available now, so you can't go all the way back to the beginning of 2023.

Don't forget that 2024 status still required MQMs, so when checking the math, be sure to deduct the MQMs required for your current SM tier. (I almost made that mistake myself, once.)

This is what I am interpreting from the discussion.
I only have ONE year's worth of status extension
So this year, do not stress about earning Diamond status. (use mileage, fly other airlines, etc.)
Then year 2025, assuming the new requirements are a killer, working on earning Diamond status again as I am already covered for 2025 with the conversion.

Am I missing something ????

Whether you use MQM to extend prior year status, or convert them into MQDs, yes there's going to be less incentive to earn MQDs since they don't rollover. I'm pretty sure DL has considered this, but opted not to get into the situation they got into with rollover MQMs where people carried massive rollover balances. I would think there's probably some middle ground here (let people rollover a certain amount of MQD, but cap it). But not going to lose any sleep over whether or not DL considered that. I will convert my MQM into 24K MQDs and then probably largely stop spending on Reserve card except for DL purchases as I will hit DM with existing MQD balance.

Why on earth would you convert 240k MQMs (assumed) for a measly 24k MQD when you could get 2 full years of PM/DM plus have 20k RDMs left over??

I only made PM last year (was way too short on MQDs to make it to DM) and am only about 40K miles from 2MM status. So the extra year of PM status would be pointless as I'll get PM anyways for being a 2MM. Might as well enjoy close to 2 years of DM status before dropping back to Plat.

Do I have any options?
 

Long time lurker and current 1MM. Delta Platinum and Reserve card holder. I earned Diamond for 2023 but back to Platinum for 2024. I have 159,000 rollover miles. With pending travel I’ll reach MQD for Platinum 2025 by April, so won’t gain anything by extending status. I’m thinking my only options are to convert some proportion to MQD to earn Diamond for 2025 and have the rest go to Skymiles. Am I thinking about this the right way? I’m 18 minutes from ATL, so a hub captive, and I could use the GUC on a trip to South Africa in the Fall… Any other suggestions?

Your obvious answer is to take the necessary MQD to make DM. You can either convert to all $15,900 MQD now or wait until the end of 2024 to make your selection as any MQD higher than $28k at 12/31/24 are a waste. The overage should be converted to RDMs.

The only reason I'm considering keeping any spend on a DL branded Amex is for the Platinum Choice Benefits.

My initial reaction was to shift spend to my regular non-DL Amex Plat and CSR/Hyatt Visa but the MQDs from my Personal/Biz Reserve cards in combo with flight activity MQDs make it a pretty easy lift to get the remaining MQDs for Plat CBs via spend. At least for one year with the card related bonus MQD boosts.

Alternatively considering downgrading all DL Amex products to the Blue level and purchasing an Executive SkyClub membership- we travel enough with 3 kids (under 13 so no AU option) that purchasing membership is probably a bit less expensive than guest fees even after taking into considering the passes we get. Still need to think through how this plays out now that companion certificates can be used to the Caribbean where we often go as a family (relative to RUCs).

Are most of you DMs with high MQM rollovers using it all for extension? Some? Or none?

I just looked at the email and it says I have 723,484 for conversion.

If anyone (including me), thinks they have ANY clue how much they will be flying 5 Years+ from now, they are full of it... Things change.. So what are people's thought processes? I am inclined to just use it all for extension. I am not hurting for RDMs with 1MM +, and they will probably continue to be devalued anyway. I have a stash of Chase miles (over 1MM) that I have available and would like to use some of those, but I have been tethered to the Delta treadmill. Or should I just use them (extend DM) maybe until 5 years out because things will inevitably change again anyway with DLs program? I am 2.48 MM and I live in ATL, so obviously will fly DL the majority of time anyway, at least domestically, especially since now PM for life (or "annually" for you micro-managing word sticklers out there..). I have both the Reserve and the Business Reserve which I am now inclined to keep both for the companion certs., Skyclub credits, upgrade priority, 15% redemption discount, Uber $. and hotel credit once I figure out how to redeem.

Anyone else in a similar situation?

I would use 100% of that (i.e. 700K) for status extension. Who knows what the DM MQD requirement will be 2031?

Every year of extension beyond 1 effectively reduces the risk/increases the efficiency of the rollover.