firstflyer

Someone just told me that Delta announced today that if you have at least 24,500 MQM (don't know if this applies also for gold or plat.) they will waive the extra 500 miles and give you silver. Did anyone else hear this or know if this is true?

coz

The general consensus from previous threads was that:

NO there is no official policy of forgiving a certain shortage.

YES some people have been able to call in and plead their case and get the status, but others were not.

YES it is worth a $100-$200 and an afternoon of flying to guarantee your status for next year.

Of course if there is a new policy I would love to hear about it, but it seems like it is just done on a case by case basis.

MikeyZBT

It's always been one of those urban legends about calling and asking... but have you heard of an actual policy?!

firstflyer

The person I talked to heard it directly form special member services.

AndyTLe

So why not make the official threshold 24,500? How about 24,000? 20,000? It would be nice that DL would "gift" Medallion, but any official policy would lead to a slippery slope. Heck, my girlfriend is at 24,572 MQMs for 2007 and I'd love for her to get gifted FO, but I'm not banking on it.

GoCanes

In 2003 I was going for my third year as a GM... had 49,000 and change miles... had to cancel an end of the year trip... and poof... no GM for 2004 just FO (which became worthless courtesy of song!). I would not be too thrilled if they started uping people under 25,000. I can see being 24,900 + and upping people... but anything at or more than the 1 leg minimum should fly to get over the hump...

mtparadis

No matter how you look at it, they have to draw the line somewhere. I just wish that line was always 25/50/75 so people didn't have to guess if they'd be ok.

Denolloyd

+1. There should be no "bumping"... Medallion status is awarded to those that fly often enough to earn it. Everyone is well aware of the levels, and how to attain them. If one wants to get to Sil/Gld/Plt, all they need to do is FLY. Buy the ticket and get the MQM's. It's really that simple...

My only issue is the EP in which I have no clue how to get there...

intheairatl

Personal Experience only. The past 2 years I have been granted gold status when falling 2-4K short. WHy?....primarily I fly atl-pbi virtually every week which shows my committment to Delta and considering time off, etc, there are are not enough weeks in a year to accumulate 50K at 1090 per trip. I have been a loyal Delta customer for years and a MM when that really meant something.

I appreciate it but todays methods of so many ways of earning miles without actually flying is sad.....Platinum now...at least until 2/2009.,,,and all miles are in BIS....

AndyTLe

I actually agree with you. As a PM that is at 47,104 MQMs for the year with maybe 2000 more MQMs by 31 December, I'm NOT expecting a softlanding or a "gifting" of GM. Since I didn't fly as much this year and didn't spend as much on my AMEX, I have no expectations.

indufan

See, I just don't understand that. Why is 24,900 somehow better than 24,800. As soon as you make it 24,900...someone will have 24,899. So, if you are going to have a cutoff why not just make it 25,000?

PDX-RDM-AVL-TPA

As discussed in this thread and elsewhere, I know people have had limited success calling and/or writing for Medallion status when they've neared the MQM threshold but not passed it. Does anybody have an thoughts on this scenario?

I'm thinking of writing a letter (to the Medallion desk?) to see if I can get FO status for my two-year-old son. I'm a Delta PM and I'll end the year with 90,000+ MQMs. His mother is has FO status and will end the year with either 31,000+ or 41,000+ MQMs, depending on how DL posts Amex Miles Boost MQMs when the threshold is crossed after the last billing statement of the year.

My son will end the year with 20243 MQMs. The kicker is that we took a Transcon round trip in January 2007, when he was still a lap child, so he didn't get any miles for that of course. If I had known he was going to get so close to FO status, I would have just bought him a ticket for that flight.

So I'm thinking of writing a letter, referring to his parents status and the unfortunate problem of not being able to upgrade as a family, even when there are plenty of seats in FC (we generally travel together away from typical biz travel). I'd also include something about his lap child flight last January and some stuff about our commitment to Delta and SkyTeam as a family.

So any speculation on our chances?

indufan

If I was Delta I would do it but I figure 40% chance they will give it to you.

Bonzz

Allright, I'll throw my hat in the ring...I'm PM for the year and very pleased...My wife is at 49,673 for the year and 8 months pregnant....no MR's for her. I had hoped that the Avis thing or the dining thing would put her over the top, but those bonus MQM's just look like a fantasy (despite multiple emails)....should we plead her case?

GoCanes

I guess my thought process is this... yes there is a threshhold and it should be abided by, but I also believe there is no more value and loyalty between a person with 25,001 miles and 24,999 miles. Although, in DL's eyes, one is worthy of medallion and the other is not.

I am actually a big proponent of eliminating the only miles determination of status and in its place creating a BCS-like system of factors and percentages. So, in my elite system, miles would be 60% of the determination, 25% would be the fare type and 15% would be number of flights. This IMO would eliminate the I am a few miles short scenario... instead a point level would be attained and that would have a cut-off. And in response to those who say, "well, what if you are a point short"... my response would have been... should have purchased a K fare instead of a L, U or T fare... it would have gotten you the status without taking an extra flight. Plus this system awards not just miles, but those who buy more expensive fares and maybe do not fly "enough" to acertain levels, but may spend more dollars than those at certain levels, have a better shot at getting to those levels. On the other hand, it also helps those who may take shorter flights but in great numbers. I think it is a good system and should be adopted.