DL SM - Will It Be Enough?
 

Need some advice

I missed requalifying for FO by 3864 miles.

I don't fly a lot, usually a TPAC or TATL and a few other flights here and there.

I have been looking for cheap MRs to get the miles needed. I can get DTW-SJU for $232 (same day turn) and 3860 miles, or four miles short of FO.

1. If I take this run, will SM comp me the four miles, or at least the status for being that close?

2. The main benefit is for my TPAC is usually in the fall, and I want the preferred seating and the 50% mileage bonus on that 17,000 mile flight. Should I wait and see if there are better MRs during the year? Or wait for DEQM or some promotion?

why would you risk not getting comped the four miles by booking an MR that's short of what you need? wait for a run that will get you what you need. your suggested run is, what, roughly 6 cpm? that's not all that great.

DL will NOT comp you the miles. Sometimes they will do it at the end of the year when redetermining status but not in Feb/Mar when you still have well over 7 months of calendar-year travel to do.

Find a MR which gets you the needed miles, cheaply.

It seems to me that if you missed FO, you are now 25,000 miles short (not 3864).
Wasn't that a question to ask in December?

No, I already have just over 21,000 miles this year, due to a trip to India. But I won't fly much until a TPAC in the fall.

So by "missed," I mean I was FO through Feb 28, but I didn't requalify for this year.

Last year I ended up with around 18,000 and decided not to do a mileage run then but to do it after the first of the year so it would last until Feb 2012 instead of Feb 2011.

So I am looking for the cheapest way to get 3864 miles so I can qualify this year.

Sorry ... From a DL hub, 6 cents a mile pretty decent. Can you route one leg through ATL or JFK and keep the fare and qualify?

The best connection seems to be through ATL and it goes up to $284 to do that.

For me, it was an "iffy" price at best.

Anyone have any ideas on historic rate patterns? Will there be some cheap >4000 mile flights ex-DTW through the summer/early fall?