Dec 27, 2016, 5:58 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Last edit by: Pat89339

For each request, please include the following information:

Departure Airport:
Miles Needed:
Required Spend or Budget:
Available Travel Dates:
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*:

For each response. Please quote the original request. DO NOT START A SEPARATE THREAD.

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NOTE: there is not much time left in 2017, given that travel tends to be expensive around holidays. You will have greater chances of success if you have greater flexibility on travel dates and cost. If you need a lot of MQMs on weekends only for < 5 cpm it probably won't happen.

Other creative possibilities depending how many MQMs you need:

signup bonuses for various DL-branded AMEX cards (usually have a spend requirement)
if you already have planned travel, consider buying up (in advance, not at check in) for 50% MQM bonus and more flexible same-day-confirmed options which are another way to increase MQMs
Hilton 250 MQMs per stay of 2 nights or more
if you are close to a threshold Delta often will offer a buy-up (at exorbitant prices). 2016 thread, and speculation/anticipation thread for 2017

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*"Required Metal or Codeshares" is, approximately, asking whether you need a flight operated specifically by Delta or if partner flights are ok. If you are just looking for MQMs to hit a Medallion tier the normal way, then the answer is yes. If you are doing a status challenge, the answer is also probably yes, but read the T&C of your challenge carefully to be sure (for the regular status challenge the answer is also "yes")

NOTE: some partner flights earn MQMs at reduced rates. See this chart for more info.

Newcomers may also be interested in the FlyerTalk Glossary

DL/Sky Team: 2017-2018 Consolidated Mileage/Status/Challenge Runs help needed

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Oct 21, 2018, 6:03 pm

#1501

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelmer10

Departure Airport: MSN or MKE. Maybe Chicago but would rather not if possible
Miles Needed: 9,000 MQMs
Required Spend or Budget: ideally less than 1,200 USD
Available Travel Dates:any dates before end of 2018
Codeshares ok

I am going to be a little short for Platinum even after I get the 15,000 MQM bonus from my delta Amex reserve. Live in southern wisconsin and would love to go west or somewhere warm for my mileage run. I work from home/remotely so I am extremely flexible. Any ideas?

MSN-HNL for $800 on various dates. Delta flexible search

MKE-HNL for $600 on various dates. Delta flexible search.

Oct 22, 2018, 11:50 am

#1502

bergamini

Join Date: Aug 2003

Location: MSN

Programs: Delta DM, Bonvoy LT Titanium, Hertz PC

Posts: 1,987

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelmer10

Hey - I live in MSN - one of the options I was considering for MR was MKE<>SEA. I paid $210 for it. Do a 0 night stay search on ITA and you'll find a lot of < $300 days (example: 11/13). Delta then offered me FCM of $127 for each leg, so for $454 I have it RT and that's 5,067 MQM with the class of service bonus. So if you did it twice you'd spend $900 and get 10,134 MQM with no overnights away from home. I also WFH so my logic was I will catch up on emails and project work while in the air and then go to the Sky Club in SEA and do my conference calls, etc., during my 6 hour layover before getting back on the plane.

Last year I had looked at doing something similar but the routing was MKE>SEA>ORD>SEA>MKE with the overnight at ORD and completing ORD>SEA>MKE on the second day. Very cheap fares on these routes because of competition with Alaska and if you can get the FCM upgrades at a reasonable price after booking, it's comfortable and efficient. But if you don't like the FCM prices then you can cancel but they've been low all the times I've done it for work.

Oct 23, 2018, 4:49 am

#1503

Sy Paulson

Join Date: Jun 2017

Programs: Delta Skymiles

Posts: 5

NYC MR

Departure - NYC area (JFK LGA EWR HPN ISP)
Dates - Friday’s / weekends rest of year
Budget - under 600
MQM needed - 7500+

looking for help. Want one day same day 2 different RT flights to get me 7500+ for plat status. 2 trips in one day. Within the US 48. No overseas or overnights. Can do Friday’s. Saturday or Sunday, potentially a Thursday.

Would consider a RT in premium if within budget.

Oct 23, 2018, 9:50 am

#1504

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sy Paulson

It may be a bit difficult to achieve that with two flights in the same day (in economy) given your conditions. New York to Los Angeles will get you about 4800 miles and takes 10 hours of flying time.

If you consider two days then there are flights to SLC, LAS with immediate turn starting at $230 (basic economy.) Prices available during midweek as well as the weekends in early December. Each trip will earn 3900+ miles.

MarkP24 likes this.

Last edited by canuck_traveler; Oct 23, 2018 at 10:19 am Reason: add SLC and LAS option

Oct 23, 2018, 2:51 pm

#1505

newguy2321

Join Date: Jul 2015

Posts: 54

Departure Airport: BNA
Miles Needed: 2,000 MQMs
Required Spend or Budget: reasonable
Available Travel Dates:Any dates in first half of December
Codeshares ok

Oct 23, 2018, 3:05 pm

#1506

newguy2321

Join Date: Jul 2015

Posts: 54

Quote:

Originally Posted by newguy2321

Departure Airport: BNA
Miles Needed: 2,000 MQMs
Required Spend or Budget: reasonable
Available Travel Dates:Any dates in first half of December
Codeshares ok

Relatively new to this, so if it would even be possible but how about this one as well to compare options?

Departure Airport: BNA
Miles Needed: 27,000 MQMs
Required Spend or Budget: 1000
Available Travel Dates:Any dates in first half of December
Codeshares ok

Oct 23, 2018, 4:07 pm

#1507

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by newguy2321

Departure Airport: BNA
Miles Needed: 2,000 MQMs
Required Spend or Budget: reasonable
Available Travel Dates:Any dates in first half of December
Codeshares ok

BNA-ATL-MSY-ATL-BNA, $118 (basic economy), 2000 MQMs, Dec 1

newguy2321 likes this.

Oct 24, 2018, 6:59 pm

#1508

newguy2321

Join Date: Jul 2015

Posts: 54

Quote:

Originally Posted by canuck_traveler

BNA-ATL-MSY-ATL-BNA, $118 (basic economy), 2000 MQMs, Dec 1

this may be a dumb question, but how does one book something like this, go on and can’t get this to populate on delta using multi city? Pardon my ignorance.

Oct 24, 2018, 7:08 pm

#1509

newguy2321

Join Date: Jul 2015

Posts: 54

Quote:

Originally Posted by newguy2321

this may be a dumb question, but how does one book something like this, go on and can’t get this to populate on delta using multi city? Pardon my ignorance.

my bad, now seeing it on delta as this is a fairly basic routine. Thanks.

Oct 24, 2018, 7:45 pm

#1510

MarkP24

Join Date: Mar 2015

Location: NYC/ EWR/ PHL

Programs: UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum

Posts: 2,210

Quote:

Originally Posted by canuck_traveler

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sy Paulson

Not sure if you currently have status with Delta and therefore your upgrade eligibility, but just note that the NYC-LAS routes have many business travelers who pay for F/D1, and upgrades seem hard to come by (not that they're so much easier on other routes)

Oct 25, 2018, 3:47 am

#1511

tessak22

Join Date: Oct 2018

Posts: 2

Delta Mileage Run from MSP

I need another 13,000 miles to reach platinum with Delta. I am new to statuses with airlines and trying to figure out the best way to get another 13k MQM’s before the end of the year.

Departure Airport: MSP
Miles Needed:13,100
Required Spend or Budget: Open
Available Travel Dates:11/1 - 11/7, 11/17 - 11/30
Required Metal or Codeshares: Delta only

Oct 25, 2018, 3:51 am

#1512

tessak22

Join Date: Oct 2018

Posts: 2

Delta run from MSP to ?

Departure Airport: MSP
Miles Needed:13,100
Required Spend or Budget: Open
Available Travel Dates:11/17 - 11/30 or 11/1 - 11/7
Required Metal or Codeshares: Not sure - just need Delta MQM’s to reach Platinum

I am platinum with Marriott so where ever I go, I want to leave the airport for a day or two and use hotel points for lodging.

Last edited by tessak22; Oct 25, 2018 at 4:03 am

Oct 25, 2018, 4:38 am

#1513

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by tessak22

One option is MSP-SIN, 4 or 5 day trip, departing, November 4, $812, 20,000+ MQM

Oct 25, 2018, 11:05 am

#1514

Opposite

Join Date: Nov 2016

Posts: 13

Departure Airport: GRR or DTW (would also consider positioning to ATL, MSP, LGA)
Miles Needed: 8500
Required Spend or Budget: Flexible, but ideally < $800
Available Travel Dates: Flexible between now and Dec 31.
Required Metal or Codeshares: ok