Dec 31, 2018, 10:40 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: 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: 2019 Consolidated Mileage/Status/Challenge Runs help needed

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Oct 21, 2019, 10:27 am

#541

ccbutta

Join Date: Dec 2018

Programs: Delta

Posts: 7

Q4 Dash to 2020 Delta Diamond

Hi I need a Skymiles mileage run with maximum MQMs...I have the money part for Diamond 2020 however short 50K MQMs...leaving out of NYC going anywhere...presently a Diamond. Dates: November 29 - Dec 10 or December 26 - 31. Skymiles shares only please.

Oct 21, 2019, 10:35 am

#542

sayle1058

Join Date: Sep 2019

Programs: DL

Posts: 20

I currently have Gold Medallion status. Wondering if it's worth it to try to push to Platinum. I can fly from NYC, or possibly ATL or BNA. I also could do a flight from Europe around December 9. Best airports would be PRG or MUC, but usually cheap to reposition in Europe. From Europe, I could either do a roundtrip from Europe, or a one-way from Europe back to the US (maybe through Asia).

Needed to reach Platinum:
20,350 MQMs
$2588 MQDs

Any thoughts or help would be appreciated!

Oct 21, 2019, 10:55 am

#543

MSPeconomist

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Sep 2009

Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM

Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM

Posts: 100,404

Quote:

Originally Posted by MNBigGuy

Just going for Gold.

I've been restricted in my travelling so I need 10k to reach Gold and Sky Priority for 2020.
Million Miler status seems to mean very little.

I fly out of MSP and am willing to start almost anywhere. I missed the MCO special to Beijing and kick my self for hesitating.

Departure Airport: MSP preferred; can position anywhere
Miles Needed: 10,000 MQM's .
Required Spend or Budget: Hoping to keep it under $1500 USD
Available Travel Dates: flexible after 10/25
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Flexible

Check dates and availability, but there had been some PS (G class) RT fares on the nonstop from MSP to HND under $1500 all in, especially around the holidays for slightly under 18,000 MQMs. There are ICN RT fares, also PS in G class, for around $2038 all in that I know are available but they require a ten day stay, for 18,702 MQMs. If you have an AmEx PlatCenturion card, you can use the IAP to reduce the base fares by about 15% on some of these tickets.

Oct 21, 2019, 11:00 am

#544

MSPeconomist

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Sep 2009

Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM

Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM

Posts: 100,404

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jre242

Departure Airport: LAX or JFK*
MQMs Needed: 35,000
Required Spend or Budget: as low as possible
Available Travel Dates: any* (christmas is fine)
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: yes

I still have all of my first class upgrades from my Platinum status for this year. I’d love to keep platinum for next year. The thought of flying coach for 20 hours is not so appealing, so I’m hoping someone might know of some low cost first class options to help me reach my goal.

*extra info: I’d love to do LA to JFK for Halloween weekend and use one of my first class upgrades if possible, and from there do an international first class mileage run, get back to NY, and use another upgrade certificate to get back to LA.

My mom is interested in coming with me for the overseas portion so if I pay for some/all of her ticket she will give her her MQMs. Neither of us want to fly coach internationally just for a mileage run though. We’d make a quick mother-daughter trip of it.

Thanks for suggestions/resources!

Your mother (or likewise anyone else) cannot give you MQMs she earns from flying, although MQMs earned for spend on a DL Reserve card can be gifted.

Oct 21, 2019, 12:07 pm

#545

Hossy

Join Date: Jul 2011

Location: ATL, NYC, MIA, PHL

Programs: DL Diamond, DL Amex Reserve, AMEX Plat, + GE & Clear

Posts: 24

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccbutta

Sounds almost exactly like my original post - where canuck_traveler pointed me to the following to hit 50k - and for you, with particular interest in the second option, since you wouldn't need to reposition to JFK!

Quote:

Originally Posted by canuck_traveler

You could take a repositioning flight to LAX and then do two MR to JNB on Virgin Atlantic in Economy Delight earning a little over 27,000 MQMs each run. Weekend departure in Economy Delight class in November are available for $1028 ($1008 from SFO.)

For a little less money, take a repositioning flight to JFK and then do two MR to SIN on China Eastern earning about 21,000 MQMs each run. JFK-SIN tickets are available in the $500 - $700 range for November travel. Then pick up the remaining 8000 MQMs with a trip to Hawaii.

Last edited by Hossy; Oct 21, 2019 at 12:08 pm Reason: typo

Oct 21, 2019, 12:56 pm

#546

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by sayle1058

I would look at the Virgin Atlantic flights from JFK-JNB in Economy Delight - will get you the needed MQMs and MQDs. Various November/early December weekend departures at good prices

e.g. Nov 8 - 10, JFK-JNB, $954 (Economy Delight), 22600 MQMs, $4500 MQDs

Oct 21, 2019, 4:25 pm

#547

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by MNBigGuy

I've done Lima in 1st for a reasonable rate ($1400). Is there something like that?

There are some tickets to Bogota in First for November and early December travel starting at $1066 (very limited availability for this price). Requires overnighting in Bogota. Earns just under 9000 MQMs so you will need another trip to pick up the remaining miles.

Oct 21, 2019, 4:59 pm

#548

sandman64

Join Date: Oct 2019

Posts: 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by canuck_traveler

If you are free to travel on any date then there are various departures in November and December from PDX-BOS for $258 which earns about 5500 MQM

Thanks for the help! When I used the Fly Qux website for PDX-BOS-PDX I'm getting 5120. Is whatever you're using to get 5500 more accurate and what do you use to calculate?

Oct 21, 2019, 5:27 pm

#549

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandman64

Thanks for the help! When I used the Fly Qux website for PDX-BOS-PDX I'm getting 5120. Is whatever you're using to get 5500 more accurate and what do you use to calculate?

You are correct for a direct flight between Portland and Boston. When I clicked on the Delta price listing, the routing was through Seattle which added the additional miles.

sandman64 likes this.

Oct 21, 2019, 5:37 pm

#550

kamadzu4

Join Date: Jul 2008

Location: GRB

Programs: DL PM

Posts: 309

Quote:

Originally Posted by kamadzu4

Need 5,815 MQMs, Wisconsin based but can drive as far as MSP / CHI. Looking for under $300 (otherwise, could just get the AMEX business Reserve sign-on bonus 10k MQMs for the annual fee).

Reissuing in appropriate format:

Departure Airport: Wisconsin preferred (GRB, MKE, MSN), can drive to CHI, MSP
Miles Needed: 5,815 MQM's .
Required Spend or Budget: Hoping to keep it under $300 USD
Available Travel Dates: November 9-12
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Flexible

Oct 21, 2019, 5:56 pm

#551

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by kamadzu4

From Green Bay, you are probably looking at a flight to Alaska (ANC, FAI) or Hawaii. However, not sure you can get it for under $300 or in the requested dates.

e.g. GRB-FAI, Nov 16 - 17 (a little over 1 hour in FAI), $447, 7400 MQMs

From Chicago,

ORD-FAI, Nov 11-12, $397, 6500 MQMs

Last edited by canuck_traveler; Oct 21, 2019 at 6:33 pm Reason: add Chicago option

Oct 21, 2019, 8:09 pm

#552

Nupey10

Join Date: Oct 2019

Location: ATL

Programs: DL DM

Posts: 30

As I read through a lot of these post I wonder why I don't see AF or KLM as recommendations? Is it that they are never really good options like VS and MU? Thanks

Oct 21, 2019, 8:11 pm

#553

Nupey10

Join Date: Oct 2019

Location: ATL

Programs: DL DM

Posts: 30

Quote:

Originally Posted by canuck_traveler

Reposition to IAD, then Virgin Atlantic, IAD-JNB, $909 (Economy Delight), 23,000 MQMs (e.g. Nov 8 - 10), various weekend departures in November and early December.

Doing two IAD-JNB trips will get you Platinum

Thanks Canuck. I can reposition to IAD for $157 or 12K skymiles ! NICE!

Oct 21, 2019, 8:17 pm

#554

MSPeconomist

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Sep 2009

Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM

Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM

Posts: 100,404

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nupey10

As I read through a lot of these post I wonder why I don't see AF or KLM as recommendations? Is it that they are never really good options like VS and MU? Thanks

MU tends to be cheap (although one needs to be careful about visa requirements for mainland China) and VS is being used to get lots of MQDs for the price, since MQDs on many partner flights are calculated as distance times a percentage which depends on the fare class.

Oct 21, 2019, 8:31 pm

#555

jryan4027

Join Date: Oct 2019

Posts: 1

Need 42 MQDs

Departure Airport: SLC (Nov or early Dec); SAN or SNA, maybe LAX (late December)
MQMs Needed: Doesn't matter, exceeded minimum
Required Spend or Budget: 42 MQDs
Available Travel Dates: Any Thurs. through Sunday
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: yes

I have two trips coming up and after that it looks like I'm going to be 42 MQDs short. Currently have Silver status looking to get to gold. I'm assuming there's no chance Delta will round up? Also not sure they're going to let my buy just 42, which means probably buying 500 or something. Might be expensive.