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.

----

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

----

*"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

Closed Thread Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Nov 7, 2019, 6:28 am

#706

AFlyerF

Join Date: Nov 2019

Programs: Delta Skymiles

Posts: 1

Need $2K MQDs & 5K MQMs for 2019 on Delta

Hi,

I currently need about $2K MQDs and 5K MQMs to hit platinum status next year. I also live in New York and can fly out of any airports in the area. Would like to keep it below $1,000 total spend and have the trip not be longer than 2-3 days.

Thanks,

AFlyer

Nov 7, 2019, 8:00 am

#707

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFlyerF

Try Aero Mexico to somewhere in Mexico other than Mexico City (not enough miles) in Business class (50 % MQM bonus and earns 40% MQD)

e.g. Dec 7, JFK-MEX-MTY-MEX-MTY, $1059 (Business class), 7800 MQMs, $2050 MQDs, red-eye flight arrives back in JFK on Dec 8, bookable on Expedia

Nov 7, 2019, 9:31 am

#708

wawawewa

Join Date: Dec 2018

Location: New York

Programs: Delta Skymiles

Posts: 3

Quote:

Originally Posted by canuck_traveler

You can do JFK-LIM in business class on Aeromexico on Nov. 15-16, $2335, about 14,000 MQMs, $3700 MQD

Same run in Premium Economy cost $1271, about 14,000 MQMs, $2300 MQDs

Thanks so much canuck!

Nov 7, 2019, 10:19 am

#709

heyglu

Join Date: Aug 2013

Posts: 8

Hey Guys. Been scratching my head over this one and having trouble to get MU to search correctly in google flights.

Need: $6k MQD

Departure Airport: NYC ideally (could do LAX)
Miles Needed: $6000MQD
Required Spend or Budget: as cheap as possible
Available Travel Dates: November 17 - 24
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: none but I assume MU or KE based on MQD need/distance required/cost

Thanks so much!

Nov 7, 2019, 12:29 pm

#710

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by heyglu

The best bet is probably Virgin Atlantic (Economy Delight class). Are you available on Nov 16th?

If so Nov 16 - 18, Virgin Atlantic, LAX or SFO - JNB, $1067 (Economy Delight), 27,000 MQMs, $5500 MQD

You could get the remaining $500 MQDs on the positioning flight from NYC to LAX

Virgin Atlantic has other dates with these lower prices but the closest to your listed availability is the Nov 16 departure. From JFK, the MQD earning would be $4500 for JFK-JNB

Nov 7, 2019, 1:05 pm

#711

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by heyglu

China Eastern, JFK-SIN, $4202 (business class), Nov 20 - 22 or Nov 21-23, 29,000 MQMs, $7800 MQDs, bookable on Expedia

China Eastern, JFK-CNX, $3663 (business class), Nov 20 - 22, 27,000 MQMs, $7000 MQDs, bookable on Expedia

Last edited by canuck_traveler; Nov 7, 2019 at 1:16 pm

Nov 7, 2019, 3:36 pm

#712

DoormatMike

Join Date: Nov 2019

Location: Santa Fe, NM

Programs: Delta

Posts: 7

Hi everyone - 1st time here and trying to learn about Mileage Runs.... I'm trying to keep my Platinum status and need about 10-11K MQms... Thanks for any tips!

Departure Airport: ABQ
Miles Needed: 11K MQMs
Required Spend or Budget: As cheap as possible (No MQD requirement)
Available Travel Dates: December 16 - Jan 5
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: YES - As long as MQMs clear

Nov 7, 2019, 4:51 pm

#713

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoormatMike

The dates you selected are in the busy Christmas / New Year travel season and so it will be a bit expensive.

A trip to Asia will give you the needed miles.

e.g. Dec 16 - 19, Delta, ABQ-TPE, $1488, 15,000 MQMs

To save a few dollars, you could reposition to LAX and take a China Eastern flight to Bangkok/Hong Kong, etc.

e.g.

Dec 16 - 19, Delta, ABQ-LAX-ABQ, $182 (BE), 1200 MQMs
Dec 17 - 19, China Eastern, LAX-BKK-LAX, $1114, 17,000 MQMs, bookable on Expedia

You could also take a Aero Mexico flight to SCL for about the same price

Dec 28 - 29, Aeromexico, LAX-GDL-MEX-SCL-MEX-LAX, $1147, about 11,000 MQMs, (immediate turn in SCL - 2 hours)

DoormatMike likes this.

Last edited by canuck_traveler; Nov 7, 2019 at 4:59 pm Reason: add SCL option

Nov 7, 2019, 8:32 pm

#714

road_traveler

Join Date: Aug 2018

Programs: Delta MR

Posts: 2

close to diamond and need some assistance. Already met MQD requirement. Thanks!

Departure Airport: ATL, TPA, or possibly WAS (Not ideal, but 12/24 departure only)
Miles Needed: ~14,000
Required Spend or Budget: Cheapest option
Available Travel Dates: between Dec 23-26 or 27 if necessary
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: yes

Nov 7, 2019, 9:33 pm

#715

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by road_traveler

Some thoughts:

International:

Dec 24 - 26, TPA-TPE (Delta/Korean Air), $1650, just under 17,000 MQMs, 13 hours in Taipei (7:35pm - 8:45am), bookable on Expedia

Dec 24 - 26, TPA-PVG (Delta), $1397 (MC) / $1450 (Premium Select), 16,200/23,000 MQMs, 16 hours in Shanghai (6:55pm - 11:40am), bookable on Delta, Requires Chinese Visa

or

Domestic:

Dec 23, TPA-LAX, $575 (MC), 4200 MQMs, red-eye flight back from LAX arriving at 6am on Dec. 24
Dec 24, TPA-OGG $883 (MC), 10,200 MQMs, immediate turn in OGG arriving back in TPA evening of Dec 25 ( routing: tpa-atl-lax-ogg-lax-msp-tpa)

BassTrvlr and road_traveler like this.

Last edited by canuck_traveler; Nov 7, 2019 at 9:46 pm Reason: add premium select option with larger mileage earning

Nov 8, 2019, 8:04 am

#716

MillerFly

Join Date: Nov 2019

Posts: 4

Would someone please help me with finding a mileage run? Ideally, I would like to spend a day wherever I am going. I would also like any premium select/business seats that I can get but will take lowest cost first. I'd be grateful for any help that I can get.

Departure Airport: ATL
Miles Needed: 20,000
Required Spend or Budget: as little as possible (no MQDs needed)
Available Travel Dates: Nov 22 - 26, Dec 6 (evening) - 8, Dec 13 - 16, Dec 20 - 23
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Delta or any partner airline (AirFrance, KLM, Korean, etc.)

Last edited by MillerFly; Nov 8, 2019 at 8:28 am

Nov 8, 2019, 10:30 am

#717

Joy Guan

Join Date: Nov 2019

Programs: Delta Skymiles

Posts: 2

5064 MQMs needed to reach Platinum

Any help would be much appreciated!

Departure Airport: ATL
Miles Needed: 5064 MQMs
Required Spend or Budget: Budget $700 max (No required spend)
Available Travel Dates: 11/22 - 12/8; 12/13 - 12/17
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Yes

Nov 8, 2019, 10:52 am

#718

pdxkat

Join Date: Oct 2019

Location: PDX

Posts: 91

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joy Guan

You can DEF do better than this, but you could take a quick trip to Hawaii for $561 / 10,802 MQM (comes up at $661 on Delta, but bookable on Flightnetwork for $561)

Dec 5: ATL-MCO-LAX-HNL-SLC-LAX-ATL. Gets you home by 7:00pm on the 6th

Nov 8, 2019, 12:26 pm

#719

dilbertsdaddy

Join Date: Dec 2010

Location: SE USA

Programs: DL DM/MM , IHG Plat, MR Titanium, HH Gold, EK Frequent Kettle, UA Silver, AA Hater

Posts: 2,020

Need 20K MQM for DM, good on MQD

My problem is it must be Dec 28-31

I should have pulled the trigger on PS to PEK a few weeks ago but now return through ICN (to avoid Visa) is too expensive

$1000 would be good, but can go up to $1500

Prefer ATL/TYS/CHA/BNA/TRI but can reposition as needed. have UG certs and can use PWM or SM for re-positions

Found a nice one in Y DFW-SIN but one leg is on SQ with no points which sticks in my crawl

Priority in order
**PS or ability to use certs
**A day layover someplace cool
**Cost

Last edited by dilbertsdaddy; Nov 8, 2019 at 12:37 pm

Nov 8, 2019, 12:31 pm

#720

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by MillerFly

You could take the Virgin Atlantic trip from IAD - JNB

Nov. 23 - 26, Delta, ATL-IAD-ATL, $372 (BE), 1000 MQMs (you could try for a connecting flight to or from IAD to get an extra 500 MQMs)
Nov 23 - 25, Virgin Atlantic, IAD-JNB, $1103 (Classic Economy) / $1323 (Economy Delight), 18,500 / 23,000 MQMs, 12 hours in London on outbound, flight arrives back in IAD around 4pm on Nov. 26

Another option:

Nov 24 - 26, ATL-HKG (via ICN), $1106, 16,800 MQMs, 25 hours in Hong Kong, bookable on Expedia
Dec 7, ATL-LAX-ATL, $300 (BE), 3800 MQMs