Dec 31, 2018, 10:40 pm
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:
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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
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
Nov 24, 2019, 12:32 pm
#961
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,895
Delta, Dec 17, $844, about 7700 MQMs, routing: LGA-MSP-SEA-ANC-SEA-JFK, about one hour in ANC, flight gets back to JFK early morning Dec 18 (for flight arriving in LGA instead of JFK, price is about $930)
Nov 24, 2019, 12:39 pm
#962
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,895
Departure Airport: BOS
Miles Needed: 3,756 MQM
Required Spend or Budget: already hit MQD
Available Travel Dates: week of Dec 16
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Yes
Hi everyone, long time lurker finally tried to dive in. Switched jobs mid year and doing lots of int’l and domestic travel. Flew diff airlines to start due to direct flight convenience, but found Delta to be the best service and would like to stick with it, and ended up just short of reaching Silver. Should be able to reach Gold or higher if I stick with them with all my travels next year. Any help is appreciated, thank you!
Miles Needed: 3,756 MQM
Required Spend or Budget: already hit MQD
Available Travel Dates: week of Dec 16
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Yes
Hi everyone, long time lurker finally tried to dive in. Switched jobs mid year and doing lots of int’l and domestic travel. Flew diff airlines to start due to direct flight convenience, but found Delta to be the best service and would like to stick with it, and ended up just short of reaching Silver. Should be able to reach Gold or higher if I stick with them with all my travels next year. Any help is appreciated, thank you!
Dec 17, BOS-LAS-BOS, $191 (BE) / $261 (MC), about 4700 MQMS, get back to Boston about 10:30pm on Dec 17
Nov 24, 2019, 12:54 pm
#963
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: 100,417
BTW a visa for China costs about $150 plus visa service agency and FedEx fees if you can't go to submit the application in person.
Nov 24, 2019, 1:18 pm
#964
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,895
China Eastern, Nov 26 - 28, SEA-SIN, $768 (booking class: V-Z-Z-V), about 16,2000 MQMs, 17 hours in SIN, flight arrives back in SEA on 29th, bookable on Expedia
You would need to pick up the remaining miles with a shortage return trip to PDX?
Alternatively, you can fly from Vancouver, BC for a little less and get all the required mileage
China Eastern, Nov 26 - 28, YVR-SIN, $678 (booking class: S-B-B-S), about 18,000 MQMs (more mileage than from SEA because of the two flights in "B" fare class), 17 hours in SIN, flight arrives back in YVR morning of the 29th, bookable on Expedia
Last edited by canuck_traveler; Nov 24, 2019 at 3:15 pm Reason: add SIN option from Vancouver
Nov 24, 2019, 1:22 pm
#965
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,895
Departure airport: SEA
MQM needed: 5000
Budget: < $600
Codeshare OK: Yes
I switched from AS to DL back in June due to a job change and completed a status match challenge to go from AS MVP Gold to DL Platinum. I completed the 3 month MQM requirement easily, but because the beginning date of my challenge was still in the first half of the year the status is only good through 1/2020 unless I hit 75k MQM for the year. I'm on track to come close; I would have hit Diamond at this pace had I started at the beginning of the year. With the remaining travel I have booked, I am going to be about 5k short. Two questions:
-Best and cheapest way to grab a quick 5,000 MQM out of SEA, preferably in the last few days of December?
-Has anyone had luck getting Delta to waive a MQM requirement in a case like this based on the date of inception and rate of miles accumulated? I already have 6 SEA-MSP round trips booked for Jan-Feb as well.
Thanks !
MQM needed: 5000
Budget: < $600
Codeshare OK: Yes
I switched from AS to DL back in June due to a job change and completed a status match challenge to go from AS MVP Gold to DL Platinum. I completed the 3 month MQM requirement easily, but because the beginning date of my challenge was still in the first half of the year the status is only good through 1/2020 unless I hit 75k MQM for the year. I'm on track to come close; I would have hit Diamond at this pace had I started at the beginning of the year. With the remaining travel I have booked, I am going to be about 5k short. Two questions:
-Best and cheapest way to grab a quick 5,000 MQM out of SEA, preferably in the last few days of December?
-Has anyone had luck getting Delta to waive a MQM requirement in a case like this based on the date of inception and rate of miles accumulated? I already have 6 SEA-MSP round trips booked for Jan-Feb as well.
Thanks !
Nov 24, 2019, 1:50 pm
#966
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,895
Dec 13, BOS-HNL, $751, about 10,500 MQMs, routing: BOS-ATL-HNL-SLC-BOS, arrive back in Boston mid afternoon on 14th
Dec 14-15, BOS-LAX, $413, about 5400 MQMs, routing: BOS-ATL-LAX-BOS, overnight in LAX, get back to Boston late afternoon on 15th, 8 hours in LAX (arrives at midnight and departs at 8am)
Nov 24, 2019, 2:30 pm
#967
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,895
China Eastern, Dec 1 - 4, JFK-MLE, $1043 (booking class: L-B-B-S), about 25,000 MQMs, two days in Male, Maldives, arrives back at JFK on December 5th, 14 hours in Shanghai on return (China Eastern will usually provide free hotel because of the long layover), Bookable on Expedia
Nov 24, 2019, 3:04 pm
#968
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,895
Delta/Korean, Dec 10 - 12, BHM-HKG, $1358, about 17,400 MQMs (routing: BHM-DTW-ICN-HKG-ICN-ATL-BHM), about 13 hours in HKG
Nov 24, 2019, 3:32 pm
#969
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,895
Delta, December 31, ATL-LAS-ATL, $351 (BE), about 3500 MQMs
Nov 25, 2019, 9:04 am
#970
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 3
Hi All,
This thread is so incredibly helpful! I'm looking to do a first mileage run to try and hit gold for the next year. Just to confirm the flight has to be taken by December 31st, correct? Thank you in advance for your help!
Departure Airport: NYC - LGA or JFK
Miles Needed: 16,416 to hit gold
Required Spend or Budget: Flexible but ideally less than 2000 dollars.
Available Travel Dates: 12/22 - 1/6 (not sure if the flight needs to be taken before 12/31)
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Yes
Wouldn't mind doing a shorter distance and purchasing business class seats if it helps get the MQMs. Would be happy to do few days in between to make it a mini-vacation, and can travel on 12/25 incase it's cheaper since it's a holiday. And I have the delta reserve credit card if that helps at all. Thank you!
This thread is so incredibly helpful! I'm looking to do a first mileage run to try and hit gold for the next year. Just to confirm the flight has to be taken by December 31st, correct? Thank you in advance for your help!
Departure Airport: NYC - LGA or JFK
Miles Needed: 16,416 to hit gold
Required Spend or Budget: Flexible but ideally less than 2000 dollars.
Available Travel Dates: 12/22 - 1/6 (not sure if the flight needs to be taken before 12/31)
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Yes
Wouldn't mind doing a shorter distance and purchasing business class seats if it helps get the MQMs. Would be happy to do few days in between to make it a mini-vacation, and can travel on 12/25 incase it's cheaper since it's a holiday. And I have the delta reserve credit card if that helps at all. Thank you!
Nov 25, 2019, 9:33 am
#971
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,895
Hi All,
This thread is so incredibly helpful! I'm looking to do a first mileage run to try and hit gold for the next year. Just to confirm the flight has to be taken by December 31st, correct? Thank you in advance for your help!
Departure Airport: NYC - LGA or JFK
Miles Needed: 16,416 to hit gold
Required Spend or Budget: Flexible but ideally less than 2000 dollars.
Available Travel Dates: 12/22 - 1/6 (not sure if the flight needs to be taken before 12/31)
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Yes
Wouldn't mind doing a shorter distance and purchasing business class seats if it helps get the MQMs. Would be happy to do few days in between to make it a mini-vacation, and can travel on 12/25 incase it's cheaper since it's a holiday. And I have the delta reserve credit card if that helps at all. Thank you!
This thread is so incredibly helpful! I'm looking to do a first mileage run to try and hit gold for the next year. Just to confirm the flight has to be taken by December 31st, correct? Thank you in advance for your help!
Departure Airport: NYC - LGA or JFK
Miles Needed: 16,416 to hit gold
Required Spend or Budget: Flexible but ideally less than 2000 dollars.
Available Travel Dates: 12/22 - 1/6 (not sure if the flight needs to be taken before 12/31)
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Yes
Wouldn't mind doing a shorter distance and purchasing business class seats if it helps get the MQMs. Would be happy to do few days in between to make it a mini-vacation, and can travel on 12/25 incase it's cheaper since it's a holiday. And I have the delta reserve credit card if that helps at all. Thank you!
Yes, to count toward 2019, the flight has to be taken before Jan. 1, 2020.
Even for a business class ticket, you would need to fly 11,000 miles. A ticket to Hawaii is about 10,000 miles.
Nov 25, 2019, 9:44 am
#972
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 3
Unfortunately, I don't have a Chinese visa, and very helpful the flight has to be taken before January 1st, 2020. Open to any suggestions. Thank you!
Nov 25, 2019, 10:26 am
#973
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,895
Alternatively, you can do two trips to Hawaii for about $100 less and get just under 20,000 MQMs
Dec 29, JFK-HNL-JFK, $745 (BE), about 9900 MQMs, arrives back in JFK at 8:25am on Dec. 30, a little over 1 hour in HNL
Dec 30, JFK-HNL-JFK, $806 (MC), about 9900 MQMs, arrive back in JFK at 8:25am on Dec. 31, a little over 1 hour in HNL
You could space out the trips - one on Dec 28 and the second on Dec 30, the Dec 28 trip is priced higher at $824 (MC)
Last edited by canuck_traveler; Nov 25, 2019 at 12:19 pm Reason: add Hawaii option
Nov 25, 2019, 1:32 pm
#974
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Suffolk, VA
Posts: 5
Departure Airport: ORF, PHF, RIC
Miles Needed: 66
Required Spend or Budget:
Available Travel Dates: by end of 2019
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: codeshares OK
Miles Needed: 66
Required Spend or Budget:
Available Travel Dates: by end of 2019
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: codeshares OK