Jan 2, 2021, 12:23 am

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: 2021 Consolidated Mileage/Status/Challenge Runs help needed

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Aug 28, 2021, 3:06 pm

#136

desafino

Join Date: Aug 2016

Location: ANC, NYC

Posts: 327

lots of Z fare availability routing NYC-ATL-JNB which earns 48k MQM/4500 MQD for $2600 in sept including weekend dates. someone smarter than me might be able to build something juicier out of that.

hdanh00 likes this.

Aug 28, 2021, 3:28 pm

#137

hdanh00

Join Date: Nov 2017

Posts: 32

Quote:

Originally Posted by desafino

lots of Z fare availability routing NYC-ATL-JNB which earns 48k MQM/4500 MQD for $2600 in sept including weekend dates. someone smarter than me might be able to build something juicier out of that.

Thanks seems like a very good deal

DELTA LINK

Last edited by hdanh00; Aug 28, 2021 at 3:39 pm

Aug 28, 2021, 3:31 pm

#138

desafino

Join Date: Aug 2016

Location: ANC, NYC

Posts: 327

yeah you can use AF flights if you need to trade off MQDs for MQMs. may also be available via amex travel IAP

Sep 6, 2021, 4:32 pm

#139

ccna101

Join Date: Nov 2010

Location: BWI,SFO,SJC,IAD,LAX,DCA

Programs: mvp75k, DL-0body

Posts: 310

new request, all AM to Chile and Peru are out under my previous MR
Departure Airport: SFO,LAX or west coast
Miles Needed: 17K MQMs
Required Spend or Budget: $2000 MQD - would like to spend less
Available Travel Dates: Long weekend trips if possible! by 9/14
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: DL or others

Sep 6, 2021, 6:21 pm

#140

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccna101

You could do two runs to HNL from LAX. Each trip costs around $725 (comfort+) and earns you 8900 MQMs and $1190 MQDs.

e.g. Saturday, Sept. 11

Sep 7, 2021, 7:51 pm

#141

ilspy

Join Date: Jul 2018

Posts: 28

Departure Airport: FSD
Destination : ICN
Miles Needed: 51,320
Required Spend or Budget: 200,000 delta miles or $2,000
Available Travel Dates: Sep 15 or 16 - Returning Sept 25 or 26th.
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Prefer Delta Operated/Marketed to utilized Delta MQM/MQD accelerator.

I need to arrive ICN Sept 17th and leave ICN on 25 or 26th eventually arrive in FSD. I see ORD-ATL-ICN-ATL-ORD in premium select gives about 40,000 MQMs.

I can reposition from FSD to other US airports to catch premium select or business class Delta flights.

Any creative way to get 51,320 MQM and possibly $4,000 MQD?

Sep 8, 2021, 3:23 pm

#142

churningnoob

Join Date: Sep 2021

Posts: 10

Hi all - I'm fairly young and would like to get a jump start on million miler, while I have free time to take mileage runs (and there are MQM bonuses). I'm currently Silver, looking for the best MQM / dollar flights out of NYC, care about very little else (though preference would be for stays being as short as possible). Thanks in advance!

Departure Airport: NYC (any)
Miles Needed: N/A - highest MQM / dollar ratio I can get. In it for the long haul
Required Spend or Budget: no budget, all based on ratio
Available Travel Dates: Any (very flexible PTO)
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Yes

Would love to hear any ideas, thanks so much.

Sep 8, 2021, 4:34 pm

#143

tskiles

Join Date: Sep 2021

Posts: 2

Departure Airport: IND or FWA. Would consider ORD/MDW but prefer IND/FWA.
Miles Needed: 2770
Required Spend or Budget: less than $500...as cheap as possible
Available Travel Dates: Friday-Sunday (I'm a college student)
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Yes

Sep 8, 2021, 6:58 pm

#144

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by tskiles

A trip to MSP (via ATL) or to DFW or MIA should do the trick.

e.g. Oct. 2, IND - JFK - MIA - ATL - IND, $219 (MC), 3942 MQMs

Sep 9, 2021, 7:04 am

#145

desafino

Join Date: Aug 2016

Location: ANC, NYC

Posts: 327

Quote:

Originally Posted by churningnoob

cheapest 0 day anc turns are around $230 and will earn around 10k mqm depending on routing (ideally you want to route through atl)

Sep 9, 2021, 9:09 am

#146

churningnoob

Join Date: Sep 2021

Posts: 10

Quote:

Originally Posted by desafino

cheapest 0 day anc turns are around $230 and will earn around 10k mqm depending on routing (ideally you want to route through atl)

This is perfect! Thank you very much.

Sep 11, 2021, 12:17 pm

#147

flying wine

Join Date: Sep 2019

Programs: Delta Platinum Medallion

Posts: 14

Question for everyone:

Currently gold right now. If I go over the 75k MQM needed for Platinum but do not hit the MQD, will I roll over all of my 2021 MQM to 2022? I'm looking to roll over as many MQM to 2022 to have a jumpstart on a run to Plat/Diamond.

Just double checking. Last thing I want is to do a few MQM runs, go over 75k, only to have a few thousand MQM roll over for 2022.

Thank you!

Sep 17, 2021, 5:34 am

#148

MasterPengs

Join Date: Jul 2019

Programs: DL DM; Marriott Titanium; *A Gold

Posts: 47

Quote:

Originally Posted by flying wine

You are in luck! Delta is rolling over all MQM - regardless of what status you hit

Quote:

Also, all Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) in your account at the end of 2021 will roll over to 2022 giving you an even bigger jumpstart on earning towards 2023 Status.

Sep 17, 2021, 12:07 pm

#149

presence.unknown

Join Date: Sep 2021

Location: LAS

Programs: DL DM

Posts: 127

Hi all,

Longtime FT lurker, figured I finally take the plunge. Currently Silver and looking to move to Gold.

Departure Airport: LAS/SLC/LAX
Miles Needed: 13,000
Required MQD Spend: $2583
Available Travel Dates: Flexible
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Yes

However, looking at some of the JNB runs on VS, I noticed LAS-LHR-JNB in Premium class—am I correct with the following assumptions?

Cost: $1928
Flight Miles: 21709
MQM = 32563
MQD = 6512

…meaning I would be around 5000 MQM short of Platinum Medallion?

Thanks

Sep 17, 2021, 2:58 pm

#150

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by presence.unknown

That looks about right ......... Premium class on Virgin Atlantic earns 1.5 x MQMs and 30% MQDs