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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Nov 22, 2021, 6:42 am

#241

Greedyfit

Join Date: Aug 2021

Posts: 14

Trying to reach Diamond:

MQMs needed:17,432
MQDs needed: $2257

However I don't want to spend $2257 on a ticket, looking to spend no more than $1200.
Can travel Friday - Tuesday for the remainder of the year.

Thanks for your help

Nov 22, 2021, 9:12 am

#242

Airborne Brat

Join Date: Oct 2015

Location: AUS

Programs: DL/HH/IHG/BW/Caesar's Diamond (Select), UA 1K, AA EXP, Marriott/MGM Gold, Hertz/Avis PC

Posts: 142

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greedyfit

This Aeromexico flight is worth $3,097 MQD and 11,616 MQM for $925. Throw in a transcontinental like this and you'll hit the MQM and MQD needed for just over $1200.

Nov 22, 2021, 6:07 pm

#243

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greedyfit

If you are still based in Atlanta, an option is Virgin Atlantic Economy Delight ATL-JNB. $1198 and earns about 24,400 MQMs and $4800 MQDs. Long layovers in LHR though (12 hours on outbound 9 hours on inbound). Flexible date search on Virgin Atlantic website.

e.g.

Nov 22, 2021, 7:28 pm

#244

GitterDone

Join Date: Oct 2018

Posts: 3

Need 5500 MQDs to hit Diamond

Need 5,500 MQDs for Diamond, any cheap options?

Departure Airport: ATL
Miles Needed: 5,500 MQDs (have plenty of MQMs)
Required Spend or Budget: As cheap as possible
Available Travel Dates: flexible in Dec, as short as trip as possible
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Yes

Nov 22, 2021, 11:13 pm

#245

tyro16jeff

Join Date: Aug 2019

Programs: Sky miles

Posts: 9

DL MQD needed

Close to Silver. Looking for ideas on how to get there by the end of next month. Thanks!

Departure Airport: ATL
Miles Needed: $694 MQD
Required Spend or Budget: As low as possible, could use miles
Available Travel Dates: Pretty flexible
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: OK

thanks so much

Nov 23, 2021, 1:07 am

#246

Greedyfit

Join Date: Aug 2021

Posts: 14

Quote:

Originally Posted by canuck_traveler

I actually posted this while in LHR on this exact run lol

I was hoping to not have to take it again but looks like it may be my only option right now 🥴

Nov 23, 2021, 1:19 am

#247

Greedyfit

Join Date: Aug 2021

Posts: 14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airborne Brat

This Aeromexico flight is worth $3,097 MQD and 11,616 MQM for $925. Throw in a transcontinental like this and you'll hit the MQM and MQD needed for just over $1200.

Thanks I’ll check this option out.

Nov 23, 2021, 6:14 am

#248

MarkCron

Join Date: Jan 2011

Location: DTW

Programs: DL DM, National EE, Hertz PC, IHG PL, Bonvoy Amb

Posts: 1,342

Quote:

Originally Posted by GitterDone

Fly to SAT and take this AM: SAT to MAD from $1203, 5062 MQDs
Will get you the needed MQDs.
Or do what I am doing, combine the above SAT-BCN with BCN-GRU in Jan '22 with another transcon and I am earning Diamond early in '22 not late in '21 (so it is good until end of Jan '24, not end of Jan '23).

Pocatello likes this.

Nov 23, 2021, 7:24 am

#249

cubeman

Join Date: Mar 2021

Programs: Marriott Ambassador - Delta Diamond - United Silver - Frontier 100k - Sixt Plat

Posts: 581

I need approx 29k MQM's for Diamond, Already at 18k MQD's. Thinking a ICN or JNB flight, any other recommendations that maybe net 14-15k each and not as long but double the flights up

Departure Airport: LGA, JFK, EWR, HPN
Miles Needed: 29,000 MQM's
Required Spend or Budget: Don't need any spend, Prefer to keep it under 5k to do this
Available Travel Dates: Anytime
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Fine

Nov 23, 2021, 7:42 am

#250

flyerfirsts

Join Date: Jan 2020

Location: Virginia USA

Posts: 1,232

Quote:

Originally Posted by cubeman

JFK-FCO in C+ dec 3-dec 5 and 10-12 or 9-12 and to give yourself some buffer use the flight that goes through ATL for the return on the 12th. But I can get you very close in 1 nice trip - JFK-FCO and on the turn take the flight with a stop in the middle, D1 for $2621 gets you 26491 mqm and an enjoyable trip. (I gave you options for quick turn around, if you want to actually make a trip out of it there are cheaper C+ routes around those days just select flexible days, but obviously hotel costs will make up for the savings and then some)

Pocatello likes this.

Nov 23, 2021, 8:18 am

#251

flyerfirsts

Join Date: Jan 2020

Location: Virginia USA

Posts: 1,232

Quote:

Originally Posted by cubeman

If someone can figure out how to push this flight to Delta, this will do what you need in a single trip

Nov 23, 2021, 8:45 am

#252

cubeman

Join Date: Mar 2021

Programs: Marriott Ambassador - Delta Diamond - United Silver - Frontier 100k - Sixt Plat

Posts: 581

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyerfirsts

If someone can figure out how to push this flight to Delta, this will do what you need in a single trip

I actually have a 7-8k MQM flight that weekend JFK-LAX lol. Gonna play with the dates though.

Nov 23, 2021, 9:01 am

#253

flyerfirsts

Join Date: Jan 2020

Location: Virginia USA

Posts: 1,232

Quote:

Originally Posted by cubeman

I actually have a 7-8k MQM flight that weekend JFK-LAX lol. Gonna play with the dates though.

You can also do it departing on 13 and 14, but I can't get delta.com to accept it because the connection is overnight. People in this thread have accomplished it for me before though.

Nov 24, 2021, 5:08 am

#254

Nupey10

Join Date: Oct 2019

Location: ATL

Programs: DL DM

Posts: 30

MQD and MQM on VS ATL-JNB

I hope this is appropriate in this thread. In case someone is looking for $4.9K MQD and 24K MQM here is my totals from a recent round trip ATL-JNB on VS economy delight

Nov 24, 2021, 9:33 am

#255

scotters

Join Date: Nov 2021

Programs: SkyTeam, OneWorld

Posts: 5

I'll qualify easily on MQMs but need just under $1500 MQD to hit Diamond. Obviously cost efficiency is the goal here but whatever works. Based in Austin.

Departure Airport: Preferably AUS, SAT, IAH but willing to travel
Miles Needed: $1500 MQD
Required Spend or Budget: N/A
Available Travel Dates: Any day after Dec 3
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: whatever does the trick