Jan 2, 2022, 1:46 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

Need 4000+ MQDs?
If based in a city that is served by Virgin Atlantic such as IAD, JFK, BOS, MIA, LAS, LAX, SFO one of the best options is to fly to JNB or CPT via LHR. This can be done in a weekend and you can usually earn 4-5000 MQDs for under 1300-1600. You need to select Economy Delight which is similar to regular economy but with more legroom and the possibility of earning 20% of distance as MQDs. This is the most common way to earn large chunks at a cheap price.

DL/Sky Team: 2022 Consolidated Mileage/Status/Challenge Runs help needed

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Jul 20, 2022, 5:25 pm

#241

Shasan546

Join Date: Mar 2012

Posts: 23

Need some help keeping diamond. Thanks everyone!

Departure Airport: JFK
MQD Needed: $8000 by EOY
Required Spend or Budget: whatever is a good deal
Available Travel Dates: Anytime Until EOY
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Whatever gets the most MQD

Jul 22, 2022, 10:46 am

#242

amihal02

Join Date: Jul 2022

Programs: Delta

Posts: 1

Doing Reclaim my Status challenge and trying to get Platinum back.

Departure Airport: Any NYC (LGA, JFK, EWR)
Miles Needed: $4,943
Required Spend or Budget: $207 minimum
Available Travel Dates: Before 8/16
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Yes

Jul 22, 2022, 11:37 am

#243

jfkeze

Join Date: Mar 2008

Location: Multiple locations

Programs: AAdvantage ExPlat LT Gold, BA Silver, Aegean Star Gold

Posts: 5,038

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shasan546

Option A
Head to Tijuana and then do some runs out of there such as CUN for under 300 and 1782 MQDs... Use this thread as guide, currently you can get to TIJ ex EWR for 920ish earning 2760 MQDs

Option B
Economy Delight to JNB? 25% of Distance as MQDs or 4536 MQDs...

Jul 22, 2022, 12:23 pm

#244

jfkeze

Join Date: Mar 2008

Location: Multiple locations

Programs: AAdvantage ExPlat LT Gold, BA Silver, Aegean Star Gold

Posts: 5,038

Quote:

Originally Posted by amihal02

Perhaps use this as a guide JFK OSL if just for MQMs and NOT MQDs

Jul 24, 2022, 8:25 pm

#245

APIII

Join Date: Jul 2022

Programs: Delta

Posts: 4

Delta Partners MQD Run

I'm looking for help trying to reach my MQD goal for 2022. I have more than enough MQM's but because I only travel in the SE US, my MQD's are always lacking. Ideally I'm looking for something I could handle with a long day, or a red-eye with a return by the following evening. Ideally I'd consolidate the trip and take a redeye one evening then fly back the following day. Anything you can do to help would be greatly appreciated!

Departure Airport: Atlanta (or anywhere closeby that makes sense)
Miles Needed: Need +$3,500 MQD's
Required Spend or Budget: $1500 or less, preferably under $1000
Available Travel Dates: Weekends Friday-Monday, back to back days for long haul, or same day out and back if possible. Aug 5-8, 19-23; Sept. 2-6; Sept 19-25
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Delta

Jul 25, 2022, 2:58 pm

#246

BirdLawyer

formerly willbbiddy

Join Date: Nov 2017

Posts: 208

Quote:

Originally Posted by APIII

Option B below prices out to$1,871.87 out of ATL, basically every Fri-Sun & Sat-Mon this year (9/23-25 is available now) 4915 MQDs plus a chunk of RDMs and MQMs to roll over. You could position to JFK, but you're probably better in ATL.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfkeze

Option B
Economy Delight to JNB? 25% of Distance as MQDs or 4536 MQDs...

Jul 25, 2022, 7:19 pm

#247

tulipnut

Join Date: Jul 2019

Programs: Delta

Posts: 3

Departure Airport: TPA or MCO
Miles Needed: 33,000 MQM to get Diamond
Required Spend or Budget: none required. Budget ~ $2,000
Available Travel Dates: until Aug 5, entire month of December
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: okay

Jul 26, 2022, 6:13 am

#248

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by tulipnut

A Hawaiian island mileage run (e.g. KOA, OGG, HNL, LIH) from TPA would get you about 10,000 MQMs. Use Delta flexible date search to find desired travel date

e.g. Dec 1, TPA-HNL, $632 (MC), 10,300 MQMs, Immediate turn (2.5 hours in HNL), arrive back in TPA afternoon of Dec. 2

If you want some variety, TPA - CPT (via AMS) is available for Dec 2 - 4, $1125, 21,200 MQMs, available on Delta website

tulipnut likes this.

Last edited by canuck_traveler; Jul 26, 2022 at 6:38 am Reason: add Capetown option

Jul 26, 2022, 7:07 am

#249

tulipnut

Join Date: Jul 2019

Programs: Delta

Posts: 3

Quote:

Originally Posted by tulipnut

I should add, between Aug 7 & Dec 1, I’ll be in Doha, Qatar. DL doesn’t fly Doha, but I think AF & KLM do, so those are also options.

Thanks again!

Jul 26, 2022, 7:39 am

#250

Jamil Sabbagh

Join Date: Jul 2022

Posts: 9

MQD Run for Delta needed

Hi All, needing to reach my MQD goal for 2022/2023. Plenty of MQMs because of rollover, but shooting for platinum (vs Diamond) is my goal. Ideally looking for something that is a fly in the AM return in the PM or an overnight, return next morning. Anything anyone can find is appreciated!

Departure Airport: AUS (can make LAX work)
Miles Needed: Need $3,500+ MQD's
Required Spend or Budget: ~$1000 (less is obviously preferable)
Available Travel Dates: available almost all weekends through the remainder of the year. Prefer flying out Friday afternoon/evening for a Saturday (or sunday) return.
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Delta

Jul 26, 2022, 11:43 am

#251

scotters

Join Date: Nov 2021

Programs: SkyTeam, OneWorld

Posts: 5

Updating my request since nothing came through last time. Just looking to keep Diamond for 2023

Departure Airport: AUS
Miles Needed: $8000 MQDs by EOY
Required Spend or Budget: n/a
Available Travel Dates: Now until EOY
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Whatever gets me there

Thanks!

Jul 26, 2022, 1:19 pm

#252

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotters

Virgin Atlantic in Economy Delight class is available for $1678 for AUS-LHR-JNB-LHR-AUS earning about $5250 MQDs. Various dates at this price starting in September (e.g. Nov 11 - 13). Use the flexible date search on the Virgin Atlantic website to find something that matches your schedule. You can get the remaining needed MQDs with several TIJ - XXX runs in business class on Aero Mexico.

scotters and Jamil Sabbagh like this.

Jul 26, 2022, 1:34 pm

#253

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamil Sabbagh

Given the $1000 price requirement and limited travel time, maybe take a look at several TIJ - XXX runs on Aeromexico business class. JFKEZE has made postings about possible options. See here and here.

Jul 27, 2022, 7:01 am

#254

tonyholland00

Join Date: Nov 2012

Programs: Delta PM, Marriott Gold

Posts: 5

Hello, needing to reach my MQD goal for 2022/2023. Plenty of MQMs because of rollover, but shooting for diamond is my goal. Anything anyone can find is appreciated!

Departure Airport: MSP
Miles Needed: Need $3,500+ MQD's
Required Spend or Budget: Can spend what ever is needed but would like to get best bang for buck.
Available Travel Dates: Any dates between Oct 13 - 17th or anytime in December.
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Open to anything, I do have GUC's available to use as well.

Jul 27, 2022, 12:25 pm

#255

lisaann

Join Date: Jul 2022

Programs: SkyMiles

Posts: 2

Trying to reclaim Gold Medallion

Departure Airport: DCA/BWI/JFK/
MQD Needed: $1500
MQM: 12,500
Required Spend or Budget: $3500
Available Travel Dates:
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: DL is preferred with limited partner

Hi,
I am currently a GM and trying to maintain it for the year. Have an upcoming trip and trying to maximize miles/spend as effectively as possible. Leave JFK 9/22 or 9/23 open to any destination DL flies from the above airports. Need to arrive in LHR on 9/25 or 9/26. I leave LHR on 10/20 for BWI. Any suggestions would be great.