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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Jan 13, 2022, 4:44 pm

#16

asian_crossfitter

Join Date: Oct 2017

Location: Amsterdam

Programs: Flying Blue Platinum, Oneworld pleb, Accors Hotel Gold

Posts: 163

I have a query on repositioning from AMS: would it be better to reposition to Spain (BCN/MAD) or Scandinavia (CPH/ARN)? Seems like these are the best departure for mileage runs from AMS...

DeltaGoldLass likes this.

Jan 15, 2022, 6:44 pm

#17

PCBIII

Join Date: Dec 2016

Programs: Delta Skymiles

Posts: 10

Max MQD Run July 2022 or Sept 2022

Looking for a DL partner run in Business to get max MQDs

Departure Airport: SAV/ATL/JFK/IAD/DTW/BOS...(willing to reposition)
MQD Needed: MAX possible 4K+
Required Spend or Budget: Sub 2500
Available Travel Dates: July 1-4 or Sept 2-5
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: DL or any partner
Wiling to reposition to Europe/MEX if needed...need to be back in SAV the evening of 07/04 or 09/05

DeltaGoldLass likes this.

Jan 16, 2022, 1:54 am

#18

DeltaGoldLass

Join Date: Oct 2012

Location: NY, or anywhere

Programs: Delta MM+ DM trusted traveler, goes, Marriott, IHG SPG. NH Hyatt, Hilton

Posts: 72

[QUOTE=PCBIII;33905691]Looking for a DL partner run in Business to get max MQDs

Departure Airport: JFK (willing to reposition)
MQD Needed: MAX possible
Required Spend or Budget: Sub 1200
Available Travel Dates: anytime after March-2022
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: DL or any code share partner

NYC_Bound and Belisarios like this.

Jan 18, 2022, 11:45 am

#19

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by PCBIII

The following two threads on the Premium Fare mileage run discussion group may be of interest:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/prem...-business.html

AF/DL: PHL to NBO from $1744 and earn 6479 MQDs

Jan 18, 2022, 2:30 pm

#20

Mspicer

Join Date: Nov 2021

Programs: Delta

Posts: 4

Departure Airport: SLC preferred but willing to get to others
Miles Needed: 0 MQMs only MQD
Required Spend or Budget: $13k MQD \ $5k budget
Available Travel Dates: Trying to get diamond before end of 2022
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: DL or partner

Looking for suggestions for flights to take this year to get status, hoping to get about 2-3x MQD multiplier. Already have mileage met thanks to the rollover from last year.

NYC_Bound likes this.

Jan 19, 2022, 5:23 am

#21

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mspicer

Take a look at Virgin Atlantic, LAX - JNB in Economy Delight (V fare class). Prices as low as $1208 from February to end of year. Earns about $5500 MQDs. 12 hours in JNB.

For example:

DeltaGoldLass, Rob191288 and Mspicer like this.

Jan 19, 2022, 5:29 am

#22

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

[QUOTE=DeltaGoldLass;33906224]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PCBIII

Looking for a DL partner run in Business to get max MQDs

Departure Airport: JFK (willing to reposition)
MQD Needed: MAX possible
Required Spend or Budget: Sub 1200
Available Travel Dates: anytime after March-2022
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: DL or any code share partner

Tale a look at Virgin Atlantic Economy Delight (V fare class) from JFK - JNB. Price as low as $1107. Earns about $4500 MQDs. Use Virgin Atlantic flexible date search.

for example:

DeltaGoldLass and Mspicer like this.

Jan 20, 2022, 11:13 am

#23

flyerfirsts

Join Date: Jan 2020

Location: Virginia USA

Posts: 1,232

If I ever hope to have the MQD needed for Diamond I better get to work now. So if anybody knows any cheap MQD earners I'm all ears - seems like AM doesn't really work as an option from where I am?

Departure Airport: RIC/ORF/IAD (willing to reposition if cost effective)
MQD Needed: MAX possible
Required Spend or Budget: Sub 1200
Available Travel Dates: anytime
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: DL or any code share partner

Jan 21, 2022, 9:02 am

#24

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyerfirsts

The Virgin Atlantic flights to JNB also depart from IAD so that may be an possiblity if there are no AeroMexico options.

DeltaGoldLass likes this.

Jan 21, 2022, 9:26 am

#25

flyerfirsts

Join Date: Jan 2020

Location: Virginia USA

Posts: 1,232

Quote:

Originally Posted by canuck_traveler

The Virgin Atlantic flights to JNB also depart from IAD so that may be an possiblity if there are no AeroMexico options.

Are $16xx round trips in Premium Economy as good as can be had on that route, or are there periodic flash discounts?

DeltaGoldLass likes this.

Jan 21, 2022, 12:50 pm

#26

canuck_traveler

Join Date: May 2010

Posts: 1,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyerfirsts

Are $16xx round trips in Premium Economy as good as can be had on that route, or are there periodic flash discounts?

For 5% more MQD earning on Premium Economy (30% of mileage flown) vs. Economy Comfort (25% of mileage flown), I don't know if paying the much higher cost fare is really worth it. But to answer your question, yes sometimes they have lower rates for the Premium Economy fares but not too much. In the past, the Premium and Economy Comfort price difference was much less.

Jan 26, 2022, 9:20 pm

#27

uporito

Join Date: Jan 2022

Posts: 90

Switching to Delta from United and am a bit confused. United bases their version of MQD's at 50% of distance travelled with a 1000 Max Cap is delta the same? Can you explain how you got 5500 from that calculation?
Also does it matter if you book it from Delta's website or VA's? Or even Chase Travel Portal?

Last edited by uporito; Jan 26, 2022 at 9:29 pm

Jan 26, 2022, 10:20 pm

#28

Rob191288

Join Date: Aug 2020

Location: COS

Programs: DL Diamond, AS 100K, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Elite, Hertz Presidents Circle

Posts: 50

Quote:

Originally Posted by uporito

Delta does different percentages with partner airlines depending on the fare class, for example the VA fare is a V fare so if you look at Delta’s redemption rate on their website under VA a V fare generates 25% based on the actual number of miles flown.

Take 22,000 miles * .25 RT from LAX-LHR-JNB-LHR-LAX and you get 5,500 MQD earned.

DeltaGoldLass and Arsene Wenger like this.

Jan 27, 2022, 12:27 am

#29

uporito

Join Date: Jan 2022

Posts: 90

Turns out OTA doesn't matter.

Last edited by uporito; Jan 27, 2022 at 1:45 pm

Jan 27, 2022, 2:00 pm

#30

Jj15

Join Date: Oct 2019

Posts: 20

Anyone recently do the JNB mileage run and what was passing through customs like if you are flying back the same day? Or is it recommended to stay a day or two for legal reasons?