Jan 2, 2022, 1:46 am
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
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.
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
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
Nov 19, 2022, 1:27 pm
#811
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: Delta DM, SPG Plat 100 (LT Gold), IHG Spire, Hyatt Diamond, HH Gold, National EE, Hertz Prez Circle
Posts: 473
End of Year MQD crunch
Departure Airport: JFK but open to any repositioning
Miles Needed: 12.5K MQD
Required Spend or Budget: Pref <$5k?
Available Travel Dates: last week of Nov (other than 11/29) - pretty much any time in December
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Yes
Happy Saturday, FT community. First time having to do this, as a rash of COVID through my family since the end of August knocked my Q3/Q4 travel plans out of alignment. With lots of travel in 2023, I'm trying to keep DL Diamond by any means necessary.
Would prefer shortest-turn back to backs (looking into JFKEZE's TIJ-CJS options, and wondering how many of those can be chained back-to-back). Have >$1.5k in Delta certs and both Regional and Global certs to burn, so repositioning anywhere isn't hard. Also have both Marriott & IHG certs to burn so even if I need to overnight at an airport that's not an issue. Just know I need to get DL partners for the necessary MQDs to stack up. Amex Plat travel and bonuses would be a plus.
Thanks in advance.
Miles Needed: 12.5K MQD
Required Spend or Budget: Pref <$5k?
Available Travel Dates: last week of Nov (other than 11/29) - pretty much any time in December
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Yes
Happy Saturday, FT community. First time having to do this, as a rash of COVID through my family since the end of August knocked my Q3/Q4 travel plans out of alignment. With lots of travel in 2023, I'm trying to keep DL Diamond by any means necessary.
Would prefer shortest-turn back to backs (looking into JFKEZE's TIJ-CJS options, and wondering how many of those can be chained back-to-back). Have >$1.5k in Delta certs and both Regional and Global certs to burn, so repositioning anywhere isn't hard. Also have both Marriott & IHG certs to burn so even if I need to overnight at an airport that's not an issue. Just know I need to get DL partners for the necessary MQDs to stack up. Amex Plat travel and bonuses would be a plus.
Thanks in advance.
Nov 19, 2022, 2:10 pm
#812
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,895
Departure Airport: JFK but open to any repositioning
Miles Needed: 12.5K MQD
Required Spend or Budget: Pref <$5k?
Available Travel Dates: last week of Nov (other than 11/29) - pretty much any time in December
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Yes
Would prefer shortest-turn back to backs (looking into JFKEZE's TIJ-CJS options, and wondering how many of those can be chained back-to-back).
Thanks in advance.
Miles Needed: 12.5K MQD
Required Spend or Budget: Pref <$5k?
Available Travel Dates: last week of Nov (other than 11/29) - pretty much any time in December
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Yes
Would prefer shortest-turn back to backs (looking into JFKEZE's TIJ-CJS options, and wondering how many of those can be chained back-to-back).
Thanks in advance.
Nov 19, 2022, 3:34 pm
#814
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: Delta DM, SPG Plat 100 (LT Gold), IHG Spire, Hyatt Diamond, HH Gold, National EE, Hertz Prez Circle
Posts: 473
Using the cert will bump your Class of Service, but they don't have perceived "cash value" in terms of MQDs. So you could trans-con JFK-LAX in D1 if you used a Regional/Global, but if your base fare was say $400 + tax your MQDs would still be $400.
Nov 19, 2022, 3:37 pm
#815
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta Skymiles
Posts: 355
Understood. Maybe it’s because I need close to 2k MQDs I can’t see using my certs.
Nov 19, 2022, 3:52 pm
#816
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: Delta DM, SPG Plat 100 (LT Gold), IHG Spire, Hyatt Diamond, HH Gold, National EE, Hertz Prez Circle
Posts: 473
Yup - I'd use them for a positioning flight if I needed to get somewhere to make an MQD-heavy run more attractive. For example - I'm looking at DL JFK-SFO which I'd then use a cert on to snag one of the Virgin SFO-LHR-CPT itineraries mentioned elsewhere in this thread. Just weighing cost, flight time, and turnaround time.
Nov 19, 2022, 5:01 pm
#817
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: CVG
Posts: 9
Hey Guys, please need help for final Diamond push. Thanks in advance.
Departure Airport: CVG
MQD Needed: 2320
Required Spend or Budget: As cheap as possible
Available Travel Dates: flexible anytime besides Dec 3rd to 9th
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: flexible
Departure Airport: CVG
MQD Needed: 2320
Required Spend or Budget: As cheap as possible
Available Travel Dates: flexible anytime besides Dec 3rd to 9th
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: flexible
Nov 19, 2022, 8:28 pm
#818
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,895
Another option for the same dates, is to take a positioning flight to San Diego (Dec 11 - 12, $589, $505 MQDs), make your way to the CBX/Tijuana airport and then do a TIJ - CJS run on Aeromexico business class ($519, $1900 MQDs) for a total cost of $1108 and earning about $2405 MQDs. While a little more expensive, there is extensive discussion about the process/experience of crossing the border to TIJ airport from San Diego.
Last edited by canuck_traveler; Nov 19, 2022 at 8:55 pm
Nov 19, 2022, 9:51 pm
#819
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: Delta
Posts: 14
need mileage run assist
Departure Airport: LAX
Miles Needed: 19000
Required Spend or Budget: 6338 MQD's needed to qualify for Diamond 2023
Budget 2500
Available Travel Dates: open except for Thanksgiving day and Christmas eve and Day
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: No requirements.
This is to keep Diamond for next year
I have a tix on hold on Virgin Atlantic LAX to JNB For $3600 in Premium. This is a bit more than I want to spend. The big question is it worth it? I do love my diamond.
For such a long flight, I think I would go nuts in reg Main seating unless an exit row is available.
I thought that there might be other options. Aero-Mexico is completely booked through DEC.
Thanks so so much!
Miles Needed: 19000
Required Spend or Budget: 6338 MQD's needed to qualify for Diamond 2023
Budget 2500
Available Travel Dates: open except for Thanksgiving day and Christmas eve and Day
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: No requirements.
This is to keep Diamond for next year
I have a tix on hold on Virgin Atlantic LAX to JNB For $3600 in Premium. This is a bit more than I want to spend. The big question is it worth it? I do love my diamond.
For such a long flight, I think I would go nuts in reg Main seating unless an exit row is available.
I thought that there might be other options. Aero-Mexico is completely booked through DEC.
Thanks so so much!
Nov 19, 2022, 9:55 pm
#820
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: LAX
Programs: Delta Sky Miles - Gold Medallion
Posts: 18
AM isn't booked if you go to TIJ then pivot to various areas in their lineup. I'm looking for something similar and wish the LAX <> NRT was still available. I'm thinking about using miles to reposition then find a way to get a quick flight to get me $3k MQD.
Nov 20, 2022, 12:33 am
#821
Join Date: Nov 2022
Posts: 1
Departure Airport: BOS
MQD Needed: 3,800
Required Spend or Budget: Sub $2000
Available Travel Dates: Any dates December 12-21
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: DL or any partner
Hi all, appreciate anyones advice on final push for Diamond. Open to swinging an actual 6-9 day trip out of it if it helps save costs on ticket -- would love to do something coastal in Mexico or Central America or Europe around the holidays but biggest priority is of course what gets me my final needed 3,800 MQDs on partner airline to qualify for Diamond. I also have 200k+ Skymiles if that helps in plotting!
Thank you!
MQD Needed: 3,800
Required Spend or Budget: Sub $2000
Available Travel Dates: Any dates December 12-21
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: DL or any partner
Hi all, appreciate anyones advice on final push for Diamond. Open to swinging an actual 6-9 day trip out of it if it helps save costs on ticket -- would love to do something coastal in Mexico or Central America or Europe around the holidays but biggest priority is of course what gets me my final needed 3,800 MQDs on partner airline to qualify for Diamond. I also have 200k+ Skymiles if that helps in plotting!
Thank you!
Nov 20, 2022, 2:47 am
#822
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: New York City
Programs: DL DM & 2MM; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 663
Nov 20, 2022, 8:35 am
#823
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,895
Departure Airport: LAX
Miles Needed: 19000
Required Spend or Budget: 6338 MQD's needed to qualify for Diamond 2023
Budget 2500
Available Travel Dates: open except for Thanksgiving day and Christmas eve and Day
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: No requirements.
This is to keep Diamond for next year
I have a tix on hold on Virgin Atlantic LAX to JNB For $3600 in Premium. This is a bit more than I want to spend. The big question is it worth it? I do love my diamond.
For such a long flight, I think I would go nuts in reg Main seating unless an exit row is available.
I thought that there might be other options. Aero-Mexico is completely booked through DEC.
Thanks so so much!
Miles Needed: 19000
Required Spend or Budget: 6338 MQD's needed to qualify for Diamond 2023
Budget 2500
Available Travel Dates: open except for Thanksgiving day and Christmas eve and Day
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: No requirements.
This is to keep Diamond for next year
I have a tix on hold on Virgin Atlantic LAX to JNB For $3600 in Premium. This is a bit more than I want to spend. The big question is it worth it? I do love my diamond.
For such a long flight, I think I would go nuts in reg Main seating unless an exit row is available.
I thought that there might be other options. Aero-Mexico is completely booked through DEC.
Thanks so so much!
e.g. Nov 28 - 28, TIJ-MEX-LIM-MEX-TIJ, $1310 Aeromexico business class, about 12,000 MQMs, $3200 MQDs, immediate turn, various dates available at this price, Google Flights link. Link to discussion about TIJ - XXX runs including experiences with border crossings (CBX)
Nov 20, 2022, 8:36 am
#824
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: Delta
Posts: 19
DL Platinum to Diamond Status help
Gratitude for helping. It is my first time this close to Diamond.
Departure Airport: ATL
Miles Needed: 28k MQM, NEED $3.5K MQD
Required Spend or Budget: $3.5k
Available Travel Dates: some flexibility Nov 28 for a day run, Dec 7 -10 and after Dec 12
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Yes
I have upcoming flights I could leave from or go to those airports if necessary:
Nov 29 ATL to LAS in the morning. I could leave out of LAS to do a run as long as I'm back that day.
Dec 7 I'm in Dallas and can fly that day as long as I make my 4:30p flight to ATL. Then I land in ATL at 7:32p and go do a run at that time.
Departure Airport: ATL
Miles Needed: 28k MQM, NEED $3.5K MQD
Required Spend or Budget: $3.5k
Available Travel Dates: some flexibility Nov 28 for a day run, Dec 7 -10 and after Dec 12
Required Metal or Codeshares okay*: Yes
I have upcoming flights I could leave from or go to those airports if necessary:
Nov 29 ATL to LAS in the morning. I could leave out of LAS to do a run as long as I'm back that day.
Dec 7 I'm in Dallas and can fly that day as long as I make my 4:30p flight to ATL. Then I land in ATL at 7:32p and go do a run at that time.
Last edited by Tess Vismale; Nov 20, 2022 at 8:49 am
Nov 20, 2022, 8:59 am
#825
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: CVG
Posts: 9
One option is to take a positioning flight to El Paso (Dec. 11 - 12, $581, $496 MQDs), make your way across the border to Ciudad Juárez airport and then do a CJS - TIJ flight on Aeromexico business class ($485, $1900 MQDs) for a total cost of $1066 and earning about $2396 MQDs
Another option for the same dates, is to take a positioning flight to San Diego (Dec 11 - 12, $589, $505 MQDs), make your way to the CBX/Tijuana airport and then do a TIJ - CJS run on Aeromexico business class ($519, $1900 MQDs) for a total cost of $1108 and earning about $2405 MQDs. While a little more expensive, there is extensive discussion about the process/experience of crossing the border to TIJ airport from San Diego.
Another option for the same dates, is to take a positioning flight to San Diego (Dec 11 - 12, $589, $505 MQDs), make your way to the CBX/Tijuana airport and then do a TIJ - CJS run on Aeromexico business class ($519, $1900 MQDs) for a total cost of $1108 and earning about $2405 MQDs. While a little more expensive, there is extensive discussion about the process/experience of crossing the border to TIJ airport from San Diego.