Time is running out for Delta elite status to be qualified or re-qualify.
If you haven't already done so, check your elite qualification metrics, tally up your travel for the rest of the year and see where you stand in terms of elite status for next year. If you don't have enough money to meet your goal, here are some ideas for you to make up the difference.
We have a guide to last-minute elite status qualification on United as well.
If you don't think you'll make the earning threshold of your elite status tier, there are still some good options out there.
Remember to include those rollover MQMs. It's worth giving up the next tier of elite status in order to get a head start on your status qualification in four years.
If you have earned 40,000 MQMs this year and have reached the MQD threshold, you will be assured of Silver Medallion status for the next five years. If the spending is within your budget or if you roll over the 15,000 MQMs above the Silver qualification threshold, you will be in a better position to earn for next year.
It's a good idea to consider your choices before making a decision. MQD requirements are going to go up next year. The spending requirement will go from $15,000 to $20,000 for the Diamond level.
Delta Air Lines elite status is worth a lot of money.
Buying them from the airline is the cheapest way to get a few thousand extra MQMs.
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At the end of the year, you may be able to purchase MQMs from Delta. The prices can go up to a dollar per MQM.
If you know you won't fly enough before the end of the year, you should only use this last resort.
The Elevate Your Status promotion hasn't been offered by Delta since the beginning of the year, and hasn't been announced if it will come back this year. If you know you'll be a few MQM short of your goal, don't rely on this strategy.
You'll have to spend a lot if you use a Delta co branded credit card.
MQM can be earned when the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card meet certain spending thresholds. You can use these cards to get a Waiver.
After spending $25,000 in a calendar year, the Delta Platinum card will earn 10,000 MQMs, and another 10,000 after spending $50,000. With this card alone, you could potentially have 20,000 additional MQMs.
The Delta Reserve card can be used up to four times per year. You can earn up to 60,000 MQM if you spend $120,000 on this card. If you're a high spender, you can stack the MQM bonuses from both cards to get more MQM.
In just six months, I earned a million Delta SkyMiles.
If you spend $25,000 on either the Delta Platinum or Delta Reserve cards, you can earn a Waiver for Silver, Gold and Platinum status. You can spend a lot of money for a Diamond Waiver. You only need to earn status if you meet the MQS or MQM requirements.
You may be spending more on your co branded credit card than you realize. If you are within striking distance of one of those thresholds, you should check your spending levels for the rest of the year. If you are close to one of the thresholds, you might consider using your co branded card to temporarily pay bills.
If you don't post your spending and bonus to your account by the end of the year, you won't be able to qualify for elite status in the next year.
The current offers for the Delta Platinum and Reserve cards can be found here.
There is a review of the Delta Skymiles Reserve card.
Delta SkyMiles is one of the most generous programs.
If you have a lot of year-end travel coming up, you might want to consider completing one of these at the end of the year.
You have 90 days to complete the matching tiers and earning requirements. Many international airlines are eligible to match to Delta, so make sure to check out the list below.
There are no public challenges to Diamond Medallion status. If you have a lot of upcoming travel that you can channel towards this challenge, this can be a great way to get to the next level.
Delta has a choice of benefits for Platinum and Diamond members. Diamonds can give gold status to other flyers. You should be nice to your friends or family who may be able to help you get into the club.
There is a guide to Delta Choice Benefits.
Delta has a loyalty program for businesses that aren't part of the SkyMiles program. SkyBonus is a little difficult to understand. Companies earn between 1 and 30 points for every dollar spent on airfare for employees.
They can redeem those points for flights and Sky Club memberships. SkyBonus points can be redeemed for a Silver Medallion membership that is good for a year from the date of issue. Pick wisely if you're a business owner because this same number of points could get you a $400 flight credit.
Delta adds e Credit redemptions to SkyBonus.
Wheels Up has a partnership with Delta. Automatic Delta elite status is given to people who fund WheelsUp accounts with $50,000 or more. The spend thresholds are shown here.
This isn't the cheapest option forDelta elite status. If you or your business use the service, it might be a good idea to go straight to the top.
There are 8 cheapest ways to experience private jet travel.
One of the best changes to the Delta Skymiles program is that award tickets booked in Main Cabin or higher now earn MQM, MQS and MQD. This was introduced as a temporary benefit in 2021. It can make earning status less expensive.
You will make the same amount of money on the MQM and MQS side as you would on a paid ticket. One mile is equal to one MQM or MQS. 1,000 SkyMiles could be used to redeem $10 MQD towards elite status. Once you complete the flight, an award ticket that costs 40,000 SkyMiles will earn you $400 MQD.
An example is provided. The Main Cabin on this flight from New York to Switzerland costs 56,000 SkyMiles. You would also earn 3,931 MQM if you took the flight. Since it's a nonstop flight, you would get 1 MQS.
If you have a lot of SkyMiles in your account, you can redeem them to close the gap. Booking a single award flight to your destination of choice could save you money.
There is a major exception that should not be overlooked. Delta-ticketed and operated award tickets are the only ones that get elite status metrics. Even if you add SkyMiles to your itinerary, you won't earn elite status if you use Air France-Klm Flying Blue miles to book an award ticket. Booking a Virgin Atlantic ticket with SkyMiles will not earn you elite status.
You have a complete guide to the Delta Skymiles program.
mileage runs are not a good way to qualify for elite status since you need to earn both elite-qualifying miles and segments to do so.
You can still use partner fares to earn money. The flights earn MQD based on the distance of the flight, not the amount of money spent.
You need to be aware of the earning rates for the specific carrier and fare class you purchase. If you want to get to the next level of Delta elite status, you need to rack up MQM and MQD quickly.
Booking Delta partner tickets will allow you to earn Medallion Qualification Dollars.
We will focus on partner MQD mileage runs for this edition because Delta rolled over MQM from 2020 to 2021. We will point out the MQM earnings as we run through examples.
Aeromexico is one of the best partners for shorter mileage runs. You can fly the airline to various destinations in Central America, South America, Europe and beyond with a connection in Mexico City International Airport, as long as you have a business class ticket.
At the time of writing, this is a good example.
The business class itinerary will take you from Chicago to Guadalajara and Mexico City on the outbound and then you can return to Mexico City. You get the total mileage of the itinerary at 7,369 miles.
It's an excellent way to close the gap for Delta elite status if you book this itinerary directly with Delta.
If you're trying to close a $5,000+ MQD gap, you'll want to look for longer flights. Virgin Atlantic has premium economy tickets that connect in London and end in a far flung destination.
This example itinerary takes you from New York to London's Heathrow Airport in 18 hours. Virgin Atlantic's premium economy fares can be earned based on miles flown.
If you want to close the gap for elite status, this itinerary is a great way to go. You'd get $384 worth of SkyMiles for free.
Why would you want to book a mileage run?
There is still time to get to the next tier of Delta Medallion elite status.
Knowing where you are now and how long you will be after accounting for the rest of your travel is the most important thing. You can use these strategies if you don't know how many extra MQMs you need.
The additional reporting was done by two people.
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