Chasing Diamond: Why I flew to South Africa for 3 days to requalify for Delta elite status

We have had issues with Delta over the last year.

I've dealt with SkyMiles problems. Delta offers the best experience of the major U.S. carriers and fits my needs as a frequent business and leisure traveler. I knew I had to do something when I realized that I would not be able to requalify for Diamond at the end of the year.

Spending more than $5,000 on airfare was out of my budget so I started looking for partner MQD runs to help me earn them at a discounted rate. I booked a cheap Aeromexico business class ticket to Europe last year to close the gap between Platinum and Diamond.

I was able to earn over 5,000 MQDs on a partner-operated ticket to South Africa that was less expensive than the original ticket. Information about my criteria, what I booked, my experience on the flights, and getting them credited to my SkyMiles account can be found below. Let's take a closer look at how it went, it wasn't the most straightforward run of the year.

What I booked to keep Diamond Medallion for 2023

I spent a lot of time looking for a partner that would earn at least 5,000 MQDs, be in my budget and allow me to go to a new country.

There are a lot of destinations in Asia, Africa and Europe. It was hard to find a year-end premium economy or business class fare that fit my budget. Many Americans take time off at the end of the year to travel, so airlines can get top dollar for many of these routes.

I was able to find a flight from JFK to the O.R. Tambo International Airport in South Africa for $2,013. The return flight had a long layover in London, but it fit the core of my requirements, even though it wasn't perfect.

Virgin Atlantic premium economy fares earn the following when you credit SkyMiles. Percentages are based on the distance traveled. You can see partner earning rates on this landing page.

When booking through Amex Travel, I use The Platinum Card from American Express to earn 5 points per dollar on flight purchase, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per year. It's more than enough to book a one-way domestic ticket when using transfer partners like British Airways or Avianca Lifemiles.

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The long layover in London didn't take place. I booked my flight well in advance and Virgin Atlantic had a schedule change for me. I was able to rebook my return leg to have a three-hour layover for free.

The elite status and mileage earning are the most important parts of the journey. I earned over 50,000 SkyMiles with a 50% cabin bonus and 120% Diamond Medallion bonuses. Since Delta rolls over anything beyond your status tier to the next elite year, the MQMs will help me next year.

Issues crediting the flights to my SkyMiles account

This mileage run didn't go as planned and it's not the first time.

When I returned to New York, I noticed the miles from my trip hadn't been uploaded to my account. I tried to submit a mileage request online, but it didn't get responded to. I reached out to Delta support after two weeks because I got a bit worried.

After rebooking my ticket, my entire itinerary was changed to include a new ticket number. I submitted a request on my behalf after the representative asked for the correct ticket number. Two days later, the miles were in my account.

Virgin Atlantic's premium economy is (mostly) excellent

Virgin Atlantic's hard and soft products were my favorite.

The flights between JFK and LHR were operated by the airline's flagship A350 plane, while the legs between LHR and JNB were operated by the Boeing 787 plane.

The A350 was the center of attention. The premium economy seat on the aircraft was very comfortable. It had fast and stable wi-fi throughout the trip from New York to London.

The A350 is a premium economy seat. The Point's Guy is Andrew Kunsh.

One of the best inflight wi-fi experiences I've had was provided by the A350. I think it's reasonable for a stable connection to be found on the flights between JFK and LHR.

The Boeing product is nice, but it's getting old. The inflight entertainment selection is the same, but the inflight wi-fi wasn't up to par on my way to or from South Africa. I couldn't send or receive messages after I purchased a messaging plan that only had 20 MB of data. Within minutes, the data cap vanished.

The service on all four segments was excellent. The full English breakfast was a favorite of mine. There was a snack counter in the galley that was filled with snacks and drinks to keep you full. This was appreciated because of the long flights between JNB and LHR.

The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses in JFK, LHR and JNB were accessible thanks to my Diamond status. They have a lot of food and drink options at your table.

Virgin Atlantic has a premium economy. Check out the reviews of the A350 and 787-9 products.

Was it worth it?

I spent more than $2,000 and a weekend in South Africa to keep my elite status. It's absolutely true.

I had a good time as a Diamond Medallion. I was upgraded on more than half of my flights, and I used all of my Global upgrade certificates even though they were worth less. When traveling with my partner or friends, the Delta SkyClub guest pass has been great because they can access the club with me.

Having quicker access to support has been a blessing. I had hotels reimbursed by the carrier and had a good experience with Delta's Diamond Medallion line. As a frequent business and leisure traveler, this support has helped me stay sane more than once.

On top of that, the 48,998 SkyMiles I earned on this trip are worth almost 700 dollars. My miles funded a flight back to Chicago for the holidays.

It was fun to visit Johannesburg for a few days. I will be returning to South Africa in June of next year.

Delta Air Lines elite status is worth a lot of money.

Bottom line

It took some work to get the flights credited to my account, but I'm happy I did.

This mileage run made sense because I get more than $2,000 in benefits from my Diamond Medallion every year. Delta's support was most helpful when it came to getting the flights credited to my account. If I am short on MQDs at the end of the year, I will do the same thing next year.

Is it a good idea to do a similar run? Depending on how much you want to fly Delta in the future and how often you fly. It's worth the money if you have the time to do it.