For the first time ever, Rob and I (really Rob) are delving into airline status. Being limited to just traveling over school breaks for the last 18 years or so, we have never been able to earn status flying (we didn’t fly enough). However, now with all of the new covid offers our there, trying to get people to spend (and travel), Rob was able to take advantage of this offer that got him Silver Medallion status with Delta.
Earlier this year, Rob got the American Express Delta SkyMiles Platinum (with an 80,000 mile bonus, I may add).
Later in the year, he took advantage of an offer (still available today) in which the details are as follows:
Through 12/31/20, earn 500 bonus miles and 500 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs), after each $1k you spend in purchases on your card up to 25,000 miles and 25,000 MQMs.
Rob has some big advertising charges each month so spending the $50,000 on the card (for 25,000 MQMS) wasn’t that difficult.
Combining the above with the following perk that always comes with the American Express Delta SkyMiles Platinum, Rob easily got to 45,000 MQMS.
If in any calendar year, if you spend $25,000 or more on the card, you will be awarded 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) and if in that same calendar year you spend $50,000 or more, you will be awarded an additional 10,000 MQMs.
However, for Delta status, not only do you need the required number of MQMs, you also need a certain amount of MQDs (Medallion Qualifying Dollars). Specifically, these are the status requirements for Silver and Gold Medallion Status.
SILVER you will need 25,000 MQMs or 30 MQSs and $3,000 MQDs
GOLD you will need 50,000 MQMs or 60 MQSs and $6,000 MQDs
So, in addition to Rob’s MQMs, he also needed the MQDs for status. And given our limited travel this year, we definitely did not spend the required amount on Delta-marketed flights (and select partner airline flights ticketed through Delta) to reach the $3,000 or the $6,000 MQD requirement. Actually, in any year, we never really spend that much money because we are too busy getting FREE FLIGHTS with all of our rewards!
BUT LUCKILY! the MQDs requirement for Silver, Gold and Platinum status is waived if you make $25,000 or more in eligible purchases in that year with your card. Um, totally did that with all of the above spending!
So the MQD requirement was met by Rob for both Silver and Gold status.
After all of that spending, those 45,000 MQMS were added to 3,978 MQMS that Rob earned earlier in the year from a last minute (overpriced flight) to Breckenridge.
This brings Rob’s total of MQMs to 48,978 just shy of the 50,000 he needs for Gold status. Today is November 12th and believe me I have toyed with the idea of sending him on a one day flight to Chicago, etc. I have even booked it for him, only to chicken out and cancel it the next day.
One of the reasons I changed my mind is because of all of the generous status adjustments Delta has made because of covid. Back in April, Delta announced the following:
Your current Medallion Status will automatically be extended through 2021 whether or not you requalify. In addition, all of your 2020 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) will be rolled over in 2021. If you are enrolled in Status promotions, you will also receive additional flexibility to complete those requirements. You will see these updates automatically reflected in MyProfile/MyWallet before they go into effect.
So, Rob’s 48,978 MQMS will carry over to 2021. And then all he needs to do is spend $25k on his card in 2021 to get an additional 10,000 MQMS (bringing him way over 50,000 MQMS) and meeting the MQD waiver. So he will get to Gold in 2021 even if he doesn’t take a less than 24 hour flight before 12/31.
I can’t wait to see his Gold Medallion status luggage tags in 2021!!!
Update-HE GOT GOLD!
