Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact how and where card products appear on the site. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of the links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.
Yes it is “that” time of the year. We are considering what status we want to hold when December 31st arrives. We are considering if NOW, or LATER, is the best time to pick up a Delta AMEX Reserve personal (learn more) or business card (learn more) for the bonus MQMs. Bottom line is we are all crunching the important elite numbers.
Some of us are even considering an “Elite Mileage Run” with Delta. We call it that because no one in their right mind would fly Delta for the chance to earn SkyMiles anymore. Anyone who is earning a boatload of SkyMiles from flying is just paying an expensive premium price for their tickets (sorry, but that is the truth of it). But since the elite points, or MQMs, are just the same as they have been for years and years, it can be wise to take a flight to some crazy city and maybe just stay there for an hour or two and then fly home for the elite points to help bump your status to the next level.
But how does one find such a “Fun Run” as I call it? Well, you have a few options in blog land.
After the simplest one for MQMs that is from Delta AMEX cards, then we all should follow @EliteMileageRun on twitter as well as EliteMileageRuns here on the blog for the deals I post. Another good option is to follow my friend John, a very energetic Delta flyer, on the “LaptopTravel” blog as he also posts a bunch of exciting Elite Mileage Runs for Delta flyers. But are those your only choices?
Now, thanks to my fellow BoardingArea blogger ADAM who we all know and love from his outstanding Award Booking service Juicy Miles <–LINK , we can get custom Delta (and other airlines) Elite Mileage Runs from your own home town airport.
Let me repeat that and let that one sink in for a bit. Adam, and his team, can build you the best run they can find for just the MQMs you need from YOUR HOME AIRPORT!
What this means is simply the following:
- No positioning flights to some crazy airport to start your mileage run!
- Need weekend only mileage runs? Sure, no problem, just ask.
- Want to stay inside the lower 48 for your run? They can do that.
- Want to fly 20,000+ MQMs on one long mileage run? OK, get ready! 🙂
I think you can see just what this can mean for us. For a modest booking fee, they can find the best deal going from where we live. Naturally, the price may not be as low as it could be when you spend the extra time to fly off to some city that has a super low CPM or Cost / Cents Per Mile city, but you are also not paying for an extra airline ticket to some positioning city and possibly a hotel night or two (and the extra time away from home). That alone can be worth the Juicy Mile Mileage Run booking fee to find your custom mileage run.
Choice is good. Delta will likely in a few weeks again announce they are selling MQMs at prices that make you want to reach for an air sickness bag. Please don’t even consider buying them from the mothership at their “bat crazy”, over inflated prices, out of desperation at running a few MQMs short for the year. Please consider ALL of the above options first, including the chance to have a custom run built from your home town just for you. Thank you ADAM, you are the best! – René
Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact how and where card products appear on the site. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of the links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.
Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
I currently own a Delta Platinum AMEX, already reached the second level, diamond for next year, and was wondering if the reserve card would make most sense (either personal or business)?
@Jeff – It is truly one of the cheapest mileage runs you can make from home. Look at it this way. The Reserve Delta business card gets you 10,000 MQMs after 1st purchase and $450 fee. That is 4.5CPM if you will. The Platinum Delta business card get you 5,000 MQMs (after spending $1,000) for the $195 fee. That is 4CPM. Not bad at all to not have to fly if you need the points!
If you already have the delta reserve card and you now applied for the Delta Business Reserve would you get the 10k mqm bonus after 1st purchase?
@Chad – Yep. The two are separate products. As long as it has been 365+ days (or more or ever) since you closed a Delta AMEX business Reserve card you can get the bonus again. What personal Delta cards you hold does not matter one bit!
Thanks Rene, If I add the business card and pay the $450 fee is it good for a year from when I opened the card? I think it would make sense to close the personal card because I would prefer not to pay that fee twice annually.
@Chad – You could do that yes but I would hold off until fee hits for retention offer from AMEX. (see E13 in Essentials tab: http://renespoints.boardingarea.com/essentials/ )
@René –
Thank thou for the mention! We are aggressively searching at this time of the year for eleventh-hour mileage runs for our fellow Delta flyers.
Typically we feature mega runs, 20,000+ MQM’s, but currently are trying the shorter, quicker domestic runs for last minute qualifiers.
Anyone can throw us a request, but Adam is probably thought best option for custom work.
We love to fly and we love helping other Delta flyers!
Mahalo, my friend.
Thanks again Rene, you have been extremely helpful as always! Lsst question how tough is it to get the business version of the Reserve Card? Time to start a landscaping/lawncare business??
@Chad – Not that hard. If no EIN just use your own SSN. If your biz work, whatever it is, makes no money put that down as there is a field for your OTHER income as well.
Question, I have a Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card and I had Delta Platinum Personal card but it has been closed 1+years can I apply for a personal Delta Reserve card and get the 10,000 MQMs??
@Jim – As long as you have NEVER EVER had the Personal Delta AMEX Reserve card yes. Check first please! See THIS link: http://renespoints.boardingarea.com/2015/07/25/s-there-a-simple-way-to-check-if-you-have-ever-had-a-amex-personal-card-before/
Thanks I never have had a Personal Reserve Card.
@Jim – Txs for using our links and supporting the blog! 🙂
OK is read the prior post and I had a AMEX Platinum Personal that was cancelled on 11/18/13, if I opened a Personal reserve card would I get the 10,000 MQMs??
@Jim – Right now, per all reports, AMEX looks at the Personal Delta GOLD and PLATINUM and RESERVE cards all as unique products. So, as long as you have NEVER EVER had one, EVER, you can get the new card bonus for each yes!
Awesome thanks!!
@Jim – BTW off topic I love my KIA 😉
Very happy to here that!! we’re making some pretty awesome product these days. Getting ready to retire in January and have Silver locked but looks like I’ll be 7- 8K short of Gold.
I confirm that I booked a paid mileage run with Juicy Miles and flew it in September. Sean Ryan from Adam’s team did excellent job and I got over 12k MQMs in two days flying within the U.S.
John has been so accommodating in first helping my husband and I find first class tickets from the US to Rome for a cruise. He worked the most amazing deal so that we have first class in all segments from FL to JFK to Rome and back.
When I told my parents about his Superman capabilities they were interested in what he could do for them with limited airline miles. He was able to provide two options plus an all cash option if they wanted to pay for their fares. I just cannot praise John enough for his hard work, dedication and quick flow of information. He is super knowledgable and cares about his clients. I look forward to working with you in the future!!
Hi Rene. Just getting started to build my Medallion status with Delta. Still a Member status, have 7,000 MQMs for the Silver. I have the Delta Reserve and Delta Platinum personal cards. Had the Personal Platinum before and I know I won’t be eligible for the 40K bonus miles with Personal ever. I should qualify for the bonus with Business Platinum, right? Thanks.
@Dax – It is ONLY the new card bonus you can not get again. So, you could get personal platinum (no bonus) and then earn spend bonus. But as you point out, if you have NEVER had the business Delta Platinum then yes you can get THAT new card bonus.
Hi, I’m 15,000MQMs away from diamond with 1 more scheduled JFK to SFO RT this year… already have a delta platinum CC, looking for JFK runs to top off the ~9,400 I’ll still need. Thanks!
@Matt – Reach out to ADAM HERE