I love October! It is so much fun to see old frequent flyer pals that are as over the top about points and miles as I am. Not only that, many of them are even Delta fans.
Some of the memorable moments were an amazing dinner with fellow BA blogger MJ on Travel (now confirmed 🙂 ) as well laughing till I cried with Dave a.k.a. TexasYankee. While the information you will learn at the Chicago Seminars could change your travel life forever the travel stories from fellow points enthusiasts are almost as much of a treasure (Ray you are my hero when it comes to point cards)!
I really could go on and on but I will just make you jealous that you did not come; be sure you book tickets as soon as they are on sale for next year (tentative date OCT 17-19 but not yet firm) since I can not blog about many of the topics I covered at the DO!
I thought I would cover some of the most asked questions both inside and outside the sessions. Many have been touched on in the past two years of blogging but a review never hurts since so many Delta Points readers are new to the blog.
One of the HOT topics was award booking. It seems no one has time or the effort to take the time as talked about in the many posts in the Essentials tab E7 to book their own trips. And when you think about it, Delta Points recommended travel booking PRO, Adam, is well worth his small and reasonable fee to do the work for you. Why not e-mail Adam and tell him René sent you over and he will take good care of you – I promise 😉
Another question that kept coming up was about Delta AMEX cards and MQMs and MQDs. With 2014 only a little more than 2 months away I get this. The things to keep in mind are that a combined total of YOUR personal and business Delta AMEX will count toward MQD spend exemption. While you can send MQMs from say your wife’s card to you, her spend on her cards, as primary card holder, will NOT count toward your MQD exemption. Now if you add her as a sub account on YOUR cards that WILL count. Clear?
Another question is if MQD spending on tickets will rollover if we spend more that $12,500 during 2014. At this time there is NO information from Delta. Thus, right now, the answer is NO but that could change. Just don’t expect it until Delta says otherwise.
Many asked me about mileage runs. I have decided to put up a Rookie post tomorrow about the logic of taking a mileage run so I will leave this one till tomorrow.
Next, if I had a Skymile for every time someone asked me if it was worth going to some medallion level if I could fly to Sweden back and forth in business class for years! Just so you all know, Silver, yes even lowly Silver, is a TON better than nothing. Gold is truly the first level where Delta DOES love you as a flyer. Platinum will change you and the way you fly with Delta. Then Diamond, well, I will never ever NOT want to be a DM ever again – yeah it is just that nice.
Then there were the shocked looks each time I shared with attendees that you will get more availability to low level seats the higher you climb the medallion ladder as well as those who have ANY of the 3 branded Delta AMEX cards, either business or personal.
The last one I want to cover again and again and again is why fly our beloved Delta air lines. The simple answer is:
- With work, great value with Skymiles
- Great elite program for upgrades
- Jets fly on time and work
- Wifi fleet wide
- Great seats including Economy Comfort
- When IROPS happen, Delta protects you & helps you
- Nice Skyclubs including showers (& Skunky beer)
- Amazing flight attendants
- Biscoffs & Woodford Reserve
- And on and on..
So there you are. This weekend has been so much fun and it has been so neat to meet so many “old” and new readers. See you next year – René
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Whose the short guy sticking his head between Rick & Katie!
@Mark – smile, some dude who fly’s Delta maybe way too much 😉
Thanks for all the info you shared, and questions you answered! I learned so much and I just wanted to let you know how much it is appreciated. Was sad when the weekend was over, but looking forward to the next one in October next year. Who knows what stories Mark and I will have to share 🙂
all the best
@Madelyn – great to meet you and Mark! Enjoy and see you soon or up in the air.
Just want to add my endorsement for Adam and JuicyMiles. I nearly tore my hair out trying to use the Delta web site to book low-level award seats from the US East Coast to Australia, and tried JuicyMiles after seeing it recommended on Rene’s blog. Adam’s colleague ended up finding those award seats for my wife and I, and so we’re now each booked for a trip of over 23,000 air miles, all in Business or First. That’s well worth the $125/person JuicyMiles fee. Thanks, Adam!