The Delta Amex MQD Waiver Waiting Game: Kind of Ridiculous (A Rant)

I crossed the $25,000 spending mark on my Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card several weeks ago — thus hitting the Delta Amex MQD Waiver.

Please note that Delta Air Lines SkyMiles no longer awards Medallion Qualification Miles (MQM) or Medallion Qualification Segments (MQS). Some of the offers in this post may be expired. This post remains published for reference and historical purposes. (Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.)

Well, I spent the required amount. But a few days later, my SkyMiles profile’s spending tracker was stuck at $19,000. My Reserve card’s Status Boost meter, however, was pretty spot-on: I was up to about $27,000 in eligible spending, creeping toward my bonus MQM.

I finally crossed the $30,000 threshold. Delta sent me a congratulatory email announcing that I could deposit or gift the 15,000 bonus MQM. Whoo-hoo!

I checked on my MQD Waiver spending. The meter increased — to $23,000.

My MQD Waiver spending finally updated to $25,000 — eight days later.

According to Amex’s status boost tracker, my wife passed her $25,000 spending mark last week. Delta has her at $23,000.

I don’t remember MQD Waiver spending totals taking this long to update. The numbers were maybe a couple of days behind the actual, real-time spending totals. But it was never this slow. (Although, my wife and I qualified for status last year through MQD and didn’t use the Delta Amex MQD Waiver. Was 2022 slow?)

An Amex source told me words to the effect of Hey, everything’s working fine on our end.

Then again, we’re pretty much due for a Delta Amex MQD Waiver glitch — it’s practically that time of the year. (Remember August 2022?)

My Chat with a Delta Rep

I used Delta’s messaging system on Delta.com to see what’s causing the hold-up. The rep sent me some copied and pasted verbiage about how it takes up to 6-8 weeks for numbers to get updated, totals reflect only eligible spending and purchases, and all that other boring stuff.

Shouldn’t the Delta Amex Spend Bonus and MQD Waiver Numbers Update at the Same Time?

I’m sorry to inject some logic here.

But if Delta is up to speed with our Status Boost spending, why can’t MQD Waiver numbers update accordingly?

I find it confounding (and irritating) that my $30,000 spending figure updated in a timely manner — but it took eight days for the $25,000 meter (a figure $5,000 less!) to correctly update.

How does this happen? How can the numbers not be updated simultaneously? Or does it have something to do with a “waiting period” of sorts — in case cardholders drop below the $25,000 because of chargebacks, returns, etc.?

Who Cares? What’s the Big Deal?

This is usually the time when people scramble to the Comments section to chastise me for writing about such First World Problems.

Or they’re upset Delta status can be earned through eligible credit card spending. Take it up with Delta. (Spoiler alert: Good luck. Other airlines do this, too.)

But the MQD Waiver is important for plenty of people.

First — and most obvious — it helps travelers (re)qualify for Delta Medallion elite status. That stinks if you spent $25,000 and should have elite status (or get kicked up a tier) before a trip — but SkyMiles hasn’t updated its numbers and you lose out.

Next, reaching the Delta Amex MQD Waiver is the fifth tie-breaker in the great Delta upgrade hierarchy. Based on my experience, it actually comes into play. My wife and daughter travel on a separate PNR/confirmation number from me when we travel. This way, all of us can sit in Comfort+ and try to get upgraded to first class.

There have been several times when I reached my Delta Amex MQD Waiver on my Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card and before we knocked out the $25,000 on my wife’s Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. Our statuses and fare classes were the same on trips (neither of us is a Delta corporate traveler). Sure enough, I was a few spots higher than them on the upgrade list. (Which didn’t matter because all of us either cleared or didn’t.)

This isn’t a good look for Delta — and it sort of drags their BFF (American Express) into the mess, too. But if Delta wants people to apply for co-branded Amex credit cards — which they do — they need to make customers happy. Putzing around with people’s elite status isn’t the way to do it.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please visit this link.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, please visit this link.