Business Class Mini-Vacation to Rome for Earning Delta MQD (Estimated $4,774 Toward 2026 Status)

While punching around for 2025 SkyTeam mileage runs, I found an interesting mini-vacation to Rome in KLM and AeroMexico business class! This might be a sign to visit Italy and kickstart your 2026 Delta Medallion earnings!

But there are a few nuances to this one.

As always, remember to credit this trip to your Delta SkyMiles number.  

READ: How We’re Now Calculating Mileage Run Returns With the New SkyMiles Program and Inflated Airfares

San Diego-Adjacent to Rome (FCO)

First of all, this trip originates from Tijuana International Airport (TIJ), which is pretty much at the United States-Mexico border. It’s very close to San Diego. (We’ll get to more details in just a minute.) You fly in Aeromexico business class (like US domestic first class) to Mexico City (MEX). From there, you’ll enjoy business class on a KLM Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Amsterdam (AMS). Then you take a 737 flight to Rome (FCO) in European business class (that’s basically coach with an open middle seat).

It’s a deep-discounted “Z” class fare that earns 30% of the distance flown in Delta when you credit the trip to your Delta SkyMiles account.

You’ll purchase this SkyTeam business class trip from KLM’s Mexican website and pay in Mexico pesos. Make sure to use a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. (Here are some examples.) We found a departure date of Saturday, February 15, 2025, with a Thursday, February 20 return. But use this Google Flights link to start the process and play around with the dates. I see some availability in January and February.

The trip currently costs MEX 44,247 pesos, which is about USD $2,250.

Here are the estimated earnings, thanks to the Travel-Dealz calculator:

• $4,774 MQD for US $2,250 airfare (MEX 41,623)
  • Roughly 2.12X return
  • How We’re Now Calculating Mileage Run Returns With the New SkyMiles Program and Inflated Airfares
• 15,614 flown miles toward Delta Million Miler status
• 31,828 redeemable SkyMiles before any applicable Medallion bonuses

If booking this run gives you anxiety, it might be worth getting in touch with the point.me Mileage Run department and having them do everything for you. Plus, they’ll monitor your itinerary for schedule changes.

Worth keeping in mind: there might be schedule changes between now and next year that affect how many miles you fly. If anything, I think the only thing that would change is that KLM would rebook you from Mexico City to Rome on AeroMexico. If that were the case, you’d lose out on around $100 MQD. There’s also the chance your European hubs get switched a little (i.e., to Paris instead of Amsterdam). But I wouldn’t necessarily sweat all that.

Wait, What? Tijuana?!

Tijuana?! you may say. How far is that from the United States?! How do I get there?! And no way am I going into that city!

Take a deep breath. Everything’s fine.

It’s about 23 miles from San Diego International Airport to the Cross Border Express pedestrian bridge that takes you into the Tijuana airport. (You don’t have to actually enter the streets of Tijuana. Just the airport.) Lyft prices from SAN to CBX usually range from $50 to $60. You clear USA to Mexico immigration at CBX — and don’t need to deal with it in Mexico City.

Marilee Blair produced this helpful video about using the CBX.

You could probably use a hotel credit card’s anniversary night somewhere in San Diego.

The Trip Disappeared! I Can’t Find It!

These deals tend to disappear not long after we blog them. Why?

• The airline hikes the price ASAP, or
• Readers snatch up the available inventory, or
• Both of the above

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Eye of the Flyer and its parent company, Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., are not affiliated with Delta Air Lines or any other airline. All information has been conducted independently by the blog post’s author. Eye of the Flyer is not responsible for any errors, mistakes, or failures committed by airlines, vendors, travelers, or the blog itself. This post is for entertainment and informational purposes only. Eye of the Flyer is a point.me affiliate partner.