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As of the stroke of midnight on the 31st of December, all Delta fliers MQD totals reset to a big zero since Delta does not reward your extra spend with any kind of MQD rollover (like they used to with MQMs back in the day). In fact MQMs are now officially dead and gone with the chance to convert your remaining ones also over at this point in time. Do keep in mind we are – right now – working to qualify for the 2026 Medallion year.
It is always interesting to see just what posts “go viral” or get mega hits. Oh, and the posts Chris and I think could go viral never seem to but we do have a healthy back and forth over who has the most seen posts for the year. Chris wins hands down this year in both quantity in the top 10 as well as the most viewed post.
This post was focused on cleaning up your final card credits open to you before the end of the year but you know what – you can read up on these and get started right away so you don’t find yourself needing to scramble (like me) at the very end of this year!
Since only MQDs matter at this point for your Medallion status with Delta, it is worth looking at how long it takes for those credit to appear in your account. What about card spend or partner airline flights. What about spending SkyMiles vs. other payment forms. Here are the answers.
We also posted our first “mileage run” for earning your 2026 status. It really is silly to call them mileage runs anymore because while how far you fly does help your million miler totals, the distance has little to do with how much MQDs you earn. That said, flying partners can still net you BIG MQD returns vs. what you paid.
Lastly this week, Michael has a review of Delta first class meal choices from Atlanta to Mexico City. I have flown this route many times and you should not expect real international type service but more domestic first class flavor.
I hope you all are entering the new year healthy and safe. I am finally better after five days of 101*+ fever and a visit to my family doctor. I used to be such a winter fan when I was younger but now I just want light and warmth to return! – 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.
MQMs still matter for lifetime status. Delta needs to convert the lifetime tier status metric to MQDs in the way that British Airways is converting annual and lifetime tier status to a revenue metric. (BA has a conversion factor to change lifetime tier status credit from the current system to the new system.) Without such a feature, once a person hits a MQD threshold in a given year, the person has no incentive to continue to spend with Delta. At that point, the person has an incentive to take spending to another airline.
MQM are dead — it’s actual miles flown that count toward Million Miler status. But, yes, I agree with what you said. I think you might like a post we’re running on Monday.
I (maybe foolishly) took out a Reserve card just before year end as the MQD Headstart should put me over the Diamond threshold. Amex is telling me it’ll take eight weeks to post! I’ll get to Diamond in mid February, provided they actually post correctly to 2024 and update my medallion level. Delta advertises Headstart as a major card perk to inspire year-end signups, so they really should get Amex to handle this more urgently.
Amex put it in writing that MQD Headstarts for cards opened in November and December will apply retroactively. But, yes, 100%: it would be nice if the timing were sooner than later.
You get. Just cant select them until Feb 1
I have been flying Delta since the inception of SkyMiles. I have just short of 3M miles but about to retire so will probably not get there. Question…… If/when I become the casual flyer, will my lifetime Platinum status give me any “perks” going forward? Or is it just a title with no value. Love your blog. Aloha
Thanks, Sandman, for the nice words. Delta tells us lifetime (“annual”) Platinum members get Choice Benefits, plus the usual stuff like Comfort+ seats (availability permitting) shortly after booking. Aloha!