Are “Traditional” Mileage Runs Back for Some Delta Flyers?

In a recent San Francisco to Dubai mileage run post, I asked readers if it’s worth our posting mileage runs earning less MQD return on their airfare investment than it was before SkyMiles 2025. After all, Delta Air Lines reduced the MQM earnings SkyMiles Members can earn when flying partner airlines.

But there was an interesting twist.

MQM Earning is Dead — But What Mileage Runs For Million Miler Candidates?

When Delta (wisely) revised the jarring changes to its SkyMiles 2025 program, one of the more eyebrow-raising modifications came to the Million Miler section.

Passengers who accrue a million miles receive lifetime (technically, “yearly”) Medallion status. But the more millions you earn, the better the status you receive. Delta drastically improved those benefits from what they were before.

For example, 1 Million Milers will receive lifetime Gold (a jump from Silver). 2 Million Milers can enjoy lifetime Platinum (up from Gold). 3 Million Milers get lifetime Diamond (up from Gold). 5 Million Milers score lifetime Delta 360 (up from Platinum).

Plus, Million Miler Status — by tier — is the third priority on Delta’s complimentary upgrade hierarchy after Medallion status and cabin purchased. That’s important to some people.

In the past, all Medallion Qualification Miles (MQM) counted toward Million Miler status — no matter how they were earned. Miles flown, MQM earned through Delta SkyMiles Amex cards bonuses, and cabin bonuses all count.

We occasionally found decent-priced trips in Delta First Class — and those were great runs because they earned bonus MQM.

But earning MQM was DOA on January 1, 2024. Only actual, butt-in-seat miles flown now count toward Million Miler status. Period. End of story.

As much fun as it was searching for those trips, I thought we were done with them. We’d only post partner MQD runs flown on other airlines from now on.

That might not be the case.

Meet the New Boss — Same as the Old Boss??

Million Miler-eligible miles don’t necessarily have to be flown only on Delta.

The Delta SkyMiles program page states, “Flight miles flown on flights marketed by Delta’s partner airlines will also count towards Million Miler Status, except for Basic Economy and similar fares.”

Here are some comments that got me thinking:

MDTraveler57 said:

“Chris, this is very interesting. I thought I was done with mileage runs, but I will have only two more years of Diamond medallion status starting next month, I live in a Delta hub and will miss the automatic upgrades to C+ for me and my plus 1, a lot. I have 1.84M miles and will consider doing a couple of runs a year just to get the to 2M mark and “lifetime” Platinum. This will give me the ability to book Main cabin and get C+, along with a few choice benefits.

So keep these coming. I will be interested in the really high Skymiles SIC runs for decent money, but I swore off main cabin runs several years ago. Premium cabins only!

Gregg G wrote:

Right now I am at 800,000 lifetime miles on Delta. I am Platinum for 2024. If million miles will now make one lifetime gold, does it pay to do a a SIC few mileage runs a year for the next couple of years to get to the million?

“Please keep them coming and maybe propose some trips for those of us that have >1.5 MM and < 2MM and who want to get quickly (or as quick as one can) to 2MM,” wrote longtime reader Jack.

So, maybe we aren’t done with traditional mileage runs — the ones flown for the actual mileage.

And that’s where this new but old line of thinking comes in.

Wait, What?

First, all of this is purely subjective. So, keep in mind we’re talking about your time, your money, and your opinion. It’s not the same as others. Everyone’s situation is unique.

But it might be worth it for some people to fly just to hit their Million Miler goals. That’s right: taking trips solely for earning actual miles flown. Good, ol’ mileage runs. What is this: 2013?!

We’ll continue hunting for decent MQM runs — in Main Cabin — for those wanting to slowly but surely pad their lifetime miles. After all, those are the cheapest ways to earn miles. Maybe you can score some upgrades with your status or Upgrade Certificates.

But the Delta partner runs might be a “double threat” for some.

We generally post Business Class or Premium Economy trips. We don’t want people to be miserable. (Though, we heard less than glowing reviews of some Air France Premium Economy seats.)

Those earn elevated MQD because that figure is determined by fare class and distance flown. You’re getting a bigger MQD return on your airfare than you would flying Delta.

Plus, the destination-to-destination mileage still counts toward your Million Miler earnings.

My family is looking at partner trips for vacations to other continents because we’ll score MQD and travel in comfort — while earning our lifetime miles.

I wrote recently that my daughter is telling everyone we’re going to Japan — despite the fact we haven’t booked anything. We’re very much keeping an eye on Tijuana to Tokyo Narita (via Mexico City) business class fares. Sure, it’s much easier and faster for us to fly from Los Angeles (LAX) to Haneda (HND) — which is the closest airport to the city. But if flying business class isn’t prohibitively expensive and we score far more MQD and lifetime miles on AeroMexico (as opposed to flying Delta) we’re up for making an adventure out of it. (Plus, my daughter gets an extra couple of stamps in her new passport. 🙂 )

On top of that, we can save a bundle using the Amex Business Platinum Card’s 35% rebate on Pay With Points for business class tickets.

It might be worth taking the long way to Hawaii — like this trip to Honolulu trip starting in Tijuana, Mexico’s airport — which you enter from the United States. You get there in relative comfort for decent prices and probably earn better MQD than you get on Delta.

Final Approach

What do you think? Are mileage runs back for Delta flyers? What’s your strategy? Please share your thoughts in the below Comments section!