The establishment of the Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD)?

It was only for status acquisition. To gain status, you had to meet requirements for flown miles or segments and a certain dollar amount. This counted dollars spent only at Delta, on a tax-free plane ticket basis.

In addition, it should be noted that these MQDs only concern American citizens. However, even if passengers of other nationalities are not affected, this information is important to remember because, as mentioned above, these novelties could spread to other airlines in the near future.

For Gold Delta status, it was necessary to collect 50,000 status miles OR 60 segments AND 5,000 dollars (excluding taxes) in plane tickets.

For Platinum status, the requirements were 75,000 status miles OR 100 segments AND $ 7,500 (excluding tax) in airline tickets. Miles, as currency, calculated over a distance were relegated to the past.

Now, if the word “miles” is kept, the only method of accumulation again becomes dollars spent. With, still happy, a bonus depending on the status achieved.

Therefore, there is no longer any question of travel classes. Only the amount paid. Again, tax free.

We can note the aberration which consists in not offering award miles or status miles Medallion (MQD) on award tickets (classes R, O, N) while on such tickets the passenger pays a fuel surcharge. As this is not a tax, it should normally be counted as a dollar spent at Delta Airlines:

• For a passenger without status who recovers 5 miles per dollar
• On a Paris-Rome in Eco class invoiced for 15,000 miles and 72 €, you must have spent the sum of $ 3,000 excluding taxes.
• On the same Business ticket billed for 25,000 miles and € 82, you must have spent the sum of $ 5,000 excluding taxes.
• For a passenger with Diamond status who earns 11 miles per dollar
• Paris-Rome in Eco class requires the sum of $ 1,364 excluding taxes.
• On the same Business ticket, you must have spent $ 2,273 excluding taxes.

If we compare with the old formula thanks to which it was possible to obtain miles with 5cts $ / miles (a very good ratio), the sums to be collected were quite different.

15,000 miles cost only $ 750, and 25,000 miles required an expenditure of only $ 1,250.

Delta announced several good news recently. The first is the possibility of earning MQDs with almost all of its SkyTeam partners. Korean Air is excluded, but Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia are among them.

Good news appendix, this measure is retroactive on tickets purchased since January 1, 2015. A great help for the acquisition of status.

The second good news is the possibility of finding award tickets for only 10,000 skymiles for US domestic flights (outside Hawaii and Alaska, but including some destinations in Mexico and Canada).

The third piece of good news is the 50% increase in award ticket availability, a figure rare and important enough to be noted.

Finally, Diamond members have the option of priority boarding with First passengers.

These novelties are good news and it is interesting that they concern very frequent travelers as well as those who are more occasional.

Now, if the word “miles” is kept, the only method of accumulation again becomes dollars spent. With, still happy, a bonus depending on the status achieved.

Therefore, there is no longer any question of travel classes. Only the amount paid, again, tax free.

We can note the aberration which consists in not offering award miles or status miles (MQD) on award tickets (classes R, O, N) while on such tickets the passenger pays a fuel surcharge. As this is not a tax, it should normally be counted as a dollar spent at Delta Airlines.

For a passenger without status who recovers 5 miles per dollar

On a flight from New York to Montreal in Eco class billed for 15,000 miles and 72 €, you must have spent the sum of $ 3,000 excluding taxes

On the same Business ticket billed for 25,000 miles and € 82, you must have spent the sum of $ 5,000 excluding taxes.

For a passenger with Diamond status who recovers 11 miles per dollar, a flight from New York to Montreal in Eco class requires the sum of $ 1,364 excluding taxes. On the same Business ticket, you must have spent $ 2,273 excluding taxes.

If we compare with the old formula thanks to which it was possible to obtain miles with 5cts $ / miles (a very good ratio), the sums to be raised were quite different.

15,000 miles cost only $ 750, and 25,000 miles required an expenditure of only $ 1,250.

Delta announced several good news recently. The first is the possibility of earning MQDs with almost all of its SkyTeam partners. It’s a great help in gaining status.

The second good news is the possibility of finding award tickets for only 10,000 skymiles for US domestic flights (ie outside Hawaii and Alaska, but including some destinations in Mexico and Canada).

The third piece of good news is the 50% increase in award ticket availability! A figure rare and important enough to be noted.

Finally, Diamond members have the option of priority boarding with First passengers.

These novelties are good news and it is interesting that they concern very frequent travelers as well as those who are more occasional.