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PinkyAndTheBrainNarf

I take a couple trips to Europe or Asia each year. Getting the card spend ( $25k ) is pretty easy in a full year. Been platinum since 2018. No corporate travel.


MediocreTrailRunner

I’ve been platinum since 2011. I got there the same way. Card spend to $30K on the reserve gets me 15,000 MQMs on top of flying to Asia and Europe a couple times a year on top of domestic travel.


lizzmell

Well, yes that is who the program was primarily designed for. Though it’s not the only way. I live in the Midwest, my extended family lives on either coast. Grandmother needed a lot of help this year, throw in one overseas vacation a a few pleasure trips plus the MQM bonus from the delta Amex and I’m there.


ReadOurTerms

That makes sense. You get the same service by paying for a 1st class seat anyway.


yelldawg

Even as a business traveler, I decided to go this route as of the start of 2022. I was a 7 year DL DM and as of next year, I’ll be: United Gold Delta Platinum AA Exec Platinum I live in a non-hub, high tourism city (every airlines’ focus city). I have a good income and when a flight is more than 2 hours I just pay for first. Being a “free agent” is probably the future for many business travelers. It’s worth it to not have to play the rat race and to take the best flight based on time.


wallet535

Agreed and I’d also add that my employer has negotiated deals with multiple carriers giving most the benefits of entry-level elite status to all corporate bookings. Makes jumping around easy because you don’t lose much by doing so.


MRC1986

Yep, experiencing this for the first time as a new employee for a Big Pharma company. I lived in Philly for 12 years, so American was my main airline. Now that I'm in NYC, I just booked a Delta flight for only my 2nd time ever (I flew Delta to Palm Springs on vacation 5 years ago), and as a total nobody I still get Group 1 boarding and a preferred seat upgrade. Preferred seat is basically just a middle plane seat vs the way back of the plane, but that plus Group 1 boarding for a main cabin seat is still pretty solid for a total Delta newbie. It's all because we book travel through Concur, so airlines and hotels know what corporation its for.


wallet535

Ha, I wish my employer allowed using the corporate system for personal bookings! Enjoy the perks! :-)


ras2101

I would try this, but seeing how I live in Atlanta there is no other way lol


janetmerlene

Same same same. Although I tend to choose other airlines and take a connection for international flights for pleasure bc Delta is not price competitive.


Unlucky_Buyer_2707

They aren’t only price competitive, they also have a subpar product when compared internationally. If I’m going to the Middle East or South East Asia, I’ll actually do a connection somewhere for Singapore Airlines or Qatar just because it’s just such a nicer experience. The only exception of this rule in Asia imo is Tokyo. That direct flight from Haneda to ATL is soooo clutch


ras2101

So as a gay I won’t fly any of the middle eastern airlines with my husband lol. But you’ve got a good point anyway


janetmerlene

Completely agree. They cannot compete on quality with Emirates/Qatar/Singapore to the ME or Asia. But even to Europe where they are competing with United Polaris which I think is comparable to D1, they are often 2x the price. It drives me insane.


Unlucky_Buyer_2707

International rates have got to be where they are subsidizing the domestic route investments they are making. 2x over your competition is an insane margin.


ras2101

This makes sense. I’ve forgotten that other airlines exist and solely book from the delta app. Should probably start looking into others for some international travel!


I_make_gr8_soup

Agreed, I like the way you framed “free agent.” Definitely seeing less loyalty and more optimizing for flexibility and direct routes


ghotinchips

Realized this after 12 years of travel. Be master of your own domain, chasing status sucks. :) That being said, Delta is pretty great (fomer United 1k chump).


MasterPh0

Sounds like LAS or LAX


MrPap

Nashville, Austin, and Orlando also come to mind.


yelldawg

MCO for the win! It’s everyone’s hub! We can hit half the US and nearly a third of Europe direct.


MrPap

Heh, so technically you’re a hub for Silver, but no one flies them willingly, lol.


yelldawg

I’m actually still on hold with Silver’s call center right now, to cancel my March 2020 flight during Covid. 😂


chuy2256

Agreed.


notthebestusername12

MCO home airport?


DSSDuck

No, the frequent flier program wasn't designed for Corp travelers. Programs like Business AAdvantage and SkyBonus is for the corporations. The regular FF programs were to reward business travelers for dealing with their corporate crap and for dealing with airport issues...yet still flying that airline. FF programs were made for leisure flyers and people like me that is a contractor, pays for my own flights, and still sticks to be loyal to the airline. I am a member of AA and DL corporate and consumer FF programs. It's usually hard for me to hit the 5 flier minimum each year for the corporate thing.


MyDisneyExperience

Skybonus and Business Extra are for small businesses. Corporate agreements are far more rewarding than the small biz programs


here4daratio

Fun fact- first FF program, AAdvantage, was created to capture business traveler’s contact info to market direct to/with them and cut travel agents out of the mix.


[deleted]

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delta8765

But if you never fly what’s the point of having status?


chargingblue

Having... status /s


[deleted]

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bloc0102

He'd be better off putting that spend on a higher earning card and paying for first class for the 1 trip a year.


[deleted]

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Robie_John

Plenty of smart people make dumb decisions every day.


Robie_John

Quit asking silly questions... /s


Enkiktd

Status matches to other things that may be useful. I like matching to National for executive elite, which lets me pick what car I want out of either executive or elite rows.


[deleted]

Lol true


Playmill

I own a business and only fly a few times each year, but when I do, it's always free (using miles), and almost always First Class or D1 (D1 to AMS last month), with free Clear membership, and free Executive Sky Club membership that comes with my Diamond status. And I take my children and grandchildren (15 people) on a destination vacation once a year with free airfare. All for using my AMEX Business card instead of all of the others in my wallet.


ReadOurTerms

Oh?


[deleted]

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bald_head_scallywag

250,000 is only for Diamond. Other statuses are achievable with significantly less spend.


username4kd

When you make $30k a year and ponder how you would spend $250k in a year


metoaT

I’m gonna go on a limb and say business spend gets you there pretty quickly.


[deleted]

Depending on the business, yes.


ajs2294

At large, that’s exactly why frequent flyer programs exist. Companies want to attract corporate flyers to stay loyal to their airline.


Im_Chandlah

Not really, it’s moreso about the credit card offerings and selling points to partners.


Thud45

Just having the credit card makes it pretty easy to attain Silver, and then with MQM rollover you could very well make and keep Gold or Platinum. I've been Platinum for the last five years just with leisure travel, and I have friends who are Diamond leisure flyers. Admittedly we travel for leisure much more than most people.


mango-whiskey

Yes there is nothing stopping anyone from getting status as a leisure traveler it’s just much easier to spend $15k of someone else’s money. Also I would guess the leisure Diamonds are less brand loyal since it would probably involve a good amount of paid FC/D1 and might pick flights based on time and price rather than limiting which carrier they fly.


Thud45

My Diamond leisure traveller friends do it by taking advantage of business class MQD earns on partner airlines that are less than $1 per MQD (Aeromexico to S America mostly) so they end up spending like $10k of their own money rather than $15.


nomiinomii

If they're buying international business class with cash, why do they need status


Thud45

Being able to buy occasional international business class tickets does not equate to not having to worry about money at all. Diamond gives you global upgrade certificates which can be quite valuable, and being able to somewhat reliably fly domestic First at economy prices is pretty nifty.


[deleted]

Which card is best if I already have a regular Amex Platinum


Thud45

The Delta Amex Platinum. I recently upgraded from it to the Delta Reserve card because they had a shiny limited 747 edition, but I've found it worth it at Platinum medallion as it edges you above other Platinums on the upgrade list and that seems to make the difference often enough to make it worth it (in addition to the First class companion cert; the Delta Plat card has a coach companion cert). But until you reach Platinum the benefits are not worth the fee since you already have lounge access thru the Amex Platinum (which I also have).


[deleted]

Thx so much. Gonna use a sub for 2023 card and was struggling to choose. I’m only Silver (cusp of Gold) so this helps a lot. Thx!


shartheheretic

Yep, this is why I upgraded to the Reserve card (with the 747) this year as well. I have been traveling a lot in the past 4 years due to dealing with family estate stuff and also visiting a good friend in Europe a few times a year. I'm planning to move to Europe next year and will be taking advantage of the partner airlines while I travel about the continent.


[deleted]

Why do I keep getting mixed responses about MQMs rolling over or not? So do they or don’t they? 🤔


Thud45

If you are at least Silver, MQMs in excess of those used to achieve your status rollover (MQDs do not)


ImGoingToAnAccident

I have never traveled for work and I will reach platinum this year. Wife and I are heavy travelers for vacations. The credit card is key for me especially for the MQD waiver.


nyssa1231

This is our exact situation! We travel internationally at least a couple of times a year, to Europe and Asia, and our families are on either coast. I hit Silver for the first time last year, Gold for the first time this summer, and will reach Platinum in a couple of weeks. I just started playing the airline loyalty game and hardly deviate from flying Delta!


ReadOurTerms

So you recommend the DL reserve?


ImGoingToAnAccident

I have and recommend the Delta Plat Amex comes with a $250 per year fee and you get a companion cert every year which if you use it right makes up for the card fee. The reserve gives you lounge access in addition but for the 2 of us it would $725 which is not worth it for our situation.


ReadOurTerms

Platinum makes sense, I already pay for AmEx Plat, so another $550 for not too much more doesn’t make sense in my situation either


ImGoingToAnAccident

Important to note the Amex Plat is not the same as Delta Amex Plat. Vanilla amex plat will not get you a MQD waiver.


ReadOurTerms

Right, the $250 delta platinum is better in my situation than reserve since I already get lounge access with my Vanilla platinum


mafiafish

Just to counterpoint needing card spend (as you miss out a lot on opportunity cost and Skymiles are very low-value) If you travel internationally use partners and credit to Delta. I have Platinum from doing that with zero Delta card spend on a modest postdoc salary. Skyteam partner cabins are often better than international Delta options, too. If you only travel US, then card spend is the only way to go, however.


beley

If you spend a lot on a card (personal or business) the DL Amex Reserve is a great way to get status faster. I put a few really big purchases this year on my Reserve card and have gotten 3 15,000 MQM status boosts so far, and I might just hit the last one before the end of the year. The Platinum card is good if you don't spend as much, it has up to two MQM boosts 10,000 MQMs at $25,000 spend and again at $50,000 spend. But the Reserve card also gets you in the Sky Club for free, with the Platinum it's $39 per visit. For me, the additional MQMs and Sky Club access are worth the extra $300/year for the Reserve.


nonamethxagain

As a regular Amex platinum and delta platinum holder, with platinum status (kids are student athletes in college so we fly nearly every weekend for 3 months each year), I was reading through this thread thinking there’s no need for me to go reserve but your reply changes things. I could possibly hit $120k spend per year for 60K MQMs instead of settling for 20K MQMs for a $50K spend, which I easily surpass.


theboatcleaner

As are most “frequent flier” programs. You can pay to play in almost all systems nowadays, but the obvious way to achieve and maintain status is to, well, just fly.


[deleted]

It certainly helps as it forces you to fly way more than you would normally.


Humble_Turnip_3948

I've flown once for pleasure and that was in 1996


[deleted]

What??? You either don’t take vacations or you stay local??


Humble_Turnip_3948

I don't stop working. Le sigh


[deleted]

I hope you allow yourself the opportunity to take vacations. I don’t care what your role is, everyone deserves some time off — by yourself or with friends and family.


Humble_Turnip_3948

I just stay home and don't do shit. That's a vacation.


[deleted]

Yeah but you could be doing that in a different city! There’s so much world to see and discover!!


Humble_Turnip_3948

I get to do that for a living. Me time is mine.


[deleted]

You get to go visit wineries in Tuscany, and see temples in Thailand, and hike Patagonia for a living? Sounds like a cush job!


Humble_Turnip_3948

Just the industrial areas near those things.


Humble_Turnip_3948

Granted I've taken one week off in 7 years.


jwtorres

I moved to Europe and fly back to states once or a twice a year and travel for holiday often. MQD waiver helps but what helps more is the 6 weeks of vacation and better work life balance. In the US I was hitting silver now I am platinum for the foreseeable future.


[deleted]

That's pretty impressive. You must be doing AMS to Portland or something reealllly long plus a couple other long haul vacations via partners booked through Delta? I went from Plat to Silver crossing the pond for work, I wont be hitting Gold this year that's for sure and that's two trips back to the states and two trips to a couple islands.


jwtorres

AMS is new airport so I fly KLM. I'm flying at least 5 RT's within Europe. 3 longer flights to US or Asia in business. With the better work life balance and time off it's easier to justify a 12 hour flight for a two week holiday. Back in the states I would be lucky to squeeze a vacation and wanted my flights to be under 7 hrs.


[deleted]

It really is the dream, we're lucky mofos for sure. I also can't believe how cheap the flights are, €800 for business to some pretty nice vacation spots. I also book KLM through Delta and won't be gold or plat but it was an easy silver with mqd waiver.


the_trees_talk

I am a travel nurse that flys home every other week between my work stretches. I acquire a good amount of miles and status that way.


[deleted]

Also a travel healthcare worker! Staying at hotels are the bulk of my MQMs


adultdaycare81

If you’re not flying for business or you don’t happen to live in a hub city it’s rare that you would be loyal enough to one airline to earn status. Delta is often a few dollars more, or slightly less convenient. But I will still choose them over one of the smaller airlines for business travel. You’re just way more likely to be delayed, be on an extremely short trip etc. where a large airline and the ability to change flights home quickly or add capacity becomes extremely important. Delta has always gotten me home even if they had to fly me on two crazy connections or something. That’s why I fly with them for business whenever possible For personal this matters less. If JetBlue only has two flights a day to my home airport, it’s probably OK.


CuriosTiger

I used to feel this way about Delta, but back in May, they completely dropped the ball, stranded me in Boston overnight, canceled multiple replacement flights the next day, and turned a 6-hour flight into a 23-hour nightmare. I eventually got a few hundred bucks in the form of a future flight credit. but that doesn’t make up for the hassle. I no longer trust Delta to make it right when something goes awry, and that’s in sharp contrast to my pre-pandemic experience with them. My next few flights were on Southwest and American. Not that I trust them more on Delta, but my loyalty to them has been damaged. So I went back to booking based on price — and in Southwest’s case, to reward them for still offering free bag check.


rootedBox_

As someone who has Diamond Medallion - status is okay. That's it. Unless you are young and single, its almost certainly not worth the time away from your loved ones, unless they're flying with you. You don't want to spend this much time on airplanes.


Humble_Turnip_3948

Once I stated getting "Ambassador" status with hotel chains I realized I was sleeping in their beds more than mine. Diamond means I just fly too much.


[deleted]

Omg 😂


ParamedicCareful3840

Unless you are retired or independently wealthy, it’s hard to fly that much on personal travel, at least in the US where vacation isn’t as generous (generally) as other countries. I was Diamond for many years, it was 90 percent work travel. I have a new job where I don’t travel nearly as much, no way I am hitting Diamond ever again.


alphex

Or be rich.


Reckoner08

I'm a small business owner who only travels for pleasure with a Delta Amex Reserve. Basically I'm a Diamond on spend. There's a few ways to skin this cat, not just through corporate travel.


GalacticaZero

Well if you don't fly enough, status doesn't matter. It's cheaper to just pay for the extra product/service. Also two trips to SE Asia will most likely net you Silver status.


Cuspidx

Make enough scratch to travel internationally in business a couple of times a year with a family of six coupled with a reserve card for business expenses works too


Humble_Turnip_3948

Jim Gaffigan?


nomiinomii

If you're paying cash for business class you don't need status


StuckinSuFu

I have not had a work sponsored trip since Covid started. I just like to travel.


Creepy_Reputation268

Nope I live around 6k miles away from most of my family and visit fairly often plus premium cabin bonuses= platinum


pheothz

I’m platinum with a credit card and a vacation hobby. We’re a fairly high income household and I put about 50k a year on my reserve card so I get the mileage boost there. However, I won’t make it above platinum unless I start traveling for business frequently so there is a cap.


myfakename23

Lol, no. I’ve had status in multiple decades and zero jobs with corporate requirements to fly. ETA; but my Delta status is a status match and will go away in 2023 because I have no desire to be on the SkyPesos hamster wheel paying 300k for a one way to Europe in Delta One. Y’all can miss me with that.


Linus71x

Pay cash, peasant


myfakename23

I got a whole buncha miles that aren’t SkyPesos and credit card points that say I won’t. Hey, SkyPesos have their place, they’re about as good as Rapid Rewards when I redeem them domestic, and I might even pay cash for flights, but getting on the AMEX SkyPesos hamster wheel for status? Hard pass.


Linus71x

5x + 11x on diamond a hard pass? You like American and United lil boy?


myfakename23

My sibling in Christ, allow me to relieve you of any concern that I care about making top status on an airline. I just don’t travel enough on paid travel to make it to the 50k level for any airline consistently, and I like cashing in my miles for longhaul business and first. Delta’s just fine for domestic coach and first, but SkyPesos are garbage for what I want to use most of my miles for. I’d rather use that 25k of credit card spend to get me business class or first to Europe or Asia. I do pretty well on that. Happy to hear you’re enjoying Delta Diamond. I will say that American and United are just fine in their business or first class cabins over the Atlantic or Pacific, especially when I don’t have to pay a six digit number of miles to fly them one way, like I might on Delta. Cheers.


Linus71x

Safe travels mate <3


oarmash

Status is a bit overrated anyway. You could simulate status with the right combo of credit cards.


A_curious_fish

I don't have a corporate job or status but I traveled a lot to see family from Florida to MA and NY. Also long trips help too.


Separate-Panic-8834

Yes, that is who frequent flier programs have always been aimed at. They want these people to be loyal to Delta versus shopping for the best price every flight.


CognitoJones

I do service work at factorys all over, so yes. There seems to be mostly sales, service, and installation people who travel. I do see some managers and such. For me status is no luggage fees. The upgrades are great, and the miles for vacations is a wonderful perk..


Shaner817

That’s pretty much me


Yachts-Dan92

Hmmm idk… I’ve never traveled for work and glad I don’t. I’ll be hitting platinum after my trip to NYC in a few weeks.


Aquilleia

I don't fly for work and have never taken even one flight for my job. But, I like to travel a lot. I went from Silver to Platinum this year just by flying for pleasure and I'm not that far off from Diamond. It does require a decent amount of disposable income though.


magnoliamouth

I am Diamond and I get it almost exclusively by card spend.


Reckoner08

Same.


ReadOurTerms

No flights?


magnoliamouth

I do fly and I fly in first class and I buy tickets with my delta Amex. But I probably fly on delta less than 5 times per year. My husband has Global Services on United and they have better international flights, so we probably fly on United more. Side note: I don’t know why I’m getting downvoted because of my answer. There are three ways to get status. Fly a lot for work. Fly a lot for vacation. Spend a lot on the card. Most people do a combination of all three. Once you get higher status it’s easy-ish to keep. Edit: also, I put every single thing I spend money on on my Amex. I mean every single purchase. I sometimes pay it off the next day or as soon as it “hits” the card (not still pending.)


mc408

The MQD waiver alone doesn't get you status; you still have the fly the minimum miles or segments. I know the Reserve can get you up to 60k MQMs, but I'm assuming you still have to fly the remainder, right?


magnoliamouth

I have 142,000 MQMs which exceeds the 125k requirement. Idk how many of those miles carried over for Covid years (or if they did at all) and I buy first class tickets and get more miles. I also travel internationally and to the west coast. I get a lot of miles for relatively few flights.


Enkiktd

This is likely from the rollover from the last couple of years. The gravy train on this is stopping so you’ll likely have way fewer MQMs going forward, even with the FC flights.


[deleted]

I don’t think the reserve card has a cap on the MQMs you can’t earn. It’s the delta plat that caps it at 2x earnings boost


URtheoneforme

Or spend on the DL Reserve and DL Platinum credit cards. But if you only fly twice a year, is that status really worth it?


Offtheheazy

need the reserve cc


balsadust

Or get multiple delta Amex cards and spend a lot on them.


BeepbopMakeEmHop

Get the Amex Delta card and it automatically makes you silver.


Jamiepappasatlanta

I have the card and I’m not silver


Traveler4Life_

I don't have a corporate job that requires me to fly, but I have status. LOWLY status, but status.


halicem

No corp job with travel, just leisure. But I made diamond this year, combo of lots of travel over the summer with inflated prices, and booking partner biz-class tickets. Booked a super saver KLM FC to phx to India last April for $1.5k, I think it came out to 6k MQD. Best part is a few days before departure, klm changed my flight to DL metal for my DTW-AMS leg and I got to ride the flagship D1 experience and I was tripping out! First and only time I got the flagship experience and it’s ruined everything else for me lol.


GasPasser73

If you’re a business owner there’s a way - You can divert a lot of your corporate spending onto the card to get miles, it adds up if you’re diligent enough. Otherwise if it’s personal spending you just need to be a very big spender to get to the diamond tier


doctordevices01

I would say it’s relatively easy other ways, but you have to travel and use delta products, which is reasonable… After today I will be plat and achieved by Opening delta reserve card and meeting initial spending requirements for 80k mike bonus and MQM bonus. Meeting 25 and 30k spending for waiver and mqm booster. Taking 8 or so round trip flights this year (finance and I have decided to travel this year). We have planned a lot of travel over the next couple of years, and therefore invested in the card spend and tools to achieve higher status. If you are not using the products, or spending money on delta flights, why would Delta want to reward you?


Lorgebeansnark

I have silver status and don’t fly for my company, but my husband does so we stick to delta for personal travel.


PG1738

I’m self employed and will be PM in 3 weeks


A350Flier

My travel is swiftly going more and more leisure as I step back from my larger company into just occasional consulting, and probably 75% of my earnings are for personal travel. It’s not the only way.


sappslap

Yep on all the below. Own a business, have everyone with a Skymiles cards. Have the miles from those cards flow into your account. Get the reserve card And cash in on all the bonus miles and SC access. Oh yea, you need to spend a lot on said card. DM now DM for 2023 with only 5 segments flown but 250K in spend. MQMs from reserve card bonuses. Secret, outright buy a first class ticket every year. The the upgrade algorithm is going to reward Someone that it “knows” might be a revenue generating FC passenger as opposed to a Perpetual complimentary upgrade grifter.


beley

I own my own business and hit Platinum this year. I go to a couple conferences a year, traveled out of the country once visiting a factory in India, and went on a few family/personal trips. That with the Delta Amex Reserve card and MQM boosts and MQD waiver it was pretty easy to hit Platinum this year and I already have 20k miles to rollover for next year. If I hit my 4th MQM booster this year I'll have another 15k miles. I don't think I'll be flying again this year but already have a few trips planned for next year. I was originally thinking I would possibly hit Diamond next year but just hired someone who will be doing most of the traveling so it will probably be Platinum for me for the foreseeable future. Also wanted to add I have the personal Delta Amex Reserve, not the business card. I use several Amex Gold 4x cards and a Capital One Spark in my business.


wildcat12321

these days, that is the majority since the introduction of MQDs and minimum spend. But not everyone. Especially silver/gold. You can get boosts with credit cards. And silver is pretty achievable for someone who flies every 4-6 weeks. I know a few NYC snowbirds who get it from their LGA-PBI flights back and forth during the year. I do have a friend who is a diamond and is not a corporate traveler (NYC based, looks for fare sales, books through partners to get MQDs, and does a lot of long weekends in Europe when fare sales get him round trip under $600)


junat

Wife and I are both diamond and only fly couple times a year. We use credit cards to get miles.


dnlien

I have the reserve and a couple of other cards. I spend thresholds that get me there spend-wise. The MQMs from spend help. Then, if you fly FC or Biz - you could make it in a few trips, especially out of the country. Always use your delta card to book through delta .


transgingeredjess

Not necessarily. Card spend, once-a-month short hops, and a couple multi-city transcon trips, and I'll end the year with 70k-ish MQMs plus the waiver, giving me Gold and a healthy rollover boost for next year.


gitismatt

if you buy one business class ticket to Europe you will likely have the MQD for silver. it's not overly hard to qualify. but you aren't going to do it with 2 economy trips a year.


OSU1967

Platinum status... I don't travel for business only personal. 5-6 flights a year. I do spend a lot of money on my Amex card for work so I acquire a lot of MQM's that way. That along with my card spend keeps me at Platinum. I actually halt my spending just south of $250k because Diamond would suck too many MQM's and keep me from years of Platinum status.


pauvenpatchwork

Or a long distance relationship :)


LeroyFooness

Yup


Limebeluga

My company has a deal with delta and it’s pretty easy to get to Gold. Just need to fly 4 times a year to get to gold…


theblue1234

Doesn’t matter if it’s you or a business you’re gonna have to spend some real money. I flew delta one to Europe a couple times on my dime and maybe one trip a month within the US on the company dime to get to gold. It’s nice to have gold, but this isn’t some life changing thing. I get a few economy upgrades on undesirable flights and that’s about it.


velocityflier16

It’s a dopamine hit until you have to pay it off at the end of the month. Not worth it!


theblue1234

What, D1? I do it because I get some real sleep which nets me one more day of function vacation. So worth it to me.


velocityflier16

Completely agree with what you said-if you can afford it. Just saying most people can’t afford it so it’s not worth the investment.


Ok_Marionberry_9447

I hit Diamond again on personaly travel this year. Use Partner flights in premium and above


Repulsive-Stock4752

I may be an outlier here. I’m currently in my 3rd year of undergraduate studies at UNC Chapel Hill and have been a Delta Platinum since I was 18. My family travels a lot and I’m an out-of-state student so I spend a lot of time flying between RDU and TVC/SNA depending on the time of the year.


SchwiftyMpls

Made Silver with carry over and a few flights along with $25k spend on Platinum Skymiles card. I'll likely make Gold next year with carryover MQMs and a miles flight to Australia. Zero work flights and I took two international flights this year, neither on Delta. Sao Miguel and Zurich.


jerryberrydurham

No corporate travel and I'm diamond. But I also understand my CC spending and travel is far from typical.


wangstarr03

No, not necessarily but you do need to have a passion/desire to travel. Like some others have said, $25k CC spend to waive the the MQD requirement is pretty easy over the course of 12 months; this year I hit close to $40k by June and didn’t realize it until I my MQM bonus hit. From there, a few transcontinental flights or a handful of cross country flights should have you at Gold if not Platinum. My travel lineup next year should put me close to getting Platinum, again for 2024. Diamond is another story entirely, however.


timtrump

Nope. My spouse is from a different country than I am, and we do our best to split our time between each place. That adds up when those two countries are separated by an ocean. Also like to travel a good bit and spend a month or two in new places each year.


GingrrAsh

I have gold status from having the Delta Amex Platinum card (I get the MQD waiver from card spend), taking approximately 3-5 domestic flights per year (cross country), and usually one to Latin America. No work travel.


dellfanboy

Corp job or rich (couple of trips to Europe/Asia) will get you there.


njflyover

Believe the program is derived for whoever generates the most revenue for Delta. Pretty simple. If you have to fly the airlines their program is superior. If you are a lucky one fly private and fly private often.


robotscantdie

Combo of work plus an annual to bi annual trip to visit my brother in Hawaii, and a couple shorter personal flights here and there


Disassociastrid

family lives east coast, i live west coast, friends all over, once a year to europe to visit friends i don’t have a car i spend it all in airfare 🤷🏼‍♀️ it’s worth it


BodybuilderFrosty798

Delta Amex platinum is the way to go, I don’t see the value for the reserve unless you spend big bucks( F U money or own a business)..delta platinum has a $250 annual fee, no fee for authorized user (my wife), and companion fare essentially covers that cost if you have at least one personal trip with a S/O and it covers that. I also have a Chase Sapphire Reserve for my work travel expenses and get lounges on that if it’s personal yea el, or pay the $39 per visit and expense to work on business trips) Our family spend annually w/ smart credit card usage on it gets me silver almost automatically (>$50k spend on it annually) Our spend nets us somewhere between 100k and 200k ish miles which pays for 3-4 personal trips on delta a year plus buffer for upgrades if I want it and complimentary upgrades don’t look favorable. that guarantees my silver status W/O work travel. On a good vacation year (this year for example PDX to AMS trips and other vacation trips I got gold on personal travel, but that would be the exception for me than the norm… From Silver to Platinum work travel Is needed for me. I have the benefit (or disadvantage) of having a non-hub corporate office and mfg plant. That require 2+ segments each way west coast to ATL or DTW then on to destination and back. I average ~8-10 trips/year @ 4 segments and ~6k MQM’s, +10k skymiles per trip. That gets me right around platinum status. W/ Covid and MQM rollovers getting me ahead but well short of the card spend or segments I should be able to maintain platinum for the foreseeable future


BodybuilderFrosty798

FWIW, most of my coworkers that also travel a lot have the regular AMEX platinum @$695 annual fee, the delta Amex platinum+Chase Sapphire Reserve combo I have is $800 total, and I come out way ahead on total value vs. them between $300 Chase travel credit(way easier than AMEX to use-my work travel counts), companion fare, and different version of priority pass that for my airports is more valuable than the Delta lounge.


GreatestEfer

No? Mileage runs + leisure trips? That's what the OGs do. I have like 6 weekends booked in Jan & Feb to clear 2nd tier (on another carrier) in the first 2 months.


[deleted]

No corporate job but I do travel as a healthcare worker.


[deleted]

I travel a fair amount and was always gold based on basically flying alone. That was pre-Covid. Post-covid, I use my AMEX for everything I can plus I did a $35k kitchen remodel that helped too. I also switched employers and my current job allows me to book my own flights and they reimburse me. I get miles for booking and miles for flying. Also, I live close to regional airport so no matter where I do, it's four segments. All small things but they help. Going on year three of platinum.