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My travel is nowhere near what it was pre-pandemic, but I had a busy Q1 and Q2 wasn’t much quieter. I had a lot of business travel along with a few trips for fun. Q3 was fairly quiet and I’m having to reconsider what I’ll actually accomplish this year. At the end of each quarter, I like to check to see how I’m pacing and to review if the goals I set in the beginning of the year still seem attainable. Here are my Q3 2024 stats:
Delta Air Lines SkyMiles®
Current Status: Diamond Medallion®
Goal: Diamond Medallion®
Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs): $16,540
I need to reach $28,000 MQDs to retain Diamond Medallion®. I’m at $16,540, which means I have already qualified for Platinum Medallion®. I have $1,396 booked in the near future. I am focusing on retaining other statuses and I think I am going to stop at Platinum for 2025.
Prediction: I have reached Platinum Medallion® and will likely stay at this level.
United Airlines MileagePlus
Current Status: Premier 1K®
Goal: Premier 1K®
Current Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs): 24
Current Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs): 11,277
I need to reach 18,000 PQPs and 54 PQFs or 24,000 PQPs. I have been flying more United lately and will definitely reach Premier Platinum®. I’m going to push for Premier 1K® and will hopefully get there. I am a Million Miler, so I know I won’t drop below Premier Gold® and Premier Platinum® is very close.
Prediction: I will possibly reach Premier 1K® by the end of the year or will drop to Premier Platinum®.
Spirit Airlines Free Spirit®
Current Status: Free Spirit Gold
Goal: Free Spirit Gold
Current Status Qualifying Points (SQPs): 2,097
I earned the status through a status match and it’s good until December 2024. I’ve been flying more Spirit and have several flights booked. I feel good about retaining this status and will need 5,000 SQPs by the end of the year to do so.
Prediction: I generally enjoy Spirit and will likely retain Free Spirit Gold.
World of Hyatt®
Current Status: Globalist
Goal: Globalist
Current Qualifying Nights: 33
I need to reach 60 nights by the end of 2024. I have been staying a lot at Marriott and Hilton properties this year. I’m still a bit behind, but am catching up. Globalist is too valuable and I will mattress run if needed to maintain it.
Prediction: I will retain Globalist status.
Marriott Bonvoy®
Current Status: Titanium Elite
Goal: Titanium Elite
Current Qualifying Nights: 68
I received 25 nights from holding the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card and 15 more from the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card. I need 7 more nights to reach Titanium Elite again and have these booked. I am Lifetime Platinum Elite, so I know no matter what I won’t go below that level. I was Ambassador pretty much since it was introduced by SPG. The program has been diluted so much that I no longer strive for this level with its minimal benefits above Titanium Elite. My stays in Q4 will push me over the Titanium threshold.
Prediction: I will retain Titanium Elite.
Hilton Honors
Current Status: Gold
Goal: Goal
Current Qualifying Nights: 10
I hold Gold status with Hilton Honors as a benefit from having The Platinum Card® from American Express. I stayed 10 nights this year at Crockfords Las Vegas, LXR Hotels & Resorts and the Conrad Las Vegas at Resorts World as well as a few nights at SLH properties in Europe. I’ll have more Hilton stays later this year. It doesn’t matter though. I’ll retain the status because I get it as a credit card benefit.
Prediction: I’ll retain Gold status from carrying The Platinum Card® from American Express.
Anthony’s Take: I’m mostly on track to retain the status levels that I want to maintain. I will do what I need to in order to maintain the status levels I value most.
Anthony’s Credit Card Picks: When I’m staying at a Marriott hotel, I want to maximize my points earned. My card of choice is the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. With it, I earn six Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar spent at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program. It also includes up to $300 statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month ) for dining in restaurants worldwide. Plus, a free night award that I can redeem at any Marriott hotel with a redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points. Rates & fees. Terms apply.
I love the lounges where The Platinum Card® from American Express grants me access. It has had a prominent place in my wallet for many years now. While it does have an annual fee of $695, it provides many travel benefits and will always be my go-to for lounge access (both Delta Sky Clubs® and Centurion Lounges) and booking airfare from the airlines to earn 5x points (up to $500,000 per calendar year). Learn more. Rates & Fees. Terms apply.
(Featured Image Credit: Rohan.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
