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Will I Earn Elite Miles If I Ditch My Last Flight Segment?

Dec. 13, 2015
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3 min read
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Will I Earn Elite Miles If I Ditch My Last Flight Segment?
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TPG reader Sarung sent me a message on Facebook to ask about earning elite-qualifying miles:

“I capitalized on the recent Santiago deal Delta was running and got a ticket for $400. My routing is LGA-ATL-SCL-ATL-LGA, but I may need to break my journey on the return in ATL and forfeit the final ATL-LGA leg. If I do that, will I lose out on elite miles for the entire trip?”

Delta introduced its revenue-based program at the beginning of 2015, changing how frequent flyers earn redeemable SkyMiles and eliminating the potential to earn a windfall on a long, inexpensive flight. However, Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) are still generally calculated based on the actual distance flown. That means an itinerary like the one Sarung scored (which covers almost 11,000 miles in the air) presents a great opportunity to boost your Medallion status.

Sarung is worried that he may need to ditch his flight back to New York and wants to know whether that will forfeit the MQMs earned on the earlier portion of his trip. Fortunately, there's no cause for concern. While you probably won't earn miles for any flights you skip, Delta awards elite credits after each individual leg of your trip (though they may not appear in your account immediately). In this case, you should earn credit for the two outbound flights plus the return flight from Santiago to Atlanta. You'll only lose the 750 or so miles for that last flight from Atlanta to LaGuardia.

Not all airlines are as generous in this respect. For example, Southwest states explicitly that Rapid Rewards members will not earn points for tickets that are only partly completed. Other airlines (including Delta) might withhold rewards (or worse) if they suspect you're ditching a flight leg to get a better fare — a strategy known as hidden city ticketing. I think that's highly unlikely in Sarung's case, but it's worth noting.

Delta awards elite credits after your flight lands, so missing your last leg won't cause you to lose rewards you've already earned.

Of course, this wouldn't work if you missed the first leg of such a trip (for example, if you found some other way to get to Atlanta). In that case, the remainder of your itinerary would be canceled and you wouldn't be able to board the flight to Santiago without paying a change fee before the first flight departs (and likely a huge fare increase).

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Sarung's example also works because the flight he intends to ditch comes after an international arrival. He'll have to claim checked bags in Atlanta before passing through customs and immigration, so he doesn't have to worry about them continuing on to New York without him. If you're skipping the last leg of a domestic flight, you'll need to account for your baggage.

For more info on earning Delta SkyMiles and Medallion elite status, check out these posts:

If you have any other questions, please tweet me @thepointsguy, message me on Facebook or send me an email at info@thepointsguy.com.

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.