Struggling to make Star Alliance Gold this year, suggestions?
 

I've been UA PE for years, but this year I'm struggling to maintain status. I currently need 26,100 miles to reach 50K. I'm planning a trip to the US (I live in Australia) in October which will earn me 23,900 miles, but that still leaves me short 2,200 miles and I have no other travel plans for the year. My usual routing is PER-SIN-NRT--SFO--COS or PER-SIN-NRT-SEA-DEN-COS, I book based upon which flights I can get upgrades on, but I'm wondering if I should look into a different routing to earn a few extra miles.

I'm not enrolled in any programs that earn miles and I'm pretty clueless as to which programs might help me out.

Any thoughts amongst you airline gurus?

I'm in the same boat. Want to have Platinum again, but I used FF miles on my Peru trip, so am way under my level.

There aren't many shortcuts though...You have to fly the miles to have them apply to your status qualification. I do it by looking for flights that have an extra stopover.

I'm going to Bangkok next month. The normal route (Honolulu-Narita-Bangkok-Narita-honolulu)is 13426 miles total. By choosing a stopover in LAX, I will earn just under 23,000 qualifying miles and it was only $150 more. Granted it means another 8-10 hours of travel, but most of that is in the airport layovers. Lucky for me, I have a relative I can visit during mine.

To find these, I go onto Continental's site (it is easier to track the mileage than United) and just do multiple destination trips; HNL-Bkk-LAX-HNL vs HNL-BKK-Houston-HNL, etc. If I can get upgrades on the flights, that is a big bonus as well.

My best trip was a couple of years ago when I was going from Honolulu to the Boston GTG. For $200 more, I added in Narita, which just happened to be offering double elite qualifying miles. I think that flight alone earned me gold status!

You also have friends you can visit ;)

Most miles that earn status are BIS (butt in seat), but sometimes there will be a deal where you can earn miles that apply to earning status. You need to look at the mileage runs (cheap flights taken just to earn status and often same day turn around) threads on Flyertalk. Also the UA threads. Any deals will be posted there.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mileage-run-deals-372/
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milea...iscussion-627/
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...solidated-681/

FYI - On awards, there is MPM (maximum permitted mileage) and MPR (maximum permitted routing). If you link too many, you won't be able to book it if it exceeds the MPM. I'm not sure if there is a maximum on earning miles if you link too many flights together and exceed the MPM.

Thanks guys.

The thought of adding a layover makes me want to puke...26 hours on a plane and two days of travel is plenty for me, but it looks like I need to get creative. I've thought about flying through Bangkok, but the miles look to be very similar and Singapore is much more convenient for so many reasons.

I used FF miles just last month to fly to NZ...couldn't resist - 50k got me Business Class both ways on an overnight flight. Might have screwed myself on that one.

Do a quick mileage run from COS to somewhere in the US. COS-ORD is already over 900 miles each way. Add a connection to somewhere from Chicago and then back to COS, and you're done. Simiarly, COS-IAH is over 800 miles each way.

Adding to rkk, who beat me to the domestic add-on, you could drive up to DEN where fares are really quite cheap, especially into Florida (TPA, MCO, FLL, MIA...) and, often, the mid-Atlantic area (WAS< NYC, PHL, BOS...). A single round trip midweek (if able) would be cheap and fairly quick.

Thanks rkkwan and NoFlyZone. I've checked those fares, FL seems the better buy. I'm also looking into flights from SIN to other parts of Asia, but they're not cheap. I considered meeting a friend in LAS, but that's only 1,765 miles from COS return, so that won't help.

I can't believe I'm even considering this. I don't even like to fly.

I also hate to fly, which is why platinum status is so important to me. It is soo much nicer up front!

COS-IAH-LAS on Continental will give you more than enough.

Now there's a roundabout way of getting to Vegas. I'll take a look.

Looks like $381. That could actually work - thanks rkkwan.

COS-SFO-LAS would also do the job. Actually, any COS-SFO-xxx would do the job because you earn a minimum of 500 EQMs for a UA segment.

At www.gcmap.com type in the route and click map and the results will show a map of the route along with the miles flown. The miles that UA credits might be very slightly different, maybe +- 10 miles.

But any connection (both ways) from COS via HOU or SFO is going to give you enough EQMs.

I was assuming that UA has COS-SFO nonstops but it looks like that is not the case.

Fares for LAS are cheapest on weekdays.

COS-DEN-LAX-LAS would be 2,195 EQMs because you would earn 500 EQMs for the 73-mile COS-DEN flight.

Oct 22, COS-DEN-LAS-LAX, same day return LAX-COS nonstop for $258. Depart COS 8:15 AM and return COS at 5:53PM. That would be 2,695 miles.

There are COS-SFO nonstops. Oct 22, nonstop COS-SFO returning same day SFO-LAX-DEN-COS for $238 all-in.

COS-DEN-LAX-LAS would be 2,195 EQMs because you would earn 500 EQMs for the 73-mile COS-DEN flight.

Oct 22, COS-DEN-LAS-LAX, same day return LAX-COS nonstop for $258. Depart COS 8:15 AM and return COS at 5:53PM. That would be 2,695 miles.

There are COS-SFO nonstops. Oct 22, nonstop COS-SFO returning same day SFO-LAX-DEN-COS for $238 all-in.

error: COS-DEN-LAS-LAX-COS would actually earn 2,461 EQMs.

You should be able to get COS-LAS connecting in SFO/DEN/LAX roundtrip for $238 for 0,1, or 2 night stay. Definitely under $300.

mrwunrfl -

I thought UA stopped giving the 500 EQM minimum, but I just now checked my UA account, and sure enough, I earned 1,000 in May flying from DEN-COS. I guess I got an extra 500 miles for flying Business Class?

My account also shows 1,926 miles for a COS-SFO flight, but I think that was in Economy Plus.

I get confused when I compare the actual flight miles to my United Account. I know I earn 50% more when flying Business Class on UA, but those miles don't count towards EQM, right?

I appreciate your efforts, I really do. I'd much rather fly via LAX or SFO because it just makes sense, and $258 is much more attractive than $381.

You ARE wonderful!

You might also look at the possibility of flying in Business Class (or First, as they call it in the US) on a route where the price differential isn't jaw-droppingly huge. For example, I've taken some 3-4 hour flights in South America, in Europe and in Asia in Bus Class that, while not cheap, weren't outrageous either.

EQM and spendable miles are separate. Think of them as 2 different things.

For EQM, it all depends on fare class. Full fare economy and business/first class pay 1.5x flying miles.

For spendable miles, some business/first fares pay 1.25x flying miles, but there's the elite bonuses. Silver get 25% bonuses, gold/plat 100%.

Here's from CO. UA is the same.

https://www.continental.com/CMS/en-U...ntinental.aspx

https://www.continental.com/web/en-U...e/default.aspx

Once you study those charts, you'll see that the most "efficient" way to earn status and miles is by flying longhaul in economy and achieve gold status. Which is what my parents do year after year. Paying business to earn EQM is not efficient, as you pay ~4x the cost to get 50% more EQM. Plat also doesn't get more spendable miles than gold, so no need to get past that.

Thanks rkkwan.

I just checked flights and now the whole trip might be in jeopardy as fares are so high. I found available upgrades on flights that will work, but at a price - $1,903.40, plus $500 surcharge each way, plus 60,000 miles (total). So, $2,903 to get from Singapore to COS, and close to $1000 to get from PER-SIN. Then, the additional flight to LAS and on-the-ground costs.

I'm questioning whether keeping my PE is worth the time, money and effort. The trip itself isn't necessary, it's just something I'd like to do.

Dear Mel,
Prices sure have gone up to the USA!Hope you find better ones . On the original question, we've often bought those extra miles needed for a long trip from United, and in May when we last flew to the USA from Oz, United offered us a really good price to buy extra miles (by email). DH does all the booking, so I can't quote figures. I remember once, though, several years ago, we spent a fortune for a night in one of the best suites at the Intercontinental in Sydney, just to get extra points, rather than buy them. It was worth it - free drinks and nibbles, and a wonderful place to meet Sydney relatives.

Not being business class flyers, and in these days of crowded aircraft, last May when we had to come back to Sydney from San Fran. prematurely, so no booked seats, DH got four seats up the back to stretch out on, and I got three! Luxury!!!

Hi Carrabella -

Lucky you for scoring an entire row of seats!

Unfortunatly, UA doesn't sell miles that qualify for elite status (although I seem to recall them doing it during a promotion a few years back) just miles to redeem for flights.

Flying from Perth has always been an expensive proposition, especially on SIA, the only Star Alliance partner, but the SIN-COS flights on UA have been in the $1500-$1600 range for the past few years. Then UA added a $400 co-pay in addition to the 25,000 miles per way to upgrade to Business. Apparently, as of June 15, it's jumped to $500 plus 30,000 miles to upgrade each way.

I've looked into flying from SYD-COS, but that routing earns fewer miles and Star Alliance doesn't have an Australian airline partner, so I wouldn't earn any miles flying from PER-SYD.

This is making me crazy!

Traveling a distance that is equivalent to the circumference of the Earth just to get gold status is not worth it, IMHO, unless you can do it for about 4 cents a mile, so under $1100 US for the 26,000 miles.

At 8 cents a mile I would really want to be going to COS. Your tickets at $4000 or so is upwards of 16 cents per mile and that is not counting the value of the net miles used to upgrade. At that rate it would have to be a burning desire for me to go to COS.

If you are thinking about not making the PER-COS trip then the question is: how do you get to Premier status, as you will be 1,100 miles short of 25,000.

For that (or even instead of the LAS trip if you do go to COS) you might take a look at the Chase Mileage Plus credit cards. One of their cards, Mileage Plus Signature Visa, offers (or offered in the past, at least) 5,000 EQMs for signing up. I don't know if that offer, or something like it, is still available. This is FF miles advice only and not financial advice!

This past January, United sent out fast track offers for MP members to get back to their lost status. For example, I dropped from 1K to PE in January. They offered 1K status if I paid a fee of $499 and flew 25,000 miles within 90 days. Other people got offers, some of which were even less atractive. But I had 17,000 miles already booked, so I paid the fee and did a couple of mileage runs. I am not sure if it was worth it. There were offers to people to fast track to PE.

There was a long discussion about this offer at flyertalk. I have a vague recollection that Aussies didn't get the offer, but maybe they did. It was the first time that I know of that UA made such an offer and maybe it was the last.

Thanks again, food for thought.

SYD-LAX-JFK-LAX-SYD + JFK/EWR-LAX-COS would do the trick.

+ the return COS-LAX-JFK.

Continental sells extra EQM when you purchase a ticket of theirs, but so expensive it's really much better off to take a mileage run trip.

I have an award reservation with Continental and just noticed the Elite Maximizer offer.

It gives two options, one for 7500 miles and the other for 20,000 miles.

I could pay $225 for 7,500 redeemable miles (RDMs). That is 3 cents per mile. If I do that then I could pay an additional $338 and get 7,500 elite qualify miles (EQMs).

I could pay $600 for 20,000 RDMs and, optionally, an additional $900 for 20,000 RDMS. A total of $1500

If you value 1 RDM at 1 cent then the 20,000 RDMs would be worth $200. That means that I would be paying $1300 for the 20,000 EQMs, at 6.5 cents per mile.

I could fly to Japan for $900 and earn 12,000 EQMs and 24,000 RDMs. Subtract $240 (the RDM value) from the $900 ticket price and the EQMs cost $660. That is 2.75 cents per EQM.

6.5 minus 2.75 = 3.75 cents. 3.75 * 20,000 RDMs = $750.

Actually flying 20,000 miles would also cost 40 hours. So it is a matter of spending %750 + 40 hours or spending $1500.

Four roundtrips LAX-BOS at $250 per trip would be $1000 and earn 20000 EQMs and 40,000 RDMs. Subtract the RDM value from the ticket prices and the RDMs cost $600 plus 40 hours. Compare that to $1300 plus 0 hours via the offer.

This math only applies for *Gold fliers that earn 100% bonus miles.

Bill
Where did you see this CO offer? I'm looking to book another award trip to BKK in Oct thru CO's web site, using my UA miles (which I've already transferred, so that I can JUMP when the iron is hot...so to speak). Does this CO offer you are talking about come up after you've booked an award trip, or is it in a special place such as "My Promotions" on UA's site? I'd be curious to see what offers I would get from CO.
Carol

Carol - Yes, the offer comes up only after the ticket is issued.

The EQM offer is available for my CO ticket but I don't see it on my UA tickets.

UA offers the Award Accelerator which is the option to buy RDMs.

CO gives the option to "buy extra miles". I had not taken a look at this offer until Ray mentioned buying EQMs.

When you click on that CO option, I am given the two choices for buying the RDMs. After entering my OP number (again) I can select one of the choices. At that point it displays another checkbox for the option to add Elite Maximizer to earn EQMs. So you can buy RDMs only, but in order to buy EQMs you have to buy the RDMs.

It says that the miles post to your account within 24 hours. This is a very interesting feature of the offer. I think it means that I can buy the EQMs now, get the miles, and then cancel and refund my award trip later (fee free as a Platinum).

I would never use the RDM purchase option with either UA or CO, not even if I didn't have lots of RDMs in my accounts. But I could see buying EQMs under this option.

I don't think that I would choose to pay $1500 for the 20,000 EQMs. But paying the $663 for 7,500 EQMs would be an option if it was December and I was at 93,000 EQMs.

It was clever for CO to offer 7,500 miles and not 5,000 miles. If the cost per mile was the same for 5,000 then it would cost $443. I could (and would) do one 5,000 mile mileage run, but 7,500 miles means two trips.