flyme2themoon

After calculating the qualifying miles i'm going to earn until the end of the year, i'm going to be 300 miles short to qualify for Premier Exec status next year on UAL. The UAL visa card program that gives "up to 5000" is not an option for me. I also found out after calling the Visa card people from UAL: the EQMs is awarded on UAL purchases. My company pays for my ticket so I dont see any UAL purchases I can make on the visa card.

The one option i am considering right now is to fly somewhere close by that has a fare of $98 plus tax to earn enough mileage to keep my status. The $120 i will spend on this short trip is worth the 1 full year of first class upgrades and free checked in luggage. Any suggestions on any other means I can earn these 300 miles i need before the year ends? Thanks fin advance for your suggestions !

mrwunrfl

Without the cc I am pretty sure you will have to fly. Hopefully there will be a double-EQM offer this year and you won't have to.

You won't get "1 full year of upgrades", you will just have higher priority for upgrades than your Premier status. You will get free bag-check and priority boarding as a Premier.

Premier Exec benefits:
• 100% bonus award miles on United, United Express, USAirways, Lufthansa, and Continental
• Higher priority for upgrades
• Star Alliance Gold benefits
• Check three bags for free [one more than Premier]
• Higher priority for boarding

You would earn 500 EQMs for a UA/UX flight if you currently at least at Premier status. Otherwise it would be actual flight miles (same for other *A carriers).

flyme2themoon

mrwunfurl, thanks for your response. does UA have a 500 EQM minimum credit for short haul flights? the $98 trip i'm looking at ( lax-sfo ) has about 370 actual air miles for each way. does UA give 500 EQMs or 370 EQMs in this example?i've never flown short/commuter flights on UA. i do know that Northwest/Delta rounds up to 500 miles credit for short distance flights.

RonDace

As a premier (2P) you should get 625 miles and if you are currently 1P you would get 1000 miles. I don't think they have changed this but you may want to verify this on the website. It is not uncommon for people to make mileage runs to keep or increase status. I used to take flights between ORD-MSP just to get the segments. The flights I took had the same plane and crew for both flights. I flew to MSP, got off the plane, went to the washroom, got back on the plane.(I made lots of short flights so I always got 1P on segments.) Now that I am retired I expect dirt status next year since I'm not flying anymore.

ms_go

If you have United elite status now, you'll get 500 EQMs for a 370-mile United flight. The 625 miles for 2P or 1,000 miles for 1P, referenced above, would be the redeemable miles earned. Mileage Plus members with no status earn the actual miles flown.

Keep in mind that the 500-mile minimum (EQM and RDM) applies to United flights, and it can vary on partner flights. If, for example, you use US Airways for a short mileage run, double check the rules--at one point, we were only getting United EQMs equal to the actual flight miles on US Airways flights (not the 500 minimum), but I haven't been on US in the last year or so and don't know if that has changed; the website text would suggest not.

RonDace

ms_go is correct, thanks for the correction. Your 370 mile flight should get you 1P in any case since it is more than the 300 miles you need. I haven't flown USAir in a long time, either but I think they did restore the 500 mile minimum for elites.
If it is just a matter of taking a flight somewhere to get to 1P status I would consider it a no-brainer. As a 1P you get 100% bonus RDM and better chances of getting upgrades and you are higher on the standby lists. Go for it.

flyme2themoon

thanks all for your input. it looks like i'm going to have to fly somewhere close by from LAX, most likely LAS or SFO, before the end of the year to close the 370 miles gap to keep my PE status. hopefully there'll be some special promotion on double EQMs so i don't have to do this.

the redesigned UAL webpage is helpful with the info on how many miles you need by year end to qualify for the next status. (talk about great frequent flyer psychology) i've been lucky with the automatic complementary upgrades. since they started this program early this year, i have been upgraded to FC on every single con-US and Hawaii trip i've flown on UA. I also find it easier to use UA's miles vs my Delta miles, seems like UA sets aside more non-rev seats than Delta.

clevelandbrown

Can you reroute some of your planned flights to pick up the extra miles? I was shopping flights last week and noticed two flights between the same destinations, at the same price, and one earned almost 1000 miles more.

flyme2themoon

cleveland, your suggestion is definitely a possibility. when i book for my next trip in october, i will definitely explore the 1-2 stop routes to my destination. if the fare is same compared to the the shorter, non stop itinerary, i'll take the circuitous(sp?) route. oooh, the things we do for those d#&* miles! thanks for your suggestion.

rkkwan

LAX is easy, as many routes are priced one-way (due to competition with Southwest and others), so no need for overnight stay or Saturday night stay to get the cheapest fare. Just spend a few hours, fly somewhere and fly back.

mrwunrfl

The United E-fares, which are discount last-minute fares, include options for same day return.

For example, this week they have Albuquerque (677 miles each way) for "$87" each way. It is actually $67 each way and the ticket price, all in, comes out to $154. You would have 7 hours before your return flight (this Saturday).

Or Fresno, 418 miles for $154, LAX-FAT-LAX in less than 4 hours.

There is also a midweek option, but none available this week.

On USAir, LAX/LGB/SNA-PHX roundtrip would get you the miles you need.

mrwunrfl

flyme2themoon, you will earn 500 EQMs for LAX-SFO if you take the flight on United or UX after you reach Premier status, otherwise you would earn 337 EQMs.

Adding in a connection, as suggested before, will earn more EQMs (e.g. LAX-SFO-BOS instead of LAX-BOS nonstop).

You also want to avoid 1-stop flights, once known as direct flights, where you have two non-stop connecting flights under the same flight number. For example, United 946 is a 1-stop flight LAX-AMS, with a stop at IAD.

If you fly LAX-IAD-AMS under two flight numbers then you will earn 6155 EQMs in economy. If you take UA 946 for the same trip you will earn 5587 miles, a difference of 568.
United dot com might show that UA 946 earns 6155, but I would not believe it.

mrwunrfl

5587 miles being the nonstop distance for LAX-AMS. You get that on UA 946 even though it stops at IAD.

flyme2themoon

wow, mrwunrfl, thanks for the "analysis" and the caveat on the 1-stop with same flt # itineraries. this is new to me. i currently have Premier Exec status so the LAX-SFO will work for me, with 500 miles one way. That should give me 1000 miles with some extra few hundred miles, just in case i have minor miscalculation on the flight i'm going to take between now and the end of the year.

harrytraveller

I am short of 139 EQM for gold. I called the customer service and was told that I am within the tolerance where they will move me to the next level. I am not sure if I should believe the customer service agent.

Gardyloo

<i>I am short of 139 EQM for gold. I called the customer service and was told that I am within the tolerance where they will move me to the next level. I am not sure if I should believe the customer service agent.</i>

Which airline?

qwovadis

Did a hotel stay with Wyndham in the past for a few miles that put me over the top but CO not United but they are the same now.So hotels might be a possiblity.Also a rental car with dollar for me I think last year double miles at FLL last fall both of those kept my elite status as I recall.

Good luck!

rkkwan

You don't get EQMs for shopping or staying at hotels.