Thanks, mrwunrfl. Somehow I missed the exclusions for V/W on ual.com when I first read it yesterday. I guess I was expecting a chart of some sort listing the eligible fares.

[Anyways, just want to add something semi-useful. Few years ago I bought a super cheap US-HKG flight on AC via a Travelocity "exclusive fare". Surprisingly, it still earned 100% Mileage Plus miles.]

Laurie --

As an alternative to buying the miles, sign up for a United Mileage Plus Visa card -- depending on the current offer, it's either free for the 1st year, or $60 for the first year. And you get a sign-up bonus of from 15000-20000 miles. A great deal, obviously (just remember to cancel the card after 1 year, and NEVER carry a balance, as the interest rates are ridiculously high).

This isn't terribly useful if you need the miles right away, as it will typically take 6-8 weeks from the time you apply for the card until you get the 15/20k miles posted to your account.

rizzuto/laurieco
I think you also have to USE that card (at least once) for the miles to kick in. Just getting it in your hands doesn't give you the miles. They appear on your next statement after a purchase with the card.

I got the United Visa card before I left for Java and have used it. I got the deal of no fee for the first year and 20k miles. I've had an American Airlines MC for the past 15 years and have accrued a ton of miles with it. The plan was to get rid of the MC when I got the United card but I can't seem to bring myself to do it, even though I can't stand American anymore. Besides, I only need about 3000 more miles on American to reach 100,000 miles needed for 2 free tickets to Japan so it's worth the $50 for one more year.

Laurie, you can get a 2nd UA card; you just have to wait a short time (I usually wait 4-5 months) since getting your previous one. Chase doesn't mind at all that you have 2 cards.

Also, you can get another 10,000 miles per card per year for $75 by upgrading the Visa card to gold, then writing one of those transfer-funds checks. You get 0.5 miles per $1 on those checks with a gold MP visa, and you can earn up to 10,000 miles per card per year. The fee for writing the check is usually 3% of the check amount -- but most of the time they will offer a cap of $75. (Before you write the check, make certain that there is a $75 cap, or you'll pay a fortune.)

Don, does writing a check involve carrying a balance over? I absolutely refuse to have a balance on any card. I've always paid my credit cards in full every month and wouldn't have it any other way. The card companies probably hate me for it! I also refuse to use those checks that they send every once in a while, I consider them to be a very bad deal, like a cash advance, another thing I won't do. Whenever I get those checks, I shred them.

Yes, the checks are a cash advance and cost the same as a cash advance. I also won't use them, and long ago asked them to never send me any of those "invitations to fraud." (I had to call again when the United card was purchased by Chase)

Laurie, the checks are similar to, but not quite the same as, a cash advance. The difference is that the check is treated as a "balance transfer," which means that it can have have much more attractive rates than a regular cash advance. (And I'd certainly agree that a cash advance on a Visa is about the worst thing you can do.)

In most cases, the offer for the balance transfer is for a very low rate (usually from 0% to 3%) for a limited period of time. There's no reason at all that you couldn't write yourself a transfer check for $20k, then pay it back to Chase as soom as the $20k clears your bank. Or, if you've got anything that you want to pay down temporarily, you can do that as well. (I have a home equity loan instead of a mortgage, so I applied the $20k to the HELOC for a few months.)

Just remember that this is valid ONLY if you've upgraded the regular MP Visa to a gold class Visa. And also read the fine print on the check: write the check only if it explicitly states the maximum fee.

I carry 2 MP visas, and I flip them about every 12 months. That's 20k each for the visa, another 10k each for the balance transfers: 60k UA miles for about $200. That's a round-trip upgrade to Asia, or 2/3 of a business-class ticket to Asia.

I have to use my time off very judiciously, and I just don't want to lose a couple of days on a trip because I wasn't able to rest on a long flight. It's admittedly a series of hoops to get the miles, but to me it's worth it.

we fly economy and have twice the flights that you guys that upgrade do, so we can go more often...

its uncomfortable but doable...

laurie, do what i do, apply for multiple cards....apply for them singally and jointly...close one and open another one a month or so later...

work the system!!

Eric and I both got the United Visa but as for opening and closing cards, I don't really want to do that too often. It's not very good for your credit rating. I may open another United Visa in a few months though, just so I'll have the 90,000 miles for a biz ticket to Asia or Australia. Eric has more United miles than I do so he can buy what he needs to get to 90K.

i find no affect on my credit history as i close ones and open ones in equal amounts and #'s...

Hi Laurie - I've been in Bermuda for the past 5 days so I could not contribute. As a long time United Mileage Plus member, I think this is a great thread - even learned some new tricks. Looks like you received most of your answers and more...

I would encourage you to stick with just one mileage program otherwise you will be diluting your efforts. I have researched them all and it seems United with the Star Alliance airlines goes the most places that we want to go. I have never understood why Central Asia costs more in ff miles than North or South Asia though.

"Central Asia" cost more because Star Alliance don't have non-stop flights from the US, and are routed through Europe. They are basically priced as a US-Europe flight plus a Europe-"Central Asia" one.

Craig, I, too learned some tricks on this thread.

Don, it looks like you've really figured out how to make the balance transfer thing work for you!

And rkkwan, yours is the first answer to the central Asia question that has made sense to me.

Laurie, see how much good info came out of your frustrating experience?

Glad to be of assistance! I'm not going to open and close accounts and write checks and all that. It's too much trouble and I like having good credit and never paying any interest.

Craig, you are absolutely right but I just want to get my 100,000 miles and without the card, it won't happen. That American Airlines Citibank card has served me well over the years. I've gotten many free trips because of it--several to Australia, Hong Kong, Greece a few times, upgrades to Peru and many free trips to Lubbock, Texas. (Don't laugh, it costs a lot to fly there from NY!) By the eay Craig, I haven't forgotten about the Inle Lake DVD. I'm going to see i I can figure out the problem this weekend. Hope you had fun in Bermuda.

Laurie,

Yeh, Bermuda was great - it was a 50th anniversary celebration for my parents. Very expensive though - taxi's are $4.69 when you get in and its $20 or more to go just about any place you want to get to. Had a great time with parents, brother, sister, nieces, nephews though at Pink Beach Club. Flew on Continental from Hartford to Newark to Hamilton and had to rent a car on the return from Newark when our flight to Hartford was cancelled due to bad weather. We are waiting for our refund for the lost leg. United does not fly to Bermuda. If there is a next time its Jet Blue which only recently introduced flights from JFK. We would drive down to JFK the night before and spend the night - it would still be cheaper than Continental.

Thank you for supporting Citibank with your AA card - they are a major division of my employer's parent company, Citigroup. The UA Mileage Plus Visa card is a Chase Bank product which is somewhat awkward for me.

I am not sure you could pay me to take a "free" trip to Lubbock TX.

Looking forward to the Inle Lake DVD.

Craig

Craig, believe me, the only reason I go to Lubbock is because my sister and her husband live there. It sure isn't for the sights!

i thought you were a cow girl