US Airways 2011 Grand Slam Promotion - The PQM bonuses are misleading; be careful

After reading the GS chart (http://shopping.usairways.com/promotion/DividendMiles/Registration.aspx?PromoCode=GS11&cint=hptxtus_21051), I assumed that at 24 hits, we'd get another 5,000 PQM (not another 3000 PQM) and that at 40 hits, Preferreds would get another 10,000 PQM.

Alas, this just posted:

10/12/2011 10/12/11 GRAND SLAM 2011 PQM BONUS - 24 HITS 3,000

Due to how I interpreted the chart (and I know I'm not alone), the 40th hit is what made the terms especially misleading. After all, why would US only give another 10,000 regular miles (of which, it now turns out, only 5,000 are PQM) for getting to 40 hits after giving another 20,000 regular miles for getting to 32 and 36 hits? It seemed logical that the only "carrot" to get to 40 hits was to earn another 10,000 PQM because the incremental spend needed for four extra hits beyond 36 hits would very likely be too high compared to the value of those 10,00 extra regular miles.

There is nothing misleading, tommyleo.

The chart is clear:

The mile levels are cumulative (TOTAL miles awarded)

The PQMs are also cumulative as they refer to cumulative variables (..OF WHICH 3000/5000/10000 are PQMs)

I can complain for a bunch of things related to GS, but this is not one of them..

Count me in who misunderstood and went after the carrot. :(

I take full ownership for my mistake. Wish Could have waited to do 2 hotel transfer till tomm.

Dracs

Due to how I interpreted the chart (and I know I'm not alone), the 40th hit is what made the terms especially misleading. After all, why would US only give another 10,000 regular miles (of which, it now turns out, only 3,000 are PQM) for getting to 40 hits after giving another 20,000 regular miles for getting to 32 and 36 hits? It seemed logical that the only "carrot" to get to 40 hits was to earn another 10,000 PQM because the incremental spend needed for four extra hits beyond 36 hits would very likely be too high compared to the value of those 10,00 extra regular miles.

The Chart is for normal people to earn US miles by every day activities that they do regardless of GS or not.
for normal people, there is no additional cost for earning the last 4 hits on GS as it is part of their every day life. It is only in FT and other travel blogs that we *game* the system by earning hits with as little spent as possible.

deleted.

There is nothing misleading, tommyleo.

The chart is clear:

The mile levels are cumulative (TOTAL miles awarded)

The PQMs are also cumulative as they refer to cumulative variables (..OF WHICH 3000/5000/10000 are PQMs)

I can complain for a bunch of things related to GS, but this is not one of them..

One poster on another thread and Dracs on this thread already agree with me. That's why I started this thread: I am certain that others also misinterpreted the PQM bonuses and I want to make sure they know the actual rules ASAP so that they plan accordingly.

The Chart is for normal people to earn US miles by every day activities that they do regardless of GS or not.
for normal people, there is no additional cost for earning the last 4 hits on GS as it is part of their every day life. It is only in FT and other travel blogs that we *game* the system by earning hits with as little spent as possible.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. I'd imagine that many people who "normally" earn, say, 30 hits by everyday purchases and don't read these blogs/forums will likely wonder what else they can do to get to 32, 36, or 40 hits.

One poster on another thread and Dracs on this thread already agree with me. That's why I started this thread: I am certain that others also misinterpreted the PQM bonuses and I want to make sure they know the actual rules ASAP so that they plan accordingly.

I am sure that a lot of people misinterpreted the chart & i know that your intentions are good!! ;)

My point is that it is not US' fault!

Count me in who misunderstood and went after the carrot. :(

I take full ownership for my mistake. Wish Could have waited to do 2 hotel transfer till tomm.

Dracs

Interestingly, I'm in the opposite situation. I was going to go for a total of 36 hits, but I will likely now go for the 40 hits because I'll probably need those extra 5,000 PQM's that come with the 40th hit. Before tonight, I though that by my 24th hit I'd get a total of 7,000 PQM's, which would be all the bonus PQM's I'd need.

I am sure that a lot of people misinterpreted the chart & i know that your intentions are good!! ;)

My point is that it is not US' fault!


I'm kind of on the fence about that. If enough people misread the chart, then the chart is indeed misleading (though most certainly not intentionally so).

I'm kind of on the fence about that. If enough people misread the chart, then the chart is indeed misleading (though most certainly not intentionally so).

I am sure that a lot of people didn't get it right, not because the chart is not clear, but due to what psychologists call "wishful thinking"..

I don't even care about the PQMs :D

FWIW, this question was raised & concisely answered on Oct. 8 at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/2011-grand-slam-promotion/1249944-grand-slam-2011-faq-up-post17241312.html#post17241312

FWIW, this question was raised & concisely answered on Oct. 8 at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/2011-grand-slam-promotion/1249944-grand-slam-2011-faq-up-post17241312.html#post17241312

I saw those posts and the questions asked were pretty much nonsensical:

"Are the PQMs at each additional PQMs for each level or are they total? So if I get 20 hits, do I get 4k total PQMs or just the 2k?"

:confused: :confused: :confused:

And there was no clear answer given.

I don't even care about the PQMs :D

x200K!

I wouldn't be so sure about that. I'd imagine that many people who "normally" earn, say, 30 hits by everyday purchases and don't read these blogs/forums will likely wonder what else they can do to get to 32, 36, or 40 hits.

hope you can now plan carefully for the rest of grandslam in light of the new information!

it was not really misleading if you treat the bonus miles and the status miles in the same way. would we yell that we didnt get 45000 bonus miles on top of what has been earned after 20th hits for the 24th hits? i suspect not.

was the wording the same from last year?

I don't think it's misleading - in bold letters you can read everywhere that you can earn up to 110000 Miles. If the PQM's would be cumulativ you'd end up with more than that.

I don't think it's misleading but I can understand why people could read it differently than intended.

Any PQM achieved would net me that much more than 0 and still be quite irrelevant.

After reading the GS chart (http://shopping.usairways.com/promotion/DividendMiles/Registration.aspx?PromoCode=GS11&cint=hptxtus_21051), I assumed that at 24 hits, we'd get another 5,000 PQM (not another 3000 PQM) and that at 40 hits, Preferreds would get another 10,000 PQM.

Alas, this just posted:

10/12/2011 10/12/11 GRAND SLAM 2011 PQM BONUS - 24 HITS 3,000

Due to how I interpreted the chart (and I know I'm not alone), the 40th hit is what made the terms especially misleading. After all, why would US only give another 10,000 regular miles (of which, it now turns out, only 3,000 are PQM) for getting to 40 hits after giving another 20,000 regular miles for getting to 32 and 36 hits? It seemed logical that the only "carrot" to get to 40 hits was to earn another 10,000 PQM because the incremental spend needed for four extra hits beyond 36 hits would very likely be too high compared to the value of those 10,00 extra regular miles.


It looks to me the OP still has it slightly off. Of the final 10k for 40 hits, 5, 000 are PQM not 3,000. The incremental math looks like this:

+2k@16 +3k@24 +5k@40

It looks funky when broken out timewise, but if you visualize it from the end of the promo, all matches up with the charts

It looks to me the OP still has it slightly off. Of the final 10k for 40 hits, 5, 000 are PQM not 3,000.

Thanks for pointing that out! ^

You're absolutely right. I'm not sure why I typed that incorrectly in my first post; just a few posts later, I wrote it correctly...

I was going to go for a total of 36 hits, but I will likely now go for the 40 hits because I'll probably need those extra 5,000 PQM's that come with the 40th hit.

Those who cannot remember Grand Slam 2010 are doomed to repeat it.
:D

What I'm wondering really is at the 16 hit stage are you getting a total of 6,000 or 9,000 Preferred-qualifying miles? I had thought 9,000 when I first read the rules, but the more I look at it I am thinking it is 6,000.

You get a total of 6000 PQM.

Those who cannot remember Grand Slam 2010 are doomed to repeat it.
:D

I wish I could repeat GS 2010!! I netted 138,675 miles with an incremental spend of just $143.61! ^

(The 21st Century auto quote actually saved me $308 on my annual insurance. :D)

The maximum amount each member can earn with this promotion is 110,000 miles (10,000 of which are Preferred-qualifying miles).

Not sure what's so misleading here....

I wish I could repeat GS 2010!! I netted 138,675 miles with an incremental spend of just $143.61! ^

(The 21st Century auto quote actually saved me $308 on my annual insurance. :D)

Nicely done with the insurance! A win-win for you and the sponsor. GS2010 is actually what opened my eyes to FT in the first place. I had no idea there's even this world of mile pros until last year's GS email from US Airways, a Google search about it, then FT. Now trapped, awaiting parole.

Now trapped, awaiting parole.

^

Nicely done with the insurance! A win-win for you and the sponsor. GS2010 is actually what opened my eyes to FT in the first place. I had no idea there's even this world of mile pros until last year's GS email from US Airways, a Google search about it, then FT. Now trapped, awaiting parole.

What's even better is that 21st Century lowered my annual rate recently for being a good customer. So now I'm paying almost $100 less than last year!

Interestingly, I'm in the opposite situation. I was going to go for a total of 36 hits, but I will likely now go for the 40 hits because I'll probably need those extra 5,000 PQM's that come with the 40th hit. Before tonight, I though that by my 24th hit I'd get a total of 7,000 PQM's, which would be all the bonus PQM's I'd need.

Yeah, I will probably also go for the 40 hits to get that last 5k too. I think US is getting pretty keyed in to how highly people view eqm. There have been so many fewer ways to get them this year to supplement BIS miles. No deqm. No hop skip, etc. I think pretty much the only offer has been the club membership.

For me, hits 37 to 40 will be expensive. But I figure a mileage run to get 5k eqm wouldn't be cheap either, and this way I stay at home and also get a few extra rdm too.

There's no difference here from last year. The PQMs are included in, not additional to, the total.

Lots of people telling op how he is wrong or how wrong he is. But I think he is just trying to make a note for others who might find it confusing. I know it is noted in other threads, but given some of the crazier misunderstandings we have had despite pretty clear threads by beltway and others, this point does seem to be a good one.

Lots of people telling op how he is wrong or how wrong he is. But I think he is just trying to make a note for others who might find it confusing. I know it is noted in other threads, but given some of the crazier misunderstandings we have had despite pretty clear threads by beltway and others, this point does seem to be a good one.

Thank you, lkar. That's exactly my point. I'm a pretty savvy miles person, yet I misread the promo. And several others here admitted to doing so also. I just want to gives a heads-up to others so that they can plan accordingly.

I can see how the wording might be misleading. Thanks for alerting us tommyleo. ^

It wasn't misleading, but I am another that read it wrong. Changes things for me quite a bit; the PQM's were really the only interesting part of this for me.

So I log in this morning to see my 20 and 24 hits miles were posted. I was surprised though that the 24 hit showed 7000 bonus and 3000 preferred miles vs the 5000 preferred miles the website and all rules pages I have read show. Has anyone else experienced this?

http://shopping.usairways.com/promotion/DividendMiles/Registration.aspx?PromoCode=GS11&c=glmus_21051&re=1

The page there clearly states that 24 HIT earns 5000 preferred miles yet my account reflects only 3000 were deposited. I've emailed the partner marketing email as well as the chairmans desk (partner marketing ignored my last email which is why I included chairmans this time.).

So I log in this morning to see my 20 and 24 hits miles were posted. I was surprised though that the 24 hit showed 7000 bonus and 3000 preferred miles vs the 5000 preferred miles the website and all rules pages I have read show. Has anyone else experienced this?

The 5000 figure is cumulative, i.e., it includes the previous 2000 PQM earned at a lower tier, so what you received is correct. For much earlier discussion of this exact question, see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/2011-grand-slam-promotion/1268538-pqm-bonuses-misleading-careful.html

Thanks Beltway for the clarification and sorry if it had been covered before - somehow I missed that thread!

Thanks Beltway for the clarification and sorry if it had been covered before - somehow I missed that thread!
Given the insane thread sprawl in this sub-forum -- to date, people have started a mind-boggling (and largely unnecessary) 143 separate threads -- it's not surprising that wheat gets buried in the chaff.

Yup! Ok, off to come up with a MR for 2000 miles

Given the insane thread sprawl in this sub-forum -- to date, people have started a mind-boggling (and largely unnecessary) 143 separate threads -- it's not surprising that wheat gets buried in the chaff.

But that's how "The legend of beltway" was born. How could one person keep abreast of 143 separate threads and still remain sane. Either you had a split personality to start off, or you are enjoying a fractured psyche right now.

I salute you.

How could one person keep abreast of 143 separate threads and still remain sane.
Objection, Your Honor: assumes facts not in evidence.

:p

Objection, Your Honor: assumes facts not in evidence.

:p

And yet you you manage to reply within 6 minutes.
I think you have condemned yourself with your own omnipresence. (Are you in the OMNI forum too:) )