Mileage Run Deals - 6000 on US Airways MR needed. Is $354 the best price?

Cross-posted to US forum.
Got a mailer from US stating that if I make 6000 qualifying miles I will upgraded to Silver till Feb'2005
Cheapest 6000 I could find was LGA-PIT-LGW frparting Fri back Monday
Am I missing a beter deal somewhere? Maybe cross-country to SF or LA?

1. NYC-LAX flying LGA-PHL-LAX-PHL-LGA gets you 5790 miles for 225 all in. Then fly LGA-ROC r/t 135 all in. Total miles is 6790 for $360.

2. Fly LGA-PHL-LGW r/t for 415 all in, Fri-Mon. I'm not sure if this is the one you found.

Good Luck! I'm flying PHL-LGW for a turkey day run.

-JC

[Edit: Flying LAX-PHL yields more than LAX-CLT]

[This message has been edited by jcooke (edited 10-17-2003).]

Through Orbitz, there are $227 fares from NYC-LAS. You route on United through SFO or LAX each way. Think that should get you close.

UA flights are not eligible for that promotion

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by bysa003:
UA flights are not eligible for that promotion</font>

Yep, for challenges it must be on US metal.

Why not just do LGA-PHL-PIT-LAX and back. Should run about 230. WIll net over 6000 miles.

Even routing LGA-PHL-PIT-LAX and return nets only 4900 miles ( see below from webflyer).
I think that challenge does not count minimum miles.

La Guardia, New York City, NY (LGA) to
Philadelphia Intl Arpt, Philadelphia, PA (PHL) to
Pittsburgh Intl Arpt, Pittsburgh, PA (PIT) to
Los Angeles Intl, Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
One Way Distances:
Distance 2492.4 miles 4014 km
Elite bonus 0 miles 0 km
Class of service bonus 0 miles 0 km
Special promotion bonus 0 miles 0 km
TOTAL 2492.4 miles 4014 km
Round Trip Distances:
Distance 4984.8 miles 8028 km
Elite bonus 0 miles 0 km
Class of service bonus 0 miles 0 km
Special promotion bonus 0 miles 0 km
TOTAL 4984.8 miles 8028 km

I have never heard anything about a challenge not using minimum miles. I could be wrong so double check, but I think you will earn 500 to phl plus 500 for phl-pit plus 2130 for pit-lax. That is total of 3130 X 2 or 6260.


<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by bysa003:
Even routing LGA-PHL-PIT-LAX and return nets only 4900 miles ( see below from webflyer).
I think that challenge does not count minimum miles.

La Guardia, New York City, NY (LGA) to
Philadelphia Intl Arpt, Philadelphia, PA (PHL) to
Pittsburgh Intl Arpt, Pittsburgh, PA (PIT) to
Los Angeles Intl, Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
One Way Distances:
Distance 2492.4 miles 4014 km
Elite bonus 0 miles 0 km
Class of service bonus 0 miles 0 km
Special promotion bonus 0 miles 0 km
TOTAL 2492.4 miles 4014 km
Round Trip Distances:
Distance 4984.8 miles 8028 km
Elite bonus 0 miles 0 km
Class of service bonus 0 miles 0 km
Special promotion bonus 0 miles 0 km
TOTAL 4984.8 miles 8028 km </font>

You were right
Challenge says "achive 6000 preffered miles"
Preferred Miles and Preferred Segments include miles and segments accrued for paid, qualifying flights on US Airways, the US Airways Express carriers and US Airways Shuttle flights only. Preferred Miles (actual or 500-mile minimum) and Preferred Segments earned in a calendar year qualify for all Preferred levels

The question: how do you book multi-sgement on USARways. I could find the way to make it do multi-airport for 4 segment - but I need 6 AFAIK.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by bysa003:

The question: how do you book multi-sgement on USARways. I could find the way to make it do multi-airport for 4 segment - but I need 6 AFAIK.</font>
For runs, Expedia has been best for me. USAir site gets mighty upset with multiple cities. Or, you may call USAir and give them exact flight # and fare buckets. Good Luck! I'm doing PHL-LGW for the same purpose.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by bysa003:
The question: how do you book multi-sgement on USARways. I could find the way to make it do multi-airport for 4 segment - but I need 6 AFAIK.</font>

Its a tough call. I called US res to book a MR but got flagged and they pulled some mumbo-jumbo about the TOC and said I'd only get credit for two segments each way. Resolution: PHL-LGW, one trip, all the miles plus more fun.

I think if you want to get proper routing for a fare on the US website, you can try it like the example below:

ROC-WAS-RDU-CLT-MCO can be entered in as:

ROC-RDU 1st segment
RDU-MCO 2nd segment
MCO-RDU 3rd segment
RDU-ROC 4th segment

During flight selection, select WAS as a connnecting flight for ROC-RDU, CLT as the connector between RDU-MCO. Vice verse for the r/t.

Good luck!

-JC

[This message has been edited by jcooke (edited 10-20-2003).]

You can fly LGA-FRA for $276 ($365 after taxes and fees). That's 7880 qualifying miles, and with the new promotion offering double miles for all US and Luftansa flights, you would net more than 15,000 miles.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Idowrite:
You can fly LGA-FRA for $276 ($365 after taxes and fees). That's 7880 qualifying miles, and with the new promotion offering double miles for all US and Luftansa flights, you would net more than 15,000 miles.</font>

You can increase that mileage with LGA-CLT-FRA, but since you're already over 6K, that would just become a matter of personal preference based on the plane and timing.

what is "double miles on LH or US" flights?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by bysa003:
what is "double miles on LH or US" flights?</font>

Correct. With the US and LH agreement starting 10/26, both US and LH are offering double miles for flights between the US and Germany.

For more info, check the USAirways forum here and/or the airline's websites.

-JC