Mileage Run Discussion - UA - Looking for ideas on getting 9,300 miles by eoy

Hi there

Looking for some creative ideas on how to get 9,300 miles on UA before end of year so that I can re-qualify for Premiere

Thanks
Mike

Hmm you want to bear with the expense of a nearly 10K miles MR for Premier Qualification ?

The best/cheapest transcon fares are around 230-240 USD and bring about 5500-6000 miles. So about 500 USD should secure you Premier. If thats worth it, I would say thats up to you !

Recommendations from my side are PVD, MHT or PBI. City of origin may vary. Check SFO or LAX !

Cheers,
S

First things first, requests for help should be posted to Mileage Run Discussion, not Mileage Run Deals (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mileage-run-deals/454485-welcome-mileage-run-forum-important-information-how-mr-forums-work.html).

I'm Premier (lowly 2P) and personally, I don't think 2P is worth doing such a substantial mileage run for. To get that many miles, you'd need two transcons, two Hawaii flights, or one trip to Asia, and all in the next two weeks, which puts 14-day advance purchase fares out of the question.

A bit of looking at Farecompare shows <$300 transcons available out of SJC, OAK, or SMF tomorrow, to Philadelphia and RDU (for instance) with 0-1 day turns. That's only 5000 miles, though, and transcons on any other day price out above $500. Or, if you want to go to Germany, SMF-IAD-MUC (13,000 miles) is <$1000 for a same-day turn on the 27th. SJC-LAX-HNL on the 27th is <$900 with the Pacific sectors on UA, and then you'd still need a transcon.

~$1000 and 20-30 hours in transit is a lot to pay just to be 2P. If Economy Plus seating is what you're after, just buy Economy Plus Access (https://www.unitedpromotions.com/epahome/control/epaHome) for $349.

UA also sometimes offers a "newly blue" program in the new year for those who've lost status and want to fast-track their way back. Try searching the UA forum for info on how it worked in previous years.

First things first, requests for help should be posted to Mileage Run Discussion, not Mileage Run Deals. (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mileage-run-deals/454485-welcome-mileage-run-forum-important-information-how-mr-forums-work.html)

^

If you're going to spend $500 or so on getting the last 10K miles, maybe you'd be better off doing runs for 25K miles after the new year.
Fares will be cheaper, and seats will be emptier...

You'd be 2P for 2 years, and in a decent position to make 1P by the end of '09.

If you're going to spend $500 or so on getting the last 10K miles, maybe you'd be better off doing runs for 25K miles after the new year.
Fares will be cheaper, and seats will be emptier...

You'd be 2P for 2 years, and in a decent position to make 1P by the end of '09.

Good idea. Also, don't forget that you will still be 2P until the end of 2/09 so you can even have Premier all the way to 25k miles. If you were going on a MR last weekend, you could have gotten one of the $400 RTs to Dublin, but those fares are gone for the rest of the year due to the Christmas travel season.

IMO, not worth it.

Either do a MR in 2009 for 25K EQMs
or
Find 3P nomination in CC ;-)

Thanks for everybody's help - I agree that it's probably not worth spending $1,000+ in the next 10 days, just to maintain 2P - better to focus on 1st quarter of 2009.

I was hoping that I might be able to utilize 3P to maintain some level of humanity during 2009, but it seems like that will not be possible with UA rule changes this year - a friend of mine who is 1K was willing to nominate me for 3P, but from everything I read on here it seems that only GMs can now be sponsored for 3P... :(

I will obviously retain my 2P status until end of Feb, but I'm guessing that my friend will not be able to sponsor me NOW for 3P in starting in Feb 2009 ?

Thx
Mike

Thanks for everybody's help - I agree that it's probably not worth spending $1,000+ in the next 10 days, just to maintain 2P - better to focus on 1st quarter of 2009.

I was hoping that I might be able to utilize 3P to maintain some level of humanity during 2009, but it seems like that will not be possible with UA rule changes this year - a friend of mine who is 1K was willing to nominate me for 3P, but from everything I read on here it seems that only GMs can now be sponsored for 3P... :(

I will obviously retain my 2P status until end of Feb, but I'm guessing that my friend will not be able to sponsor me NOW for 3P in starting in Feb 2009 ?

Thx
Mike

No they wont, but if you know you can fly 25k in the first quarter, you may only be GM for the month of March, and that's not that bad. Last year I was a GM from March to September before I clawed my way back.

Thanks for everybody's help - I agree that it's probably not worth spending $1,000+ in the next 10 days, just to maintain 2P - better to focus on 1st quarter of 2009.

Look - it's easy. (relatively)

Go to Florida 4x in the first two months.
Take a weekend trip, have a swim.
Route thru IAD if possible, and you get 6400 per RT to TPA, about the same to FLL.

Comes in at less than $1000 (SFO-TPA 231 on .bomb)
Even less if you can obtain some coupons... :D
You get 2p for 2 yrs, halfway to 1p, over 30,000 RDM, 8 x 500 milers, and a decent mid winter suntan.