Dec 27, 2016, 5:57 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Last edit by: Pat89339

For each request, please include the following information:

Departure Airport:
Miles Needed:
Required Spend or Maximum Budget (choose one, and state the value):
Available Travel Dates:
Required Metal or Codeshares Okay:
Route(s) You've Already Searched:
Do you have a Chinese Visa (Yes/No)?

For each response. Please quote the original request. DO NOT START A NEW THREAD.
There are many good fares to China (PEK or PVG). If you have a Chinese visa, these options will be provided.

If your requested PQM is in a few thousand, please give a more accurate amount. You will get fewer options with a roundup number (eg, 5000 instead of 4830; IAD-SFO nonstop will work for the latter.)

UA/Star Alliance: 2017-2018 Consolidated Mileage/Status/Challenge Runs help needed

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Dec 13, 2017, 3:46 pm

#1246

mpiotrow

Join Date: Oct 2013

Location: DEN

Programs: UA 1K 0.7MM (trying to get to 1MM!)

Posts: 1,272

Quote:

Originally Posted by thechosenone

Mileage Run from WAS

Departure Airport: IAD BWI DCA
Miles Needed: dont care
Required Spend ~~or Budget~~: $378 (Premier Qualifying Dollars)
Available Travel Dates: December 15-31 (except 25, 26th)
Required Metal ~~or Codeshares okay~~: UA

First of all, THANK YOU for making your post so easy to use. I like the use of the strikethrough so that we don't have to guess what you mean.

^

Secondly, here are a couple options:

A quick evening trip this Saturday, IAD-EWR, $518 (gives you $468 PQD), https://goo.gl/flights/cDxL
Christmas eve afternoon trip, IAD-EWR, $482 (gives you $428 PQD), https://goo.gl/flights/6X1n

Let me know if I'm on the right or wrong track here...I was basically just trying to find the shortest nonstop flights with reasonably short connection times that would give you the required PQDs...

Dec 13, 2017, 4:00 pm

#1247

Dianna Fernandez

Join Date: Dec 2016

Programs: united airlines - mileage plus

Posts: 6

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpiotrow

Answers:
1) Yes...PQM is earned based on the mileage/route you actually fly, not what you booked (unless there are IRROPs, etc)
2) If UA changes the flight to a non-stop, I believe you should be able to ask for ORC (Original routing credit...the routing you booked/paid for)
3) SDC is free for UA *G and higher.

for 2, you can call them and ask for the credit and they will give you the full amount of miles if they change the flight (not sure if you change the flight on your own, though)

Dec 13, 2017, 4:20 pm

#1248

Dianna Fernandez

Join Date: Dec 2016

Programs: united airlines - mileage plus

Posts: 6

UA Mileage Run (updated!)

Sorry for multiple posts - I tried to delete the bad one but it won't let me do it. Here is the info.

Looks like I didn't need as many miles as I thought I did to get to 1K. Any help is appreciated!

Departure Airport: ORD (can drive to or from a nearby airport if it is one way)
Miles Needed: 592 (I KNOW!)
Required Spend or Budget: as cheap as possible (under $200?)
Available Travel Dates: 12/16, 12/17, 12/23, 12/29-12/31 (have two other flights--one next week and the following week)
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: (i still don't know what this means - can someone help me answer this?)

I've met PQD and just need PQMs for this run. Should I do an accelerator?

Again, sorry for multiple posts. Thanks for all that you guys do. This forum has been a traveler's (read: points nerd) dream. I tell everyone I know about it.

Dec 13, 2017, 4:25 pm

#1249

mattdp

Join Date: Dec 2017

Programs: United Airlines

Posts: 3

United Mileage Run from SFO needed

Departure Airport: SFO
Miles Needed: 7,255
Required Spend or Budget: >$700
Available Travel Dates: 12/13/17-12/17/2017
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: United PQM needed

Dec 13, 2017, 5:08 pm

#1250

mpiotrow

Join Date: Oct 2013

Location: DEN

Programs: UA 1K 0.7MM (trying to get to 1MM!)

Posts: 1,272

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattdp

Departure Airport: SFO
Miles Needed: 7,255
Required Spend or Budget: >$700
Available Travel Dates: 12/13/17-12/17/2017
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: United PQM needed

I'm guessing that ">$700" means you need to spend at least $700 in PQD. Based on that, here's the best I've been able to find so far (note that there is a change of airport from HND to NRT on the outbound):

UA:$878 (yields $752 PQM) SFO-HKG 13916PQM
Fri 15 Dec SFO-HND
(3h40m to make the transfer from HND to NRT)
Fri 15 Dec NRT-HKG
(14h40m overnight in HKG)
Sun 17 Dec HKG-SFO
https://goo.gl/flights/xTv6

Dec 13, 2017, 5:12 pm

#1251

mattdp

Join Date: Dec 2017

Programs: United Airlines

Posts: 3

Sorry. My bad. I meant to say <$700. Meaning I'd rather not spend more than that if I can avoid it. The fewer stops the better, I think. This is my first post. :-|

Last edited by mattdp; Dec 13, 2017 at 5:25 pm

Dec 13, 2017, 5:18 pm

#1252

mpiotrow

Join Date: Oct 2013

Location: DEN

Programs: UA 1K 0.7MM (trying to get to 1MM!)

Posts: 1,272

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dianna Fernandez

The "Required Metal or Codeshares okay" section is to let us know if you just need UA PQMs (which means you can fly on other partners that also earn UA PQMs), or if you actually need to fly on UA planes (not codeshares)...usually that is only required when doing a status match from another airline, or if you have a ETC discount code that's only valid on UA only itineraries, etc.

Here's an option I just found:
UA:$151 ORD-MSP 1000 PQM (assuming you're already UA Platinum, you'll get 500 mile PQM each way)
Sun 17 Dec ORD-MSP-ORD
(2h9m in MSP)
https://goo.gl/flights/h2Pw
Don't forget to pay the extra +$20 to get out of Basic Economy (totals price above)

Dec 13, 2017, 6:14 pm

#1253

mpiotrow

Join Date: Oct 2013

Location: DEN

Programs: UA 1K 0.7MM (trying to get to 1MM!)

Posts: 1,272

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattdp

Departure Airport: SFO
Miles Needed: 7,255
Required Spend or Budget: >$700
Available Travel Dates: 12/13/17-12/17/2017
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: United PQM needed

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattdp

Sorry. My bad. I meant to say <$700. Meaning I'd rather not spend more than that if I can avoid it. The fewer stops the better, I think. This is my first post. :-

OK, maybe something like this? You'd need to do one of the first 2 options (option 1a or option 1b), AND the 3rd option (option 2) in order to get the required total PQM.

Option 1a)
UA: $402 SFO-MSP 3178PQM
Fri 15 Dec: SFO-MSP-SFO
https://goo.gl/flights/vBpH
Don't forget to pay the $50 to get out of Basic Economy (totals price above)

OR

Option 1b)
UA: $410 SFO-MSP 3935PQM
Sat 16 Dec: SFO-MSP-ORD-SFO
https://goo.gl/flights/bszf
Don't forget to pay the $50 to get out of Basic Economy (totals price above)
Note: Arrives 33m before Option 2 departs, so that could cause problems if the flight is delayed...

AND

Option 2)
UA: $278 SFO-MSP 4692PQM
Sun 17 Dec: Red eye SFO-ORD-MSP-ORD-SFO
https://goo.gl/flights/jHmG
Don't forget to pay the $50 to get out of Basic Economy (totals price above)

Dec 13, 2017, 6:15 pm

#1254

wh6cto

Join Date: Nov 2013

Location: IAD/DCA/BWI

Programs: Hyatt Globalist (2020:Exp), United Gold

Posts: 1,525

UA:$838 SFO-RSW for 7266PQM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattdp

Departure Airport: SFO
Miles Needed: 7,255
Required Spend or Budget: <$700
Available Travel Dates: 12/13/17-12/17/2017
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: United PQM needed

Having a rough time finding something under $700. What I found so far is:

UA:$838 SFO-RSW 7266PQM
Fri 15 Dec SFO-EWR-RSW-EWR-SFO
(1h49m in RSW)
https://goo.gl/flights/kwr3

Will look for something better, but maybe put this one on hold for now, considering it's basically tomorrow night? (In case you don't know, putting "on hold" = choosing "pay at airport" option. Go back in later and pay, or cancel.)

UPDATE: not finding anything better on a single trip. mpiotrow's option of splitting across two trips is definitely cheaper.

mattdp likes this.

Last edited by wh6cto; Dec 13, 2017 at 6:27 pm Reason: No better options found

Dec 13, 2017, 6:31 pm

#1255

mattdp

Join Date: Dec 2017

Programs: United Airlines

Posts: 3

Thanks wh6cto. Could leave/return Saturday too if fare would be less. Will look forward to seeing if you find something better

Dec 13, 2017, 6:35 pm

#1256

wh6cto

Join Date: Nov 2013

Location: IAD/DCA/BWI

Programs: Hyatt Globalist (2020:Exp), United Gold

Posts: 1,525

UA:$141 ORD-MSP 1000PQM (w/ 500mi min)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dianna Fernandez

Departure Airport: ORD (can drive to or from a nearby airport if it is one way)
Miles Needed: 592 (I KNOW!)
Required Spend or Budget: as cheap as possible (under $200?)
Available Travel Dates: 12/16, 12/17, 12/23, 12/29-12/31 (have two other flights--one next week and the following week)
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: (i still don't know what this means - can someone help me answer this?)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpiotrow

Here's an option I just found:
UA:$151 ORD-MSP 1000 PQM (assuming you're already UA Platinum, you'll get 500 mile PQM each way)
Sun 17 Dec ORD-MSP-ORD
(2h9m in MSP)
https://goo.gl/flights/h2Pw
Don't forget to pay the extra +$20 to get out of Basic Economy (totals price above)

Nice find! And for some strange reason, this itinerary is slightly cheaper, on the same date:

UA:$141 ORD-MSP 1000PQM (w/ 500mi min)
Sun 17 Dec ORD-MSP-ORD
https://goo.gl/flights/h2Pw
Again, need to pay +$20 to get out of Basic Economy (totals price above)

UPDATE: oh nevermind, it's the same itinerary. Available bucket changed, and is $10 cheaper, now $141.

Last edited by wh6cto; Dec 13, 2017 at 6:39 pm Reason: Added "w/ 500mi min"

Dec 13, 2017, 7:04 pm

#1257

wh6cto

Join Date: Nov 2013

Location: IAD/DCA/BWI

Programs: Hyatt Globalist (2020:Exp), United Gold

Posts: 1,525

UA:$444 IAD-LGA in First 393PQD

Quote:

Originally Posted by thechosenone

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpiotrow

First of all, THANK YOU for making your post so easy to use. I like the use of the strikethrough so that we don't have to guess what you mean.

^

Secondly, here are a couple options:

A quick evening trip this Saturday, IAD-EWR, $518 (gives you $468 PQD), https://goo.gl/flights/cDxL
Christmas eve afternoon trip, IAD-EWR, $482 (gives you $428 PQD), https://goo.gl/flights/6X1n

Let me know if I'm on the right or wrong track here...I was basically just trying to find the shortest nonstop flights with reasonably short connection times that would give you the required PQDs...

Agree with mpiotrow on all counts. Thank you!

And funny, these are a few bucks less, in a slightly more comfortable chair...

UA:$444 IAD-LGA in First 393PQD
Thu 21 Dec IAD-LGA-IAD (CR7)
(0h44m in LGA)
https://goo.gl/flights/ppMb

UA:$457 IAD-EWR in First 404PQD
Mon 18 Dec IAD-EWR-IAD (A320)
(0h58m in EWR)
https://goo.gl/flights/zQzW

Dec 13, 2017, 8:03 pm

#1258

wh6cto

Join Date: Nov 2013

Location: IAD/DCA/BWI

Programs: Hyatt Globalist (2020:Exp), United Gold

Posts: 1,525

UA:$793 ORD-ANC 7157PQM or UA:$777 ORD-PHX in First 5760PQM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJX99

Departure Airport: ORD or SBD
Miles Needed: 6000
Required Spend or Budget: $500
Available Travel Dates: typically Tuesday, Wed and Thurs. and 12/29 and 12/30
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: Either as long as I can fulfill the requirements

You didn't specify if this is minimum spend, or max budget...I guess it's moot since there's nothing in that range.

UA:$793 ORD-ANC 7157PQM
Fri 29 Dec ORD-SFO-ANC
(0h51m in ANC)
Sat 30 Dec ANC-DEN-ORD
https://goo.gl/flights/u8L7

UA:$777 ORD-PHX in First 5760PQM
Wed 20 Dec ORD-PHX-ORD
(2h52m in PHX)
https://goo.gl/flights/cPw9

Dec 14, 2017, 6:09 am

#1259

helphimmakeit

Join Date: Dec 2017

Programs: united

Posts: 1

need 6900 miles by end of year on United

Departure Airport: any Washington DC
Miles Needed: 6900
Required Spend or Budget: least amount possible
Available Travel Dates: weekdays between now and Christmas
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: anything to make the mileage before the end of the year

any and all help appreciated. Thanks!

Dec 14, 2017, 7:38 am

#1260

mpiotrow

Join Date: Oct 2013

Location: DEN

Programs: UA 1K 0.7MM (trying to get to 1MM!)

Posts: 1,272

Quote:

Originally Posted by helphimmakeit

Here's an option:
UA: $474 (booked as 2 separate tickets), or $507 (booked as 1 ticket) BWI-YVR 7122PQM
Mon 18 Dec: BWI-SFO-YVR-SFO-EWR-BWI
Notes: 6h15m in YVR, and red eye from SFO-EWR, arrives back in BWI around noon on Tues 19 Dec
https://goo.gl/flights/NVvQ