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Old Sep 16, 2006, 6:13 pm
  #1  
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Talking Negative Balance in MP Account

Here is my question.

Say someone has 20k miles and has spent $5,000 with the MP Visa. Then he gets 5,000 miles from monthly Visa statement and is able to redeem 25k miles for a domestic saver award.

After he booked the award, he made $1,000 refunds on the purchases. IIRC, MP Visa would deduct 1,000 miles.

Would his MP Account balance becomes negative 1,000? Worse, could UA cancel his award ticket?
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Old Sep 16, 2006, 6:25 pm
  #2  
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I doubt they would cancel the ticket, but I suppose it's possible. I would expect the account balance to just go negative.

But to be safe, don't make the returns until after your trip is over...
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Old Sep 16, 2006, 8:20 pm
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FYI, Loews and Home Depot has a 90 day return policy.

And, they're GREAT places to spend lots of money quickly.
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Old Sep 16, 2006, 8:26 pm
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If the balance becomes negative, then UA will start booking award tickets on the account holder. Better be a private pilot
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Old Sep 16, 2006, 9:09 pm
  #5  
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Talking hahahaha

Originally Posted by RedEyeDelight
If the balance becomes negative, then UA will start booking award tickets on the account holder. Better be a private pilot
Except that I only offer saver award from Logan Airport to South Station for 1,000 miles in car if my account has negative balance of 1,000 miles and UA really is pushing the issue.
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Old Sep 16, 2006, 9:28 pm
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Originally Posted by kb1992
Except that I only offer saver award from Logan Airport to South Station for 1,000 miles in car if my account has negative balance of 1,000 miles and UA really is pushing the issue.
How can I earn negative miles in your account? I sometimes need rides from the airport.
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Old Sep 16, 2006, 9:30 pm
  #7  
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Last year, MP Visa made a 100x boo-boo on mileage deposits (paid 1 mile / cent, and 2 miles / cent on some purchases). Thus, many people suddenly had several thousand more miles than they were supposed to.

There was a lot of speculation as to what would happen if people redeemed those miles before MP Visa yanked them back, but I don't know that anyone followed-through and tested it.
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Old Sep 16, 2006, 11:14 pm
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Why would Visa deduct miles? If you return something it's a credit and goes on your account, and the miles are paid out as of the billing date. Thus, you have the equivelent of mileage credits as well. If you spend $1,100 the following month, your end-of-month statement will be for a payment of $100, and you will receive 100 United miles. It all stays current.
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Old Sep 16, 2006, 11:19 pm
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Coming soon, negative status in the frequent flyer program....
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Old Sep 16, 2006, 11:44 pm
  #10  
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Originally Posted by catocony
Why would Visa deduct miles? If you return something it's a credit and goes on your account, and the miles are paid out as of the billing date. Thus, you have the equivelent of mileage credits as well. If you spend $1,100 the following month, your end-of-month statement will be for a payment of $100, and you will receive 100 United miles. It all stays current.
I have seen statements from VISA with negative mileages contributing towards MP.

Mainly, if you spent $5000 last month and your MP account was credited 5000 miles by visa and subsequently made a refund of $3000 in the following month, VISA will deduct 3000 miles in next statement.

Of course, if you also spent $2000 in the following month, then VISA deducts 1000 miles as difference, assuming that every dollar earns 1 mile (to simplify the argument).
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Old Sep 17, 2006, 9:34 am
  #11  
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Originally Posted by catocony
Why would Visa deduct miles? If you return something it's a credit and goes on your account, and the miles are paid out as of the billing date. Thus, you have the equivelent of mileage credits as well. If you spend $1,100 the following month, your end-of-month statement will be for a payment of $100, and you will receive 100 United miles. It all stays current.
But what if the return is in the next billing cycle? I have had that happen.
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Old Sep 17, 2006, 5:46 pm
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through a series of errors, I've had a negative 18,000 mile balance on my US air account. I redeemed an award that put me negative and the transfer of miles to cover the award never came through. The acct has sat negative for almost 2 years without any contact from US. I've been posting miles to UA ever since
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Old Sep 17, 2006, 9:44 pm
  #13  
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Originally Posted by johnsmith
through a series of errors, I've had a negative 18,000 mile balance on my US air account. I redeemed an award that put me negative and the transfer of miles to cover the award never came through. The acct has sat negative for almost 2 years without any contact from US. I've been posting miles to UA ever since

So you still have negative 18,000 miles in US Air account?

Why not go for negative 120,000 miles and get a free first class ticket...
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Old Sep 17, 2006, 10:18 pm
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Originally Posted by johnsmith
through a series of errors, I've had a negative 18,000 mile balance on my US air account. I redeemed an award that put me negative and the transfer of miles to cover the award never came through. The acct has sat negative for almost 2 years without any contact from US. I've been posting miles to UA ever since
Given the way HP has coordinated the merger between FF and DM, they'll probably never notice.
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Old Sep 18, 2006, 8:46 am
  #15  
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Originally Posted by kb1992
So you still have negative 18,000 miles in US Air account?

Why not go for negative 120,000 miles and get a free first class ticket...
But you would have to fly the trip backwards!
Loren Pechtel is offline  


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