Nov 15, 2015, 11:28 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Million Miler Program
With United's change to PQPs and PQFs, UA no longer provides information on flight / "BIS" mile
United no longer shows the BIS mileage. For now, the app is showing segment miles during booking -- but united.com is not.
Presently using UA's timetable to research the flight, the flight miles are provided
Alternatively, you can use third-party tools like, gcmap to get a number. It may differ from UA's number by a few miles
Building a UA city pair BIS table
And finally, you can trust UA to track your miles (There have been very, very few instances of issues and less recently)
Post-merge, COPA flights also accumulated UA lifetime miles, that ceased in July 2015 when COPA left MileagePlus.
What if I use miles to purchase the trip? Does that earn Lifetime Miles?
MileagePlus Million Mile (and Beyond) Flyer Benefits [2014 forward]
Million Miler companion benefit
Building a UA city pair BIS table
Archive: [url=https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-airlines-mileageplus/2150272-how-lifetime-miles-calculated-mileageplus-archive.html]How are "lifetime miles" calculated for MileagePlus? {Archive}
Related thread: Lifetime status by airline -- attempted summary
Mileage accrual for Million Miler qualification is based on the flight distance of United- and United Express-operated flights.
United no longer shows the BIS mileage.
Presently using UA's timetable to research the flight, the flight miles are provided
Alternatively, you can use third-party tools like, gcmap to get a number. It may differ from UA's number by a few miles
Building a UA city pair BIS table
And finally, you can trust UA to track your miles (There have been very, very few instances of issues and less recently)
- For elites, there is 500 lifetime mile minimum for UA/UX flights. (still true in 2020 and PQP/PQF era)
- There is no elite bonus or class of service bonus.
- BIS miles
= PQMs for 100% fares - Bus operated land connections booked as UA flight numbers earn lifetime miles
- No partner flights earn UA lifetime miles.
- Flight number / codeshare / ticket stock does not matter -- as long as it is a United-operated flight that is being credited to UA MP program.
- No credit card activity earns UA lifetime miles
- Only paid flights (including BULK / most consolidator tickets), no credit for award flights
- There is no method for purchasing lifetime miles
Basic Economy segments are non-mileage earning and do not earn lifetime milesIn the second iteration of BE (2018Q4),LT mileage earning appears to have been restored (100%50%of BIS)- Lapchild tickets are non-mileage earning including lifetime miles
Post-merge, COPA flights also accumulated UA lifetime miles, that ceased in July 2015 when COPA left MileagePlus.
What if I use miles to purchase the trip? Does that earn Lifetime Miles?
Depends
If you are using just UA miles and only paying cash for the taxes, as an award trip, it does not qualify for Lifetime miles
However
If you are using points from a credit card to purchase a ticket on their site, then the trip qualifies
If you are booking an economy ticket but using miles to upgrade, then the trip qualifies
If you are using the Money+Miles payment option, then the trip qualifies (regardless of the amount paid by miles)
If you are purchasing with a Chase creditcard and then using miles as a statement credit, then the trip qualifies
What about purchasing with "Money+Miles"?If you are using just UA miles and only paying cash for the taxes, as an award trip, it does not qualify for Lifetime miles
However
If you are using points from a credit card to purchase a ticket on their site, then the trip qualifies
If you are booking an economy ticket but using miles to upgrade, then the trip qualifies
If you are using the Money+Miles payment option, then the trip qualifies (regardless of the amount paid by miles)
If you are purchasing with a Chase creditcard and then using miles as a statement credit, then the trip qualifies
100% Lifetime Miles earning
see What is the "Book with Money and Miles" option ?
Related Threadssee What is the "Book with Money and Miles" option ?
MileagePlus Million Mile (and Beyond) Flyer Benefits [2014 forward]
Million Miler companion benefit
Building a UA city pair BIS table
Archive: [url=https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-airlines-mileageplus/2150272-how-lifetime-miles-calculated-mileageplus-archive.html]How are "lifetime miles" calculated for MileagePlus? {Archive}
Related thread: Lifetime status by airline -- attempted summary
How are "lifetime miles" calculated for MileagePlus?
Jan 4, 2021, 10:27 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: YVR
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 975
How are "lifetime miles" calculated for MileagePlus?
I'm tabulating my MM miles for the first time and I am noticing a discrepancy between my calculation and UA's stated number by about 1,000 miles. I am 99.99% sure I didn't miss anything, and I double and triple checked my calculations.
Not a big deal since it's only 1,000 miles but I am curious if there's a way to see activity from more than 2 years ago?
Not a big deal since it's only 1,000 miles but I am curious if there's a way to see activity from more than 2 years ago?
Last edited by kevflyer; Jan 4, 2021 at 10:50 pm
Jan 4, 2021, 11:05 pm
#2
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,772
Did you take in account the 500 mile minimums?
Where are you get the miles for each segments?
Did you take any direct flights?
Assuming you have not captured your yearend flight data on a regular basis, if you have your credit card records you can recontrust flight history from that with some effort
Jan 4, 2021, 11:10 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
I'm tabulating my MM miles for the first time and I am noticing a discrepancy between my calculation and UA's stated number by about 1,000 miles. I am 99.99% sure I didn't miss anything, and I double and triple checked my calculations.
Not a big deal since it's only 1,000 miles but I am curious if there's a way to see activity from more than 2 years ago?
Not a big deal since it's only 1,000 miles but I am curious if there's a way to see activity from more than 2 years ago?
David
Jan 4, 2021, 11:18 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: YVR
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 975
Are you numbers higher or lower than UA?
Lower
Did you take in account the 500 mile minimums?
Yes
Where are you get the miles for each segments?
Yes anything from last 2 years I can get them from UA website, and the rest I reconstructed from old emails I saved.
Did you take any direct flights?
Yes. Accounted for those as well.
Assuming you have not captured your yearend flight data on a regular basis, if you have your credit card records you can recontrust flight history from that with some effort
Lower
Did you take in account the 500 mile minimums?
Yes
Where are you get the miles for each segments?
Yes anything from last 2 years I can get them from UA website, and the rest I reconstructed from old emails I saved.
Did you take any direct flights?
Yes. Accounted for those as well.
Assuming you have not captured your yearend flight data on a regular basis, if you have your credit card records you can recontrust flight history from that with some effort
Check some of the flights based on point-to-point values from gcmap.com to confirm the accuracy of your mileage data. Also look for any flipped digits and do a few cross checks such as summing by month or year or long trip to make sure that your data are correct.
David
David
Jan 4, 2021, 11:25 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
Indeed I haven't. It'd be quite an undertaking to pull CC records from like the last 6-10 years and not worth digging up for so little miles. Also I don't think there's a need to because I have all the records in email, even back to pmUA days.
I'll run my numbers again. Thanks.
I'll run my numbers again. Thanks.
And, yes, this is a bit of a laborious labor of 1MM love. Good luck.
David
Jan 4, 2021, 11:29 pm
#6
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,772
With your numbers being lower, I would trust UA's numbers and just start a refresh .
Then check more frequently -- at least once a year your number vs UA's number.
gcmap numbers are good estimates but not the numbers UA uses, see the thread's wiki for help on this
Also watch out for SDC / irrops changes where you may not have an email history
The reality unless you do something within a 6 or12 months of the flights, correcting the UA data isn't going to happen
Then check more frequently -- at least once a year your number vs UA's number.
gcmap numbers are good estimates but not the numbers UA uses, see the thread's wiki for help on this
Also watch out for SDC / irrops changes where you may not have an email history
The reality unless you do something within a 6 or12 months of the flights, correcting the UA data isn't going to happen
Jan 4, 2021, 11:36 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
I'm tabulating my MM miles for the first time and I am noticing a discrepancy between my calculation and UA's stated number by about 1,000 miles. I am 99.99% sure I didn't miss anything, and I double and triple checked my calculations.
Not a big deal since it's only 1,000 miles but I am curious if there's a way to see activity from more than 2 years ago?
Not a big deal since it's only 1,000 miles but I am curious if there's a way to see activity from more than 2 years ago?
David
Jan 5, 2021, 12:15 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: YVR
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 975
With your numbers being lower, I would trust UA's numbers and just start a refresh .
Then check more frequently -- at least once a year your number vs UA's number.
gcmap numbers are good estimates but not the numbers UA uses, see the thread's wiki for help on this
Also watch out for SDC / irrops changes where you may not have an email history
The reality unless you do something within a 6 or12 months of the flights, correcting the UA data isn't going to happen
Then check more frequently -- at least once a year your number vs UA's number.
gcmap numbers are good estimates but not the numbers UA uses, see the thread's wiki for help on this
Also watch out for SDC / irrops changes where you may not have an email history
The reality unless you do something within a 6 or12 months of the flights, correcting the UA data isn't going to happen
Not even remotely close, since I just got started with heavy flying in 2019 and then Covid hit.
Jan 5, 2021, 1:33 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,890
I'm tabulating my MM miles for the first time and I am noticing a discrepancy between my calculation and UA's stated number by about 1,000 miles. I am 99.99% sure I didn't miss anything, and I double and triple checked my calculations.
Not a big deal since it's only 1,000 miles but I am curious if there's a way to see activity from more than 2 years ago?
Not a big deal since it's only 1,000 miles but I am curious if there's a way to see activity from more than 2 years ago?
Jan 5, 2021, 1:57 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: YVR
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 975
True but makes you wonder what else could be missed, and right on cue I found 2 trips I booked with Expedia back in 2015 so now the difference is up by another 2000 miles and also found stub from one trip that had an IRROPS that made it longer as well. I think I'm about 3500 miles off now.
Jan 5, 2021, 2:12 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,890
True but makes you wonder what else could be missed, and right on cue I found 2 trips I booked with Expedia back in 2015 so now the difference is up by another 2000 miles and also found stub from one trip that had an IRROPS that made it longer as well. I think I'm about 3500 miles off now.
Jan 5, 2021, 2:19 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: YVR
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 975
Jan 5, 2021, 2:23 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,890
I don't remember, but the number was ridiculously small. Then there was a discussion of adding the distance climbed to the total...So it's up to you. If I were you, I would look deeper into the issue.
Jan 5, 2021, 3:37 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 13,811
Also - as a matter of fact, a person who has flown this route for thousands of times will never complain, given that that person should be close to a 7MM LT GS.
Jan 5, 2021, 11:20 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: YVR
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 975
This is the route I primarily fly (6-7 RT per year pre-COVID-19). But I ain't complaining. Before PQP, even with that difference, I still need an extra TCON RT to re-qualify 1K. Having that extra would not make my re-qualification easier. Beside - FWIW, if UA has not cancelled GUM-HKG, I would bank more BIS than arguing that 14 miles anyway.
Also - as a matter of fact, a person who has flown this route for thousands of times will never complain, given that that person should be close to a 7MM LT GS.
Also - as a matter of fact, a person who has flown this route for thousands of times will never complain, given that that person should be close to a 7MM LT GS.
GUM-HKG was a good way to rack up more miles for sure. Also (somewhat) easy CPU, though in domestic F 737. I hope that route returns one day.