IbrahimSS

Hello

I’m currently Premier Silver and have 38778 PQM under my belt. I’m nowhere near the segment requirements but earning another 11k PQM doesn’t seem to be out of the realm of possibility. As you’re likely to be able to determine by this post, I’m in no way a mileage expert. However I read that doing a mileage run might be the best/fastest way to do this while remaining economical.

My questions are

1. Is it worth striving for Gold?
2. Are mileage runs really the best way to get to then next tier?
3. Given the answers to the above questions are yes, how do I determine which flight to take?

Thanks

DenverBrian

Welcome to FT!

Gold's biggest advantage, IMO, is the ability to select Economy Plus seats at the time of booking, instead of having to wait until check-in. If extra legroom and/or the front of steerage are important to you, you'll want Gold.

11K PQM can happen by flying BIS (butt in seat), or by actually purchasing PQM. UA will make these offers to you at booking and at check-in. Buying PQM isn't cheap.

This will be your last chance to achieve Gold via mileage, as UA is eliminating mileage as a criterion for frequent flyer status in 2020. Starting in 2020, you'll have to accumulate dollars spent and/or segments to achieve any status. For Gold, you'll have to spend $8,000 and have 24 segments, or spend $10,000 to waive the segment requirement. Also see:

New Premier Qualification Requirements for 2020: Only Spend or Spend + Flight Sectors

Kmxu

Has the OP met the PQD requirement ($6K) if OP is a US resident? What is the originating city? For example, a DEN-PEK run costs about $360.

ryman554

If you fly internationally, you get free lounge access for those trips.

You will have the ability to change flights for free within 24 hours of departure, as long as your fare class is available. Invaluable for business meetings and your personal time.

Gold from Silver is a pretty big bump.

As for getting 11k "cheaply", might I suggest a trip to Hong Kong? Fares are way down, no visa requirements for US citizens. If you want to do this in the states, then look for places with high amounts of leisure travelers (MCO, LAS) on off-days.

This is all assuming you have already spent $6k and/or have the credit card PQD waiver in place.

Note, all this advice goes poof in the night as of Jan 1 next year. Be prepared to open your wallet if you want to keep your status.

paperwastage

Not for basic economy flights

If OP can't use benefits of gold next year, don't. If you can, have time and already hit/eaivr the PQD, $400 mileage run is fine

Repooc17

You can still cancel the entire reservation and start over, even with BE tickets.

https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...ng-policy.html

paperwastage

This doesn't require gold- anyone can do this

We were talking about SDC within 24hr of flight. BE doesn't allow SDC. Nonpremier/silver can sdc for $75, gold above SDC free (subject to fare bucket availability etc)

junglematt

As long as you are already meeting the PQD requirements or have a waiver, go for it!

The *G benefits overseas are great. Especially within Lufthansa Group.

Find yourself a good mileage run and have a little weekend adventure.

danielflyer

I'm in a similar boat for hitting Gold next year. This year as a Silver I've been able to score several upgrades to F and 9/10 get an Economy Plus seat. I've been using the United Club Card for lounge access / priority check-in and honestly will stick with my current setup instead of doing a mileage run, though the thought of being a mileage run away from Gold hurts.

Most of my flights are international but if I flew domestic on a regular basis I would likely do a run simply for higher upgrade priority.

aacharya

I don't see why a MR in your case isn't done.

My guess:

Lounge: Break even as you have the UA card
Bags: 2 x 70 lb (as Silver and with the card) versus 3 x 70 lb internationally
Boarding: Group 1 versus 2 (you might not carry a lot on the plane).
E+: As you noted, you always get it.

Still if the MR was under $200-$300, i'd do it if I were you.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

I've noticed that as UA fills planes, the selection of remaining seats closer to the flight date can be miserable (eg single middle seats). If OP flies enough segments and occasionally with someone else, getting to Gold would be nice for being able to select E+ at booking.

Until it changes E+ seat selection for Golds to check-in time also

EWRuser

I'm in the same boat (almost same miles, also have Club card) and will *not* go for gold. Reasons:
- The incremental lounge access (e.g. LH Senator vs Business) doesn't cut it for me though I fly LH quite a bit. Same for additional luggage.
- SDC: Here YMMV but I actually never used it. I moved to an outstation where there is never a close second best itinerary anyway. (My nick is outdated.)
- Recent miles devaluation means I might fly less United anyway, so I discount all benefits. I'd even drop the club card if my outstation weren't served from IAD A-gates (=pretty much the ideal case for domestically leveraging a club card).

I'm not saying my calculation necessarily applies to you; just to give you the other side. I do advise you do do a cold hard cost-benefit analysis including time cost of a MR.

worldwidedreamer

TBH I’d encourage you to spend the time and money on the people you love versus a mileage run.

The value proposition of elite status has decreased, as the difficulty of obtaining it has increased.

On United I actually think that that the biggest value step is from general member to Silver. Upgrades are difficult, even for Global Services, and the biggest additional benefit (club access) basically requires a credit card and flying UA where both the Chase Sapphire and American Express Platinum offer far more compelling products...which work regardless of airline flown.

IbrahimSS

All interesting. Since I fly EWR to SFO business class 3+ times a year next years PQD changes actually benefit me. Those flights are pretty pricey so blowing past $8k-$10k in spend hasn’t been a problem. Since my home airport is EWR United can unfortunately do anything they’d like and I still have to wind up flying them if I want the best prices and most direct routes from my area. I’m a slave to the fact that no other airport can compete out of EWR.

I hardly fly “international” and with the United card I get two lounge passes which is plenty for my one or two flights that qualify as international a year. Note the Caribbean and Mexico etc don’t count as international so that’s why I put it in quotes.

I would love to be higher on the upgrade list and have the ability to select economy plus seats at checkin. However the premium seat upgrades are probably cheaper to just pay for than a mileage run. Last couple of flights I’ve been on the premium cabin has been jam packed except at most 1 or 2 seats if I’m really pushing it. So the odds that I get a seat in the premium cabin feels slim although that’s very anecdotal and you folks might have more insight on if that’s true.

It sounds to me like unless I can really get some premium cabin upgrades Gold might not edge out Solver all that much. Does my analysis seem accurate given the extra color I added above?

jsloan

Both of those destinations count as international for the purposes of lounge access on either a business class ticket or having Gold status or higher.

Unless you regularly end up at #1 on the upgrade list, moving from Silver to Gold isn't likely to put you into first class. (That's entirely possible on Caribbean / Mexico routes, though).

Likely true.

I suspect you're correct.

11K miles is a lot of additional flying. I wouldn't do a pure mileage run of that distance just to get to Gold, no. Instead, I'd purchase F on flights where I cared about it until you wind up Gold naturally next year under the new rules.