Jan 1, 2014, 6:30 am
Last edit by: chrisl137
Please read these sources before posting in this thread: If you have calculated the PQDs for a trip at less than 80% of the total cost, you are very likely doing something wrong. Have you made sure to include the International Surcharge (YQ)? Have you read all of the materials linked above, and the frequently made points listed below?
Specific Unanswered Questions
Please limit these to specific, technical questions about the implementation of the PQD program. FMP (Frequently Made Points)
The following points have been made repeatedly in this thread (please feel free to add more concise points): Related Threads
Moderator's note:- First post from UA Insider (post 1)
- http://www.mileageplusupdates.com/faqs.html
- Additional answers from UA Insider (post 1387)
- more information about questions posed in this thread published to mileageplusupdates.com, per UA Insider
Specific Unanswered Questions
Please limit these to specific, technical questions about the implementation of the PQD program.
- Will there be a calculator that shows PQD, and will that calculator be accurate?
- What exactly will count toward PQD?
United states:
Base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges
Flights flown by United, United Express, or Copa Airlines
Flights operated by a Star Alliance® or a MileagePlus partner airline and issued on a United ticket (ticket number starting with 016)
Economy Plus purchases
The value of ETCs if used as a form of payment on the checkout page
will count towards PQD.
Thus:- The amount of co-pay when using miles to upgrade..
- The cost of PQMs/RDMs purchased when using the premier / award accelerator..
- The face value e-certs and travel vouchers.. (still uncertainty on this since prelim PQDs appeared to include)
- The cost of a paid upgrade..
- An extra seat purchase (such as for a customer of size or a musical instrument); it does not presently count toward PQM.
- Change fees.
- How will PQD be determined for UA metal segments without 016 stock ticket?
- What happens if I depart in December and return in January?
Just like PQM, PQD for the applicable part of fare for the segment is credited based on the departure date (year) of the segment flown. Segment fares are calculated using standard rules of the past. For the case cited there would be PQD credited in DEC 2013 (no value) and PQD applied to 2014 applicable to 2014 and 2015 status renewal. - How will UA evaluate the address issue for the PQD exemption?
- It is not clear how the timing of achieving the minimum PQD requirement will impact earning RPUs and GPUs. Examples:
- If someone crosses 75K PQM in say April, but doesn't hit $7500 PQD until December by which time has accrued 200K PQM, will he/she get 10 RPUs all at once? (and 10 GPUs assuming $10k PQD in December)
- Do only 1Ks/GSs earn additional RPUs by flying beyond the 100k mark?
- If a 1K crosses the 100,000 PQM mark in January 201x, the $10,000 PQD mark on December 31 201x, and ends up flying a total of 200,000 PQMs for the year 201x, how many RPUs / GPUs will be earned?
- Will Platinums earn 2 RPUs when crossing the 75k mark but none at incremental levels thereafter (e.g. a Plat who flies 100k EQMs, but does not meet the 1K spend, would *not* earn two more RPUs)?
- If someone crosses 75K PQM in say April, but doesn't hit $7500 PQD until December by which time has accrued 200K PQM, will he/she get 10 RPUs all at once? (and 10 GPUs assuming $10k PQD in December)
- How does IRROPs affect earning of PQDs?
- If one travels on a non-016 ticket originally booked non-UA/Copa metal, will one earn PQDs if rebooked onto UA?
- If one travels on a non-016 ticket originally booked on UA/Copa metal, but is rebooked onto non UA/Copa metal, will one still get credit for PQDs in these scenarios:
- The UA/Copa segment was the source of the irrops?
- The segment of another carrier causes the irrops, the carrier is a *A or UA/Copa partner?
- The segment of another carrier causes the irrops, the carrier is not a *A or UA/Copa partner?
The following points have been made repeatedly in this thread (please feel free to add more concise points):
- You might not be hitting the PQD minimums as easily as you think you are, given exceptions, taxes, and the existence of cheap fares.
- It is possible for leisure travelers and even some business travelers to average well under 10cpm. This doesn't just affect "leisure 1Ks" and people on the edge of categories.
- Presidential Plus card members (exempted from Silver/Gold/Plat PQD requirements) are most likely exempted because the FlexPQM program would complicate matters.
- Manufacturing $25,000 spend might not actually be so hard. There's a whole forum on it.
- The $25,000 spend can be done across multiple Chase MP cards, as long as the cards are tied to the same MileagePlus account.
- The exceptions don't really make sense where there is a revenue-sharing joint venture in place, such as with LH on TATL routes.
- Leaving UA for AA over objections to dollar-based status may be futile because all the majors will likely go to this model with the possible exception of the AS program which allows you to bank your DL and AA miles into one account (DL has already).
- UA is tracking spend on UA metal now.
- YQ, also known as the "international surcharge," is a carrier-imposed surcharge and is included in PQD.
- How to book 016 PQD earning tickets when no UA, UX, Copa metal flights are on itinerary.
- Do You Think UA Will Lose a Lot of Revenue With Less MR?
- Any Drawbacks from having MP account registered to foreign address?
- http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...nited-com.html
- Incorrect/Ineligible PQD/PQM/RDM Information showing on my itinerary.
Previous thread can be found here:
MileagePlus Premier Qualifying Dollar (PQD) Requirement Discussion [ARCHIVE]
iluv2fly
Moderator, UA
MileagePlus Premier Qualifying Dollar (PQD) Requirement Discussion Thread
Dec 9, 2014, 3:35 pm
#751
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,884
Well the Czech Airways segment isn't even showing up so I probably will not get any miles or PQD for that. Flight date was 12/1. Yes it's not 14 days yet but I don't expect things to change, though MP customer service said to wait 14 days on this segment. You'd think they'd know that Czech is ineligible.
And now my account activity updated the OS segment, FRA-VIE and gave me RDMs and PQMs but says "Ineligible" for the PQD.
This was not the flight that I booked. They had an almost 2-hour delay for the SFO-FRA segment so they rebooked me on this. The original flight was an LH codeshare, probably also operated by OS.
Maybe I wouldn't have gotten PQDs for that either.
So that means out of $3800 ticket, I'm getting only about $2600 PQD. Of course, they don't disclose that before you buy the ticket.
If this is the final resolution, I'm done with UA, other than burning the miles.
And now my account activity updated the OS segment, FRA-VIE and gave me RDMs and PQMs but says "Ineligible" for the PQD.
This was not the flight that I booked. They had an almost 2-hour delay for the SFO-FRA segment so they rebooked me on this. The original flight was an LH codeshare, probably also operated by OS.
Maybe I wouldn't have gotten PQDs for that either.
So that means out of $3800 ticket, I'm getting only about $2600 PQD. Of course, they don't disclose that before you buy the ticket.
If this is the final resolution, I'm done with UA, other than burning the miles.
As for PQD, again, if it was a re-booking, call for Original routing credit. They'll look it up, see its an invol rerouting and will be able to credit mileage and PQD. In IRROPS, sometimes things, even regular miles, don't post like they should. Call and they should be able to sort it out.
Dec 9, 2014, 7:47 pm
#752
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
Well who knows if the original segment earns PQD.
The way their booking systems work, there's no transparency so you can only guess how much of the ticket price ends up getting to PQD.
I'll ask but I wouldn't be surprised if they pull the .... like you can't get PQD for that original segment either.
As for Czech Air, I'm learning after the fact. I assumed it would be *A since it was booked on united.com. But I don't recall if there was a disclaimed. Probably doubt there was.
So they're not interested in conveying the information on how much PQD you would get when you book. You won't know until 14 days after the flight so if you miscalculated or didn't realize one of the segments was on a non-earning flight, tough .....
The way their booking systems work, there's no transparency so you can only guess how much of the ticket price ends up getting to PQD.
I'll ask but I wouldn't be surprised if they pull the .... like you can't get PQD for that original segment either.
As for Czech Air, I'm learning after the fact. I assumed it would be *A since it was booked on united.com. But I don't recall if there was a disclaimed. Probably doubt there was.
So they're not interested in conveying the information on how much PQD you would get when you book. You won't know until 14 days after the flight so if you miscalculated or didn't realize one of the segments was on a non-earning flight, tough .....
Dec 9, 2014, 8:47 pm
#753
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,016
http://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/Mark...ePartners.aspx
Dec 9, 2014, 9:29 pm
#754
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: BOS
Programs: UA Silver, DL, AA
Posts: 164
Do SDC fees apply to PQD?
From everything I've read here, I don't see that they do, but I also don't see that they don't.
From everything I've read here, I don't see that they do, but I also don't see that they don't.
Dec 9, 2014, 9:33 pm
#755
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,406
. SDC fees are ancillary fees that do not change the fare of your ticket and therefore do not count toward PQD.
Last edited by Xyzzy; Dec 10, 2014 at 4:59 am
Dec 9, 2014, 10:13 pm
#756
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: BOS
Programs: UA Silver, DL, AA
Posts: 164
Okay, thanks.
Dec 10, 2014, 10:23 am
#757
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,126
But the actual SDC fees themselves indeed do not count.
Dec 10, 2014, 11:02 am
#758
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,884
Well who knows if the original segment earns PQD.
The way their booking systems work, there's no transparency so you can only guess how much of the ticket price ends up getting to PQD.
I'll ask but I wouldn't be surprised if they pull the .... like you can't get PQD for that original segment either.
As for Czech Air, I'm learning after the fact. I assumed it would be *A since it was booked on united.com. But I don't recall if there was a disclaimed. Probably doubt there was.
So they're not interested in conveying the information on how much PQD you would get when you book. You won't know until 14 days after the flight so if you miscalculated or didn't realize one of the segments was on a non-earning flight, tough .....
The way their booking systems work, there's no transparency so you can only guess how much of the ticket price ends up getting to PQD.
I'll ask but I wouldn't be surprised if they pull the .... like you can't get PQD for that original segment either.
As for Czech Air, I'm learning after the fact. I assumed it would be *A since it was booked on united.com. But I don't recall if there was a disclaimed. Probably doubt there was.
So they're not interested in conveying the information on how much PQD you would get when you book. You won't know until 14 days after the flight so if you miscalculated or didn't realize one of the segments was on a non-earning flight, tough .....
As for your assumption, its bad to assume - not just with airlines/mileage posting, but pretty much anywhere in life. UA has web pages with information on all partners, and with the partners, indicating which fares earn miles and which don't. While there are definitely some complications (codeshare fare class mapping, etc.) its mostly pretty straightforward. Also, all pages specifically state that mileage is based on operating carrier.
On another note, wonder why this discussion is continuing in two separate threads?
Dec 11, 2014, 12:14 pm
#759
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Sacramento
Programs: UA 2MM/GS; SPG Lifetime Plat; MHC Lifetime; Tar Heel forever; and I "Dig the Pig" at Piggly Wiggly
Posts: 12,152
I met my 2015 1K spend requirement by flying LH
I am so happy. 
I usually fly 3 or 4 trips to Europe each year, and one of those always is a "downgraded" trip because I have to fly on UA instead of LH so that I can make the required $10K spend to earn 1K.
However, I just made a reservation. I booked on ual.com. The ticket issued is 016 stock. But roundtrip on LH A380. In F. And cheaper than flying UA on 777. Together with my domestic travel that usually is on UA ... I will make the increased spend requirement for 2015 ... and I don't have to fly TATL on UA!
Happy dance. ^
I usually fly 3 or 4 trips to Europe each year, and one of those always is a "downgraded" trip because I have to fly on UA instead of LH so that I can make the required $10K spend to earn 1K.
However, I just made a reservation. I booked on ual.com. The ticket issued is 016 stock. But roundtrip on LH A380. In F. And cheaper than flying UA on 777. Together with my domestic travel that usually is on UA ... I will make the increased spend requirement for 2015 ... and I don't have to fly TATL on UA!
Happy dance. ^
Dec 13, 2014, 4:01 pm
#760
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE, AA EXP MM, UA Gold MM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Titanium, HH Dia, IHG Plat
Posts: 4,777
Do some fees, other than YQ, count towards PQD?
I thought I heard that certain additional fees do count. If true, which ones?
Dec 13, 2014, 4:03 pm
#761
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,406
nomy plus.
Dec 14, 2014, 7:13 am
#762
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: MSP
Posts: 482
I currently sit $73 below my threshold. I have the outbound of a TATL coming up 12/21. Those segments, not including the international surcharge, come to $385. So everything I know from personal experience and information on FlyerTalk tells me I should be just fine.
That said, I still have something in the back of my head that bothers me. On a long layover in IAH a few months ago I asked a CS rep if he could tell me the exact amount of PQD I would receive for the outbound. To my surprise he replied that everything posts at the end because the trip ends the next calendar year. I'm sure he just wanted to go back to doing nothing (there were three agents, with no one to help). I don't know why I still have what he said in mind, as I know he is wrong, but I still think about it.
So, my question, finally. Let's say I enter crazy land and nothing posts until 1/4 and the return leg back to the states is done. I will be $73 short. Does anyone yet know of a way, other than flying, to get those $73? Obviously an extreme what-if that I feel rather silly even asking. You would think UA would be happy to just take a $73 "donation" so I could qualify for my tier. What business wouldn't want an easy 100% profit margin sale? Oh yeah, an airline. :P (Yes, I know status benefits cost them)
That said, I still have something in the back of my head that bothers me. On a long layover in IAH a few months ago I asked a CS rep if he could tell me the exact amount of PQD I would receive for the outbound. To my surprise he replied that everything posts at the end because the trip ends the next calendar year. I'm sure he just wanted to go back to doing nothing (there were three agents, with no one to help). I don't know why I still have what he said in mind, as I know he is wrong, but I still think about it.
So, my question, finally. Let's say I enter crazy land and nothing posts until 1/4 and the return leg back to the states is done. I will be $73 short. Does anyone yet know of a way, other than flying, to get those $73? Obviously an extreme what-if that I feel rather silly even asking. You would think UA would be happy to just take a $73 "donation" so I could qualify for my tier. What business wouldn't want an easy 100% profit margin sale? Oh yeah, an airline. :P (Yes, I know status benefits cost them)
Dec 14, 2014, 7:39 am
#763
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,167
He was dead wrong. Don't worry, you'll be fine.
Dec 14, 2014, 3:41 pm
#764
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kirkland, WA
Programs: AS 75K,UA Gold 1.6MM, Hilton Dia, Marriott LT Plat, Hyatt Glb, Natl Exec, Hertz 5*
Posts: 3,657
The ticket says BULK, but the price was still the same as it would have been had I booked on United.com.
Are you saying I can't get PQD just because I booked it through Chase? That's what that thread seems to suggest...?
Seems to me like Chase is profittng off the fact that I booked through them (by getting a bulk fare and charging me the regular published fare) and I get screwed by not getting any PQD.
Are you saying I can't get PQD just because I booked it through Chase? That's what that thread seems to suggest...?
Seems to me like Chase is profittng off the fact that I booked through them (by getting a bulk fare and charging me the regular published fare) and I get screwed by not getting any PQD.
Dec 14, 2014, 10:31 pm
#765
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: EWR
Programs: United Mileage Plus Premier Silver
Posts: 223
2015 Qualification
Hello!
I have a few questions regarding PQD in order to make Silver for 2015. I need to spend $651.
I just booked EWR-SFO-EWR and when I booked the reservation it indicated that the tax would be $22.60 and when I was ticketed it indicated that the tax was now $70.84.
The airfare now indicates that I have spent $643.14 on this reservation and with taxes a total of $713.98.
Should I be able to obtain my status with this? I am not sure how UA calculates PQD as if they would just use the airfare paid or if it was the ticket total.
Replies are greatly appreciated!
Happy Holidays!
I have a few questions regarding PQD in order to make Silver for 2015. I need to spend $651.
I just booked EWR-SFO-EWR and when I booked the reservation it indicated that the tax would be $22.60 and when I was ticketed it indicated that the tax was now $70.84.
The airfare now indicates that I have spent $643.14 on this reservation and with taxes a total of $713.98.
Should I be able to obtain my status with this? I am not sure how UA calculates PQD as if they would just use the airfare paid or if it was the ticket total.
Replies are greatly appreciated!
Happy Holidays!