Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Earning miles on United flights
Spend-based mileage (RDM) earning for all UA metal flights effective March 1, 2015.
Redeemable Miles (RDM) changes highlights:
Fare multipliers based on Premier status:
For example, a 1K would earn 1100 miles for a $120 (assuming $20 in taxes/fees) ticket while a Silver would earn 700 miles for the same ticket.
As there is a maximum number of miles per ticket earned - this disincentives purchasing any ticket (excluding government taxes and fees) over the following:
A way to avoid this is booking one-ways if the fare rules permit.
Premier Qualifying Miles (PQM) are not affected by this change.
Announcement Site
Post 57: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/23008349-post57.html
Answered Questions:
Spend-based mileage (RDM) earning for all UA metal flights effective March 1, 2015.
Redeemable Miles (RDM) changes highlights:
- Miles earned will now be based on the ticket price instead of the number of miles flown (see partner flights on non-016 tickets exception )
- Ticket price is defined as base fare plus carrier-imposed surcharges (same as PQDs)
- Class of service bonuses have been discontinued (e.g. X% more on A fares).
- There is a limit of 75,000 miles earned per ticket (see below for spending limits by status)
- UA flights regardless of ticket stock will use the ticket price to determine RDMs
- Partner flight on 016 ticket stock will use the ticket price to determine RDMs
- Partner flights on non-016 ticket stock will use a flight mileage-based system to determine RDMs with a fare class multiplier (see the partner page for detials
- Speciality / Bulk tickets with PQDs will use a flight mileage-based system to determine RDMs with a fare class multiplier, see Specialty tickets
Fare multipliers based on Premier status:
- x5 General Members
- x7 Silver
- x8 Gold
- x9 Plat
- x11 1K/GS
For example, a 1K would earn 1100 miles for a $120 (assuming $20 in taxes/fees) ticket while a Silver would earn 700 miles for the same ticket.
As there is a maximum number of miles per ticket earned - this disincentives purchasing any ticket (excluding government taxes and fees) over the following:
- $6818.18 for 1K/GS
- $8333.33 for Platinum
- $9375.00 for Gold
- $10714.28 for Silver
- $15000.00 for General Members
A way to avoid this is booking one-ways if the fare rules permit.
Premier Qualifying Miles (PQM) are not affected by this change.
www.mileageplusupdates.com
There is a tool on the site that allow you to enter how much you spent on a ticket along your premier status in order to calculate how many miles you will earn under the new system. The tool is aware of the miles per ticket limit.
There is a FAQ here: http://mileageplusupdates.com/faq.html
Relevant UA Insider posts:There is a tool on the site that allow you to enter how much you spent on a ticket along your premier status in order to calculate how many miles you will earn under the new system. The tool is aware of the miles per ticket limit.
There is a FAQ here: http://mileageplusupdates.com/faq.html
Post 57: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/23008349-post57.html
Hi everyone,
Today were announcing changes to how MileagePlus members will earn award miles in 2015. Weve posted complete details and a FAQ on united.com, but I wanted to share an excerpt of the key points with you directly:
As of March 1, 2015, the award miles you earn on most United and United Express tickets will be based on your ticket price (that is, base fare plus carrier-imposed surcharges) and your MileagePlus status, instead of the distance you travel. The new criteria for earning award miles will look like this:
<portion removed for brevity>
The changes to earning award miles will apply to all MileagePlus members worldwide, and will be based on status at the time of flight on or after March 1, 2015. These changes will not affect the qualification requirements for 2015 Premier status. PQM and PQS will still be based on the number of paid flight miles traveled and the fare purchased. And where applicable, PQD will still be determined by the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges.
Today were announcing changes to how MileagePlus members will earn award miles in 2015. Weve posted complete details and a FAQ on united.com, but I wanted to share an excerpt of the key points with you directly:
As of March 1, 2015, the award miles you earn on most United and United Express tickets will be based on your ticket price (that is, base fare plus carrier-imposed surcharges) and your MileagePlus status, instead of the distance you travel. The new criteria for earning award miles will look like this:
<portion removed for brevity>
The changes to earning award miles will apply to all MileagePlus members worldwide, and will be based on status at the time of flight on or after March 1, 2015. These changes will not affect the qualification requirements for 2015 Premier status. PQM and PQS will still be based on the number of paid flight miles traveled and the fare purchased. And where applicable, PQD will still be determined by the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges.
Class of service bonuses have been discontinued under the new system. There is already an adjustment for 1K over general members.
For tickets that will earn award miles based on ticket price, the class-of-service bonus and Premier bonus will be included in the number of award miles you earn per dollar. Basically COS has been removed.
E-mail received by GS lists 1K and GS together.
2015 MileagePlus Change - RDMs Will Be Calculated by Spend, Not Distance
#31
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: SLC
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 493
So as a Silver I would need to spend almost $3,600 next year to requalify, or spend over $7,000 to get Gold, to which neither level is worth even close to that spend for what you get. I'm sure an additional 'change I'll like' is the removal of complementary E+ for Silver as well next year. I've moved most of my flying over to AA, but being IAH based, SMI/J still has me by the balls on some fights.
#32
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,563
Bummer - and its not even a Friday. I've already moved most of my flying to AA. Now that both DL and UA are doing this: any bets on how long it takes Parker and Company to follow suit?
#34
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Costa Rica
Programs: UA 1K, Priority Platinum, Marriot Gold, Delta Platinum
Posts: 308
#36
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: SJC / DPS
Programs: AS G75K, UA Silver
Posts: 1,752
How you earn award miles on flights will change on March 1, 2015
I'm not sure from the wording, but for me this hits me hard. I have two scenarios in mind which I'm not sure of:
1) switch my transpac flying to ANA and still receive full mileage to credit to UA
2) credit UA flights to another program (which I'm not sure of which one at this point)
1) switch my transpac flying to ANA and still receive full mileage to credit to UA
2) credit UA flights to another program (which I'm not sure of which one at this point)
#38
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: West Coast, USA
Programs: Skywards Platinum
Posts: 3,747
What is with the 75k mile cap?! So, as a 1K, if I buy a fare higher than $6,800 I am penalized?
"For tickets that will earn award miles based on ticket price, the class-of-service bonus and Premier bonus will be included in the number of award miles you earn per dollar."
Anybody have a clue what this means? If I am 1k and earn 11x miles per dollar, how is class-of-service accounted for? Or, I am guessing that is yet to be published, but it sounds like there will be additional miles if you fly a premium cabin.
"For tickets that will earn award miles based on ticket price, the class-of-service bonus and Premier bonus will be included in the number of award miles you earn per dollar."
Anybody have a clue what this means? If I am 1k and earn 11x miles per dollar, how is class-of-service accounted for? Or, I am guessing that is yet to be published, but it sounds like there will be additional miles if you fly a premium cabin.
#39
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Costa Rica
Programs: UA 1K, Priority Platinum, Marriot Gold, Delta Platinum
Posts: 308
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, LH Senator *Gold, AA EXP OWE Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,556
#42
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SJC
Programs: UA 1K/*G, AA, IHG Ambassador, Marriott Gold
Posts: 395
PQD didn't really affect me, but this will.
As a 1k who flies 95% for personal travel, being 100-110k miles a year on a 10-12k spend this will turn me into a kayaker. This is effectively a 40-50% devaluation of earned mileage, compounded with the devaluation of the mileage chart it is not helpful to retaining my business.
I'm just glad I'm finding out in June so i can direct the remaining 2014 travel elsewhere; it'll be nice to say good bye to EWR.
As a 1k who flies 95% for personal travel, being 100-110k miles a year on a 10-12k spend this will turn me into a kayaker. This is effectively a 40-50% devaluation of earned mileage, compounded with the devaluation of the mileage chart it is not helpful to retaining my business.
I'm just glad I'm finding out in June so i can direct the remaining 2014 travel elsewhere; it'll be nice to say good bye to EWR.
And this from whimike: "What is with the 75k mile cap?! So, as a 1K, if I buy a fare higher than $6,800 I am penalized? "
That bites big time!
Last edited by ok2uselane; Jun 10, 2014 at 6:26 am
#43
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,165
What is with the 75k mile cap?! So, as a 1K, if I buy a fare higher than $6,800 I am penalized?
"For tickets that will earn award miles based on ticket price, the class-of-service bonus and Premier bonus will be included in the number of award miles you earn per dollar."
Anybody have a clue what this means? If I am 1k and earn 11x miles per dollar, how is class-of-service accounted for? Or, I am guessing that is yet to be published, but it sounds like there will be additional miles if you fly a premium cabin.
"For tickets that will earn award miles based on ticket price, the class-of-service bonus and Premier bonus will be included in the number of award miles you earn per dollar."
Anybody have a clue what this means? If I am 1k and earn 11x miles per dollar, how is class-of-service accounted for? Or, I am guessing that is yet to be published, but it sounds like there will be additional miles if you fly a premium cabin.
The solution talked about in that thread was to buy one-ways if not price-penalized
#44
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,103
What is with the 75k mile cap?! So, as a 1K, if I buy a fare higher than $6,800 I am penalized?
"For tickets that will earn award miles based on ticket price, the class-of-service bonus and Premier bonus will be included in the number of award miles you earn per dollar."
Anybody have a clue what this means? If I am 1k and earn 11x miles per dollar, how is class-of-service accounted for? Or, I am guessing that is yet to be published, but it sounds like there will be additional miles if you fly a premium cabin.
"For tickets that will earn award miles based on ticket price, the class-of-service bonus and Premier bonus will be included in the number of award miles you earn per dollar."
Anybody have a clue what this means? If I am 1k and earn 11x miles per dollar, how is class-of-service accounted for? Or, I am guessing that is yet to be published, but it sounds like there will be additional miles if you fly a premium cabin.
Welcome to the oligopolistic market run by lemmings for lemmings.
Copy meet cat.
#45
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS
Posts: 15,027
Why bother earning status or miles on UA. The way forward is to fly the airline that gives you the best bang for the buck. Today that can be UA, tomorrow it can be DL. And next week AA perhaps. Or any combination thereof.
Loyalty My A$$.
Loyalty My A$$.