UA's Award Accelerator - 3c/RDM for next flight [Merged Threads]
Aug 1, 2008, 9:54 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Programs: UA-1K/Life UC, AA-EXP, AF-Plat
Posts: 202
UA's Award Accelerator - 3c/RDM for next flight [Merged Threads]
Details link:
http://www.united.com/awardaccelerator
Passenger can opt to purchase "double" or "triple" miles upon on-line check-in. "Double" means RDM of equal of the flight miles and "triple" means double. Pricing is almost 3c per RDM.
Takes up to 48 hours to credit. Fee is non-refundable. In the event of flight cancellation, bonus still apply. Applies even for award travel.
http://www.united.com/awardaccelerator
Passenger can opt to purchase "double" or "triple" miles upon on-line check-in. "Double" means RDM of equal of the flight miles and "triple" means double. Pricing is almost 3c per RDM.
Takes up to 48 hours to credit. Fee is non-refundable. In the event of flight cancellation, bonus still apply. Applies even for award travel.
Aug 1, 2008, 9:56 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: SFO South Bay
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 3,052
Man, they will be selling their mothers before long! New tagline:
"UA. Anything for a buck."
"UA. Anything for a buck."
Aug 1, 2008, 10:10 pm
#3
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Singapore
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott LT PLT, SPG PLT
Posts: 138
Interesting promotion...
Currently a flight from SIN-IAD is 9,656 miles and costs ~$2000. An economy award for that flight costs 60,000 miles.
If you fly R/T SIN-IAD you would earn ~20000 RDM. Paying for the triple 'award accelerator' would yield you 60,000 miles - enough for a free R/T in coach (and this isn't counting the 100% RDM bonus you'd get as a 1P/1K).
using the LAX-SYD example where 7483 = $449 USD, then 20000 miles should cost ~ $1200 USD. I also think the cost/mile would be slightly less if you tried to trend the ORD-CLE/mile cost versus the LAX-SYD/mile cost.
Not exactly a 'steal' - but technically that would be cheaper than paying for a full R/T fare. Might be worth if it for 1K's with access to additional coach inventory.
Currently a flight from SIN-IAD is 9,656 miles and costs ~$2000. An economy award for that flight costs 60,000 miles.
If you fly R/T SIN-IAD you would earn ~20000 RDM. Paying for the triple 'award accelerator' would yield you 60,000 miles - enough for a free R/T in coach (and this isn't counting the 100% RDM bonus you'd get as a 1P/1K).
using the LAX-SYD example where 7483 = $449 USD, then 20000 miles should cost ~ $1200 USD. I also think the cost/mile would be slightly less if you tried to trend the ORD-CLE/mile cost versus the LAX-SYD/mile cost.
Not exactly a 'steal' - but technically that would be cheaper than paying for a full R/T fare. Might be worth if it for 1K's with access to additional coach inventory.
Aug 1, 2008, 10:13 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: SFO South Bay
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 3,052
1) you do not get RDM or EQM on award travel. So you lose that benefit
2) award travel is getting VERY hard to obtain these days. Paid is a lot more flexible. Yes, if you are 1K it is a bit easier than for a non-1k, but still nowhere as easy as paid ticket.
Given this, I think the deal is not a deal.
Aug 1, 2008, 11:08 pm
#5
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Southeastern WI
Programs: UA Gold, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 590
Award Accellerator = Mile Devalue
Aug 1, 2008, 11:13 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2008
Location: 39°51'31"N 104°40'23"W
Programs: UA 1.5K MM/SPG Plat/Various Random Golds lol
Posts: 1,071
Agree....Award Accell = soon (within 6 months) devalue the miles...80,000 RDM for coach IAD-SIN....
If you add up the DEQM producing all the "lite" elite's, and this type of promo...they are printing free miles. RDM inflation...
If you add up the DEQM producing all the "lite" elite's, and this type of promo...they are printing free miles. RDM inflation...
Aug 1, 2008, 11:15 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: RNO
Programs: AS MVP, WN A-List+ UA Silver, HH <>, National EE, WoH Globalist
Posts: 3,769
3 cents per mile does not seem that bad...assuming there is an airline left to redeem awards on...
Aug 1, 2008, 11:20 pm
#8
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Clinging to the edifices of a decadent past from the biggest city in America nobody really cares about.
Programs: (ಠ_ಠ)
Posts: 9,077
Not quite sure what to make of this one. On one hand I like the ability to earn more (albeit a 3c/RDM), especially if I'm in a bind and scheduling a MR is not an option.
But on the other hand I'd hate to see this enhancement elite replace bonus miles.
But on the other hand I'd hate to see this enhancement elite replace bonus miles.
Aug 2, 2008, 12:01 am
#9
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
Join Date: Jun 2000
Programs: Honors Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle, National Exec Elite
Posts: 36,024
Details link:
http://www.united.com/awardaccelerator
http://www.united.com/awardaccelerator
Our hours are 7 a.m. - midnight CST, Sunday through Saturday."
For some reason, the link doesn't work in Firefox, but does in IE. Weird
Last edited by cblaisd; Aug 2, 2008 at 2:39 am
Aug 2, 2008, 2:26 am
#10
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: LAX
Programs: Alaska 75K
Posts: 489
Sounds attractive, however, here is my perspective
For 1K's and 1P's, 1 RDM at $0.033 means 1 EQM at $0.066 - that's a bit high of a cost to pay for EQM, so does not qualify to "turbo-charge" a MR. I don't think I am interested as the cost for extra 25,000 miles is $837
I am guessing is that UA is targeting people who want to top off their accounts, so will put some pressure on award availability. However, frequent travelers will not bite.
For 1K's and 1P's, 1 RDM at $0.033 means 1 EQM at $0.066 - that's a bit high of a cost to pay for EQM, so does not qualify to "turbo-charge" a MR. I don't think I am interested as the cost for extra 25,000 miles is $837
I am guessing is that UA is targeting people who want to top off their accounts, so will put some pressure on award availability. However, frequent travelers will not bite.
Aug 2, 2008, 3:43 am
#11
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Ether
Programs: Some, not all.
Posts: 1,595
I don't think UA will get rid of the elite bonus, but I could see that we might be able to buy our bonus miles at a discounted rate - maybe 1.5 cpm?
Aug 2, 2008, 7:47 am
#13
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,134
Works for me.
I suspect this will replaces the "$20 for 1,000 miles" promo. People didn't have a devaluation problem with that one, but do with this one, even though this one costs about 50% more. Weird. Or, as Lucky would say: Wow. Just wow.
I suspect this will replaces the "$20 for 1,000 miles" promo. People didn't have a devaluation problem with that one, but do with this one, even though this one costs about 50% more. Weird. Or, as Lucky would say: Wow. Just wow.
Last edited by mahasamatman; Aug 2, 2008 at 7:56 am
Aug 2, 2008, 7:59 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: MileagePlus Premier Gold
Posts: 11,522
How is this mileage devaluation? There are a gazillion other mileage promotions and bonuses out there, for FREE. I don't hear you complain about double miles, or what have you, or 25,000 mile bonuses for signing up with the credit card. This is just another way for UA to make money. How is that a bad thing?
Last edited by UnitedSkies; Aug 2, 2008 at 8:10 am
Aug 2, 2008, 8:19 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Greater DC
Programs: UA plus
Posts: 12,943
I love they owe you nothing in the case of a flight cancellation 
... this wasn't a deal to begin with, but they've now made it a risky one at best both from the perspective of whether your flight goes, as well as if you can use those miles you'd gain to redeem a ticket at some point in the future.
... this wasn't a deal to begin with, but they've now made it a risky one at best both from the perspective of whether your flight goes, as well as if you can use those miles you'd gain to redeem a ticket at some point in the future.