MileagePlus Recognition Miles
Jan 22, 2013, 9:23 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: NYC / MIA / AMS
Programs: UA 1k
Posts: 500
MileagePlus Recognition Miles
Just got this email:
https://secure.unitedmileageplus.com...les/index.html
Basically, Buy 1mm Miles for $38,000 and you can gift Premier Plat and a UC membership to someone or get a discount for the bulk purchase. Buy less and you can gift a gold or silver membership to someone.
https://secure.unitedmileageplus.com...les/index.html
MileagePlus® award miles are the perfect gift or incentive to recognize everyone in your life - from employees to friends to family. And now when you buy award miles, you can choose a thank-you gift for yourself:
Premier® status for you or someone you choose
OR
Discounts of up to 25% off the cost of award miles
Award miles can be used for flights, hotel stays, dining out, online shopping and more. The more award miles you purchase, the greater your reward.
Premier® status for you or someone you choose
OR
Discounts of up to 25% off the cost of award miles
Award miles can be used for flights, hotel stays, dining out, online shopping and more. The more award miles you purchase, the greater your reward.
Jan 22, 2013, 9:26 am
#2
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: UA
Posts: 1,775
Buy 1 million miles and you get Premier Platinum
Curious if anybody will actually buy 1 million miles ?
https://secure.unitedmileageplus.com...les/index.html
You can give Premier Platinum (or keep it yourself) and get a free club membership (more then I got after flying 2 Million miles after the devaluation.
Its only 37625$ :-).
https://secure.unitedmileageplus.com...les/index.html
You can give Premier Platinum (or keep it yourself) and get a free club membership (more then I got after flying 2 Million miles after the devaluation.
Its only 37625$ :-).
Jan 22, 2013, 10:51 am
#6
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: USA
Programs: UA 1K/*G, Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy BS, Hertz & Avis Pres
Posts: 653
Jan 22, 2013, 11:37 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 537
So if you did this for 1,000,000 miles and took the discount, after tax you would be looking at $30,335.16. If you only spent them on international roundtrips in business at 120,000 miles per, that gives you 8.33 roundtrips. Which means each roundtrip would be $3,640.
Not that good....but if my company wants to buy me that, I am not going to say no.
Not that good....but if my company wants to buy me that, I am not going to say no.
Jan 22, 2013, 11:58 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: IAH
Posts: 362
So if you did this for 1,000,000 miles and took the discount, after tax you would be looking at $30,335.16. If you only spent them on international roundtrips in business at 120,000 miles per, that gives you 8.33 roundtrips. Which means each roundtrip would be $3,640.
Not that good....but if my company wants to buy me that, I am not going to say no.
Not that good....but if my company wants to buy me that, I am not going to say no.
But since using miles means I usually have to settle for less than ideal routes and/or times, I do agree with you.
Jan 22, 2013, 12:02 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: USA
Programs: UA 1K/*G, Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy BS, Hertz & Avis Pres
Posts: 653
No, you did not. I looked at both the T&Cs and the FAQs and it is not specified in any place. I don't think one can argue with a straight face that the absence of specificity should be interpreted to mean lifetime status but I'd sure love it if that was the answer.
Jan 22, 2013, 12:10 pm
#10
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Under the Cone of Silence
Programs: UA Gold; AA Dirt; HH Diamond; National Emerald; CONTROL SecretAgent Platinum; KAOS EvilFlyer Gold
Posts: 1,499
Somebody with a spare $30K want to volunteer to be the test case?
Jan 22, 2013, 2:34 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: DCA (and, when I can't avoid it, IAD)
Programs: UA 1K, US CP
Posts: 111
Why on earth would someone spend $30k to get miles that you can't even use? That's insane.
Jan 22, 2013, 2:59 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: USA
Programs: UA 1K/*G, Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy BS, Hertz & Avis Pres
Posts: 653
*I would not love to do this.
Jan 22, 2013, 5:45 pm
#14
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAH / HOU
Programs: UA GS, DL-Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Somethingist, Marriott Titanium Lifetime
Posts: 2,853
Since the miles would likely be used up quickly with no tangible benefit remaining I don't think this cash outlay would qualify as a capital expense.
Jan 22, 2013, 6:21 pm
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DAY
Programs: UA 1K 1MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Amex MR; Chase UR; Hertz PC; Global Entry
Posts: 10,159
I can think of a LOT better performance recognition ideas attainable for $30k.
Not to mention these would probably be taxable as income if distributed to employees.
Not to mention these would probably be taxable as income if distributed to employees.