Originally Posted by
travelmad478
The gift allows me to choose between 7000 FF miles (non-status) or a $150 flight credit. To get that credit, the flight must be UA metal only, used within one year, and straight OW or RT only with no multi-city routings; it is valid for a single passenger's ticket only.
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Clearly, $150 is worth more than 7000 miles in most cases. Or is it? I never fly internationally on UA, and never in a premium cabin. The only way I would use these miles is for a domestic vacation flight, and I rarely take UA for those flights because of their limited nonstops from PHL to anywhere I want to go. (I know it is heresy from a mileage running perspective, but I prefer not to change planes.)
What to choose? I am leaning towards the 7000 miles.
It depends on what you want out of the Mileage Plus program. You say you do have *A travel from time to time, but don't indicate whether you're looking to earn or maintain elite status. If so, and your travel for this year or next might leave you just short of an elite plateau, then take the $150 flight credit; it'll help you buy a low-cost mileage run.
If UA status isn't a consideration, take the miles, and remember that you can use them toward an award on any *A partner. (You're accumulating UA miles for some reason, right?)