FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - UA mileage earning on AC (Air Canada) operated flights [ARCHIVE]
Old Jan 31, 2015, 11:57 am
  #11  
emcampbe
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
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Originally Posted by dts9
I have United GOLD status and am working on the next level this year...

Recently I booked a UA codeshare flight from DCA to YYZ on an Air Canada flight with a united code share flight number. It was ticketed as Air Canada economy, class T.

Flight is 359 miles and I was expecting 500 minimum PQM and 1 segment.

However, when I checked I only received 125 PQM and no segments and no qualifying cash dollars. I was referred by mileageplus support to a United site where it showed that class T on air canada (discount economy) only received 125 PQM when flying from US to Canada, or within Canada, even if a code share flight, and no matter how many miles you fly. Same 125 PQM from Chicago to Toronto, as for Newark to Vancouver..

I have several United code share flights coming up from the east coast to vancouver and if I only get 125 PQM on a cross continent flight, it would make more sense to earn AC miles....

I was shocked, but if this really is the case, i will need to only book United flights and stay away from Air Canada... so much for the Star Alliance....
Your expectations were off, likely because you assumed what the mileage earning was vs. actually looking at the earnings table.

T flying on AC metal has been Tango since they started those designations, IIRC. And while the earnings have changed a few times over he last few years, don't think T has been part of those changes for quite some time - they haven't earned full mileage for several years at least.

As for cross-country flights, 125 is the minimum on a fare class that earns 25%, but that's only the minimum and applies to flights 500 miles or less. So ORD-YYZ earns 125 on those lower tango fares, but EWR - YVR would earn 25% of the distance flown, not 125. You are misunderstanding somewhere if you determined it to mean longer flights only get 125 miles.

On the other hand, crediting miles to AC may not be much better for you. On tango fares within Canada, you earn the same 25% and on US to Canada, it's 50%. But if you move to collect with Aeroplan, you won't be able to move miles back to MP. Miles are credited by segment, so if flying EWR-YYZ and then connecting to YVR, you'll still earn just 25% on the majority of the trip. You'll also have to adapt to their system, which includes hefty fuel surcharges on rewards when even a single segment is on AC and a bunch of other * carriers (not UA, but lots of others). For example, to LHR those surcharges, in addition to miles needed can be $700+ (I've also seen them at $160 from the Midwest to YYZ).

And like UA, there have been some major program changes at Aeroplan which members do not like, so much so that even with UAs changes, many elites have taken to move to MP.

It's up to you what works best to you, but Aeroplan isn't necessarily the better way - it might be for you, but make sure you calculate this before making a decision that you could regret.

One thing is for sure - airlines around the world are re-adjusting their programs from benefitting everyone equally based on miles flown. They are now rewarding high fare flyers better then those flying rock bottom fares. It just makes sense, even if it means the shower of benefits are over for some. Most loyalty programs in other industries have been doing this for quite sometime - so it probably makes sense to just get used to it and use the programs as best can based on the new realities, and potentially re-evaluate loyalty to determine what program will reward you best based on your preferences, spending habits and flying patterns.
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