FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2019]

Jan 30, 2019 | 3:45 pm

#9

Boraxo

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Dec 2002

Location: Danville, CA, USA;

Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat

Posts: 17,930

Quote:

Originally Posted by lhrsfo

One way of looking at it is to consider what you would have to pay for a mileage run. At its simplest perhaps two transcons in a day so no accommodation costs or interrupted sleep. BOS-SFO and back will earn around 5000 PQMs and can be had for around $250. There are, of course, all sorts of international runs which will cost far less per mile, but you would have to factor in hotel costs (or interrupted sleep nights) and are generally very gruelling.

So, if you need 10,000 PQMs, you could set aside a couple of days and spend around $500. Or you could buy them for somewhat more. Then it comes a question of how you value your time, whether you value lifetime BIS miles and whether you value the handful of RDMs you would earn. Everyone's calculation will be different.

+1 This is why I have not been tempted to bite as the prices on offer have generally been a factor of 3-6x higher than what I would spend on a mileage run. That being said, I was not thrilled to spend the better part of 24 hours cramped in economy seats on a Dec 28 mileage run so I can certainly feel the value of avoiding the MR.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrivatePilot

Didn't see a 2019 thread for this so started one. I checked my Premier Accelerator offers across 2 reservations and this is what I am seeing:

5000 PQM/miles for $725
10000 PQM/miles for $1450
30000 PQM/miles for $4200
45000 PQM/miles for $6300

It is difficult to assess the value without knowing the effects of the Accelerator. For example if you know that 10k miles will put your over the top for 1K status, then you can decide whether $1450 would exceed the marginal value of 1K over Plat. Personally I would not pay that much but there are other threads that provide opinions on the value of each status.

Are there actually people who pay $4200 or $6300 to buy additional miles? Seems like you could simply apply that money to F seats and have change left over. The perks are nice but many are attainable via lower/mid level elite status and/or Chase UA cards.