Originally Posted by
FlyBruin
I fly enough to make *A Gold, usually on Lufthansa or Eva. You're right I can stack the miles in UA and go for the tiers there even if I wasn't flying UA. I was just considering the "wasted" PQDs that won't get credited into the lifetime program but I guess it's a give and take. Oz lifetime program doesn't appeal to me at all.
In the past I always considered the most direct flight and cheapest flight, never really focused on the FFP aspect so this is all a bit new to me. Thanks.
PQDs are irrelevant for lifetime status only your annual status, so don't worry about that. In the current United program, you have 3 important numbers (for US residents, foreign residents don't have PQDs).
PQD = Premier Qualifying Dollars - you need a minimum as a US resident depending upon the level you wish to achieve. Only earned on UA flights OR flights ticketed by UA on 016 ticket stock (you can get LH and NH flights ticketed this way as well as several other *A carriers but this does assume you can book yourself and get reimbursement rather than being forced to use the corporate travel agent, as they'll more likely take the simplest route and ticket on the other carrier's stock)
PQM = Premier Qualifying Miles - These are awarded for all qualifying Star Alliance travel, regardless of carrier, as long as it's a qualifying fare class. See UA's award charts for various airlines for details. for example all LH fares earn 100% or more PQMs - These are the miles that qualify you for various UA status levels, 25k Silver, 50k, Gold, 75k Platinum, and 100k 1K (together with the appropriate PQD for each level)
RDM = Redeemable Miles - these are the miles you seen in your mileage balance that you can spend on award flights for UA or other Star Alliance carriers.
So United may be a fine program for you and I'd say if anyone is still going to have a lifetime status in a decade, it's as likely to be them as anyone else.