What if I fly a United-operated segment on a non-United ticket?You will earn PQP equal to the portion of the fare assignable to that segment. This information is transmitted from the ticketing carrier to United, and will be a somewhat arbitrary number between 0 and the full value of the fare component which includes that segment**. (This is the same as earning PQD on such a segment today.)
I'm looking at two different itineraries booked through AC - one with all AC metal, one with a long leg on AC and a short leg on UA. Knowing that the UA flight can earn such arbitrary credit, safer to just go with the guaranteed earnings on the all-AC itinerary?