Yes Kyklin, the SQ is 70% and Thai is only 50%. This is a bit bizarre, United gives more credit for a non-star alliance carrier than one of their own partners? Not to mention that Thai was one of the first (maybe the first) to offer mileage in economy and 100% at that! SQ only 7.5 months ago began giving any economy miles. It is also odd that SQ gives its own members 50% (right now 75, but I think that bonus ends later this year).

Living in asia, I can't understand why United is so much higher. I had a United Rep com e to my office 2 weeks ago, trying to get my business, but he couldn't even address the fare issue, only acknowledged that UA doesn't compete on fares. Given the fare difference, and the total failure of UA Mileageplus to compete with NW Worldperks (from the asian travelors perspective) I don't understand how they can get anyone on their planes to/from asia. Of course I understand 1K's position, a flight to asia is worth 16,000-25000 base miles not to mention class and elite bonuses, you dont give up your main airline and those things to save $200 or so (I know sometimes it is much more and C or F it could be upto 2000) if you have any elite status with them. I wonder if UA has any asia based 1K members? While it might be worth it to someone based in chicago, i can't see it being worth it to someone in SIN.

Of course at the same time it makes one curious. I had UA comp my Premex just because I wanted to give UA a try and see what they are doing that (they think) makes them so special that they don't have to compete on fare etc. Since I have almost always flown NW (a few CX, SQ, and CI flights) and been satisfied in C or F, Y does stink generally, but 18 hours with any plane in Y isn't fun, so I wonder will UA's flights and service be so much better? I'll let you all know what I think when I make it, probably in January next year since I my last flight this year is a NW F award ticket for 80K, much cheaper than UA's F asia-Northamerica award too.

tg