Continental Miles into United Miles
Sep 9, 2002, 6:46 pm
#1
Original Member
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Boynton Beach, Florida, USA
Programs: All Airline & Hotel Programs (POINT JUNKIE!)
Posts: 806
Continental Miles into United Miles
I just opened an Amtrak Guest Rewards program for the purpose of transfering my Continental miles into United Airline miles.
I'm doing this because I think I stand a better chance of Freq. Flyer Awards on United. In my experience, Co. is the worst in trying to redeem an award for an ordinary One-Pass member (no status). I appreciate anyone's informed comments on this.
I plan to transfer my Co. miles to Amtak - then transfer the Amtrak pts. to United (increments of 5000 pts.) Should be fairly easy to do - although Amtak did say it would take about a month for each transfer. Thanks for your comments
I'm doing this because I think I stand a better chance of Freq. Flyer Awards on United. In my experience, Co. is the worst in trying to redeem an award for an ordinary One-Pass member (no status). I appreciate anyone's informed comments on this.
I plan to transfer my Co. miles to Amtak - then transfer the Amtrak pts. to United (increments of 5000 pts.) Should be fairly easy to do - although Amtak did say it would take about a month for each transfer. Thanks for your comments
Sep 9, 2002, 7:15 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: BOS
Posts: 2,315
I'm Gold on CO, and I still think it is impossible to redeem miles on CO. I'm doing the same thing, and sending some AMEX miles through CO to Amtrak to UA as well. Hopefully, UA will stay around long enough for me to use them up.
Sep 10, 2002, 7:02 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Denver CO
Posts: 3,682
I have done the CO-->Amtrak-->UA trick in the last month and it works. While Amtrak says each step takes a month or more, in fact each step took only about a week.
CO has its pluses but you can't get a Business seat using an award unless you have status until 30 days before a flight.
CO has its pluses but you can't get a Business seat using an award unless you have status until 30 days before a flight.
Sep 10, 2002, 8:13 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: nurnberg, germany
Posts: 286
hello all you UA mileage seekers. This may be a bit more appropo in coupon connection but thought I would put out a feeler...
If Amtrak's long haul routes survive past Oct 1, which I think is the date changes or cuts were threatened, I would be interested in an Amtrak award from their program. However, I have no Amtrak or Continental points. I do, however, have lots of UA points.
Would anyone be interested in exchanging awards of equal value? (I give you a UA award and you give me an Amtrak award).
Hope the post does not offend but was curious to see if there was any interest.
If Amtrak's long haul routes survive past Oct 1, which I think is the date changes or cuts were threatened, I would be interested in an Amtrak award from their program. However, I have no Amtrak or Continental points. I do, however, have lots of UA points.
Would anyone be interested in exchanging awards of equal value? (I give you a UA award and you give me an Amtrak award).
Hope the post does not offend but was curious to see if there was any interest.
Sep 10, 2002, 3:18 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Philadelphia, PA, USA
Programs: UA 2P, AA LT Gold, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 3,159
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by gardener:
How does this work? Does it end up being 1 for 1 (UA for CO miles)?</font>
How does this work? Does it end up being 1 for 1 (UA for CO miles)?</font>
Sep 13, 2002, 10:11 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 367
Great find here!
But being gready as we are, let's ask the next question: will they let us to consolidate CO miles from multiple account or is stricly "same name, same account" deal.
How about these scenarios:
CO My Name -> AMTRAK My Name -> UA My Name (obvious), but:
CO Her Name -> AMTRAK My Name -> UA My Name
or
CO Her Name -> AMTRAK Her Name -> UA My Name
Did anyone try it ?
But being gready as we are, let's ask the next question: will they let us to consolidate CO miles from multiple account or is stricly "same name, same account" deal.
How about these scenarios:
CO My Name -> AMTRAK My Name -> UA My Name (obvious), but:
CO Her Name -> AMTRAK My Name -> UA My Name
or
CO Her Name -> AMTRAK Her Name -> UA My Name
Did anyone try it ?
Sep 14, 2002, 10:55 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Philadelphia, PA, USA
Programs: UA 2P, AA LT Gold, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 3,159
I think the other interesting wrinkle here is:
Amex Memb Rewards -> Continetal -> Amtrak -> United.
Amex MR normally only transfers to US, CO, and DL, but this would bring UA into the fold.
Amex Memb Rewards -> Continetal -> Amtrak -> United.
Amex MR normally only transfers to US, CO, and DL, but this would bring UA into the fold.
Sep 14, 2002, 5:46 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: controlling the internets from an underground bunker
Programs: So l33t that I don't need a wallet full of cards to prove it. Black is the new Gold.
Posts: 3,041
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by lisamcgu:
Am Ex > Starwood </font>
Am Ex > Starwood </font>
Sep 14, 2002, 6:34 pm
#13
Original Member
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Boynton Beach, Florida, USA
Programs: All Airline & Hotel Programs (POINT JUNKIE!)
Posts: 806
I don't believe AMTRAK will let you combine your Spousal accounts.....anyone know??
and yes - you can transfer Membership Rewards to Co. then CO to Amtrak then Amtrak to United.....effectively using Membership Rewards to add to your United miles....By the way - some have said I'm "crazy" to do this with UA's "edge of bankruptcy" problem..
What are your comments about the chances of losing all my UA miles if UA goes into Chapter 11 or 7 or other? ---or if I do manage to pull a (United partner) Air New Zealand award for Dec. 2003 - will it still be valid if United "tanks"......
and yes - you can transfer Membership Rewards to Co. then CO to Amtrak then Amtrak to United.....effectively using Membership Rewards to add to your United miles....By the way - some have said I'm "crazy" to do this with UA's "edge of bankruptcy" problem..
What are your comments about the chances of losing all my UA miles if UA goes into Chapter 11 or 7 or other? ---or if I do manage to pull a (United partner) Air New Zealand award for Dec. 2003 - will it still be valid if United "tanks"......
Sep 17, 2002, 11:30 am
#15
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Denver CO
Posts: 3,682
RenneMoss-
My guess on Mileage Plus miles in the event of a UA bankrupstcy is that we'll likely get to keep the miles. The big question in my mind is what they'll be worth. If UA cuts back its schedule or service routes a lot, this means it will be tougher to get an award or maybe you won't be able to get where you want to go on UA. This happened after CO's problems when they all but abandoned the West Coast.
Another possible problem is if they significantly narrow award capacity. UA is a bright star right now in that you can, with a little planning, usually get awards seats. Delta is a lot tougher and CO is much worse than that, even for domestic trips. No one has found an effective way to rate an airline on allocation and availability but with a "new UA" seeking profits, it wouldn't suprise me to find seats tougher to get. (CO even added a rule that only current, top-status customers can book Int'l more than 30 days before a flight).
UA is already raising the miles needed for some popular awards-Int'l upgrades are going up 50% from 40,000 miles to 60,000.
I think it's safe to expect that, whatever you think a mile is worth today, it may well be worth less tomorrow.
My guess on Mileage Plus miles in the event of a UA bankrupstcy is that we'll likely get to keep the miles. The big question in my mind is what they'll be worth. If UA cuts back its schedule or service routes a lot, this means it will be tougher to get an award or maybe you won't be able to get where you want to go on UA. This happened after CO's problems when they all but abandoned the West Coast.
Another possible problem is if they significantly narrow award capacity. UA is a bright star right now in that you can, with a little planning, usually get awards seats. Delta is a lot tougher and CO is much worse than that, even for domestic trips. No one has found an effective way to rate an airline on allocation and availability but with a "new UA" seeking profits, it wouldn't suprise me to find seats tougher to get. (CO even added a rule that only current, top-status customers can book Int'l more than 30 days before a flight).
UA is already raising the miles needed for some popular awards-Int'l upgrades are going up 50% from 40,000 miles to 60,000.
I think it's safe to expect that, whatever you think a mile is worth today, it may well be worth less tomorrow.