Dec 27, 2016, 5:57 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Last edit by: Pat89339

For each request, please include the following information:

Departure Airport:
Miles Needed:
Required Spend or Maximum Budget (choose one, and state the value):
Available Travel Dates:
Required Metal or Codeshares Okay:
Route(s) You've Already Searched:
Do you have a Chinese Visa (Yes/No)?

For each response. Please quote the original request. DO NOT START A NEW THREAD.
There are many good fares to China (PEK or PVG). If you have a Chinese visa, these options will be provided.

If your requested PQM is in a few thousand, please give a more accurate amount. You will get fewer options with a roundup number (eg, 5000 instead of 4830; IAD-SFO nonstop will work for the latter.)

UA/Star Alliance: 2017-2018 Consolidated Mileage/Status/Challenge Runs help needed

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Oct 16, 2017, 8:55 pm

#601

Smiley90

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: May 2015

Location: BOS, YVR, ZRH

Programs: *G

Posts: 17,383

Quote:

Originally Posted by gemini5165

Departure Airport: SEA (Can also position to SFO/LAX)
Miles Needed: 25,000
Required Spend or Budget: $2,000
Available Travel Dates: Nov 29 - Dec 3 or any Fri-Sun
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: Codeshare fine

Quote:

Originally Posted by wh6cto

Here's an idea that's $1164 for 24604PQM:

UA:$776 SEA-CGK 18842PQM
Mon 27 Nov: SEA-SFO-NRT-CGK
(6h30m overnight in CGK)
Wed 29 Nov: CGK-NRT-SFO-SEA
link:https://goo.gl/flights/K8Xw

NRT-CGK-NRT is NH K-fare, which should earn 100%PQM.

UA:$388 SEA-SJD (via IAH) 5762PQM
Sat 09 Dec: SEA-IAH-SJD-IAH-SEA
Link: https://goo.gl/flights/xSp1

How about a quick drive up north:

UA/NH: YVR-HKG, 15454PQM, 560USD. (also possible for your long weekend dates for a longer stay)
Fri 8 Dec YVR-SFO-HKG
16h in HKG
Sun 10 Dec HKG-SFO-YVR
https://www.google.ca/flights/#searc...=STAR_ALLIANCE

do that weekend turnaround twice and you get 30k PQM for 1120USD.

Alternatively, do the same kind of thing with PVG, TPE or SIN as destination, can also fly through HND/NRT for ANA for the same price but less mileage. should get you similar mileage for similar pricing if you don't feel like going to HKG twice. For your long weekend for example:

YVR-TPE, 600USD, 14538PQM
https://www.google.ca/flights/#searc..._ALLIANCE;eo=e

Oct 17, 2017, 9:13 am

#602

Sad10s

Join Date: Feb 2013

Posts: 5

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pat89339

In order to organize the end-of-year crush of Mileage/Status/Challenge Run threads, the Moderators have decided to create a consolidated thread for the airlines with the most frequent requests. This is the thread for United Airlines.

For each request, please include the following information:

Departure Airport: ORD
Miles Needed: 5,528
Required Spend or Budget: $800
Available Travel Dates: December 11-20 (anytime)
Required Metal or Codeshares okay:

For each response. Please quote the original request.

Would love to minimize time so would be open to buying business for 2xs miles

Oct 17, 2017, 10:08 am

#603

wh6cto

Join Date: Nov 2013

Location: IAD/DCA/BWI

Programs: Hyatt Globalist (2020:Exp), United Gold

Posts: 1,525

UA:$549 ORD-PHX (nonstop) in First 5760PQM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sad10s

Departure Airport: ORD
Miles Needed: 5,528
Required Spend or Budget: $800
Available Travel Dates: December 11-20 (anytime)
Required Metal or Codeshares okay:

Would love to minimize time so would be open to buying business for 2xs miles

Maybe go to Phoenix?

UA:$549 ORD-PHX (nonstop) in First 5760PQM (10h)
Tue 12 Dec ORD-PHX-ORD
or
Wed 13 Dec ORD-PHX-ORD
Link: https://goo.gl/flights/hgpn

$534 ORD-IAH-AUS-IAH-ORD is a few bucks cheaper, but I'm guessing the extra $15 on PHX is worth it.

UPDATE: An alternative in Econ is:

UA:$458 ORD-POS (via IAH) 6974PQM (25h)
Mon 11 Dec: ORD-IAH-POS
(3h turn at POS)
Tue 12 Dec: POS-IAH-ORD
https://goo.gl/flights/86jP

Not so bad. But not that much cheaper, either.

Last edited by wh6cto; Oct 17, 2017 at 7:54 pm Reason: Added POS in Y

Oct 17, 2017, 2:41 pm

#604

renebt

Join Date: Oct 2015

Location: Washington, D.C.

Programs: UA Platinum

Posts: 50

Bit of a stretch but I think I miiiight be able to squeeze out an extra trip to get to 1K. Got a trip to SIN coming up and depending on work load at the office, I may be able to skiddadle for a last minute trip...

Departure Airport: WAS (IAD/DCA/BWI)
Miles Needed: 24,804 PQMs needed
Required Spend: $909
Available Travel Dates: any weekend
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: UA

Oct 17, 2017, 9:01 pm

#605

wh6cto

Join Date: Nov 2013

Location: IAD/DCA/BWI

Programs: Hyatt Globalist (2020:Exp), United Gold

Posts: 1,525

UA:$1134 IAD-GUM via (HKG) 19298PQM[B] W-fare (w/ available R-space)

Quote:

Originally Posted by renebt

Do you have any instruments left? And can you take a 3-day weekend? If so:

UA:$1134 IAD-GUM via (HKG) 19298PQM W-fare
Fri 08 Dec IAD-EWR-HKG-GUM
Sun 10 Dec GUM-HNL-IAH-IAD
Link:https://goo.gl/flights/KSrE (link for $994 S-fare)

I currently show:
UA179 EWR-HKG R2
UA116 HKG-GUM PN2 R0
UA200 GUM-HNL R1

Unfortunately, not much chance beyond HNL.

5506PQM remaining, will need a tcon run of some sort. For example:

UA:$254 IAD-LAS (via LAX) 5576PQM (w/ 500mi min) G-fare
Sat 2 Dec: IAD-LAX-LAS-LAX-IAD
https://goo.gl/flights/Ptw2

3h in LAS. At least the United Club there is nice. (BTW made the mistake of going to "The Club" in the same terminal...went out after 2 minutes and headed to UC!)

Last edited by wh6cto; Oct 17, 2017 at 9:07 pm Reason: IAD-LAS mileage was one-way, corrected.

Oct 18, 2017, 2:12 am

#606

Qtkitten328

Join Date: Oct 2017

Posts: 1

Mileage run MCO

I'm not sure if this is the place to ask, but you all know a lot about travel!

I need 1800 miles by the end of the year. Im consider a mco-fll-tpa-pbi-tpa flight. Does United still offer the 500 pqm minimum? Or is that a minimum of points earned for rewards? Would this route then earn me 2000 pqm? If not, please suggest something that would, with minimal flight time.

Departure Airport: mco
Miles Needed: 1800
Required Spend or Budget: no pqd required, as cheap as possible
Available Travel Dates: anytime between 10/25-12/21 (minus a few days here and there)
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: ua only

Thank you for any advice!!!

Oct 18, 2017, 8:22 am

#607

wh6cto

Join Date: Nov 2013

Location: IAD/DCA/BWI

Programs: Hyatt Globalist (2020:Exp), United Gold

Posts: 1,525

UA:$173 MCO-EWR (via IAD) 1909-2196PQM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qtkitten328

You get 500PQM min on United flights (incl United Express), if you are Silver or higher (otherwise you get actual mileage). However, you only earn PQM on *A flights, not MileagePlus partners. Details here:https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...r/qualify.aspx

So your MCO-FLL/FLL-TPA/TPA-PBI/PBI-TPA itinerary will definitely earn 0PQM! (This should also be reported on the UA website, when you click "Details".)

Instead, try something like this:

UA:$173 MCO-EWR (via IAD) 1909-2196PQM
Sat 02 Dec: MCO-IAD-EWR-MCO
Link: https://goo.gl/flights/7Mg8

Don't forget to pay the extra to get out of Basic Economy (which also earns 0PQM)!

Connection is a bit tight at IAD, if you miss the second segment due to IRROPS, you can reroute IAD-MCO nonstop and request Original Routing Credit later.

Good luck!

Last edited by wh6cto; Oct 18, 2017 at 8:23 am Reason: Removed duplicate paragraph

Oct 18, 2017, 9:05 am

#608

dark169

Join Date: Jan 2007

Programs: UA Silv, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold,

Posts: 154

So I find myself only really fly domestic, but got a late year trip to Inida pushing almost to Plat might conisder a push to 1K as I have a few vacation days to burn if the right flight popped up.

Departure Airport: IAH
Miles Needed: 2,083 or 27,083
Required Spend or Budget: No spend required. The lower the budget the better
Available Travel Dates: Nothing the weeks of Oct 22 - November 6 or the weeek of Nov 19-26
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: OK with what ever gets me the PQM.

Thanks

Oct 18, 2017, 3:16 pm

#609

wh6cto

Join Date: Nov 2013

Location: IAD/DCA/BWI

Programs: Hyatt Globalist (2020:Exp), United Gold

Posts: 1,525

UA:$179 IAH-MSP rt 2576PQM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dark169

For the Plat option, how about:

UA:$179 IAH-MSP 2576PQM G-fare
Wed 01 Nov: IAH-MSP-DEN-IAH
Link: https://goo.gl/flights/Ab47

UPDATE: Oh wait, are those dates you can't go? In which case you can go a week later:

Tue 07 Nov: IAH-MSP-DEN-IAH
Link: https://goo.gl/flights/11kp

Last edited by wh6cto; Oct 18, 2017 at 3:22 pm Reason: Date confusion

Oct 18, 2017, 4:23 pm

#610

im-headed-west

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Feb 2004

Location: Where I'm at

Programs: UA 1P 1MM, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 21,732

UA:$169 IAD-LAS rt 4130PQM

I've been away from MR forum since I hit MM, but I see wh6cto is still bringin' it strong !!!

^

Here's a freebe "cheapo" PQM for the peanut gallery ... an out/back Sat to boot .... $89 BE AI -> add the loyalty tax $40 EACH WAY !!!! (amazing) -> $168.80 AI

GAA2AWEN
Sat, Nov 11, 2017 --- 3 hour layover

IAD - LAS 8:15 am - 10:32 am
LAS - IAD 1:45 pm - 9:11 pm

wh6cto likes this.

Oct 18, 2017, 10:28 pm

#611

JeremyGSW

Join Date: Sep 2017

Programs: UA

Posts: 11

mr help needed

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pat89339

In order to organize the end-of-year crush of Mileage/Status/Challenge Run threads, the Moderators have decided to create a consolidated thread for the airlines with the most frequent requests. This is the thread for United Airlines.

For each request, please include the following information:

[b]Departure Airport: IAH
Miles Needed: 3800 PQM
Required Spend or Budget: budget approx. 200$
Available Travel Dates: Nov 24
Required Metal or Codeshares okay:UA medal or any star alliance.

thanks everyone!

For each response. Please quote the original request.

Oct 19, 2017, 2:35 pm

#612

yatrinish

Join Date: Jul 2015

Programs: ba, aeroplan, jetairways

Posts: 4

Departure Airport: YYZ
Miles Needed: 14K
Required Spend or Budget: $1K
Available Travel Dates: Any weekend till Dec 25th
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: Air Canada. Code share is ok

Oct 19, 2017, 6:28 pm

#613

eeflyer

Join Date: Dec 2016

Posts: 578

Hi!

I've been dragging my feet on this for a while but think I will go for the next level!

Departure Airport: LAX
Miles Needed: 6000
Required Spend or Budget: Require at least $620
Available Travel Dates: Oct 26-Oct 31, Dec 1-Dec 5, Dec 7-Dec 12
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: UA preferred. I just need PQM/PQD, but might as well work on the lifetime miles if possible.

Thanks!

Edit: worked some weird routings in P on a trip I had coming up anyway to get the miles/PQD. Thanks anyway!

Last edited by eeflyer; Oct 20, 2017 at 1:46 pm Reason: Do not need to MR anymore.

Oct 20, 2017, 12:06 pm

#614

blue2007

Join Date: Mar 2010

Posts: 144

Was getting close to keep my 1K this year, but a trip got canceled so now struggling for miles.

Departure Airport: ORD
Miles Needed: 18,000 for 1K
Required Spend or Budget: Met $12k already, lower spend the better
Available Travel Dates: Nov any day other than 19-23, or Dec 2-22
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: UA

I have two GPUs that I could use also

Thank you, guys!

Last edited by blue2007; Oct 25, 2017 at 12:18 am Reason: added info

Oct 20, 2017, 12:16 pm

#615

landrew

Join Date: Jan 2004

Location: Vancouver Island

Programs: UA G, *G, Global Entry, Marriott, Hilton, Fairmont, Hyatt, Starwood etc

Posts: 315

Last I looked there were lots of introductory SIN fares from LAX and prices fluctuate a lot but were as low as $438.
I did one this week, albeit from ORD. And although Business was chockablock ORD-HKG, Economy Plus was almost empty on one leg and the second Business cabin was literally empty.
Which meant that several good bulkhead seats were available (like three across on the door) and lots of 3 across seats where you could actually lie down. Mileage is in the 18K-20K range. Serial security theater was a hassle, not expected by me in HKG and SIN, but OTOH, plenty of good clubs and food, SIN is practically an amusement park, and you can, of course, do all of your Christmas shopping at various DFS!