UA/Star Alliance: 2016 Consolidated Mileage/Status/Challenge Runs help needed

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Nov 14, 2016, 7:53 pm

#421

wh6cto

Join Date: Nov 2013

Location: IAD/DCA/BWI

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

Posts: 1,525

UA:$81 EWR-BOS rt 1000PQM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northeast22

United:
Departure Airport: any of nyc or phl
Miles Needed:525
Required Spend or Budget: $0
Available Travel Dates: One day round trip 11/18, 11/19, 11/20, 12/3, 12/4, 12/9
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: No

Do you currently have status on UA? If so, here's an easy one:

UA:$81 EWR-BOS rt 1000PQM (w/ 500mi min)
Fri 9 Dec
UA2016 EWR-BOS 0715-0823 A320
UA1710 BOS-EWR 0915-1036 A320

https://goo.gl/flights/CaV8

Also possible to do for the same price an hour earlier.

If no status, you might look at LGA-ORD for $137 on Sat 10 Dec.

EDIT:

This is also possible without status:

UA:$127 EWR-RSW 2136PQM
Fri 9 Dec
UA174 EWR-RSW 1133-1441 B738
UA1983 RSW-EWR 1536-1829 B738

https://goo.gl/flights/MBNh

EDIT #2:

Apparently, jbeckett types faster than me.

Last edited by wh6cto; Nov 14, 2016 at 8:04 pm Reason: Added non-status option of RSW

Nov 14, 2016, 8:35 pm

#422

jbeckett

Join Date: Mar 2009

Programs: Hilton credit card Diamond, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 2,653

Quote:

Originally Posted by wh6cto

Apparently, jbeckett types faster than me.

No faster, it's because I type less.

Nov 14, 2016, 9:01 pm

#423

zoqfotpik

Join Date: Nov 2014

Location: Somewhere

Posts: 1,178

Quote:

Originally Posted by frb98mf

I agree - I don't need to bite off the whole lot now, just the bulk of them. What is your interpretation of how many I need to get to Gold? My membership year is about to turn over and I'm Silver - so do I need to effectively do 6 A3 flights and 32k miles or 4 and 24k?

Doing the A3 flights is no problem - based in TLV, A3 is routinely the cheapest way to a lot of Europe, partly because of the long layovers in LCA/ATH, but I happen to really enjoy those!

From what I understand it is 4 flights and 24k. You can check the A3 forums just to be sure. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/aegea...les-bonus-694/

Nov 14, 2016, 9:43 pm

#424

Jae9970

Join Date: Oct 2016

Posts: 4

This is a follow-up question from last week. Thanks in advance.

I currently have no status on United, but have a bunch of flights already reserved on United this month and next month. After these, I found out that I am 2.5 qualifying segments short of making Silver. What's the quickest and cheapest way to make 2.5 qualifying segments on United from Newark (or LGA)? I'm more concerned about time than $... Thanks!!

Nov 14, 2016, 10:54 pm

#425

jbeckett

Join Date: Mar 2009

Programs: Hilton credit card Diamond, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 2,653

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jae9970

You can fly one-way in first to BOS for $139 or $143, then return in coach for $44. This is available many days.
https://www.google.com/flights/#sear...sc=b;a=UA;eo=e
https://www.google.com/flights/#sear...tt=o;a=UA;eo=e

Nov 14, 2016, 11:56 pm

#426

Pat89339

Moderator: Mileage Run, United Airlines; FlyerTalk Evangelist

Original Poster

Join Date: Jan 2004

Location: The City/Honolulu

Programs: UA 3MM; Hyatt Glob*****; Hilton Diamond

Posts: 14,473

Quote:

Originally Posted by gTwin

Dang, I just saw this! The prices are now similar to jbeckett's suggestion. Getting to SMF is definitely tricky though - are there convenient ways of doing this without pushing the cost far enough up that the savings become a wash?

Thanks for the suggestion, nonetheless.

I drive when I have an SMF departure. There is bus service between the two cities, but you'd have to taxi or Uber on either end. That fare is gone now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gTwin

Also, having never made a mileage run like this (i.e., having only ever flown somewhere with the intention of leaving the airport and entering the country), how does this work, logistically? For instance, suppose I fly to BQN and arrive at 2am. My return flight would be at, say, 2:50am. I then have 50 minutes to deplane, file through whatever lines are in the airport, board my next flight, and take off. Would this count as having a connecting flight so that no customs are required? Would 50 minutes realistically be enough time?

I've had connecting flights through small airports on random islands where the infrastructure was somewhat limited, so that everyone who landed had to go through customs and have their passports scanned, including the passengers who were continuing on. This made for a really tight connection...

I've done the same day turn at BQN before. When you exit the plane down the stairs, they have people directing you to the exit and baggage claim toward the right. Ask them to direct you to the gate area, which is on the left and you won't have to clear TSA security there. Be sure you have a paper boarding pass.

As jbeckett said, you will be getting back on the same plane. It will be the same crew too. They see a lot of these turns this time of year. You will probably have others doing the same on your flight.

Nov 15, 2016, 5:30 am

#427

osyemi

Join Date: Nov 2016

Posts: 4

Quote:

Originally Posted by wh6cto

Assuming you need only PQM, a couple possibilities in the date/mileage range:

UA:$461 IAH-BQN 5970PQM
Sat 3 Dec
UA1945 IAH-EWR 1500-1927
UA1071 EWR-BQN 2110-0155(+1 day)
Sun 4 Dec
UA1162 BQN-EWR 0250-0545
UA813 EWR-IAH 0750-1050

https://goo.gl/flights/fD3i

UA:$466 IAH-SJU 6016PQM
Sat 3 Dec
UA1945 IAH-EWR 1500-1927
UA1543 EWR-SJU 2045-0135(+1 day)
Sun 4 Dec
UA1803 SJU-EWR 0246-0551
UA813 EWR-IAH 0750-1050

https://goo.gl/flights/3QPl

Price drops by almost $100 a week later, if that can work for you.

Thanks a lot. I am contemplating on waiting a week later but have to decide by this Saturday to purchase ticket. I am guessing these are one way tickets

Nov 15, 2016, 6:37 am

#428

frb98mf

Join Date: Jul 2010

Location: TLV/ATH/LON/EZE/NYC/UIP

Programs: BA*GGL, A3*G, AF*P, VS*S

Posts: 1,011

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoqfotpik

From what I understand it is 4 flights and 24k. You can check the A3 forums just to be sure. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/aegea...les-bonus-694/

I agree - it also looks like that has to be done in one calendar year from when I requalify for Silver, which will be tomorrow with TLV-LCA-CDG, not from what I assumed would be the new membership year.

My year-end is currently 23 Nov and I had planned to wait until 24 Nov to fly CDG-ATH-TLV, but it looks like I can actually do it any time and it counts towards next year!

This is quite a unique feature of the A3 scheme from what I can see...

Nov 15, 2016, 8:34 am

#429

eirenyc

Join Date: Oct 2013

Location: NYC

Programs: UA

Posts: 17

Trying for 1k, but short on miles...
Departure Airport: NYC Any of them
Miles Needed: 8k
Required Spend or Budget: as little as possible
Available Travel Dates: Now until Dec. 22. preferably Mon - Fri
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: UA
Same day trip if itspossible?!?

Nov 15, 2016, 9:43 am

#430

zoqfotpik

Join Date: Nov 2014

Location: Somewhere

Posts: 1,178

Quote:

Originally Posted by eirenyc

LGA-DEN-ANC r/t on 12/6 for $540, earns ~8,050 PQMs. Red eye on return.

Nov 15, 2016, 9:51 am

#431

jbeckett

Join Date: Mar 2009

Programs: Hilton credit card Diamond, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 2,653

Quote:

Originally Posted by eirenyc

LGA-IAH-ABQ-IAH-LGA day trip 12/6 and 7 is $160, 4320 miles.
https://www.google.com/flights/#sear...016-12-06;a=UA

Nov 15, 2016, 10:20 am

#432

mystro

Join Date: Nov 2007

Posts: 12

SFO to anywhere, ~8k miles needed

Departure Airport: SFO / SJC / OAK
Miles Needed: 8k
Required Spend or Budget:<$1k
Available Travel Dates: any weekend

Nov 15, 2016, 10:48 am

#433

jbeckett

Join Date: Mar 2009

Programs: Hilton credit card Diamond, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 2,653

Quote:

Originally Posted by mystro

Departure Airport: SFO / SJC / OAK
Miles Needed: 8k
Required Spend or Budget:<$1k
Available Travel Dates: any weekend

SFO-EWR-BQN-EWR-ORD-SFO out 12/3 return 12/4 is $402, 8300 miles. Outbound via IAH is $382 but leaves three hours earlier.
SJU is also a possibility for a little more.
https://www.google.com/flights/#sear...2-04;a=UA;eo=e
https://www.google.com/flights/#sear...A644;a=UA;eo=e

Last edited by jbeckett; Nov 15, 2016 at 11:24 am

Nov 15, 2016, 11:43 am

#434

bds76

Join Date: Nov 2016

Programs: United Mileage Plus

Posts: 2

Departure Airport: TPA, RSW, SRQ, MCO
Miles Needed: 4,500 PQM
Required Spend or Budget: Max $500
Available Travel Dates: Same Day; NOV 19 or 20
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: none

Nov 15, 2016, 12:03 pm

#435

NewCRA

Join Date: Nov 2016

Location: NJ

Posts: 1

Trying for Premier Platinum need 4 segments

Departure Airport: EWR, LGA and or JFK
4 segments Needed
Budget: $400 max
Available Travel Dates: 11/17, 11/18, 11/19, 11/26, 11/27, 12/1, 12/2, 12/3, 12/4