Wheelben22

Departure Airport: ORD
Miles Needed: 1,900 for 1k
Required Spend or Maximum Budget (choose one, and state the value): $300
Available Travel Dates: Dec. 28, 29, or 30 (would very much prefer to do all travel in one day)
Required Metal or Codeshares Okay: Not sure what this means
Route(s) You've Already Searched: None
Do you have a Chinese Visa (Yes/No)? No

Thanks in advance!

Kmxu

This one is under your budget and nonstop with enough PQM except for travel date. You can use same day change to remedy this schedule conflict. It is easier to use SDC if you book two one-way trip. Good luck.
https://www.google.com/flights?hl=en...60*2.USD.27660

btdubs

Departure Airport: SAN
Miles Needed: 10,612 PQM on United
Required Spend or Maximum Budget (choose one, and state the value): Just looking for the cheapest option, preferably <$1000
Available Travel Dates: Dec 29-31st
Required Metal or Codeshares Okay: United or PQM-earning partner
Route(s) You've Already Searched: Alot, SAN-SFO-SIN-SFO-SAN is the cheapeast I've found (just over $1000) but is way longer than necessary, like 17k PQM
Do you have a Chinese Visa (Yes/No)? No

Thank you!

pUAaustin

Thanks wh6cto

wh6cto

Found another possibility:

UA:$271 ORD-IAH (via DEN) 2675PQM
Mon 30 Dec ORD-IAH-DEN-ORD
Link: https://flights.app.goo.gl/RyQb2

KSchmitty

I’m in a similar position. Seems worth it to get the extra 40pp if I can take a quick trip, and I have no other plans for the holiday break, so why not? Happy to stay over a night. Also happy to buy f class on a short journey.

Departure Airport: AUS
Miles Needed: 1,409
Required Spend or Maximum Budget (choose one, and state the value): N/A (already met PQD for 1K)
Available Travel Dates: Dec. 23-29
Required Metal or Codeshares Okay: codeshare ok
Route(s) You've Already Searched: AUS-PHX, AUS-LAS, AUS-SFO
Do you have a Chinese Visa (Yes/No)? Yes

wh6cto

I hate to suggest something the last day of the year, but it's the cheapest I can find:

UA:$277 AUS-ORD nonstop 1946PQM
Tue 31 Dec AUS-ORD-AUS
(5h39m in ORD)
Link: https://flights.app.goo.gl/ypmGq

UPDATE: Sorry, I wasn't paying attention to the date. There is a $312 AUS-ORD on Thu 26 Dec. The stop in ORD is very long, so definitely SDC to reduce your time there.

KSchmitty

Wow, that's a cheap option! I'd do it if we weren't having a NYE celebration at our place.

So far the best thing I've found is:
UA: $457 AUS-DEN nonstop 1536PQM
(with an overnight in DEN, which I could use an award certificate to stay at the Westin in the airport)

Fishymick

Up against it folks - here is the ask:

Departure Airport: PIT
Miles Needed: 5500
Required Spend or Maximum Budget (choose one, and state the value): Cheap - 1000.00 usd or less (already hit 15k spend)
Available Travel Dates: 12/27-12/30
Required Metal or Codeshares Okay: Codeshare OK
Route(s) You've Already Searched: PIT - LHR
Do you have a Chinese Visa (Yes/No)? NO (but I do have a Russian one lol)

1st run but trying to save 5 years of 1k - any guidance helpful!!

Fishymick

I think I figured it out - PIT -SFO with biz class on return 1.5x get me there in less than 15hours. Thanks!!

Kmxu

This should give you more than 5500 PQM with 500 min for $556.

https://www.google.com/flights#flt=P...90*2.USD.55590

Edit: Price went down to $496 last night.

westleyl

Departure Airport: SFO, OAK
Miles Needed: 14,000
Required Spend or Maximum Budget (choose one, and state the value): Max budget $1200
Available Travel Dates: Dec 24-29
Required Metal or Codeshares Okay: UA Metal
Route(s) You've Already Searched: SFO-HKG
Do you have a Chinese Visa (Yes/No)? No

wh6cto

Does UA fly out of OAK?

The HKG you found seems to be the most straightforward:

UA:$1169 SFO-HKG nonstop 13828PQM
Thu 28 Dec SFO-HKG
(16h35m daytime in HKG)
Sat 28 Dec HKG-SFO
Link: https://flights.app.goo.gl/5zu2e

Another option that's a lot more segments:

UA:$1135 SFO-BQN in Econ/First 13860PQM
Fri 27 Dec SFO-IAH-EWR-BQN in Econ
Link: https://flights.app.goo.gl/p29g9
(1h00m overnight in BQN)
Sat 28 Dec BQN-EWR-IAH-SFO in First (Z-fare 200%PQM)
Link: https://flights.app.goo.gl/JHe6f

A few layovers are pretty brutal. You may be able to assemble this on UA site on a single itinerary. I haven't tried.

This last one is a good price, but unfortunately falls short:

UA:$756 SFO-KIX (via PVG) 12427PQM
Fri 27 Dec SFO-KIX
(overnight in KIX)
Sun 29 Dec KIX-PVG-SFO
Link: https://flights.app.goo.gl/srV5q

Do you have any itineraries that got screwed up, that you can request Original Mileage Credit? If so, this may still be feasible.

Kmxu

I found that availablity of low fare classes is more abbudant in the morning, especially, for the last few days of the calendar. You are basically ready to head to airport in a few hours if some cheap fares appear.
Case in point, I booked RDU-IAD-EWR-PVG-EWR-RDU for $558 (all segments in G class) to get another GPU (40 PlusPoints) using TCVA this morning. The best price that I saw last night was $649 (K class). Google flight did not find this price, United.com showed this price just by chance when I changed the dates of search. The trick is that you find the weirdest routes. Hopefully, same-day change can make the route more bearable.
Good luck.

Edit: Nearby airports may provide cheaper fares and more routing options (STS, SJC, MRY and SMF). PVG/PEK may satisfy your PQM requirements if you take a detour. (longer routing)

Edit 2: SFO-TLV for $744. Plenty of PQM. If you do free same-day change, you can shorten the duration of this trip.

https://www.google.com/flights?hl=en...96*2.USD.74396

Edit 3: Depart a day later than in the previous link but return on the same date, still the same price, $744.
https://www.google.com/flights?hl=en...96*2.USD.74396

Waro

Departure Airport: IAH/ DEN, open jaw from either ok
Miles Needed: 6500
Maximum Budget: $500
Available Travel Dates: anytime before end of year
Required Metal or Codeshares Okay: need UA PQM
Route(s) You've Already Searched: ANC, Hawaii
Do you have a Chinese Visa (Yes/No)? No.