Bird in the hand or...?
 

Posting this to MilesBuzz because the specific airline is not really material to the discussion, but feel free to move to UA if that seems appropriate.

I got a "customer appreciation" gift from UA just now (appreciating the fact that I have now been waiting nearly 3 months for mileage credit to appear from BD, despite all documentation being provided and approved, several reminders pinged to BD, and multiple phone calls from me).

The gift allows me to choose between 7000 FF miles (non-status) or a $150 flight credit. To get that credit, the flight must be UA metal only, used within one year, and straight OW or RT only with no multi-city routings; it is valid for a single passenger's ticket only.

UA does not have a lot of service to my home airport, PHL--only 5 nonstop destinations. I have taken it on my own dime now and then, to SFO and ORD, but I doubt I've been on more than one UA vacation flight a year in the last 7 years. I do bank all of my *A miles to my UA account, though. (US would probably be a wiser choice, given their huge presence at PHL, but I so hate US that I can't bear to think of having my miles sitting in that account.)

Clearly, $150 is worth more than 7000 miles in most cases. Or is it? I never fly internationally on UA, and never in a premium cabin. The only way I would use these miles is for a domestic vacation flight, and I rarely take UA for those flights because of their limited nonstops from PHL to anywhere I want to go. (I know it is heresy from a mileage running perspective, but I prefer not to change planes.)

What to choose? I am leaning towards the 7000 miles. If I took the $150 credit, I think I'd end up having to use it for a trip that I would not otherwise take. I guess I am not one of those people that uses a windfall for an impulse splurge...I put it in the bank.

to each his own, but $150 is ~ 2 cents/mi....both kinda restricted to ua...if the mi helps you get to a reward level, it might make sense, but its a hard call....good luck....

It depends on what you want out of the Mileage Plus program. You say you do have *A travel from time to time, but don't indicate whether you're looking to earn or maintain elite status. If so, and your travel for this year or next might leave you just short of an elite plateau, then take the $150 flight credit; it'll help you buy a low-cost mileage run.

If UA status isn't a consideration, take the miles, and remember that you can use them toward an award on any *A partner. (You're accumulating UA miles for some reason, right?)

This is a good point that I hadn't thought of. I did do a MR last December, my first ever, to retain Premier on UA. I find it handy when flying any *A carrier.

Yes, I do fly other *A carriers also--I end up on US a lot on domestic short-hauls for vacation (much as I despise US, it is often the only option), and I have used UA points for award flights on TK as well.

I have 30 days to figure it out. The "close to status" question should be answerable by that time, since I'm just about to arrange my remaining overseas work travel for the year. This tends to involve a fair amount of *A flights.

I'm often in the same boat (having to fly US), so here's a tip for maximizing your redeemable and elite-qualification mile yield:

• create a CO account if you don't have one already
• link your UA and CO accounts online
• wait (~1 week) for your UA status to be reflected in your CO account (at the corresponding CO level)
• start crediting any US flights to your CO account.

What's the benefit? CO elites, unlike UA elites, get a minimum of 500 miles (redeemable and elite-qual) for US flight segments. So those crappy US short-hauls to LGA, BOS, CLT, etc. will be worth more to you (in 2011, at least). And yes, the UA & CO systems automatically combine your EQM totals in both accounts in calculating status for 2012.

Keep in mind that even if you don't need a mileage run this year, you might next year, and the travel credit is good for ~12 months.

Oh, that is genius. I have a trip coming up next weekend that is going to present exactly this situation (PHL-DCA-SDF-PHL). I already have the CO account, so I'll go ahead and switch the FF details in that US ticket right now. Thanks!

One note of caution: it really does take a week -- sometimes more -- for the system to sync your CO status to your newly-linked UA status. If it doesn't sync by the time you check in for the first segment, then US will just see you as a dirt-level CO member, and you won't get the usual *A elite perks (primarily early boarding + free checked bag). I don't know what happens in terms of RDM/EQM crediting if your CO status syncs to UA after your US flights but before the segments post.

My CO and UA accounts are already linked, thanks. I did this a few months ago when I got the Chase CO card.

I'd take the $150 and use it to go somewhere I ordinarily wouldn't. It won't pay for the whole trip, but maybe it can pay for half of it.

Also important to note the elite bonus varies between UA and CO. I've actually credited some short US flights to UA instead of CO because I'd get a full 100% bonus in RDM vs. only 50% if you credit to CO.