Dec 12, 2014, 9:17 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
UA has a program called Premier Status Accelerator.
Summary -- for those with a purchased itinerary, you will be given the opportunity to purchase RDMs and then optionally, a similar number of PQMs PQPs. You are given two quantities to purchase (in the past it was X and 2X, but it has become more variable recently).. The numbers seem to have some relationship to the length of the existing itin.
The offer, for a purchased flight, will be found in your online reservation, It may say " Grow your award miles balance by purchasing Award Accelerator®. "
You will have to select the Award Accelerator in all cases, if you want Premier Accelerator also, then select it next.
The purchased miles post quickly -- generally less than an hour or two.
Purchase price does not count forPQDs PQPs
The offer will be available once ticketed and then until the itin is completely flown. The mileage offered decreases as segments are flown.
The cpm rate can change at any time -- up or down. See the thread on Rates.
Don't have an open itinerary? Just "purchase" dummy itin as refundable or non-refundable. After purchasing the RDMs/PQMs (must select the RDM offer to see thePQM PQP offer and must purchase the RDMs to purchase PQMs PQPs), cancel the dummy itin (if non-refundable do within the fee-free 24-hour cancellation window). The purchased RDMs/PQMs PQPs are non-cancelable / non-refundable and will stay purchased even if the dummy itin is canceled.
As before there will be two offers, if the offer is too many miles try a shorter itin, even a OneWay -- say SFO-LAX. There does seem to be a min offer level but it varies for the individual. You don't need to purchase to see the options, they will be displayed on the "United Travel Options" page, the page before you enter your credit card info,
Attempt to change the offer amount
-- try an international itin (seems to increase the offer)
-- try an international with a partner (seems to increase the offer)
-- try an OW itin (seems to decrease the offer)
-- try a short sub-500 segment (seems to decrease the offer)
-- try itins with a higher or lower price (offers seems to track relative price)
In practice, there is no close form method to get a specific amount. UA has your information.
Related thread -
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2022]
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2021]
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2020]
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2019]
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2018]
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2017]
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2016]
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2015]
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2014]
Premier Accelerator
Premier Accelerator℠ helps you achieve Premier® status faster by allowing you to purchase additional Premier qualifying points (PQP) or Premier qualifying flights (PQF). Premier Accelerator is available when purchased in combination with Award Accelerator.
Premier Accelerator℠ helps you achieve Premier® status faster by allowing you to purchase additional Premier qualifying points (PQP) or Premier qualifying flights (PQF). Premier Accelerator is available when purchased in combination with Award Accelerator.
The offer, for a purchased flight, will be found in your online reservation, It may say " Grow your award miles balance by purchasing Award Accelerator®. "
You will have to select the Award Accelerator in all cases, if you want Premier Accelerator also, then select it next.
The purchased miles post quickly -- generally less than an hour or two.
Purchase price does not count for
The offer will be available once ticketed and then until the itin is completely flown. The mileage offered decreases as segments are flown.
The cpm rate can change at any time -- up or down. See the thread on Rates.
Don't have an open itinerary? Just "purchase" dummy itin as refundable or non-refundable. After purchasing the RDMs/PQMs (must select the RDM offer to see the
As before there will be two offers, if the offer is too many miles try a shorter itin, even a OneWay -- say SFO-LAX. There does seem to be a min offer level but it varies for the individual. You don't need to purchase to see the options, they will be displayed on the "United Travel Options" page, the page before you enter your credit card info,
Attempt to change the offer amount
-- try an international itin (seems to increase the offer)
-- try an international with a partner (seems to increase the offer)
-- try an OW itin (seems to decrease the offer)
-- try a short sub-500 segment (seems to decrease the offer)
-- try itins with a higher or lower price (offers seems to track relative price)
In practice, there is no close form method to get a specific amount. UA has your information.
Related thread -
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2022]
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2021]
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2020]
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2019]
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2018]
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2017]
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2016]
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2015]
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2014]
Consolidated Award / Premier Accelerator questions
Jun 23, 2012, 10:24 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: UA 1k, AA plat, HH, Marriott Platinum,
Posts: 65
Consolidated Award / Premier Accelerator questions
Can you purchase elite mile award accelerator miles? An agent at the premier desk said it was possible- but could not figure it out. Thanks
Jun 23, 2012, 10:45 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Illinois-downstate
Programs: UA 1K, UA MM, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 955
I've not done it, but am thinking about it. First you have to go to the bottom of your reservations page and click on the option to buy more miles. There will probably be two offerings of miles (FF miles, not Elite miles). Click in the box, and then you will see the option to buy elite miles pop up. They are not cheap, but they offer a way to tweak your elite status, if needed.
Jun 23, 2012, 10:48 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: PEK/NYC
Programs: UA Gold / *A Gold
Posts: 153
Many other threads, but its pretty easy to do.
Just book a flight online(might be little cheaper if its an interneational itinerary). Keep in mind that your reservation is 100% refundable if you cancel within 24 hours.
You will be given a chance to buy about 1X or 3X the miles for about 2˘ per mile. Buy the choice you want. Then cancel the ticket. Your credit card will be charged for the extra miles, but refunded for the airfare. The miles will be posted in about 24 hours or less.
Keep in mind, if you want the PQM (to help you reach status), you will have to buy that AFTER buying the RDM miles, and that will cost you about 10˘ per mile.
Depending on how many award miles (RDM) you want, base your flight booking for that amount of miles (or 1/3 of that many miles, and go for the 3X option) You can also book one way or round trip, to help you get as close to the amount of desired miles as possible. The cost of the airfare does not really matter, as you will be getting it refunded. I suppose you could also book a refundable ticket, so you could see the miles post, then get the refund. As you are getting a refund, you don't really care about what the airfare is, or for that matter, the flights/cities you book.
Just book a flight online(might be little cheaper if its an interneational itinerary). Keep in mind that your reservation is 100% refundable if you cancel within 24 hours.
You will be given a chance to buy about 1X or 3X the miles for about 2˘ per mile. Buy the choice you want. Then cancel the ticket. Your credit card will be charged for the extra miles, but refunded for the airfare. The miles will be posted in about 24 hours or less.
Keep in mind, if you want the PQM (to help you reach status), you will have to buy that AFTER buying the RDM miles, and that will cost you about 10˘ per mile.
Depending on how many award miles (RDM) you want, base your flight booking for that amount of miles (or 1/3 of that many miles, and go for the 3X option) You can also book one way or round trip, to help you get as close to the amount of desired miles as possible. The cost of the airfare does not really matter, as you will be getting it refunded. I suppose you could also book a refundable ticket, so you could see the miles post, then get the refund. As you are getting a refund, you don't really care about what the airfare is, or for that matter, the flights/cities you book.
Last edited by dhelman; Jun 23, 2012 at 11:05 am
Jun 23, 2012, 10:54 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Plat, 1MM
Posts: 2,182
Might find useful info in one or both of these:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...d-threads.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...celerator.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...d-threads.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...celerator.html
Jul 22, 2012, 10:08 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Florida
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 29
Award / Premier accelerator question
I know there are differences of opinion as to whether this is worth the cost. That isn't my question. I'm wondering if I will or will not receive the actual miles flown on a ticket where I buy accelerator miles? Will I only receive the say, 20,000 premier/award accelerator miles, or will I also receive the 10,000 miles I'll be flying?
Jul 22, 2012, 10:32 am
#6
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 182
I know there are differences of opinion as to whether this is worth the cost. That isn't my question. I'm wondering if I will or will not receive the actual miles flown on a ticket where I buy accelerator miles? Will I only receive the say, 20,000 premier/award accelerator miles, or will I also receive the 10,000 miles I'll be flying?
Jul 22, 2012, 10:51 am
#7
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: CAK/CLE
Programs: UA Plat/AA,DL Dirt/HH Diamond,Hyatt Something-ist/Hz Prez,Avis Pres Club
Posts: 674
You get the purchased miles at purchase and the flown miles whenever they decide to post them after flying. 
That is how they arrive at what appears to be "single miles" for purchase being double miles, and what appears to be double miles being triple miles. You buy 2x extra miles, fly and earn 1x miles, for a total of 3x miles. Now if you cancel the ticket and don't fly it, you still keep the Accelerator miles you paid dearly for, but don't earn the flown miles of course.
That is how they arrive at what appears to be "single miles" for purchase being double miles, and what appears to be double miles being triple miles. You buy 2x extra miles, fly and earn 1x miles, for a total of 3x miles. Now if you cancel the ticket and don't fly it, you still keep the Accelerator miles you paid dearly for, but don't earn the flown miles of course.
Aug 3, 2012, 10:28 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 96
Premier Accelerator question
After reading posts about it being cheaper to buy bonus miles booking partner tics, I tried it out with an Air Canada ticket via United.com
BUT
Price for extra miles seems to be exactly the same as offered in my other UA reservation
Is there anything that I may have done incorrectly?
BUT
Price for extra miles seems to be exactly the same as offered in my other UA reservation
Is there anything that I may have done incorrectly?
Aug 3, 2012, 10:34 am
#9
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,759
There has been some variability in the price for RDMs (between 2 to 3 cpm) and a partner flight (including AC) does seem to provide a lower RDM cpm of 0.1 to 0.5 cpm. This was true last year also.
Are you looking a paid or award tickets? Did you go past the first offer page to the second page with the full offer? (Some cases there are changes in going to the second page)
However, don't believe there has been any differences in pricing for PQMs.
Are you looking a paid or award tickets? Did you go past the first offer page to the second page with the full offer? (Some cases there are changes in going to the second page)
However, don't believe there has been any differences in pricing for PQMs.
Aug 3, 2012, 10:50 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 96
These were from paid tics
Didnt pull the calculator out to verify but looks even-ish from here:
(grunt)
AC:
4,340 MileagePlus Award Accelerator miles $113.00
4,340 MileagePlus Premier Accelerator miles $261.00
UA:
4,490 MileagePlus Award Accelerator miles $117.00
4,490 MileagePlus Premier Accelerator miles $270.00
Didnt pull the calculator out to verify but looks even-ish from here:
(grunt)
AC:
4,340 MileagePlus Award Accelerator miles $113.00
4,340 MileagePlus Premier Accelerator miles $261.00
UA:
4,490 MileagePlus Award Accelerator miles $117.00
4,490 MileagePlus Premier Accelerator miles $270.00
Aug 3, 2012, 11:05 am
#11
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,759
Aug 3, 2012, 11:56 am
#12
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 96
Aug 3, 2012, 12:03 pm
#13
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,759
your are getting RDMs for 2.3 cpm (vs 2.6 in the earlier flights) and PQMs for additional 6 cpm, that is about a low as anyone has reported. (May have been 2.1 cpm for RDMs). (best I can get for myself is PQMs for 8 cpm)
Not sure you are going to see anything lower at the moment, what are you looking for?
Aug 3, 2012, 12:22 pm
#15
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,759
