tonmason

Hello,

Sorry if this is a question with an obvious answer, but I just want to be sure I got this right.

My United miles have always been acquired flying on United flights. We are going South Africa next March and all of our domestic flights will be on SAA (we are flying on Virgin from London). I was about to purchase our domestic flights and noticed the drop down box for mileage programs. When we fly on SAA can I accrue miles for United instead of joining SAA's Voyager program? I don't see us returning to South Africa anytime soon or flying with SAA soon after our trip. I would much rather top up my United miles than start a new frequent flyer program where the miles will more than likely lapse.

Many thanks in advance!

UAPremExecflyer

Yes.
From the UA website

Shareholder

While SA flights earn MP miles, these can take a while to post, if they do at all, so hold on to all you boarding passes and e-tickets. Also, SA's regional carrier does not always recognize STAR benefits and agents will tell you you won't earn miles, but don't believe them, just make sure your MP account number is on your booking and your boarding pass. Also, as the link shows, cheapest fares only earn a percentage of actual mileage, not 100%.

choefman

Everything you ever wanted to know about earning miles with partner airlines can be found on the united airlines website. See:

https://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/mar...spx?ItemId=316

gandalf29

Here is a more complex situation: I need to fly IAD-ACC and would like to fly SA since it has a direct flight. However I have to do FlyAmerica and SA codeshares that particular flight with B6 not UA, and I have UA Gold and would prefer to get mileage credit on UA not B6. So a couple questions:

- If I book the SA flight codeshared with B6, is there anyway to get mileage credited to UA through the *A partnership rather than to B6?
- If I book the SA flight codeshared with B6, will I still have *A benefits on this flight, since it is a *A airline BUT the ticket has a B6 number?

zeer0

*A cares only about operating carrier. So any SA operated flight will give you full benefits. Try to see if you can get a SA PNR so you can see the flight on their website. That's where you can input your UA FF #.

dvs7310

Are you sure about that? I know it's operating carrier that counts on *A codeshares, but when the code is not from a *A carrier it's not as clear. There was a recent discussion on something very similar on a TN coded flight on NZ metal (AKL-PPT) and a couple people insisted that no UA mileage could be earned.

I've never personally had this issue, so can't say firsthand. If you've done it and it posts without issue, then good deal, just want to make sure the person asking the question is getting good info.

zeer0

As long as the flight can also be bought on SA's website and has an SA flight number you can earn UA miles. It's similar to how a few years ago you could buy LH flights from B6. Those qualified for *A mileage per the regular LH fare code rules. The only confusing thing for you may be that the fare code B6 shows you for the SA flight may not be the actual fare code that SA is using for your ticket. So you won't know how many miles you'll earn until you log in on the SA website with their PNR. B6 will either give you the SA PNR or you can get it by contacting them with your e-ticket #.

zeer0

I read through that thread, but the same rules apply there too. Has to be operated by NZ on NZ metal. The reasons for no mileage there is that most of the low fare classes on NZ don't earn any miles in most FF programs.

I have 1 more example. I flew on Air China from HKG-PEK earlier this year but the ticket was actually purchased through CX. At Air China check in I just showed my OZ *G card and everything was fine.