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How are "lifetime miles" calculated for MileagePlus?

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Old Nov 15, 2015, 11:28 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Million Miler Program
Mileage accrual for Million Miler qualification is based on the flight distance of United- and United Express-operated flights.
With United's change to PQPs and PQFs, UA no longer provides information on flight / "BIS" mile
United no longer shows the BIS mileage. For now, the app is showing segment miles during booking -- but united.com is not.
Presently using UA's timetable to research the flight, the flight miles are provided

Alternatively, you can use third-party tools like, gcmap to get a number. It may differ from UA's number by a few miles
Building a UA city pair BIS table
And finally, you can trust UA to track your miles (There have been very, very few instances of issues and less recently)
  • For elites, there is 500 lifetime mile minimum for UA/UX flights. (still true in 2020 and PQP/PQF era)
  • There is no elite bonus or class of service bonus.
  • BIS miles = PQMs for 100% fares
  • Bus operated land connections booked as UA flight numbers earn lifetime miles
  • No partner flights earn UA lifetime miles.
  • Flight number / codeshare / ticket stock does not matter -- as long as it is a United-operated flight that is being credited to UA MP program.
  • No credit card activity earns UA lifetime miles
  • Only paid flights (including BULK / most consolidator tickets), no credit for award flights
  • There is no method for purchasing lifetime miles
  • Basic Economy segments are non-mileage earning and do not earn lifetime miles In the second iteration of BE (2018Q4), LT mileage earning appears to have been restored (100% 50% of BIS)
  • Lapchild tickets are non-mileage earning including lifetime miles
There was a complicated adjustment of lifetime miles at the time of the UA/CO merger due to the different programs & earning rules, including that CO granted lifetime miles for partner flights, PQM bonuses, and some credit card activity. But the above are the present rules.

Post-merge, COPA flights also accumulated UA lifetime miles, that ceased in July 2015 when COPA left MileagePlus.

What if I use miles to purchase the trip? Does that earn Lifetime Miles?
Depends
If you are using just UA miles and only paying cash for the taxes, as an award trip, it does not qualify for Lifetime miles
However
If you are using points from a credit card to purchase a ticket on their site, then the trip qualifies
If you are booking an economy ticket but using miles to upgrade, then the trip qualifies
If you are using the Money+Miles payment option, then the trip qualifies (regardless of the amount paid by miles)
If you are purchasing with a Chase creditcard and then using miles as a statement credit, then the trip qualifies
What about purchasing with "Money+Miles"?
100% Lifetime Miles earning
see What is the "Book with Money and Miles" option ?
Related Threads
MileagePlus Million Mile (and Beyond) Flyer Benefits [2014 forward]
Million Miler companion benefit
Building a UA city pair BIS table


Archive: [url=https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-airlines-mileageplus/2150272-how-lifetime-miles-calculated-mileageplus-archive.html]How are "lifetime miles" calculated for MileagePlus? {Archive}
Related thread: Lifetime status by airline -- attempted summary
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How are "lifetime miles" calculated for MileagePlus?

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Old Feb 24, 2023, 2:58 pm
  #226  
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Join Date: Oct 2001
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Originally Posted by snowdog850
Which segments do I earn lifetime miles on? I was told by one person that I only earn on 1 and 4. But someone else told me I'd earn on 1, 2, and 4. Does it depend on the partner carrier?
United and United Express operated flights only.
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Old Feb 24, 2023, 2:59 pm
  #227  
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It is extremely simple.

You ONLY earn MM status on UA (and UX) metal.
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Old Apr 24, 2023, 2:58 pm
  #228  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Programs: UA Mileage Plus
Posts: 300
Where do I see BIS mile accrual?

As the question states, I can’t seem to easily find this. I am trying to calculate on what exact flight I will make million miler. Thanks.
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Old Apr 24, 2023, 3:00 pm
  #229  
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Originally Posted by azfanboy
Where do I see BIS mile accrual?
BIS miles for individual segments or trips trips is no longer. Just the Lifetime to date sum in your United account
azfanboy likes this.
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Old Apr 24, 2023, 3:02 pm
  #230  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
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Oh ok, would anyone happen to know what the BIS miles would be for PHX to EWR?
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Old Apr 24, 2023, 3:02 pm
  #231  
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For planning purposes, a plug!
Building a UA city pair BIS table


Originally Posted by azfanboy
Oh ok, would anyone happen to know what the BIS miles would be for PHX to EWR?
Expect approximately 2133. http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=ewr-phx We don't have that one in our table above.
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Old Apr 24, 2023, 4:31 pm
  #232  
 
Join Date: Dec 2022
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I always use airmilescalculator.com. I find it to be extremely accurate, and when it's not, it's usually off by just 1 mile
shdflyer likes this.
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Old Apr 24, 2023, 4:40 pm
  #233  
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Originally Posted by unitedwildcat
I always use airmilescalculator.com. I find it to be extremely accurate, and when it's not, it's usually off by just 1 mile
UA occansionally throws in some odd ball numbers, the wiki of Building a UA city pair BIS table has some UA unique examples that deviate from great circle results.
SPN Lifer and unitedwildcat like this.
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Old Apr 24, 2023, 4:44 pm
  #234  
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
UA occansionally throws in some odd ball numbers, the wiki of Building a UA city pair BIS table has some UA unique examples that deviate from great circle results.
UA has also changed a few city pairs ever so slightly ver the years. I've got EWR-ORD segments credited as 719 miles and as 721 miles.
SPN Lifer likes this.
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Old Apr 24, 2023, 7:46 pm
  #235  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: BOS
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When I had booked enough flights to get me to 1M, UA sent me an email a couple of months ahead as as an advanced warning.
Say Vandelay likes this.
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Old May 16, 2023, 3:41 pm
  #236  
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Tracking BIS Miles Nowadays ...

Well, the thread title says it all. How does one figure out how many BIS miles one earns for a given flight these days?

(Couldn't turn up an answer with a (minor) search of our forum ...)
iapetus is offline  
Old May 16, 2023, 3:57 pm
  #237  
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Originally Posted by iapetus
Well, the thread title says it all. How does one figure out how many BIS miles one earns for a given flight these days?

(Couldn't turn up an answer with a (minor) search of our forum ...)
Use a great circle mapper, differences are small and some have a 500 mile minimum option or use / add to the crowdsourced Building a UA city pair BIS table
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Old May 17, 2023, 12:15 pm
  #238  
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
Use a great circle mapper, differences are small and some have a 500 mile minimum option or use / add to the crowdsourced Building a UA city pair BIS table
So, there's really no terribly convenient way ... at least not on the UA side. But I will bookmark that FT thread. Thanks!
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Old May 17, 2023, 1:14 pm
  #239  
 
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Do the new Asian routes avoiding Russian airspace change BIS calculations?
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Old May 17, 2023, 2:38 pm
  #240  
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Originally Posted by WasKnown
Do the new Asian routes avoiding Russian airspace change BIS calculations?
A flight's routing never influences BIS credit. The BIS is based on great circle distance.
fumje is offline  


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