Nov 15, 2015, 11:28 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Million Miler Program
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)
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?
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
Mileage accrual for Million Miler qualification is based on the flight distance of United- and United Express-operated flights.
United no longer shows the BIS mileage.
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 milesIn 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
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"?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
100% Lifetime Miles earning
see What is the "Book with Money and Miles" option ?
Related Threadssee What is the "Book with Money and Miles" option ?
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
How are "lifetime miles" calculated for MileagePlus?
Sep 18, 2023, 3:52 pm
#256
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: USA
Programs: UA Platinum, 1MM
Posts: 13,460
I just use GCmap like my cohorts above. I like seeing the visual aspect of the routing and being able to put in multiple routings to see how it changes the mileage. Of course, you have to do the manual adjusting for min 500 miles if you have status for any segment.
Sep 18, 2023, 9:30 pm
#258
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,857
Oct 14, 2023, 6:48 pm
#260
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Latin America and USA
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold
Posts: 456
Looking for an updated thread about these rules - mods please move if necessary.
What is the current rule for UA codeshares counting / not counting for MM BIS count?
I have a few upcoming tickets that I'm not sure about. One is South America - PTY - IAH - YVR... First leg Copa metal, second leg UA metal, final leg AC metal... but 016 ticket stock and all UA flight numbers.
I know the PTY-IAH on UA metal earns MM BIS. Do the others, since 016 ticket and UA flight numbers? Or no, because CM and AC metal?
Thanks!
What is the current rule for UA codeshares counting / not counting for MM BIS count?
I have a few upcoming tickets that I'm not sure about. One is South America - PTY - IAH - YVR... First leg Copa metal, second leg UA metal, final leg AC metal... but 016 ticket stock and all UA flight numbers.
I know the PTY-IAH on UA metal earns MM BIS. Do the others, since 016 ticket and UA flight numbers? Or no, because CM and AC metal?
Thanks!
Oct 14, 2023, 7:34 pm
#261
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,514
Looking for an updated thread about these rules - mods please move if necessary.
What is the current rule for UA codeshares counting / not counting for MM BIS count?
I have a few upcoming tickets that I'm not sure about. One is South America - PTY - IAH - YVR... First leg Copa metal, second leg UA metal, final leg AC metal... but 016 ticket stock and all UA flight numbers.
I know the PTY-IAH on UA metal earns MM BIS. Do the others, since 016 ticket and UA flight numbers? Or no, because CM and AC metal?
Thanks!
What is the current rule for UA codeshares counting / not counting for MM BIS count?
I have a few upcoming tickets that I'm not sure about. One is South America - PTY - IAH - YVR... First leg Copa metal, second leg UA metal, final leg AC metal... but 016 ticket stock and all UA flight numbers.
I know the PTY-IAH on UA metal earns MM BIS. Do the others, since 016 ticket and UA flight numbers? Or no, because CM and AC metal?
Thanks!
Only UA metal on paid ticket (non-award) earns MM miles - this can be both 016 and non-016 tickets.
Oct 31, 2023, 9:23 pm
#262
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, Marco Polo Gold
Posts: 1,084
Just to confirm, if I accumulate most of my points from non-United flights (Star Alliance airlines), those points still go towards those million miles lifetime offers? Thanks
Oct 31, 2023, 9:45 pm
#263
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,514
No. United lifetime status can only be accumulated from flying United and United Express flights (and paid flights only; award flights also do not accumulate, even on United metal).
Nov 1, 2023, 1:46 am
#264
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, Marco Polo Gold
Posts: 1,084
Nov 1, 2023, 5:25 am
#265
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Los Angeles, California
Programs: United, American, Delta, Hyatt, Hilton, Hertz, Marriott
Posts: 14,802
Like all normal flyers, I have been tracking flights I take since the mid-90s. I thank Continental/United for helping me develop an expertise in Excel. Distances have been stable over that time; however, since August, one or two city pairs are now slightly “further apart”! For example SFO/SIN was 8,444 miles since I first took that flight in 2018. On the last two trips, I got 8,445 on each leg. It’s no big deal; I get to add an extra column into the spreadsheet. I also take a screenshot of my lifetime miles shortly after I compete each leg. Has anyone else noticed this change?
Nov 1, 2023, 5:31 am
#266
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,464
Like all normal flyers, I have been tracking flights I take since the mid-90s. I thank Continental/United for helping me develop an expertise in Excel. Distances have been stable over that time; however, since August, one or two city pairs are now slightly “further apart”! For example SFO/SIN was 8,444 miles since I first took that flight in 2018. On the last two trips, I got 8,445 on each leg. It’s no big deal; I get to add an extra column into the spreadsheet. I also take a screenshot of my lifetime miles shortly after I compete each leg. Has anyone else noticed this change?
From Building a UA city pair BIS table,
Tangentially, LAX seems about half a mile farther south in UA's calculations than gcmap's. Something funny about California.
Nov 1, 2023, 6:15 am
#267
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Los Angeles, California
Programs: United, American, Delta, Hyatt, Hilton, Hertz, Marriott
Posts: 14,802
From one normal flyer to another, yes! Seems they repositioned SFO slightly a year and a bit ago.
From Building a UA city pair BIS table,
Tangentially, LAX seems about half a mile farther south in UA's calculations than gcmap's. Something funny about California.
From Building a UA city pair BIS table,
Tangentially, LAX seems about half a mile farther south in UA's calculations than gcmap's. Something funny about California.
Nov 1, 2023, 7:21 am
#268
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,432
oint, airlines might not pick up immediately on the change. I'm pretty sure this is why some airports "move" occasionally and why the number of miles UA (for example) credits for flights sometimes changes.
Nov 1, 2023, 7:33 am
#269
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,464
An airport's location, or airport reference point, is defined as its geographical center. In the US this is determined by taking a weighted average of the ends of all of the runways. Occasionally, airports add or remove runways. This can affect the reference point. When the FAA database changes to update the reference point, airlines might not pick up immediately on the change. I'm pretty sure this is why some airports "move" occasionally and why the number of miles UA (for example) credits for flights sometimes changes.
oint, airlines might not pick up immediately on the change. I'm pretty sure this is why some airports "move" occasionally and why the number of miles UA (for example) credits for flights sometimes changes.As far as I remember for SFO, it hasn't added or removed runways for several years, only repaved some. So does that mean one or the other source use a calculation while a runway was temporarily closed?
Nov 1, 2023, 7:34 am
#270
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,432
sed temporarily.