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?
Mar 23, 2024, 7:49 pm
#316
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Mar 23, 2024, 7:57 pm
#317
Join Date: Dec 2022
Programs: UA1K
Posts: 460
This past Wednesday 3/20/2024, I was on UA 1743 PHL-IAH-LAX.
PHL-IAH was on a A320 and the flight number was UA 1743 arriving IAH at gate C30.
IAH-LAX was on a B757 leaving IAH at gate C37 and the flight number was ALSO UA 1743.
Made no sense, but I made it to LAX without any issue, even though it left IAH about 30 minutes late due to a minor problem with a tire.
I was credited for the 2 separate flights as should be.
PHL-IAH was on a A320 and the flight number was UA 1743 arriving IAH at gate C30.
IAH-LAX was on a B757 leaving IAH at gate C37 and the flight number was ALSO UA 1743.
Made no sense, but I made it to LAX without any issue, even though it left IAH about 30 minutes late due to a minor problem with a tire.
I was credited for the 2 separate flights as should be.
Mar 23, 2024, 10:33 pm
#318
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Philadelphia, LAX, Paris
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Mar 23, 2024, 10:38 pm
#319
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Mar 24, 2024, 3:00 pm
#320
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Philadelphia, LAX, Paris
Programs: UA 1K/2MM, SPG/Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Lifetime HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 3,326
Frankly, I don't really care that much about this "how lifetime miles are calculated"
My 2 flights are credited as 2 flights as it should be, and I get whatever lifetime miles United is crediting me. I ain't losing any sleep over this. I will get to my 3 million miles sometime soon to make Lifetime 1K and then I will be done. Simple as that!
Last edited by sapguy; Mar 24, 2024 at 3:07 pm Reason: adding screenshot
Mar 25, 2024, 1:38 am
#321
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Posts: 21,369
In other words, for the thread topic, there’s no relevant information in your message. It’s heartening to see that UA seems to be keeping their word again about PQFs — perhaps — which wasn’t true for a while. But if you don’t know if you were credited for PHL-LAX or PHL-IAH + IAH-LAX, then there’s no lesson here, as far as this thread goes.
Mar 30, 2024, 4:34 pm
#326
Moderator: United Airlines
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Location: SFO
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Posts: 66,777
Apr 1, 2024, 8:50 pm
#328
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Philadelphia, LAX, Paris
Programs: UA 1K/2MM, SPG/Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Lifetime HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 3,326
With all due respect, that’s the thread topic.
In other words, for the thread topic, there’s no relevant information in your message. It’s heartening to see that UA seems to be keeping their word again about PQFs — perhaps — which wasn’t true for a while. But if you don’t know if you were credited for PHL-LAX or PHL-IAH + IAH-LAX, then there’s no lesson here, as far as this thread goes.
In other words, for the thread topic, there’s no relevant information in your message. It’s heartening to see that UA seems to be keeping their word again about PQFs — perhaps — which wasn’t true for a while. But if you don’t know if you were credited for PHL-LAX or PHL-IAH + IAH-LAX, then there’s no lesson here, as far as this thread goes.
With all due respect, I provided the relevant baseline info (that I have) for you all to speculate and pontificate as you wish
I just want it to be known that how United credited the 2 flights for my lifetime status is not that important to me, as I will get to 3MM lifetime sometime in the not-too-distant future.
Apr 1, 2024, 8:57 pm
#329
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,451
I know the thread topic, LOL
With all due respect, I provided the relevant baseline info (that I have) for you all to speculate and pontificate as you wish
I just want it to be known that how United credited the 2 flights for my lifetime status is not that important to me, as I will get to 3MM lifetime sometime in the not-too-distant future.
With all due respect, I provided the relevant baseline info (that I have) for you all to speculate and pontificate as you wish
I just want it to be known that how United credited the 2 flights for my lifetime status is not that important to me, as I will get to 3MM lifetime sometime in the not-too-distant future.
Except perhaps it's another example of how annoyingly confounding it is that UA don't report BIS as a line item with the flight.