Supratik

Hi guys,

Just discovered united.com/choices - this seems like an excellent way to top off my mileages balance since I will be a couple thousand miles short of 1K this year.

Just wanted to double-check with the knowledgable crowd here about any limitations or caveats that aren't apparent in the terms and conditions.

For example, since the merger, Flex-PQMs (earned through the Presidential Card) can no longer be used towards 1K. In the following example, if I have 97k PQM in December, and I utilize 30k RDM from my Choices balance to obtain 3k additional PQM, will I successfully hit 1K without any issues?

Thanks,
Supratik

exerda

AFAIK, Choices PQM can be used toward 1K status. The limitation was against Flex PQM.

WineCountryUA

had been confirmed earlier by UA Insider

Do not wait til Dec 31 to transfer to purchase PQMs.

GBadger

Hmmm -- I didn't know about this program either. While the PQM purchase option seems like a rip off (10k miles per 1k PQM), there's also an option to get a statement credit towards airfare. If I'm reading the terms correctly, the ticket you purchase should earn miles and PQMs as any other ticket, correct? So even though I request a Chase statement credit for that ticket, I'll still get miles and PQMs?

gradsflyer

+1. Choices is good for small PQM top offs because it is pricy in terms of RDMs, but it is also very slow despite the receipt they give you saying PQMs will post in 48 hours, so don't wait until December 31st. I recently did a PQM top off and while I lost the RDMs immediately it took TWO WEEKS and multiple calls for the PQMs to post. On the third call I did finally get one great CSR who at least gave me the status I should have gotten right on the spot but explained she could not mannually input the PQMs and that these would take longer to post; partially because even though this is on the UA website these PQMs are actually controlled by Chase. I must say it was weird for a week to see Silver status but with only 24k in PQMs on my account.

Supratik

Thanks guys! This is very helpful; I'll probably initiate the transfer in early November as I'll have finalized the rest of my travel plans by then.

dkmatter

The air redemption option isn't such a bad deal to burn off excess miles towards paid flights. I wonder if it works with other chase credit cards like sapphire, I never buy flights on my MP card.

GBadger

Can anyone confirm that air redemption flights earn PQM and RDM as any other paid flight would?
Has anyone actually used this option?

ichiroll

I guess I can't get to 75,000 using Flex Premier Miles, and top off with Premier Qualification Miles to get to 1K?

MrMarket

Yes, you earn PQM/RDM because it's just a normally booked flight that you retro-actively submit a request to credit via Chase. You just have to give them the transaction number from your CC statement. I think it's something like within the prior 6 months. I used this option once a few years ago before I realized that $0.01/mile isn't a great redemption rate. If you have tons of choice miles, however, and no plans to use them any other way. It isn't the worst way to go.

bmvaughn

Sure, but spending 250k RDM is pretty pricey..

emcampbe

Seeing this thread reminded me about this option I had totally forgot about. I might use it to help offset the flight I am about to book that, once combined with end of year travel, will get me plat for the first time. Seems that you don't need to use it for all of the cost, you can use it for a credit for a portion of the cost, correct?

You have to request the credit within 90 days, according to the site.

If you think this redemption is bad at $0.01, try for the $95 annual fee, which I think was 11,500 miles. Ouch!

GBadger

Yes, 90 days is correct, and the way I read it you can apply for only a part of the ticket value.

Regarding the 1cpm redemption rate, I'm just thinking about it in terms of completing a MR to get back to 1K. Let's say I find a 7K PQM ticket for $220 (3.1 cpm), I can get a statement credit for that $220 using 22k miles. I earn 14k RDM in the process, so the net hit on my account is 8K miles, the net hit on my wallet is $0, and I earn the 7K PQM needed to get to 1K. Seems like a pretty good use to me.

elCheapoDeluxe

I can confirm that you can apply to all or part of the ticket value, and you can request credit retroactively, even after taking the flight, as long as you are within 90 days of the purchase. I also can confirm that all RDM, EQM, and COS bonuses are as normal for a paid flight. It IS a paid flight, just with a statement credit on your credit card to offset some/all of the cost. Have used when there was no saver availability and purchasing with choices was less than a standard domestic award.

MrMarket

Understood and agreed. That's predicated on finding the 3.1cpm 7KPQm run, of course. Unless another trans-con pops up for me for work between now and year end I'm going to end up about 4K short and will likely be doing just what you described.