Using miles for spouse instead of self
Nov 25, 2012 | 5:08 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Portland, OR, USA (PDX)
Programs: MileagePlus (Gold)
Posts: 24
Using miles for spouse instead of self
So maybe this is obvious but I just want to confirm my understanding. If I am the miles collector in the family and am traveling with my spouse, one of us on a miles ticket and the other for $, is it always better to give the free ticket to the spouse? If I fly on my own ticket I get the EQM and status bonus whereas if it were the other way around I may get an upgrade but the miles would go to my wife.
Am I missing something or is this pretty trivial?
Am I missing something or is this pretty trivial?
Nov 25, 2012 | 6:09 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 6km East of EPAYE
Programs: UA Silver, AA Platinum, AS & DL GM Marriott TE, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,575
So maybe this is obvious but I just want to confirm my understanding. If I am the miles collector in the family and am traveling with my spouse, one of us on a miles ticket and the other for $, is it always better to give the free ticket to the spouse? If I fly on my own ticket I get the EQM and status bonus whereas if it were the other way around I may get an upgrade but the miles would go to my wife.
Am I missing something or is this pretty trivial?
Am I missing something or is this pretty trivial?
Nov 25, 2012 | 7:58 pm
#5
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: LAX
Programs: United Two Million Miler; United 1K, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 594
You also want to get as many miles as possible to your lifetime account so in the event you reach a million miles, your spouse will gain the same elite level as you.
At this point, Mrs. Eyeballs is a spousal 1K and there is really no incentive to put any miles on her account.
At this point, Mrs. Eyeballs is a spousal 1K and there is really no incentive to put any miles on her account.
Nov 26, 2012 | 8:04 am
#6
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA Plat & 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 8,709
Indeed, one exception might be if the miles will not help you get up another tier in status whereas they might help your spouse do so. Obviously plenty of fact-specific issues there.
Nov 26, 2012 | 9:54 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA Plat, MM *G for life, AY Plat, BA Silver
Posts: 10,553
Indeed yes. I'm a 1K, Mrs LHRSFO is a Gold. I'm about to get MM next year so, for Mrs LHRSFO's travels with work, she's switching to OneWorld and if we're travelling together, it will be on UA miles. Of course, the switch to OW is easier as her work now pays for Premium Economy, which UA does not offer, but OW does.
Nov 26, 2012 | 10:31 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Hiding under the trees in Denver, CO
Programs: UA 1K 2.7MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 4,377
You also want to get as many miles as possible to your lifetime account so in the event you reach a million miles, your spouse will gain the same elite level as you.
At this point, Mrs. Eyeballs is a spousal 1K and there is really no incentive to put any miles on her account.
At this point, Mrs. Eyeballs is a spousal 1K and there is really no incentive to put any miles on her account.
On a recent paid trip on which we shared a PNR, I noticed that he appeared on the upgrade list ahead of me. I assume this is because his name starts with a "D", and all the other upgrade-priority criteria were identical to mine (status, fare bucket, time on upgrade list). Has anyone else seen this happen?
Nov 26, 2012 | 12:17 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Redwood City, CA USA (SFO/SJC)
Programs: Various between 2p & 1K, currently Gold
Posts: 8,889
Pursuit of PQMs causes strange things
In my case, I would never, ever, travel on an award ticket. Every possible PQM I can get, I snag. All RDMs are used for my family's tickets, as others have mentioned here.
What has not been mentioned is the bizarre situation where the "Professional" flyer earning the BIS miles is in Y, but because no saver tickets were available in Y but saver C or F were, the person on the award ticket, whether that be my wife or kid(s), is up front.
To tell you the truth, this amuses more than bothers me. A plane flight might be 2-12 hours long, and once flown, it's utility is used up. Points gained from having other family members up front, when it could have been you, are often far more long-lasting and valuable.
What has not been mentioned is the bizarre situation where the "Professional" flyer earning the BIS miles is in Y, but because no saver tickets were available in Y but saver C or F were, the person on the award ticket, whether that be my wife or kid(s), is up front.
To tell you the truth, this amuses more than bothers me. A plane flight might be 2-12 hours long, and once flown, it's utility is used up. Points gained from having other family members up front, when it could have been you, are often far more long-lasting and valuable.
Nov 26, 2012 | 12:23 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: AADULtArer
Posts: 6,602
I assume this is because his name starts with a "D",
(I think your alphabetical explanation is correct...)
.. and for Mike...
Point lost by being upgraded to FC leaving your spouse with two 18 month olds JFK LHR in cattle take considerably longer to gain back, IMHE....
Nov 26, 2012 | 3:01 pm
#12
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 72,668
I use miles almost exclusively for my wife's travel. Several caveats, though:
- For our international travel, I only book when I can confirm my GPU to C and when either saver C is available on the same flights, or that they're likely to be available at some point (and then waitlist my wife's award for those flights). This does require a lot more flexibility on our parts.
- For domestic travel, we run the risk of being separated by CPU for me (assuming she's booked in saver Y). Given COdbaUA's "upgrade" process, that risk is lower now than under PMUA, though.
- Equipment changes and irrops mean calling to get seat assignments fixed and the potential for less-than-stellar choices in seats (ExpertFlyer seat alerts on the seats you already have can help detect these ASAP to give you a better chance of fixing them).
Nov 26, 2012 | 4:20 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Jersey Shore/YYZ
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 12,529
It's not his first name - I imaginehis ticket number is lower, having been "ticketed" first. When all else is tied, that is the tiebreaker.
Nov 26, 2012 | 4:28 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: UAL SPG Hyatt
Posts: 597
To tell you the truth, this amuses more than bothers me. A plane flight might be 2-12 hours long, and once flown, it's utility is used up. Points gained from having other family members up front, when it could have been you, are often far more long-lasting and valuable.
Ha ha ... I fully agree with you ... I don't think my spouse has flown on a paid ticket for a long long while!