United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2013]
#676
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,426
I thought I'd take try hedging my bets on a possible 3000 mile shortfall from 1K, so looked at the Premier Accelerator option on an upcoming SFO-ORD trip.
UA only wants to let me buy 12K miles -- for a whopping $3K! This is exactly what I'd be short if I were to stop traveling today, but I still have an SFO-LHR RT left to do, too.
UA only wants to let me buy 12K miles -- for a whopping $3K! This is exactly what I'd be short if I were to stop traveling today, but I still have an SFO-LHR RT left to do, too.
But you can get closer to your goal if you find a shorter flight, it can even be reward flight. Just buy ticket, wait for it to "ticket," and proceed to purchase additional miles. If you don't want to fly, cancel in the 24 hour window, but you keep the miles.
And yes, UA is well aware of it and laughing all the way to the bank.
I'm pressed for time right now, but I'm sure WineCountryUA will swoop in with a link to a lengthy thread with exact details
#677
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Jersey Shore/YYZ
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 12,521
You need to read the "premier accelerator" thread to figure out how to get only the miles you need.
#678
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,756
... UA only wants to let me buy 12K miles -- for a whopping $3K! This is exactly what I'd be short if I were to stop traveling today, but I still have an SFO-LHR RT left to do, too.
Very clever, UA, but no deal*. Cheaper, by a mile (as it were), to do an MR in the 9 weeks left in the year.
*I guess it's actually not all that clever given that the London trip is already booked... It would be so much smarter if the algorithm took that into account.
Very clever, UA, but no deal*. Cheaper, by a mile (as it were), to do an MR in the 9 weeks left in the year.
*I guess it's actually not all that clever given that the London trip is already booked... It would be so much smarter if the algorithm took that into account.
the concept of specific dummy bookings to get offered an more appropriate quantity of miles is covered in
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...questions.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...us-thread.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...maximizer.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...es-2013-a.html
#679
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,426
Of course, I was thinking RNE would opine on that, but in my haste forgot to actually type that
^
^
#680
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: 67,096
Do a dummy booking for a very short flight. My most recent one (which was ~300 miles o/w, B fare) had offers of 2000 and 3000 miles at reasonable prices for early November. Granted, I'm already over 100k for the year with another 10k booked, but those other itins are offering 12k and 16k miles--maybe trying to entice me to buy up for RPUs, though no RPU is worth $2k+!
#681
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: LAX
Programs: UA MM | BA Silver
Posts: 7,192
Well now I've seen it all
@LAX check-in I watched a passenger muddle through RDM/PQM accelerator with an agent. I even jumped in when he was getting terrible information on RDM vs PQM from the agent. Paid $3k on the spot for 15k RDM & PQM.
#682
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: UA, AA, USAir
Posts: 11
Changes to Award Accelerator/Premier Accelerator
Went on UA.com this morning, and the page in a reservation for Award/Premier Accelerator has changed. Not only the layout...but the pricing.
Was going to buy a triple PQM Accelerator for a short 806 mile ORD-MCI flight (as I am 2100 miles short of Premier level) at 182.00 for 1612 miles..
Today that has jumped to 280.00!
Anyone else seeing the change?
Was going to buy a triple PQM Accelerator for a short 806 mile ORD-MCI flight (as I am 2100 miles short of Premier level) at 182.00 for 1612 miles..
Today that has jumped to 280.00!
Anyone else seeing the change?
#683
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,627
Went on UA.com this morning, and the page in a reservation for Award/Premier Accelerator has changed. Not only the layout...but the pricing.
Was going to buy a triple PQM Accelerator for a short 806 mile ORD-MCI flight (as I am 2100 miles short of Premier level) at 182.00 for 1612 miles..
Today that has jumped to 280.00!
Anyone else seeing the change?
Was going to buy a triple PQM Accelerator for a short 806 mile ORD-MCI flight (as I am 2100 miles short of Premier level) at 182.00 for 1612 miles..
Today that has jumped to 280.00!
Anyone else seeing the change?
next time strike while the iron is hot, as i suggested in your other thread on this same topic.
#684
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 19
UA - Premier Accelerator
Has anyone else noticed that in the last 2-3 days the price per mile using the Premier Accelerator option increased from .113 cents per mile up to around .28 now? What the heck?
#685
Join Date: May 2013
Location: west coast best coast
Programs: TINDER GOLD, STARBUCKS GOLD, COSTCO EXECUTIVE!!
Posts: 3,989
UA knows that as the year end comes closer, more people will be trying to qualify after realizing they are short miles, so they can increase the rates.
#686
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 19
Went on UA.com this morning, and the page in a reservation for Award/Premier Accelerator has changed. Not only the layout...but the pricing.
Was going to buy a triple PQM Accelerator for a short 806 mile ORD-MCI flight (as I am 2100 miles short of Premier level) at 182.00 for 1612 miles..
Today that has jumped to 280.00!
Anyone else seeing the change?
Was going to buy a triple PQM Accelerator for a short 806 mile ORD-MCI flight (as I am 2100 miles short of Premier level) at 182.00 for 1612 miles..
Today that has jumped to 280.00!
Anyone else seeing the change?
#687
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Redwood City, CA USA (SFO/SJC)
Programs: 1K 2010, 1P in 2011, Plat for 2012,13,14,15 & 2016. Gold in 17 & 18, Plat since
Posts: 8,824
United's been pretty darned greedy with PQMs the last couple of years. Somebody threw a switch and we suddenly went from routine DEQM promos to zip, zilch, nada. Curiously, even when they were running DEQMs right & left, it was still very tough to get original mileage credit for EQMs (forerunner of today's PQM).
Having said all that, it remains reasonably easy to find actual trips for less than even the best Premier Accelerator pricing. Just means you have to fly.
#688
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 304
Miles are much more expensive now that we are approaching EoY deadline @:-)
But you can get closer to your goal if you find a shorter flight, it can even be reward flight. Just buy ticket, wait for it to "ticket," and proceed to purchase additional miles. If you don't want to fly, cancel in the 24 hour window, but you keep the miles.
And yes, UA is well aware of it and laughing all the way to the bank.
I'm pressed for time right now, but I'm sure WineCountryUA will swoop in with a link to a lengthy thread with exact details
But you can get closer to your goal if you find a shorter flight, it can even be reward flight. Just buy ticket, wait for it to "ticket," and proceed to purchase additional miles. If you don't want to fly, cancel in the 24 hour window, but you keep the miles.
And yes, UA is well aware of it and laughing all the way to the bank.
I'm pressed for time right now, but I'm sure WineCountryUA will swoop in with a link to a lengthy thread with exact details
#689
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 19
UA - Premier Accelerator
Yeah. I need about 2800 to hit 1K. When it was .113 two days ago, it wasn't so bad to not have to deal with travel on holidays but I guess I'll be doing a cross country trip and back instead the weekend of Dec 28th. This is my first year getting to this level. I will know to buy when the deal is good next time! I didn't realize it fluctuated constantly as haven't used the feature yet.
#690
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 123
UA - Premier Accelerator
From what know it depends on the ticket you have , class of booking , route ... I've seen many prices before .