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MileagePlus Premier Qualifying Dollar (PQD) Requirement Discussion [ARCHIVE]

Old Jun 18, 2013, 7:18 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: iluv2fly
Please read these sources before posting in this thread:
If you have calculated the PQDs for a trip at less than 80% of the total cost, you are very likely doing something wrong. Have you made sure to include the International Surcharge (YQ)? Have you read all of the materials linked above, and the frequently made points listed below?

Specific Unanswered Questions
Please limit these to specific, technical questions about the implementation of the PQD program.
  • Will there be a calculator that shows PQD, and will that calculator be accurate?
  • What exactly will count toward PQD?
    United states:
    Base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges
    Flights flown by United, United Express, or Copa Airlines
    Flights operated by a Star Alliance or a MileagePlus partner airline and issued on a United ticket (ticket number starting with 016)
    Economy Plus purchases

    will count towards PQD.

    Thus:
    • The amount of co-pay when using miles to upgrade..
    • The cost of PQMs/RDMs purchased when using the premier / award accelerator..
    • The value of ETCs (or is it considered a discount from the fare?). (still uncertainty on this since prelim PQDs appeared to include) -Note: the Mileage plus site indicates ETC's count towards PQD (12/16/13 imgonnafly)
    • The face value e-certs and travel vouchers.. (still uncertainty on this since prelim PQDs appeared to include)
    • The cost of a paid upgrade..
    • An extra seat purchase (such as for a customer of size or a musical instrument); it does not presently count toward PQM.
    • Change fees.
    will not count toward PQD.
  • How will PQD be determined for UA metal segments without 016 stock ticket?
  • What happens if I depart in December and return in January?
    Just like PQM, PQD for the applicable part of fare for the segment is credited based on the departure date (year) of the segment flown. Segment fares are calculated using standard rules of the past. For the case cited there would be PQD credited in DEC 2013 (no value) and PQD applied to 2014 applicable to 2014 and 2015 status renewal.
  • How will UA evaluate the address issue for the PQD exemption?
  • It is not clear how the timing of achieving the minimum PQD requirement will impact earning RPUs and GPUs. Examples:
    • If someone crosses 75K PQM in say April, but doesn't hit $7500 PQD until December by which time has accrued 200K PQM, will he/she get 10 RPUs all at once? (and 10 GPUs assuming $10k PQD in December)
    • Do only 1Ks/GSs earn additional RPUs by flying beyond the 100k mark?
    • If a 1K crosses the 100,000 PQM mark in January 201x, the $10,000 PQD mark on December 31 201x, and ends up flying a total of 200,000 PQMs for the year 201x, how many RPUs / GPUs will be earned?
    • Will Platinums earn 2 RPUs when crossing the 75k mark but none at incremental levels thereafter (e.g. a Plat who flies 100k EQMs, but does not meet the 1K spend, would *not* earn two more RPUs)?
  • How does IRROPs affect earning of PQDs?
FMP (Frequently Made Points)
The following points have been made repeatedly in this thread (please feel free to add more concise points):
  • You might not be hitting the PQD minimums as easily as you think you are, given exceptions, taxes, and the existence of cheap fares.
  • It is possible for leisure travelers and even some business travelers to average well under 10cpm. This doesn't just affect "leisure 1Ks" and people on the edge of categories.
  • Presidential Plus card members (exempted from Silver/Gold/Plat PQD requirements) are most likely exempted because the FlexPQM program would complicate matters.
  • Manufacturing $25,000 spend might not actually be so hard. There's a whole forum on it.
  • The exceptions don't really make sense where there is a revenue-sharing joint venture in place, such as with LH on TATL routes.
  • Leaving UA for AA over objections to dollar-based status may be futile because all the majors will likely go to this model with the possible exception of the AS program which allows you to bank your DL and AA miles into one account (DL has already).
  • UA is tracking spend on UA metal now.
  • YQ, also known as the "international surcharge," is a carrier-imposed surcharge and is included in PQD.
Related Threads
Moderator's Note:

2014 version of this thread can be found here:


http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-airlines-mileageplus/1536552-mileageplus-premier-qualifying-dollar-pqd-requirement-discussion-thread-2014-a-15.html

iluv2fly
Moderator, UA
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MileagePlus Premier Qualifying Dollar (PQD) Requirement Discussion [ARCHIVE]

Old Dec 24, 2013, 10:52 am
  #4036  
RNE
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
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Originally Posted by Kacee
You are their target. They want that *A business shifted to 016 stock.
This!
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Old Dec 24, 2013, 12:15 pm
  #4037  
 
Join Date: May 2003
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Stop tempting me and maybe I'll get off the treadmill (no waivers)

Originally Posted by hyho61
Yes it only applies to Platinum and below. Hope they keep it for 2015 and beyond. My opinion is that they should not tinker with this until they see how DL and AA (if they introduce a PQD type requirements) do it.
I'm actually hoping they don't extend the waiver. Time for me to get off the treadmill. Although to be truthful, I really don't have a good idea how much my PQD has been in the past, so maybe it's not a huge issue to actually hit it. I do know I'd by highly-resistant to buying a higher fare just to hit PQD. Stupid me. I'll fly 16,250 miles in 52 hours, but I wouldn't bump an $800 fare to $1200 for the sake of PQD.
Originally Posted by BH62
Elucidate, plse: Is "This!" the same as +1. On 2nd thought, consulted Urban Dictionary & found just that.
OK, you were looking for this and found that. Sounds like you may still need some clarification! :-)

Last edited by Mike Jacoubowsky; Dec 24, 2013 at 12:52 pm Reason: merge
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Old Dec 24, 2013, 12:23 pm
  #4038  
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Originally Posted by Mike Jacoubowsky
I do know I'd by highly-resistant to buying a higher fare just to hit PQD. Stupid me. I'll fly 16,250 miles in 52 hours, but I wouldn't bump an $800 fare to $1200 for the sake of PQD.
i agree, it's a matter of principle.

i already have an awful hard time coding UA.com to sell me a W fare INTL for GPU usage when Ks and Ls are readily available for $500+ less. it's going to be even harder impossible for me to do that domestically...which is 75% of my elite qualifying travel.

my guess is that i'll fly about ~30-40K UA next year and be very uncertain as to whether i'll hit the $2500 spend for 2P...
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Old Dec 24, 2013, 12:45 pm
  #4039  
 
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Originally Posted by RNE
This!
Elucidate, plse: Is "This!" the same as +1. On 2nd thought, consulted Urban Dictionary & found just that.
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Old Dec 24, 2013, 12:48 pm
  #4040  
 
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Originally Posted by Kacee
You are their target. They want that *A business shifted to 016 stock.
Except that people booking high fare classes work with travel agents. Convince my travel agent to book on a particular ticket stock. Lufthansa has done this very well with my travel agent by making sure that whenever she books full fare C on LH ticket stock I get upgraded to O (First). ^ No such offer exists for when I am booked on 016.

Can't imagine this changing that. I guess i'll see how this year goes, and then switch to miles & more if needed.
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Old Dec 24, 2013, 12:56 pm
  #4041  
 
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Originally Posted by LaserSailor
I wouldn't. Im not poor, but 99 bucks is a lot of money and not worth it to me to fly FC for 3 hours domestic.

Lunch, schmunch. I would save the calories and geta helluva nice dinner for 99 bucks - even in SFO...
I would pay $99, assuming I didn't think my CPU would clear - which as a Gold would be my assumption. I mean, I do think that the food quality in F has gotten really bad - about on par with what Y used to be when it was free, but I'd pay about $50 an hour for the F seat, even over E+.

I do think these amounts might be relative to how much I fly and if I flew 6 hours a week for work the $300 a week would eat into my budget, so maybe this is one of those interesting psychology of pricing effects where infrequent fliers are willing to pay more for upgrades than frequent fliers?

Is this differential in value that different people place on domestic F part of the problem of CPU? That is, CPU provides free upgrades even to those who don't value it (or just value it very low).

Perhaps what UA should do is modify the CPU program to initiate charges for CPU? It could be a sliding scale based on demand, flight duration, and the difference between the lowest F fare and your fare. Silver would be 25% off, Gold 50%, Plat 75%, 1K 90% and GS 95% - 100%.

They could rename the benefit "Complementary Premier Upgrades". They would complement your flight.
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Old Dec 24, 2013, 1:12 pm
  #4042  
 
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Originally Posted by BH62 View Post
Elucidate, plse: Is "This!" the same as +1. On 2nd thought, consulted Urban Dictionary & found just that.
'this' is just after 'that' but Im sure you knew this or that...


Originally Posted by lensman
I would pay $99, assuming I didn't think my CPU would clear - which as a Gold would be my assumption. I mean, I do think that the food quality in F has gotten really bad - about on par with what Y used to be when it was free, but I'd pay about $50 an hour for the F seat, even over E+.

I do think these amounts might be relative to how much I fly and if I flew 6 hours a week for work the $300 a week would eat into my budget, so maybe this is one of those interesting psychology of pricing effects where infrequent fliers are willing to pay more for upgrades than frequent fliers?

Is this differential in value that different people place on domestic F part of the problem of CPU? That is, CPU provides free upgrades even to those who don't value it (or just value it very low).

Perhaps what UA should do is modify the CPU program to initiate charges for CPU? It could be a sliding scale based on demand, flight duration, and the difference between the lowest F fare and your fare. Silver would be 25% off, Gold 50%, Plat 75%, 1K 90% and GS 95% - 100%.

They could rename the benefit "Complementary Premier Upgrades". They would complement your flight.
I might be a cheapskate at heart, so a bad person to emulate. When I catch the 0555 home from SFO, I usually have a business dinner the night before which ends at 2200-2300 after the lap dances, after which I stay in the Hotel Avis - park my rental car in Burlingame side streets, and snooze until 0400 - then drive to airport and freshen up in Club.

I can't see giving a hotel 250 USD for 4 hours of 'sleep'

Last time I did it this month, SFO went down to 32F and it was....kind of cold in the Hotel Avis...

Last edited by LaserSailor; Dec 24, 2013 at 1:13 pm Reason: COnsolidate threads
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Old Dec 24, 2013, 4:15 pm
  #4043  
 
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Originally Posted by LaserSailor
I can't see giving a hotel 250 USD for 4 hours of 'sleep'
+1, this or that. 4 hours of sleep, after checking in, dragging my luggage to my room (or worse yet, tipping a bellman to do it - adding to the cost), getting up in time to freshen up, dragging my luggage back down, checking out...

For me, that usually turns into about 2 hours of sleep, and that's IF I don't sleep through my alarm, or fail to get a wake-up call, making things much worse.

I would much rather pay $99 for a three hour upgraded flight where I'm more likely to get 3 1/2 hours of sleep by the time you add taxiing out and in. Sometimes I can sleep in E+, but I can always sleep in F.
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Old Dec 24, 2013, 9:34 pm
  #4044  
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Originally Posted by 100% Green
Except that people booking high fare classes work with travel agents. Convince my travel agent to book on a particular ticket stock. Lufthansa has done this very well with my travel agent by making sure that whenever she books full fare C on LH ticket stock I get upgraded to O (First). ^ No such offer exists for when I am booked on 016.

Can't imagine this changing that. I guess i'll see how this year goes, and then switch to miles & more if needed.
You can force plate (though this is not desirable and not often used by TAs-I would suspect in <0.5% of tickets, this is done, and only when MSC is unknown or cannot be determined.)
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Old Dec 24, 2013, 10:14 pm
  #4045  
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Originally Posted by 100% Green
Except that people booking high fare classes work with travel agents. Convince my travel agent to book on a particular ticket stock. Lufthansa has done this very well with my travel agent by making sure that whenever she books full fare C on LH ticket stock I get upgraded to O (First). ^ No such offer exists for when I am booked on 016.

Can't imagine this changing that. I guess i'll see how this year goes, and then switch to miles & more if needed.
I can't speak for your TA, but I can book you in one of the upper J fares on UA and upgrade you to UA GF. Might not be as nice as LH F, but a couple flights will take care of your PQD problem and you can go back to LH after hitting the target.
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Old Dec 25, 2013, 9:25 am
  #4046  
 
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Originally Posted by Kacee
You are their target. They want that *A business shifted to 016 stock.
Ok. I get it...sort of.

By doing this aren't they devaluing/diminishing the value of their participation in the *A network?
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Old Dec 25, 2013, 9:27 am
  #4047  
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Originally Posted by DCEsquire
Ok. I get it...sort of.

By doing this aren't they devaluing/diminishing the value of their participation in the *A network?
...as they are with the split award chart
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Old Dec 25, 2013, 9:28 am
  #4048  
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Originally Posted by bocastephen
I can't speak for your TA, but I can book you in one of the upper J fares on UA and upgrade you to UA GF. Might not be as nice as LH F, but a couple flights will take care of your PQD problem and you can go back to LH after hitting the target.
How does that work with TAs? They give them "sales" GPUs and RPUs to use for their clients to encourage more bookings on UA?

Sounds like TA gets priority for upgrades over elites on full fare tickets.
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Old Dec 25, 2013, 9:35 am
  #4049  
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Originally Posted by RNE
Prices will do nothing but go up, making it easier for everyone to hit PQD requirements.
Originally Posted by halls120
And then again, maybe they won't. This time last year I bought 2 tickets for IAD-FRA-FLR in April 2013, and each ticket was $1345.00. I just checked for the same dates in 2014, and the same flight is $1254.00.
W fare to BKK is about same as last year - yes, in for one last hurrah, and will be on one of UA's last flights ex BKK.

And just bought DFW-SAN-DFW for mid February (nice to get away from Dallas winter for a weekend in San Diego ) for $249 - lowest price I've seen in months @:-)

And SEA tickets are also very low, but weather isn't much better than Dallas in winter.
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Old Dec 25, 2013, 9:39 am
  #4050  
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Originally Posted by LaserSailor
I might be a cheapskate at heart, so a bad person to emulate. When I catch the 0555 home from SFO, I usually have a business dinner the night before which ends at 2200-2300 after the lap dances, after which I stay in the Hotel Avis - park my rental car in Burlingame side streets, and snooze until 0400 - then drive to airport and freshen up in Club.

I can't see giving a hotel 250 USD for 4 hours of 'sleep'

Last time I did it this month, SFO went down to 32F and it was....kind of cold in the Hotel Avis...
You are not the only one. I am the same, I find myself sleeping in airports a few times a year to save a couple hundred, particularly when I am out late with an early morning flight. Sometimes that is to save good $$$ on airfare.

Case in point, I am flying to SUN next month, airfare from PIT was north of $900 at that time [SFO-SUN is sold out in Y, but F is wide open so they are overselling Y]. Instead of doing PIT-SUN, I am doing PIT-SEA/SEA-SUN/SUN-SEA/SEA-PIT to save close to $200. However, that means I arrive in SEA a little past midnight and depart at the crack of dawn. I could stay at the Hilton SEA for $125, but that defeats the purpose of me going through SEA in the first place.

So, yes on a vacation trip, I will be sleeping in the airport before flying down to SFO to meet my parents and fly together to SUN.

This kind of tactic on my part is most likely going to be the reason I won't meet the PQD requirement for 1K Even though I don't exactly buy rock-bottom fares [$450 transcons and 1-2x a year W+ international tickets], but I just can't muster myself to spend more for the sake of meeting PQD.

2015+ is going to suck for me, but I guess there are better things in life to spend my energy on than airline elite status.
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