WineCountryUA

PQDs are base airfare and carrier imposed charges but not airport / government fees/taxes. See the wiki.

So you may be a few dollars short. No one knows if UA will be strict or have some grace amount.
If you are within the 2 hour cancellation period, try to up fare 1 fare class - maybe in just one direction.

Explore

Does anyone have an answer yet to these questions from the Wiki?

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?

Here is what UA has to say, from their website:

Premier members will earn six Global Premier Upgrades upon meeting all qualification requirements of Premier 1K® status. An additional two Global Premier Upgrades will be awarded for each 50,000 Premier qualifying miles or 60 Premier qualifying segments earned thereafter during the same calendar year that Premier 1K was reached.

AND

Premier members will earn two Regional Premier Upgrades upon meeting all qualification requirements of Premier Platinum status, plus two more upon meeting all qualification requirements of Premier 1K® status. An additional two Regional Premier Upgrades will be awarded for each 25,000 Premier qualifying miles or 30 Premier qualifying segments earned thereafter during the same calendar year that Premier 1K was reached.

To me, this says that a Platinum member qualifying for PQD via credit card spend would never earn more than 2 RPUs, even if they travel 200,000 or more miles. And a 1K that doesn't qualify until late in the year because of the PQD requirement would not earn more than 2 RPUs until that date. If that 1K travels over 250,000 PQMs before reaching the PQD threshold, they'll sacrifice 6 extra GPUs and 12 extra RPUs that would have been earned had they hit the PQD threshold early in the year. They'll just get the basic 1K package of 6 GPUs and 2 extra RPUs.

Am I wrong in these assumptions?

Kacee

Right on the first, wrong on the second.

A Plat who doesn't meet 1K qualification requirements never earns more than 2 RPU.

A 1K will instantly earn all accrued instruments upon clearing 10K PQD.

Miggles

No, E+ purchases are the only add-on that contribute to PQD. While I do think it would be great if things like TOD/HOD upgrades and PQM purchases also contributed to PQD, United probably considers that this would make it too easy for achieving higher status.

I think the strategy behind only offering PQD on E+ purchases is to entice non-elite flyers to try to achieve status. E+ purchases don't offer much value to existing elites since they already have at least some degree of complimentary access to E+. However, using this reasoning, I wonder why United doesn't offer some amount of PQD on other items that they hope to promote:

* baggage fees
* on-board food/drink purchases
* duty free purchases
* change fees
* fare lock fees

zrs70

I know things will change next March wirh Copa and MP.

But for now, do Copa flights on non UA stock earn pqd's?

Kacee

Yes if booked on CM stock.

janicerobertson

Just remember that CM is stingier in how they award the pqd's. If booked on 016 UA adds to the base fare the taxes; CM does not.

Kacee

Taxes are not included in PQD.

Do taxes count toward PQD?

No. Government-imposed taxes, fees and charges do not count toward PQD.

Premier Qualifying Dollar FAQs

Explore

These things amount to chump change for most people. What would make a difference are

- copay for international upgrades from W,V,Q fares
- instant upgrade offers
- Award Accelerator on long/expensive itins (if offered under the new earning scheme)
-

Kacee

??? I easily spend $1-2K per year on change fees; sometimes more. Far and away my highest ancillary spend item.

bldr1k

+1. I have $3,000 in change fees this year...

zig2

So, is there an answer to the "unanswered questions" now? Say a non-016 ticket SFO-LAX-NRT with a single UA segment such as SFO-LAX, how do they decompose the ticket price down to the segment for PQD?

WineCountryUA

PQD = UA's portion of rev ? (should be able to determined that from the fare construction). Expect very little for SFO-LAX on SFO-LAX-NRT

zig2

I find it hard to compute, at least in my mind. These fares are filed by partners, for example, NH. How do they split the money? By distance flown? Then what will happen to fare rules including "100$ for a stopover"?

WineCountryUA

From the fare construction one could make a fair estimate. As discussed in this thread, you can use the Saudi air site to get the fare breakout -- reading the fare construction does take some practice.