pong1092

IAH-PUS

RDM: 30,000 miles for $360 2.3 c/mile
PQM: 30,000 miles for $3,600 12.0 c/mile

Combined 14.3 c/mile

RNE

Don't dither too long.

The nature of insurance is "just in case."

jbsay

I checked the rates for several accounts I oversee at various status levels. Here are the results, which are quite interesting:

Gold (2013 & 2014)
International award
RDM: 2.3cpm
PQM: 14cpm
Total: 16.3cpm

Gold (2013); Silver (2014)
Domestic ticket
RDM: 3.3cpm
PQM: 10cpm
Total: 13.3cpm

International Ticket
RDM: 2.6cpm
PQM: 14cpm
Total: 16.6cpm

Silver (2013 & 2014)
Domestic Ticket
RDM: 3.3cpm
PQM: 9cpm
Total: 12.3cpm

GM (2013 & 2014)
International Ticket
RDM: 2.6cpm
PQM: 8cpm
Total: 10.6cpm

GM (2013 & 2014)
Domestic Ticket
RDM: 2.9cpm
PQM: 7cpm
Total: 9.9cpm

chinatraderjmr

I respect your point of view and know many look at it this way but IMO the whole point of Frequent flyer programs is to reward FREQUENT FLYERS. I can't fault a company for finding ways to make more money like they now do with credit card offers, etc but IMO it's the frequent flyer who EARNS these give always. If you earn your miles only by flying, you need to fly a hell of a lot in order to earn multiple international F tickets so I can't agree the airlines are getting hosed this way. They were getting hosed by people who could buy miles for .01 From US & turning those into expensive tickets. (My $1725 LH F ticket would have only cost me $750 If I bought miles from US.

5khours

China,
Sorry I wasn't being clear. I meant hated by LH (and to a lesser extent by UA) because it's loved by the pax.

It's a long debate, but FF programs are really about rewarding loyal customers. They're mostly about price discrimination and discounting.

Also don't think it's been possible to buy US miles for a penny for a long time.

ps9a

37 days since you could buy them for 1.1 cents...
100% share miles promo

chinatraderjmr

@:-) Ahhhhhhhh. Then if that's what you meant in regards to EK, You forgot to mention Air Canada / Canada (who have been the only airline / country to actually stop any expansion by EK into its domain (which I find quite funny since AC does not even fly to DXB).

As mentioned above, US just had one of their famous penny a mile sales about a month ago. Granted, moot since leaving *A but IMHO US did a lot of damage to UA flyers over the years. US customers could no longer use their miles for LH F & it was these penny a mile sales that convinced LX to pull F awards away from ALL of us. Even with the JV I have a feeling had US not merged with AA, it would have only been a matter of time before LH also pulled F awards away from UA..................
JUST THIS "KNOW IT ALLS" OPINION

RNE

I am Gold.
PQMs in 2013: 50,000.
PQMs so far in 2014: 0.
I am a previous buyer.

International award
12,000 or 24,000 miles
RDM: 2.3˘
PQM: 14˘

Domestic Paid
12,000 or 15,000 miles
RDM: 2.9˘
PQM: 10˘

International Paid
30,000 or 45,000
RDM: 2.3˘
PQM: 14˘

Domestic Paid
3000 or 5000
RDM: 3.3˘
PQM: 10˘

Domestic Paid
20,000 or 30,000
RDM: 2.6˘
PQM: 14˘

btuttler23

Plat
PQMs in 2013: 75,000.
PQMs so far in 2014: 0.
Previous buyer.

Domestic Paid
6,000 or 8,000 miles
RDM: 3.3˘ 4.4˘
PQM: 15˘ 20˘
Total: 18.3˘ 24.4˘


Ouch.

Richym99

2013 Plat - 2014 1k

EWR-SIN K fare

75000 PQM for $7725. @ 10.3cpm.

All seven of my current itins price out at between 10.3 and 10.6 cpm for PQM's (mix of dom/TATL and awards)

Brucemcdou

The cpm prices we're posting are mostly in the range of 10 - 14 cpm, with a few (very few) less than 10 cpm and several that are more than 14 cpm, but I haven't been able to see a trend whether the difference is because they're domestic or international, or whether they're on paid or mileage tickets, or the status of the account holder, unless I'm missing something.

Could it be based on whether the reservation looks like a mileage run or not? For my four existing reservations (a small sample I admit) I have two reservations that look like mileage runs because they are - SFO - BOS and SFO - ICN, both 1-day turns. Those reservations give me a higher price of 16.6 and 16.3 cpm for PQM. Two other reservations are for three or four days, and give me a lower price of 12.9 cpm for PQM.

What are others seeing? Is there a difference in price depending on the length of the reservation that could lead an algorithm to charge more for something that looks like a MR?

wco81

Maybe Accelerator sales revenues were never that big to begin with so UA isn't expecting big sales and is hence pricing to make it a reality.

Richym99

I'm seeing little difference in my offers.

LHR-MCO 7 day rtn (K and W buckets) 30000 PQM @ 10.3 cpm
ORD-SEA same day rtn (G). 21000 PQM @ 11.55 cpm (MR)
LHR-EWR 6 day rtn (K) 30000 PQM @ 10.3 cpm
EWR-SIN 2 day rtn (K) 75000 PQM @ 10.3 cpm (MR)
MCO-LHR A* o/w award (O) 18000 PQM @ 10.3 cpm
LHR-SFO UA rtn award (X and O) 18000 @ 10.3 cpm
LHR-SYD A* o/w award (O) 18000 PQM @ 1.3 cpm

All rates inclusive of initial award accelerator cost.

RNE

Probably not, but I welcome your hypothesis and analytical approach. We need more than just reporting in this thread; we need analysis. So I applaud you.

I doubt mileage runs have any influence on Accelerator rates—a conclusion supported by my own data and that of Richym99—because UA has no reason to treat MRs differently. Most of the data seem to indicate that it's the flyer in question—not the routes flown nor the means paid for—that is most pertinent. And if mileage runs did make a difference, UA is more likely to offer lower prices to those who do mileage runs, because they've demonstrated their willingness to do MRs instead of buying PQMs.

That said, we do see in the data consistent—albeit usually slight—variation in price with different bookings for the same flyer. I myself am offered 10˘ or 14˘ for PQMs. Why would I buy the expensive miles? Why doesn't UA simply pick one price and offer that to me across all bookings? (In fact, it did recently. For a few days, all my bookings were at 12˘.) Whatever the reason for this seemingly senseless variation, it doesn't seem to have anything to do with mileage runs.

Again, thank you for offering a theory. I wish more posters would do so.

halls120

I have 2 reservations on the books, a Transcon and a IAD-MEX flight. Both are quoting 10cpm, and don't offer anything less that 12000 miles for purchase.