Jun 10, 2014, 5:09 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Earning miles on United flights
Spend-based mileage (RDM) earning for all UA metal flights effective March 1, 2015.
Redeemable Miles (RDM) changes highlights:
Fare multipliers based on Premier status:
For example, a 1K would earn 1100 miles for a $120 (assuming $20 in taxes/fees) ticket while a Silver would earn 700 miles for the same ticket.
As there is a maximum number of miles per ticket earned - this disincentives purchasing any ticket (excluding government taxes and fees) over the following:
A way to avoid this is booking one-ways if the fare rules permit.
Premier Qualifying Miles (PQM) are not affected by this change.
Announcement Site
Post 57: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/23008349-post57.html
Answered Questions:
Spend-based mileage (RDM) earning for all UA metal flights effective March 1, 2015.
Redeemable Miles (RDM) changes highlights:
- Miles earned will now be based on the ticket price instead of the number of miles flown (see partner flights on non-016 tickets exception )
- Ticket price is defined as base fare plus carrier-imposed surcharges (same as PQDs)
- Class of service bonuses have been discontinued (e.g. X% more on A fares).
- There is a limit of 75,000 miles earned per ticket (see below for spending limits by status)
- UA flights regardless of ticket stock will use the ticket price to determine RDMs
- Partner flight on 016 ticket stock will use the ticket price to determine RDMs
- Partner flights on non-016 ticket stock will use a flight mileage-based system to determine RDMs with a fare class multiplier (see the partner page for detials
- Speciality / Bulk tickets with PQDs will use a flight mileage-based system to determine RDMs with a fare class multiplier, see Specialty tickets
Fare multipliers based on Premier status:
- x5 General Members
- x7 Silver
- x8 Gold
- x9 Plat
- x11 1K/GS
For example, a 1K would earn 1100 miles for a $120 (assuming $20 in taxes/fees) ticket while a Silver would earn 700 miles for the same ticket.
As there is a maximum number of miles per ticket earned - this disincentives purchasing any ticket (excluding government taxes and fees) over the following:
- $6818.18 for 1K/GS
- $8333.33 for Platinum
- $9375.00 for Gold
- $10714.28 for Silver
- $15000.00 for General Members
A way to avoid this is booking one-ways if the fare rules permit.
Premier Qualifying Miles (PQM) are not affected by this change.
www.mileageplusupdates.com
There is a tool on the site that allow you to enter how much you spent on a ticket along your premier status in order to calculate how many miles you will earn under the new system. The tool is aware of the miles per ticket limit.
There is a FAQ here: http://mileageplusupdates.com/faq.html
Relevant UA Insider posts:There is a tool on the site that allow you to enter how much you spent on a ticket along your premier status in order to calculate how many miles you will earn under the new system. The tool is aware of the miles per ticket limit.
There is a FAQ here: http://mileageplusupdates.com/faq.html
Post 57: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/23008349-post57.html
Hi everyone,
Today we’re announcing changes to how MileagePlus members will earn award miles in 2015. We’ve posted complete details and a FAQ on united.com, but I wanted to share an excerpt of the key points with you directly:
As of March 1, 2015, the award miles you earn on most United and United Express tickets will be based on your ticket price (that is, base fare plus carrier-imposed surcharges) and your MileagePlus status, instead of the distance you travel. The new criteria for earning award miles will look like this:
<portion removed for brevity>
The changes to earning award miles will apply to all MileagePlus members worldwide, and will be based on status at the time of flight on or after March 1, 2015. These changes will not affect the qualification requirements for 2015 Premier status. PQM and PQS will still be based on the number of paid flight miles traveled and the fare purchased. And where applicable, PQD will still be determined by the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges.
Today we’re announcing changes to how MileagePlus members will earn award miles in 2015. We’ve posted complete details and a FAQ on united.com, but I wanted to share an excerpt of the key points with you directly:
As of March 1, 2015, the award miles you earn on most United and United Express tickets will be based on your ticket price (that is, base fare plus carrier-imposed surcharges) and your MileagePlus status, instead of the distance you travel. The new criteria for earning award miles will look like this:
<portion removed for brevity>
The changes to earning award miles will apply to all MileagePlus members worldwide, and will be based on status at the time of flight on or after March 1, 2015. These changes will not affect the qualification requirements for 2015 Premier status. PQM and PQS will still be based on the number of paid flight miles traveled and the fare purchased. And where applicable, PQD will still be determined by the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges.
Class of service bonuses have been discontinued under the new system. There is already an adjustment for 1K over general members.
For tickets that will earn award miles based on ticket price, the class-of-service bonus and Premier bonus will be included in the number of award miles you earn per dollar. Basically COS has been removed.
E-mail received by GS lists 1K and GS together.
2015 MileagePlus Change - RDMs Will Be Calculated by Spend, Not Distance
Jun 14, 2014, 4:32 am
#1606
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: ORD-LAS
Programs: UA MM 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 4,419
Thats a false statement. The only reason someone is flying on UA for 7500.00 is because of miles. Why would anyone pay 7500.00 over 7500.00 on Cathay or British? Miles miles miles.
Jun 14, 2014, 4:44 am
#1607
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,350
It's funny, but my company is also another one that wants to cut its way to profit. I guess that they all want to be like Ryanair and lead the race to the bottom.
And I shall keep banging this drum - this mantra of "rewarding HVF" is pure bunkum. For example, if they want to reward HVFs then there would be no cap. When you change the mileage program to this depth, and to this extent, it is nothing more than a devaluation of a program. Too many people are negatively affected.
And I shall keep banging this drum - this mantra of "rewarding HVF" is pure bunkum. For example, if they want to reward HVFs then there would be no cap. When you change the mileage program to this depth, and to this extent, it is nothing more than a devaluation of a program. Too many people are negatively affected.
Jun 14, 2014, 5:33 am
#1608
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Portland OR & Bangkok
Programs: United GS, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 662
Still puzzled by the 75K RDM cap on each ticket.:confused
Is UA trying to drive high revenue passengers? Some of the last min transpac and transatlantic fares paid by GS/1K could fetch pretty high $, but the excess won't earn any miles.....
Anyone that has figured out the rationale behind the capping?
Is UA trying to drive high revenue passengers? Some of the last min transpac and transatlantic fares paid by GS/1K could fetch pretty high $, but the excess won't earn any miles.....
Anyone that has figured out the rationale behind the capping?
Although 75K RDM is still better than an average of 53K (inclusive of fare and status bonus) for a RTW
And I shall keep banging this drum - this mantra of "rewarding HVF" is pure bunkum. For example, if they want to reward HVFs then there would be no cap. When you change the mileage program to this depth, and to this extent, it is nothing more than a devaluation of a program. Too many people are negatively affected.
Now back to the 75K cap thing.... maybe there's a way around it...for a RTW (eg. HKG-SFO-PDX-EWR-FRA-HKG) ticket that costs, say USD 11K, crediting the non UA flight, LH FRA-HKG to LH's program and the rest to UA - will that work?
Jun 14, 2014, 5:49 am
#1609
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 28
Yes. I've actually been surprised that there has been more discussion/recognition of this. This change should significantly decrease the total number of miles UA has to give out. Sure at the top end folks will get more but many, many more folks will get a lot less. Given the cost crossover points (and remember that most of the crossover point discussion on cpm has been using the relatively tiny number of 1Ks for reference) overall UA will greatly reduce total miles awarded. I suspect this aspect cloaked in the rest of the desire (legitimate) to move to a value based program is what really is driving UA.
Jun 14, 2014, 5:51 am
#1610
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Midwest
Programs: Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 261
I'm not so sure. Everyone likes to play the game. Everyone likes freebies. A friend of mine works on televised awards shows like the Oscars and Emmys and says that gift bags work wonders to entice celebrities to show up for rehearsal. Fancy picture frames, cologne/perfume, gift certificates, and so forth. The rich and famous could buy that stuff a thousand times over but they delight in getting stuff for free, like anyone else.
Jun 14, 2014, 6:55 am
#1611
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Even the comfortably rich with lots of disposable income play this game and don't like getting ripped off.
That said, you have a fair point implicit in your comment: these kind of tickets are bought with miles as sort of an afterthought.
.... but then when the afterthought hits and the realization comes that the program isn't that good on the redemption side and a mixed bag on the earning side, the program invites migration away from the previous service provider. In other words, UA is not going to be able to fool all of its customers all of the time.
Last edited by GUWonder; Jun 14, 2014 at 7:01 am
Jun 14, 2014, 7:01 am
#1612
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,350
Everybody knows, even the mega-rich, that this is a mileage program heading for the bottom. I wonder how long until the 6 GPUs for being 1K/GS will last (and please don't say "don't give them ideas" because you would have to be as daft as a brush to think that they haven't). Post March 15th the only benefits for me will be lounge, E+, priority boarding, *G, and to a small extent the checked baggage allowance. If any of that changes then I am off.
Jun 14, 2014, 7:21 am
#1613
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,172
Still puzzled by the 75K RDM cap on each ticket.:confused
Is UA trying to drive high revenue passengers? Some of the last min transpac and transatlantic fares paid by GS/1K could fetch pretty high $, but the excess won't earn any miles.....
Anyone that has figured out the rationale behind the capping?
Is UA trying to drive high revenue passengers? Some of the last min transpac and transatlantic fares paid by GS/1K could fetch pretty high $, but the excess won't earn any miles.....
Anyone that has figured out the rationale behind the capping?
"We want all the HVFs and will reward them accordingly - but we have to put exceptions in our chart so we don't reward them TOO well".
Jun 14, 2014, 7:24 am
#1614
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Dubai / NYC
Programs: EK-IO, UA-1K2MM, ETIHAD-GOLD, SPG-PLAT LIFETIME, JUMEIRAH SERIUS GOLD
Posts: 5,220
Sorry if this has been covered - I can't find it. If the cap is 75,000 RDM's per flight, does this include PURCHASED extra RDM's as well??
If I buy a $5,000 R class ticket to BAH, it will earn 55,000 RDM's. Will I still be able to buy 36,000 or 48,000 extra RDM's @ .021 or whatever the cost will be next year?
i don't usually buy RDM's and NEVER buy PQM's but on a recent trip to BAH in A class, I earned aprx 52,000 RDM's - I then bought 48,000 RDM's separately @ .021 so this R/T flight added aprx 100,000 RDM's to my account. Will the selling of RDM's continue? And if it does will it cap at a total of 75k or will there be no limit as there is today?
If I buy a $5,000 R class ticket to BAH, it will earn 55,000 RDM's. Will I still be able to buy 36,000 or 48,000 extra RDM's @ .021 or whatever the cost will be next year?
i don't usually buy RDM's and NEVER buy PQM's but on a recent trip to BAH in A class, I earned aprx 52,000 RDM's - I then bought 48,000 RDM's separately @ .021 so this R/T flight added aprx 100,000 RDM's to my account. Will the selling of RDM's continue? And if it does will it cap at a total of 75k or will there be no limit as there is today?
Jun 14, 2014, 7:30 am
#1615
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Denver & Phoenix
Programs: UA 2MM, Life UC, Global Entry (UK citizen)
Posts: 129
1. What does HVF stand for?
2. Glossary (List Of Acronyms) link that includes HVF?
Thanks for quick responses SFO777 & cfischer.
2. Glossary (List Of Acronyms) link that includes HVF?
Thanks for quick responses SFO777 & cfischer.
Last edited by EMan; Jun 14, 2014 at 7:39 am Reason: Thank-you Note
Jun 14, 2014, 7:32 am
#1616
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,609
Jun 14, 2014, 7:34 am
#1617
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,092
Jun 14, 2014, 7:35 am
#1618
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,314
I think thats a pretty safe bet that it will.
At what price is the question.
I dont think many people will bite at the standard price, but accelerator rates, are actually reasonable at 2.1-2.3cpm.
This is why the whole MRers have ruined things idea is so stupid. Noone MRs for RDMs. It makes no sense.
At what price is the question.
I dont think many people will bite at the standard price, but accelerator rates, are actually reasonable at 2.1-2.3cpm.
This is why the whole MRers have ruined things idea is so stupid. Noone MRs for RDMs. It makes no sense.
Jun 14, 2014, 7:36 am
#1619
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: LAS, ZQN
Programs: UA PP (2MM), BA gold
Posts: 2,202
Sorry if this has been covered - I can't find it. If the cap is 75,000 RDM's per flight, does this include PURCHASED extra RDM's as well??
If I buy a $5,000 R class ticket to BAH, it will earn 55,000 RDM's. Will I still be able to buy 36,000 or 48,000 extra RDM's @ .021 or whatever the cost will be next year?
i don't usually buy RDM's and NEVER buy PQM's but on a recent trip to BAH in A class, I earned aprx 52,000 RDM's - I then bought 48,000 RDM's separately @ .021 so this R/T flight added aprx 100,000 RDM's to my account. Will the selling of RDM's continue? And if it does will it cap at a total of 75k or will there be no limit as there is today?
If I buy a $5,000 R class ticket to BAH, it will earn 55,000 RDM's. Will I still be able to buy 36,000 or 48,000 extra RDM's @ .021 or whatever the cost will be next year?
i don't usually buy RDM's and NEVER buy PQM's but on a recent trip to BAH in A class, I earned aprx 52,000 RDM's - I then bought 48,000 RDM's separately @ .021 so this R/T flight added aprx 100,000 RDM's to my account. Will the selling of RDM's continue? And if it does will it cap at a total of 75k or will there be no limit as there is today?
Jun 14, 2014, 7:55 am
#1620
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: LAS, ZQN
Programs: UA PP (2MM), BA gold
Posts: 2,202
Has anyone done a comparison of a Business/First Class RTW ticket using an 016 ticket compared to another *A carrier?
If on an 016 stock would be 75K miles max.
If on an 016 stock would be 75K miles max.