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2015 MileagePlus Change - RDMs Will Be Calculated by Spend, Not Distance

Old Jun 10, 2014, 5:09 am
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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:
  • 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.

Announcement Site
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:

Post 57: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/23008349-post57.html
Originally Posted by UA Insider
Hi everyone,

Today were announcing changes to how MileagePlus members will earn award miles in 2015. Weve 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.
Answered Questions:

Originally Posted by SunLover
So a 1K purchasing a $5,000 EWR-NRT ticket would earn 55,000 miles plus the 1K additional RDMs?
Class of service bonuses have been discontinued under the new system. There is already an adjustment for 1K over general members.
Originally Posted by ckidder331

LAX-Intl Location in Business Class as a Premier Gold

Would a $5,000 ticket in Business class to Asia earn:

5000 x 8 = 40,000 (Premier Gold earning)
5000 x .75 = 3750 (Class of Service bonus)
43,750 Total
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.
Originally Posted by mikelcf
...On the mileageplus announcement site and FAQ site it lists only 1K's. With respect to most mileage levels, etc. UA usually treats GS the same as 1K, so I assume that's the case here, but has anyone seen anything specific to GS?
E-mail received by GS lists 1K and GS together.
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2015 MileagePlus Change - RDMs Will Be Calculated by Spend, Not Distance

Old Sep 1, 2014, 5:17 am
  #2191  
 
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I'm sure it was posted earlier in this thread, but this enhancement just drives miles earning to credit card spend (and not actual airline spend). I'd rather just pick my bank/credit card company who offers me the most airline redemption options for the money I spend than choosing an airline to focus my loyalty/earnings on.

Its gotten so perverted that I know quite a few business travelers who are just now learning of the $ EQM rules and seeing that their Star Alliance negotiated contract tickets earn zero PQDs even if they are flown on United metal. When they figure out that no RDMs are earned on United metal either they will just stop flying United metal and enjoy the other Star partners.
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Old Sep 1, 2014, 12:44 pm
  #2192  
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Originally Posted by flyingnosh
If I multiply my year-to-date PQD with the multiplier for my status, I get only 78% of the RDM that I actually earned so far this year. In other words, I'll be earning 22% less for the same amount of flying. Coupled with the recent 18% price increase for a standard TATL award, this means that my 2015 miles will be worth 40% less than my 2013 miles??
Yes - miles have been and will be an inflationary currency. Earning less under the new program is the intended result for a 15 cpm flyer like yourself.
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Old Sep 1, 2014, 2:00 pm
  #2193  
 
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Actually wondering about the PQD waiver

Originally Posted by emcampbe
There is no waiver to give, so to speak. This isn't like PQD where they can waive a number - it's a wholesale change to the way you earn mileage. No exceptions for that.
I understand that the mileage calculation is what it states. I was really wondering if the PQD waiver that Presidential Plus card holders currently have up to platinum will stay in place. I'm also curious as to whether FQM will still be transferable up to Platinum status. It doesn't really say anything about it. I'm assuming yes but would like to know for sure.
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Old Sep 1, 2014, 3:59 pm
  #2194  
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Originally Posted by Johnson21710
I understand that the mileage calculation is what it states. I was really wondering if the PQD waiver that Presidential Plus card holders currently have up to platinum will stay in place. I'm also curious as to whether FQM will still be transferable up to Platinum status. It doesn't really say anything about it. I'm assuming yes but would like to know for sure.
Chances are that given UA says there won't be changes to earning status (or something to that effect) for 2015, these will continue... but with UA, there is never any knowing for sure.
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Old Sep 1, 2014, 4:12 pm
  #2195  
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Originally Posted by kmfdm91
I'm at 900K Lifetime and have been a 1K for 5+ years.

And, this is the exact way I look at it...the real loophole is to fly another carrier but credit back to UA, within the next year (when I'll hold Plat status).

Then, I'll be out of UA's grasp and most likely loving every bit of it. My strategy (as posted in the other thread) is to get rid of my ties to UA (even so close to 1MM) and get a SPG credit card, do a bunch of spending and fly the airline that is best for a specific set of flights. Then, when it comes time to redeem miles - transfer my SPG points the airline's program that I can maximise - if that's BA Avios, great, if it's ANA perfect and if it's AS - awesome...I'll have a nice 'free agent' period where I'll try other airlines and get out of the crap that UA has thrown on me for the past many years (oh yeah, since 03 March 2012).

I'm surely not UA's best customer, but I'm walking out the door and will be happy to get away from trying to always fly UA solely because of benefits, etc.

-jeremy
You must be an international flier as this would not work for domestic USA fliers. No other *A carrier to fly domestically USA now the US has gone to the dAArk side.
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Old Sep 1, 2014, 4:47 pm
  #2196  
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Originally Posted by fwdlink
HI All, just curious if any of my fellow overseas MP members have had a straight answer from the service desk as to the procedure that UA will use to determine the $ amount for our , etc. transactions. This is my biggest worry, for example Hilton really stiffs its members, along with IHG with the lowest possible exchange rate for conversion. In fact in most cases it's far off from the day's currency trading, not even the low point, almost like a credit card transaction adding 3% on in foreign currency fees. Argh....

This is second in line to my worries of conversion to the spend system that may push me over the edge to another *A program. I'm already in a pickle with US having left for OW and nearly none of my destinations are OW serviced by directs and if they are, they are well overpriced.

Feeling the squeeze
I wish I knew. I'm on the fence on moving either to AA or BA
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Old Sep 17, 2014, 3:55 pm
  #2197  
 
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2015 March Status achievement changes on Codeshares question

Was just informed by UA premier telephone agent that a specific application of the March 2015 MP plan changes will affect status achieved through codeshare flights. Not sure if true or not.

My LGA-YYZ UA website bookings for codeshare flights on AC metal will no longer count towards Premier status achieved by segment (flights are too short to achieve status per mileage). The revelation was that spend revenue has to go to UA meaning booking on UA and flying on UA metal. In other words codeshare revenue doesn't end up with UA but with AC therefore my UA bookings for AC metal flights will no longer count. The alternative would be to book and fly UA from EWR-YYZ, an undesirable workaround.

Have read through the threads, UAL website codeshare sections and UA 2015 Revenue based analysis available and can't see anything to corroborate this info.

Any insight on this?
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Old Sep 17, 2014, 4:05 pm
  #2198  
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Originally Posted by econwatch
Was just informed by UA premier telephone agent that a specific application of the March 2015 MP plan changes will affect status achieved through codeshare flights. Not sure if true or not.

My LGA-YYZ UA website bookings for codeshare flights on AC metal will no longer count towards Premier status achieved by segment (flights are too short to achieve status per mileage). The revelation was that spend revenue has to go to UA meaning booking on UA and flying on UA metal. In other words codeshare revenue doesn't end up with UA but with AC therefore my UA bookings for AC metal flights will no longer count. The alternative would be to book and fly UA from EWR-YYZ, an undesirable workaround.

Have read through the threads, UAL website codeshare sections and UA 2015 Revenue based analysis available and can't see anything to corroborate this info.

Any insight on this?
The agent was confused - you have two qualification markers to meet - one is the mileage marker which is not changing from this, or previous years - all flown miles with bonuses where appropriate count towards ELITE status (not redeemable miles, however).

The second marker is your spend - you must spend certain minimums with UA to qualify, and only spend from tickets issued on 016/United ticket stock (regardless of the carrier, codeshare or no codeshare) will count towards this spend.

The AC flight in question WILL count towards Elite miles (depending on the fare basis, but that's another issue), but would NOT count towards PQD spend unless the ticket that flight is flown under is issued by United and the ticket number starts with 016.
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Old Sep 17, 2014, 4:18 pm
  #2199  
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Originally Posted by econwatch
Was just informed by UA premier telephone agent that a specific application of the March 2015 MP plan changes will affect status achieved through codeshare flights. Not sure if true or not.

My LGA-YYZ UA website bookings for codeshare flights on AC metal will no longer count towards Premier status achieved by segment (flights are too short to achieve status per mileage). The revelation was that spend revenue has to go to UA meaning booking on UA and flying on UA metal. In other words codeshare revenue doesn't end up with UA but with AC therefore my UA bookings for AC metal flights will no longer count. The alternative would be to book and fly UA from EWR-YYZ, an undesirable workaround.

Have read through the threads, UAL website codeshare sections and UA 2015 Revenue based analysis available and can't see anything to corroborate this info.

Any insight on this?
Unless the agent knows of some new rule not announced publicly (The chance of which is probably much lower than a GMs chance of an op-up on a UA TATL/TPAC flight), this is absolutely not correct. Neither is the codeshare revenue nonsense, at least with AC, as AC and UA have a joint venture for transborder flights where they share revenue (though LGA-YYZ may be a carve out route not included - I think EWR is, but don't recall LGA being one).

My guess, and just a guess, is that there may have been a misinterpretation involving earning on a lower fare class. For AC-metal flights, if the fare you are booking through UA translates to a Tango fare on AC (AC classes S, T, L, A, K), then they earn only 25% PQM and zero segments (PQS). Is it possible this is what the agent meant?
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Old Sep 29, 2014, 4:08 pm
  #2200  
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Already grumblings about new miiles earning method ...

and it hasn't even started as yet!

Was in the first class lounge at LHR sitting with two people who regularly fly J. One was Gold the other 1K

The gold was complaining that even though he spent exactly the same money on his ticket as the 1K, the 1K would be getting more than 30% more miles which seemed unfair.

I can see his point, either the new system is all about the price of your ticket or its about miles flown, United's solution is a mixture of both which could alienate those who fly F or J but not frequently.
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Old Sep 29, 2014, 4:11 pm
  #2201  
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Originally Posted by inpd
.... The gold was complaining that even though he spent exactly the same money on his ticket as the 1K, the 1K would be getting more than 30% more miles which seemed unfair. ...
And did the Gold member understand today the 1K get 25% more (250% vs 200% for Z/P or {275% vs 225% for true J/C/D} with elite bonuses)?
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Old Sep 29, 2014, 4:27 pm
  #2202  
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Originally Posted by inpd
and it hasn't even started as yet!

Was in the first class lounge at LHR sitting with two people who regularly fly J. One was Gold the other 1K

The gold was complaining that even though he spent exactly the same money on his ticket as the 1K, the 1K would be getting more than 30% more miles which seemed unfair.

I can see his point, either the new system is all about the price of your ticket or its about miles flown, United's solution is a mixture of both which could alienate those who fly F or J but not frequently.
You're months late with your post. The grumbling "already started" the second it was announced.
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Old Sep 29, 2014, 6:00 pm
  #2203  
 
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A 1K buying a $1000 ticket now, ORD-NRT-BKK round-trip, earns 36K miles (18K actual miles plus 18K bonus miles).

Question ... travel after March 1, that ticket on UA ticket stock will earn 11K miles. But the rules seem to indicate that non UA ticket stock and non-UA flights still earn actual miles. So if the ticket is bought on ANA ticket stock, using ANA metel, when it is credited to Mileage Plus, will it earn 18K miles or 36K miles?
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Old Sep 29, 2014, 6:15 pm
  #2204  
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Originally Posted by BangkokTraveler
A 1K buying a $1000 ticket now, ORD-NRT-BKK round-trip, earns 36K miles (18K actual miles plus 18K bonus miles).

Question ... travel after March 1, that ticket on UA ticket stock will earn 11K miles. But the rules seem to indicate that non UA ticket stock and non-UA flights still earn actual miles. So if the ticket is bought on ANA ticket stock, using ANA metel, when it is credited to Mileage Plus, will it earn 18K miles or 36K miles?
That is the impression but UA still has an opportunity to change partner earning (such as reduced earning for discount fares).
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Old Sep 29, 2014, 6:35 pm
  #2205  
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Originally Posted by BangkokTraveler
A 1K buying a $1000 ticket now, ORD-NRT-BKK round-trip, earns 36K miles (18K actual miles plus 18K bonus miles).

Question ... travel after March 1, that ticket on UA ticket stock will earn 11K miles. But the rules seem to indicate that non UA ticket stock and non-UA flights still earn actual miles. So if the ticket is bought on ANA ticket stock, using ANA metel, when it is credited to Mileage Plus, will it earn 18K miles or 36K miles?
36K Miles the ticket is NH stock.

But you earn zero PQD.
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