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 10, 2014, 9:03 am
#241
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Always on the move
Programs: Something lifetime here and there
Posts: 1,867
MM program change?
I haven't gone through the whole thread here as of yet this eve, but I am curious. How does this affect the MM program?
Are they going to go back and calculate the $$$'s spent over the miles you earn to "re-calibrate" it or just going forward?
Are they going to go back and calculate the $$$'s spent over the miles you earn to "re-calibrate" it or just going forward?
Jun 10, 2014, 9:04 am
#242
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2003
Programs: UA 1K 1MM (finally!), IHG AMB-Spire, HH Diamond
Posts: 60,174
Jun 10, 2014, 9:05 am
#243
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 5,825
I do appreciate learning about a March 1, 2015 change on June 10, 2014.
This provides me the time to evaluate whether these changes will affect my flying strategy for the rest of 2014 and in to 2015.
It probably won't have a huge effect, as RDM earning is not the reason I choose an airline ex-SFO.
For many of my shorter flights though - where today I earn the 500 RDM minimum in Y - I will actually earn more RDM's under this new scheme. Recent examples:
SFO-LAX, $180 P (F) Fare, O/W ticket. Old: 1,250 New: 1,980
SFO-SNA, R/T V Fare for $350. Old: 1,000 New: 3,850
The inexpensive transcons, however, will be a degradation of RDM earning.
I don't disagree, but how do they accomplish this?
Last edited by LarkSFO; Jun 10, 2014 at 9:16 am
Jun 10, 2014, 9:05 am
#244
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: HPN
Programs: not anymore! I'm FREE!
Posts: 3,459
It will if "totally disloyal price-sensitive buyers" all end up paying more for their tickets (on all airlines, including UA) tomorrow than today and yesterday. What they pay is governed by supply and demand. Reduce supply, and they pay more. Loyalty is therefore becoming irrelevant (or, less relevant) to the bottom line.
Jun 10, 2014, 9:05 am
#245
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Mid-Atlantic
Programs: AA Plat, UA Silver, DL Silver, Marriott Titanium, etc.
Posts: 4,210
Not sure whose quote this is, but I think the same way:
All I can say, is:
Thank you United, I am finally free, free at last!
Yippee!!
Management underestimates the extent to which MP binds good customers to a bad airline. This just puts more customers in play to shop the competition.
All I can say, is:
Thank you United, I am finally free, free at last!
Yippee!!
Jun 10, 2014, 9:06 am
#246
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SAN
Programs: UA 1MM/1K, HH Diamond
Posts: 6,832
With the exception of the one-time, post-merger adjustment, MM was always BIS-based. I assume it would remain the same.
Jun 10, 2014, 9:06 am
#247
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Hyatt GLOB, Marriott Lifetime PLT, UA 1K 1MM.
Posts: 1,728
so my stupid CVG-EWR one way segment i booked yesterday for $450 dollars (B fare or something like that) next week is now netting me 4950 RDM instead of 1500.
i find myself stuck on short midcons on last minute fares a lot (my back is probably thrown out by now from RJ hell) and it's not because i want to, that's just where my customers are and it's the nature of my job, so it's just the situation i'm in. i do find it annoying when i'm stuck on $1000+ RT's to places like CVG, DSM, CLE, etc., and just get like 1500 RDM for it. everyone's situation is different, but that's the one i'm always in.
the system overall seems annoying for all my personal trips, it seems better for me (personally at least) for all my work trips. which is the brunt of my flying.
shrug. so many changes in the last couple years i'm just kind of numb and shellshocked now.
i find myself stuck on short midcons on last minute fares a lot (my back is probably thrown out by now from RJ hell) and it's not because i want to, that's just where my customers are and it's the nature of my job, so it's just the situation i'm in. i do find it annoying when i'm stuck on $1000+ RT's to places like CVG, DSM, CLE, etc., and just get like 1500 RDM for it. everyone's situation is different, but that's the one i'm always in.
the system overall seems annoying for all my personal trips, it seems better for me (personally at least) for all my work trips. which is the brunt of my flying.
shrug. so many changes in the last couple years i'm just kind of numb and shellshocked now.
Jun 10, 2014, 9:07 am
#248
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
UA also seems to miss the part where DL got away with this because their flying experience is vastly superior to UA's. This move simply pushes those who have been sticking around with UA despite everything out the door to DL / AA where the flying experience is still pretty good
Jun 10, 2014, 9:08 am
#249
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Chicago: ORD, MDW
Programs: United Million Mile Flyer, Hilton Silver, Marriott Gold, DL, AA WN
Posts: 514
Bottom line, this is bad for just about everyone. I have a feeling that anyone thinking otherwise either a) has very short segments and a lot of the, such as 50x ORD-CVG, or b) hasn't really looked at their past flights and worked through the calculation. "11x" sounds big, but its 2x for 1K currently.
I don't like it. I gained MM status with my butt in seats for over 1.7 million miles since 1981. Fortunately, my career is nearing its end. I do not envision flying very much in the future.
But this Delta copycat change (unfortunately AA will probably eventually follow suit) seems to work against more people that it helps. kayakers and people new to business flying may never hope to reach a certain status. Mileage Plus members who fly a lot at discount fares are being downgraded.
Why would any of these people be inclined to book future flights on United?
United hopes these changes will improve their bottom line by attracting high fare customers, but will they attract enough to balance the number of people they are forcing to kayak?
This change to Mileage Plus will continue to force flyers away from UA and to WN, AS (and maybe even AA/US).
Jun 10, 2014, 9:10 am
#250
Join Date: May 2004
Programs: UA 1K 2MM, BA Gold, SQ TPP
Posts: 1,487
OK, I don't get this. For those of us who have been giving international premium class revenue to *A partners this actually nets us a lot more miles (and doesn't bring any more revenue to UA, no?)
For example, a round trip ticket on SQ from US to Asia in J is about $7k.
If this is booked on 016 ticket stock, I max out at 75k RDM (currently this only gets around 20k RDM).
So UA gives me over 50k RDM more miles.
UA gets nothing (revenue goes to SQ).
How much more can they make just because it's ticketed on 016?
For example, a round trip ticket on SQ from US to Asia in J is about $7k.
If this is booked on 016 ticket stock, I max out at 75k RDM (currently this only gets around 20k RDM).
So UA gives me over 50k RDM more miles.
UA gets nothing (revenue goes to SQ).
How much more can they make just because it's ticketed on 016?
Jun 10, 2014, 9:13 am
#251
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 5,814
OK, I don't get this. For those of us who have been giving international premium class revenue to *A partners this actually nets us a lot more miles (and doesn't bring any more revenue to UA, no?)
For example, a round trip ticket on SQ from US to Asia in J is about $7k.
If this is booked on 016 ticket stock, I max out at 75k RDM (currently this only gets around 20k RDM).
So UA gives me over 50k RDM more miles.
UA gets nothing (revenue goes to SQ).
How much more can they make just because it's ticketed on 016?
For example, a round trip ticket on SQ from US to Asia in J is about $7k.
If this is booked on 016 ticket stock, I max out at 75k RDM (currently this only gets around 20k RDM).
So UA gives me over 50k RDM more miles.
UA gets nothing (revenue goes to SQ).
How much more can they make just because it's ticketed on 016?
Jun 10, 2014, 9:14 am
#252
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,615
Jun 10, 2014, 9:14 am
#253
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2003
Programs: UA 1K 1MM (finally!), IHG AMB-Spire, HH Diamond
Posts: 60,174
OK, I don't get this. For those of us who have been giving international premium class revenue to *A partners this actually nets us a lot more miles (and doesn't bring any more revenue to UA, no?)
For example, a round trip ticket on SQ from US to Asia in J is about $7k.
If this is booked on 016 ticket stock, I max out at 75k RDM (currently this only gets around 20k RDM).
So UA gives me over 50k RDM more miles.
I can't believe they get that much more from 016 ticketing?
For example, a round trip ticket on SQ from US to Asia in J is about $7k.
If this is booked on 016 ticket stock, I max out at 75k RDM (currently this only gets around 20k RDM).
So UA gives me over 50k RDM more miles.
I can't believe they get that much more from 016 ticketing?
Jun 10, 2014, 9:16 am
#255
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: JZRO
Posts: 9,169