Community
Wiki Posts
Search

Fewest FF miles for longest distance

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jul 27, 2017, 10:27 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: UA 1K MM, HHonors Diamond,PC, Marriott Rewards Gold
Posts: 1,117
Fewest FF miles for longest distance

Today I realized with only $146 EQD for a flight from ORD-PVG I scored a whopping 1606 miles for the leg. As a 1K, the old system provided 14,112.

Could it be any worse?

Last edited by tryathlete; Jul 27, 2017 at 10:28 pm Reason: Reversed route by mistake
tryathlete is offline  
Old Jul 27, 2017, 11:36 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Portland OR & Bangkok
Programs: United GS, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 662
Ouch!

And a general member would only get 730
kittiyut is offline  
Old Jul 27, 2017, 11:40 pm
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: UA 1K; *G, AA Plat
Posts: 1,700
Fare sales would be the reason why the fares are so cheap and the majority are taxes.

My friend has the following coming up:
San Francisco, CA (SFO)-Tokyo, Japan (HND - Haneda)
PQD: $49
RDM (for him): 245
Old RDM: 5160
He's a general member.

Last edited by laxmillenial; Jul 28, 2017 at 4:42 am
laxmillenial is offline  
Old Jul 27, 2017, 11:49 pm
  #4  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Seoul
Programs: None anymore
Posts: 983
How cheap were the tickets??

It's obvious they're incentivising paying more for your tickets, that's for sure.
warrenw is offline  
Old Jul 27, 2017, 11:51 pm
  #5  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: CAK/CLE
Programs: UA Plat/AA,DL Dirt/HH Diamond,Hyatt Something-ist/Hz Prez,Avis Pres Club
Posts: 674
Originally Posted by laxmillenial
Fare sales would be the reason why the fares are so cheap and the majority are taxes.

My friend has the following coming up:
San Francisco, CA (SFO)-Tokyo, Japan (HND - Haneda)
PQD: $49
PQM (for him): 245
Old PQM: 5160
He's a general member.
PQMs are not affected by the spend calculation, right? RDMs are the base fare multiplied, but PQMs should still be as before (distance, 500 miles minimum for Premiers).

So a cheap fare for a long distance would rack up good PQMs and puny RDMs (and few PQDs). Inverse for expensive short flights (few PQMs, good PQDs, good RDMs). Neither alone is great for achieving status; at least the Accelerator or PQM/PQS purchase offers allow someone with high spend on short flights a way to even things out. People flying $49 base fares SFO-HND and back will earn plenty of PQMs but come up way short on PQDs and either have to spend way more or use a credit card exemption from PQDs.
UAzip is offline  
Old Jul 27, 2017, 11:54 pm
  #6  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: UA 1K MM, HHonors Diamond,PC, Marriott Rewards Gold
Posts: 1,117
Originally Posted by warrenw
How cheap were the tickets??

It's obvious they're incentivising paying more for your tickets, that's for sure.
The leg was $346--more taxes than fare!
tryathlete is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2017, 12:30 am
  #7  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,404
I've priced but not flown an LAX-BKK that would earn 1 PQD (if I recall). I think it routed LAX-NRT-BKK with a base fare of $0.50. I don't have the tolerance to go that far in Y though, so I don't have anything that low actually posted.
findark is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2017, 3:16 am
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,319
I got about 10 miles for a TATL segment last year. It was priced at $2 or so.
br2k is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2017, 4:41 am
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: UA 1K; *G, AA Plat
Posts: 1,700
Originally Posted by UAzip
PQMs are not affected by the spend calculation, right? RDMs are the base fare multiplied, but PQMs should still be as before (distance, 500 miles minimum for Premiers).

So a cheap fare for a long distance would rack up good PQMs and puny RDMs (and few PQDs). Inverse for expensive short flights (few PQMs, good PQDs, good RDMs). Neither alone is great for achieving status; at least the Accelerator or PQM/PQS purchase offers allow someone with high spend on short flights a way to even things out. People flying $49 base fares SFO-HND and back will earn plenty of PQMs but come up way short on PQDs and either have to spend way more or use a credit card exemption from PQDs.
You're right. This is what happens when I stay up too late. I'll edit my post Sorry!
laxmillenial is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2017, 6:43 am
  #10  
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: BWI<MCI< PHL<DEN<SCL<EZE<CHO<PHL<ABE
Programs: UA Silver / FA
Posts: 939
Originally Posted by findark
I've priced but not flown an LAX-BKK that would earn 1 PQD (if I recall). I think it routed LAX-NRT-BKK with a base fare of $0.50. I don't have the tolerance to go that far in Y though, so I don't have anything that low actually posted.
YQ would be included.. I doubt you'd ever see $1 worth of PQD/RDM.
Tblack15 is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2017, 7:28 am
  #11  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
I earned 27 PQDs on NRT-JFK last October.

Fare mistakes are fun.
sbm12 is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2017, 11:38 am
  #12  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,404
Originally Posted by Tblack15
YQ would be included.. I doubt you'd ever see $1 worth of PQD/RDM.
In this case, the YQ worked out to be zero. Total ticket cost was something like $250 all-in, including an "excursionist perk" in SE Asia.
findark is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2017, 12:53 pm
  #13  
Moderator: United Airlines
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,821
An previous thread discussed http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...t-highest.html for a single segment.
WineCountryUA is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2017, 3:07 pm
  #14  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: 4éme
Posts: 12,026
Originally Posted by tryathlete
Today I realized with only $146 EQD for a flight from ORD-PVG I scored a whopping 1606 miles for the leg. As a 1K, the old system provided 14,112.

Could it be any worse?
With the money you saved on the fare, buy some miles if that is important to you.
TomMM is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2017, 3:41 pm
  #15  
Moderator: United Airlines
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,821
Originally Posted by tryathlete
Today I realized with only $146 EQD for a flight from ORD-PVG I scored a whopping 1606 miles for the leg. As a 1K, the old system provided 14,112.

Could it be any worse?
And using a 1.5 cpm, in the old system, you earned the equivalence of $212 in miles while UA received $146 for the flight, so UA would have paid you $66 to make the trip. Wonder why UA changed the system?

You can change the cpm to your liking, but UA realized it was rewarding deep discount elites flyers too much -- they were money losers. You were just following the UA rules and UA changed the rules to address the situation.
WineCountryUA is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.