wpcoe

You can book a short-haul trip, like LAX-SAN in F, and have the option of buying 1,000 miles for $105. If you cancel the PNR within 24 hours of booking, there's no penalty, and you get to keep the Accelerator miles. Is getting 1K status early (i.e. on the trip next week) worth ~$100?

Or, check the rest of your upcoming trips to see if they offer Accelerator options as low as 1,000 mi. Once you buy the Accelerator, the extra miles appear in your MP account within a few days.

Jimmie Jet

The mileage runs assume you don't have a dollar value on the time it takes you to do the mileage run. If you have a free weekend then mileage runs can be a blast, otherwise time vs money the accelerator might cost more dollars bit be cheaper...... like this advice free and worth the same

jonisflying

Awesome idea! I did it! Thank you!

lsu2012

Question regarding the mileageplus PQD/PQM requirements (I'm new to Mileageplus so bear with me.)


To my knowledge the bigger hurdle for most people to elevate their status is the PQD requirement (I could be wrong).

The nature of my work requires sporadic, last minute travel, so I am always booking fully refundable coach tickets. So right now my PQD level is at Gold, but my PQM level is at silver. I forecast this disparity will probably continue to grow.

I'm wondering if there is some secret workaround or unlisted PQD threshold that will allow me to elevate my status even though my PQMs don't meet the requirement.

Has anyone been in or heard of a workaround for a situation like this? Or is this very common in mileageplus?

jsloan

Welcome to FT!

If there are any unlisted PQD thresholds for elevated status, they're not widely known. I've seen occasional reports of UA bumping people up a status level when their PQD was way out of whack, but I don't think anyone has identified a pattern.

If you want the status level, your best bet is to earn the additional PQMs, either by flying them or by purchasing them. (Search the board for Premier Accelerator). Flying them will doubtlessly be cheaper.

They may also offer you a buy-up option in January, but that may be the most expensive option of all.

As for PQM or PQD being the more difficult threshold -- PQD requirements can be waived with credit card spending for levels up to Platinum, and there's no PQD requirement for overseas addresses, so I'd say that PQMs are probably the limiting factor for more people than PQDs, at least until you get to 1K. It's by no means universal, though, and FlyerTalk is full of examples of people -- myself included -- who are limited much more by PQD than PQM.

Aussienarelle

You are quite fortunate (kind of). It is not easy to get PQDs without travel, but it is easy to purchase PQMs. You go into an existing reservation and click on "Purchase Extra Miles", click on the miles and then additional box will come up "Add Premier Accelerator" - these miles are PQMs. They tend to be more expensive but will achieve what you are seeking to do. The Accelerator miles tend to be more expensive at the end of the year vs the beginning of the year.

Also, the longer the flight the more miles you are given as an option to purchase.

One year, based on advice I received from FT, I needed a few PQMs to make 1K that year but had no flights left for the year so I purchased a flight, added the Accelerator miles and then cancelled the flight (it was within the 24 hour window period).

You will need to weigh the cost vs advantage of purchasing the PQMs. For me the additional cost was worth the 1K status.

I also track my mileage for the year on a spreadsheet to see if I will make my status and if it is not likely, then I have purchased miles a couple of years but during the middle of the year on existing flights when the cost of the PQMs made financial sense to me.

findark

As jsloan noted, there is no concrete pattern, but I have seen multiple reports of UA being willing to comp Premier Gold irrespective of PQM/PQS for members who have at least 12,000 PQD.


However, what you are in is the situation of old-school status runs

PQM can be had for incredibly cheap if you want to play the mileage running game - you can head over to our Mileage Run forum to book a fare and get going. Recent deals have been things like LAX-SIN r/t for under $400 a/i. While you can also buy PQM outright without flying, it's significantly more expensive (but perhaps less painful) than dumping your butt in a seat.

Ocn Vw 1K

lsu2012, welcome to FlyerTalk! In addition to the Premier Accelerator and straight flight runs for extra PQM, that others mentioned, there are at least two other strategies that could apply to you: 1) If you are open to some UA connecting flights (such as instead of a IAH->LAX nonstop; do a IAH->DEN-LAX routing and return) you can add some extra PQMs;

and 2) if your employer allows you to book P fares (they are literally coach fares that book into one cabin higher -- business or first -- and may even be cheaper than some refundable or even non-refundable coach fares, but may have a change fee) you'll get x2 the PQMs for each segment.

lsu2012

This seems like a legit strategy I could use.

Thanks!

TandroyFoty

Currently 4200 miles away from 1K. I'm curious what's the furthest anybody has been from a tier that United has upgraded them regardelss? I was upgraded to 1K when I hit 99,400 one year, but suspect that generosity doesn't extend to 2k or 3k miles under tier level (ignoring PDQs).

cfischer

UA will not ignore PQDs. If you PQD is very high they will bump you. Else, these days, 99999 is not a guarantee. Better add a flight or two to make 1k. If you are say $25k on UA metal ... I would worry a lot less.

318i

This is interesting. I was resigned to another year of Gold but this post gives me (probably false) hope...

Will likely come up 72k mi, $20k+ in spend... little kids in the house so mileage runs are out of the question (although my 3 y/o probably wouldn't hate a Christmas week transcon).

Any chance of a bump up to Plat in this scenario?

aacharya

If you have planned flights, consider upfaring to get over the PQM hurdle, or even SDCs on those flights. You'd be surprised at some of the options you get. At this point, 3K PQM might be a little bundle on Award Accelerator, but a 3K PQM flight is only 1500 o/w miles..

skgolf91

My wife last year got bumped to 1k with only 65k miles but $30k PQD so United def cares about how much you spend. If PQD is barely over $12k, then I would make sure you are over 100k PQM.

cfischer

if your spent is on UA metal I think you have good chances. A colleague of mine got bumped to silver last year with 18k miles and $14k spent.
The problem is ... if they don't do it automatically you basically have 1 shot at asking for a review and if they say 'nope' there is nothing you can do.