daisyatl

Would you ever do a SDC to get more miles even though you will hit your desired PQMs? I am doing a MR tomorrow from SFO-LAX and return to keep my Premier status. I looked at other flight options and saw some wacky routings like SFO-AUS-LAX and SFO-OKC-LAX. I am not sure why I would do this because it would take up most of my day but I have to work all day so could do it in the air and get extra "free" miles.

Just curious if others have done it. I am tired so no idea if I am being rational or not

WineCountryUA

In the "olden" days, that may have made sense but given the poor return today on discount fares for RDMs, pure mileage runs for RDMs seem to be a poor use of $$$ and time

daisyatl

I already am doing a MR so would not cost me. So it is really the time thing. Seems silly to do. But was wondering if I was missing some opportunity.

Thanks!

sfo789

Unless you're close to 1MM and trying to get lifetime BIS up, no real reason if there isn't a next status tier or RPU/GPU milestone (25k miles beyond 100k) in sight.

jsloan

Normally I'd say it's a great way to get a free trip to Austin, but considering that it was 40 degrees here today, I'm not sure this is the time I'd do it. I'm shocked that those particular routes are coming up on the app, though. Are there IRROPS? (Keep in mind that once you reached, say, AUS, you could SDC the next flight, possibly overnight).

The only use for extra PQMs is if you're going to reach a new status level or an additional upgrade tier (every 25K PQM/30 PQS after 100K/120 for 1Ks), or to collect additional lifetime miles. Or, I suppose, if you're crediting to a program that still gives redeemable miles based on flight distance instead of cost (e.g., not MileagePlus). Adding a connection won't* change the number of PQDs or RDMs you receive.

Of course, if you just enjoy flying, want to see new airports, etc. -- they're giving you a free opportunity to fly longer. :-)

*OK, it'll probably go up by 1 PQD, since UA rounds up. So, you'd get an extra 5-11 redeemable miles. Don't spend them all in one place.

daisyatl

That is why I was saying it was wacky options. I have never been to Austin so am tempted by that one but don't know how I could stay. These are options on the outbound. I am not within the 24 hours of my return.

Options that came up are AUS, DEN, OKC, SMF, SAN and LAS. I have SDCed often between SFO and LAX but mostly just changing times and have never seen these options. I have no idea what is up. It is only because these options are coming up that I am tempted. One other plus that I am flying from LAX to TLV next week and now going through EWR. If I get extra PQMs and the SDC through SFO is available, I can do it. As it stands now, I cannot because I will hit my status with 75,025 and the difference between LAX-EWR-TLV and LAX-SFO-TLV is more than that.

daisyatl

Definitely not close to next tier. Will make Platinum with about 75,025. As for 1MM, I am at 675K or something like that. That is about 3-4 years away.

skylane

If your upgrade chances are better on the SDC, go for it! I SDCd a Z fare EWR-SAN to EWR-ORD-SAN to get on an international 777 in biz.

jsloan

Ah. Well, you definitely don't want to have overlapping flights in the system. So, you'd need to SDC to push back the LAX-SFO return flight before you pushed back the AUS-LAX flight. Inventory is fairly curtailed on LAX-SFO flights for Sunday so I'm not sure this is a great option. Well, maybe your return flight will offer lots of funky connections too. (Somehow I missed that this was the outbound in your original message. )

daisyatl

A bunch of the other outbounds are doable without changing return. Both of my flights are afternoon so there are some of the SDC options that leave at 7 or 8am and I would make my original return.

Austin is not one of them. I can probably get a flight tomorrow night from LAX-SFO but then could not stay in Austin.

Hopefully I will visit your city someday soon. Likely not the airport tomorrow but still not decided what to do.

aacharya

I was offered multiple LGA to IAH to ORD routes for LGA to ORD.

david_oz

I’ve done similar to try to build in long layovers to check out a city I haven’t seen in a while or catch up with friends on the way or way back from somewhere.

Usually the options are limited to United hubs, but that works out fine for me since I have friends in IAH DEN ORD EWR and IAD.

ps. Extra PQM’s don’t hurt either.

nnn

Since you would not get extra RDM save for a rounding error, seems to be pointless.

daisyatl

I suppose I get a couple thousand more miles toward 1MM. I likely will not do it. I think I would have to miss yoga and I don't feel like that. Hopefully nothing happens at end of the year that will make me regret this...

flyerbaby19

I think it coudl be the waiver for cali today. my flight had a delay between sfo and lax and i was offered a connection in ewr.