Thank you for all of your responses! I’m just not sure though I understand fully though why 1 itinerary would allow me for lounge access and the other not?

I’m also not even sure if I’ll hit gold by then or not, it will be extremely close but I think after this potential itinerary I’m about to book, I will....there’s absolutely no way to utilize a lounge with my SAS * gold benefit due to my accruing mi to MP, is that correct? (I am not looking to retain my SAS *gold benefit once it expires June in 2019)

I apologize if this was unclear but when i I was asking about comparison of mp benefit with the different itinerary options I didn’t mean in flight per se, I just meant more with mileage accrual to obtain premier level status (other than the minimal differences based on where my connections are, that sort of thing.)) I also am not sure how my miles will credit once I take that 4th UA metal flight next month and then at least begin with the silver benefit . I will be in the middle of an itinerary with same destinations via TK airlines. Is the acrual rate based on status at time of flight or time of booking? You mentioned LH mi accrual being same as UA is this greater than my using any other star alliance airlines for this itinerary? I will also be booking separately (due to cost) the remainder of my itinerary lax-phx as phx is my final destination if that changes anything.

Thank you so much again!.

If you're asking, when flying UA metal, if you get more miles for booking through certain hubs, the answer is just what you said -- minimal differences based upon where your connections are.

Accrual rate is based upon your status at the time of travel.

The LH group airlines (LH, LX, OS, SN) and Air Canada (AC) have similar accrual rules. Other airlines may be lower. You can see all of the partners here: https://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/marketing/custcomm/promotions/Pages/AirlinePartners.aspx?int_source=loy&int_medium=uac om&int_campaign=mpearnpage&partner_name=airlinepar tners_category&asset_type=mpearn_link&launch_date= 2017-08-01

It's critical to understand that there are two different types of mileage -- redeemable miles and Premier Qualifying miles. The rules for both types are completely different. If you're looking for Premier Qualifying Miles, for obtaining status, all that matters is the airline you're flying and what booking class you're in. If you're looking for redeemable miles, that you can use for free travel, you also need to consider who's selling the ticket.

thanks James for all the great info. I actually switched to assigning my miles to MP back in March as my SAS eurobonus year was up and I’d been unhappy with them as of late so wanted to try another program but they sure don’t make it easy, especially with trying to utilize my *gold status while I’m accruing mileage in another program that I have yet to achieve any status in. I presently have *gold thru SAS thru June 2019 and I anticipate having *gold through MP before Dec but thanks for telling me that as I didn’t even realize it was only until Dec that my miles would count toward MP’s status, I thought it would be a year from when I started assigning my miles, so definitely makes a difference for me to know! I usually fly in business (cheapest seat) as much as possible just because I’m not really enjoying flying at all and with the frequent long haul travel, it’s worth it to me, to be much more comfortable, especially on the flights that are 8-13+ hrs. I too, have been booking the cheapest routes I can find, through star alliance airlines but right now I’m looking to book a UA metal long haul to see if it gives me more miles as I just don’t think my mileage accruals are as much as they were when I was flying with and assigning to SAS. I have though only flown long haul itineraries with both Lufthansa and TA that I’ve assigned miles to MP so in hoping the amount of miles will increase faster and also as soon as I have that 4th required UA metal flight next month, I’m hoping then with some premier status (I presently have the mileage just not that 4th flight) that perhaps the mileage accrual percentages will also go up. To me, it is quite complex determining what flight, which fare class, which route, will give me xx miles so it’s typically a surprise to me whatever I am given following the flights 😊

I’ve tried searching unsuccessfully so I’m posting here. If I upgrade a flight with miles + fee does the fee count toward PQD? I’m going to be about 1400 miles and $900 short of gold so a $550 upgrade fee makes a lot more sense if it helps resolve that shortage.

Thanks. I figured it was unlikely but worth the question.

Any of LH, LX, OS, and AC will earn the same as flying UA for PQM (but not the same number of award miles if not booked through UA). Some partners have lower rates across the board and some (TG and TK come to mind) don't give a bonus for J or F (and have more of a penalty for cheaper Y fares).[/QUOTE]

thank you again for your words of wisdom! I’ve been reading and rereading through the things you’ve mentioned and I’m just still trying to understand, Do I not accrue mileage to MP at a higher rate when flying specifically UA metal? I always thought that flying the airline you are accruing mileage with was always the best in terms of earned miles but typically, at least what I’ve seen over the last few years, is that UA is typically higher in cost than other *alliance carriers for my most traveled/typical route which usually consists of Got or CPH to either EWR or as of late, more primarily LAX/SFO and/or PHX with last leg to phx sometimes booked separately. I typically will find the cheapest business class fare I can find within star alliance, and book it. You’ve mentioned TK as possibly having lower accrual rates(?) after you mentioned that I went back and looked at my accruals to MP from both TK and LH—Lufthansa right? My last 2 trips were actually on both of those respectively and both had similar accrual amounts when all was said and done and while I don’t know my actual fare class, it was the cheapest business seat on both accounts with TK being RT got/phx and LH being rt got/lax with an additional flight booked direct with UA from SFO to Phx. I presently have another itinerary already booked with TK rt got/phx but am currently looking to book my next one, preferably with UA...mostly because I thought the mileage accruals would be better and I want to make sure I at least get to gold after the next 2 trips so I’ve been looking at itineraries got to lax then adding the last leg lax-phx separately thru UA. I will already satisfy the 4 UA metals on my OB (last leg) once I fly again next month (RT GOT-PHX on TK) but will need at least 1 more round trip before Dec and possibly another for at Christmas time but I think (well at least I hope) I will make the mileage for gold with or without that, as I’m presently in upper 30k range of PQMs, without the next 2 trips yet, and my last 2 trips (as mentioned on TK and LH) have netted me approx 12k mi each way so that is why I’m thinking with another 3, possibly 4 ways ahead of me (& if the accruals don’t vary too much) I should hopefully be ok. (It may only be 1 1/2 RTs not 2 (3 not 4 ways) because I may need to make one of my itineraries outbound Nov 2018 and inbound 2019 thereby giving me only 3 not 4 of each way (GOT/PHX) remaining with that I am able to earn 100% certain of gold this year, hopefully this makes sense, I do apologize if it’s confusing it’s just that I may need to possibly do a mileage ticket at holiday time (so it’s rebookable without a fee & not crazy costly) because of family member military schedule that’s constantly changing until last minute. That’s why I’m hoping these 3-4 trips (each way) will be enough to get me to gold and why I’m thinking I should book my next trip with UA direct, even though it will end up costing more. My thought is that will ensure it happens anyway (because I thought this would maximize my accrual). I will be booking in cheapest business class.

Again I am sorry if this is confusing, I can clarify if need be but I’m wondering if it is fact true that UA metal will get me better mileage when assigning to to MP program and also if it’s a disadvantage to continue to fly TK which although requires me to go out of my way quite a bit, the experience to me has been well worth it in comparison to many of the other airlines I have traveled. I’ve only flown UA Polaris once (on a SAS mileage ticket) but it wasn’t actually in the Polaris configured plane just the regular business class although marketed as Polaris. It was a decent experience to me. Also, when flying a mileage ticket with UA, is it the same as with SAS, in that you do not accrue any miles when using them? Thanks again in advance!!

Specifically for earning PQMs, it doesn't matter whether you fly UA, LH, LX, OS, or AC across the Atlantic. For the cheapest business class fare, you'll earn 200% of the distance traveled. You will earn less if you fly TK -- 100% of distance flown.

Yes.

So, it depends a lot on the specifics here. United has a whole partner earning page to determine how much you earn on various partners. As a general rule, your earnings for status miles (PQM) will be roughly the same on UA and its joint venture (JV) partners, who include AC/LH/LX/OS/NH/NZ. You will probably earn fewer status miles for less "good" partners, and TK is a particular example of this where you will earn half as many PQM in business class.

For redeemeable miles (RDM), if you fly UA metal or buy your ticket from United, you will earn a multiple of the fare paid, regardless of which carrier your fly. If you are flying partner metal and bought your ticket from a different airline than United, your RDM earnings will be calculated according to the table for that airline and the actual distance flown.


For TATL trips, it is generally less advantageous to fly TK or SK than it is to fly UA, AC, or an LH Group carrier. It can, however, still be so much cheaper to fly TK via IST that it's still worth doing -- their fares are so radically not aligned to the *A pricing that I often consider them not to be a "real" *A carrier.

Correct, when flying an award ticket you earn nothing at all.