Aussienarelle

Welcome to FT!

It took a colleague a few years ago to highlight to me the benefits of consolidating flights with one airline/alliance, else I would have made MM much earlier. I liked having the goal but once I was spending my own money I do look at price and try to fly *A, but I just took a trip to France and UA was significantly cheaper to LHR than CDG, and then I took Air France (and credited to Delta SkyMiles as apparently the miles never expire). I also flying within Vietnam and flying SkyTeam again and crediting Delta SkyMiles.

It is nice to have a goal and you like flying then great goal. I am 1K each year so get the *G status but it is nice to know if I cease to fly so much I will retain *G. It is also nice to know that my son gets the benefit of my status since my flights took me away from him over the years.

Enjoy the flying and MM is a great goal if it works for you.

StuckinITH

I only started flying United in September 2016. I'm at 190,000 lifetime miles. Not thinking yet about reaching MM before I retire. 2018 is the first year that I'm 1K. What I'm concentrating now is to get to 1K for next year. That gives me all the benefits I need at this point (although I'm sure that my wife would like to receive my 1K status). For me, the biggest benefit is the way United treats me when there are cancellations or disruptions in my flights.

Dublin_rfk

Welcome to FT! The easiest way to MM status is . . . the same as getting to Carnegie Hall (Practice, Practice, Practice). With 135K I could assume that you don't have a (major) problem with UA's quality or service and UA is getting you where you need to go. For me MM wasn't a goal it was a surprise! It was years of travel with silver or no status with an occasional 1K sprinkled in as a treat. Both my passport and wife can tell you that I still love to travel! My travel map is 80% domestic 70% business. I try to keep it fresh by traveling smart, departing early staying longer and taking the time to look around (even if I look like a tourist or little kid), varying airports so that even making the same trip week after week doesn't become boring. Taking my wife along when ever our schedule allow. And most importantly having fun! So Welcome again and good luck!

tarheelnj

If you anticipate that throughout your years flying you'll always make at least Gold, then probably not worth going out of your way. If you anticipate dropping below Gold after your frequent flying days but while still flying reasonably often, then it probably does have value, particularly if you'll be traveling internationally on *A carriers and want lounge access...or lower charges on award redemptions and changes. One benefit to me as a MM'er is that I'm flying enough to make 1K, which lets me gift 1K status to Mrs. Tarhhelnj rather than just Gold. That has significant value when she travels separately.

PaulMCO

The benefits outweigh the hardships. Once you hit the mm point then you can at least be free and pick and chose whether you fly on other *A partners. Now 3mm and lifetime 1K. Will likely fly less on UA and more on LH. LX and SQ while I still earn UA points.

paperwastage

*A Gold with Asiana gives you United lounge access when flying UA domestically

*A Gold with UA doesn't give you United lounge access when flying UA domestically, but you get E+ access on UA metal

pretty important distinction

awu25

There's been few mentions of the companion benefit of MM. That is why I'm striving for 1MM. If I plan to travel with any kids in the future, we will be covered for E+/lounge access as my wife would also have status.

Karl-MDW

It took me over 25 years of flying UA for business and pleasure. Living in Chicago, the California Central Coast (MRY, SJC, SFO), and Honolulu helped.

I never set out to achieve MM status. During the latter part of those 25 years of flying, I did try to achieve Premier Executive and 1K status (twice).

I have 2 pieces of advice:
#1 . To achieve MM status stick with one airline. At one time I spent time on DL to the tune of 600,000 miles. If I had done that on UA, I would easily be a 2 MMer.
#2 . Understand from the outset that United (or any airline) can change the rules, requirements, and benefits at any time. Experience has shown that they have changed, and there is no reason to believe that they will not do so in the future. Go into this with your eyes wide open.

HawkeyeFlyer

You do not mention how long you have been working on this or how long to get the 135k miles you have. As many have posted MM status does not get you much. If you travel only occasionally and on your own dime, you would be better to just buy business or first class tickets and enjoy those flights when you take them than spends thousands and thousands plus years of flights to get a status that basically just gives you Gold for Life (on todays scale)

COSPILOT

#2 is my biggest fear. I'm at 850K, and the spousal benefit is what I'm most looking forward to. For the once a year trips that my wife and kids join me, their tickets are usually booked separate from mine. No E+ or luggage stinks.

Time traveller

To rack up the miles, flying long-haul international flights makes it quicker, rather than flying a lot of short domestic flights. If you fly from the US to Asia or Australia several times a year, then you can get to 100K miles a year without too much difficulty. If you are 1K and can use your GPUs on these flights and/or purchase less expensive business class tickets, these long flights are not too bad.

Leemo

physioprof

Companion benefit is huge, and gets huger as your status increases. I am a GS because my wife is a GS MMer.

Gig103

No, that's Delta that uses MQM for million miler (boosted by CC bonuses, class of service, etc).
AA is still BIS.

hughw

I made MM as a PMCO flyer the year of the merger....that made things a lot easier as partner airline miles counted, predecessor airlines miles (i.e. Eastern) counted, additional miles for business first, etc. I averaged about 100K miles for 7 or 8 years, and that along with a bunch of mileage from early on put me over the top in 2012. Since then, my business flying is almost nil, and a lot of personal trips are TATL flights on award miles, so I'm earning very few miles. But having that Premier Gold for life with my wife is like gold.....love the automatic access to E+, somewhat better award availability, and *Gold benefits.