Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Previous years' thread -- [Consolidated] "I need XXX UA PQD's/PQMs/PQSs in 2017 for Elite Status in 2018
[Consolidated] "I need XXX UA PQD's/PQMs in 2016 for Elite Status in 2017
[Consolidated] "I need XXX UA PQD's/PQMs in 2015 for Elite Status in 2016
& [Consolidated] "I need XXX UA PQD's/PQMs in 2014 for Elite Status in 2015
PQDs are mostly earned by flying, but not all elites are subject to PQD requirements. PQDs can also be earned by Economy Plus purchases (by flight or subscription), although for anyone seeking to qualify for Gold or above an annual plan (min. $499) gets you nothing. There is no way to "pay" UA to fulfill PQD requirement in the qualifying year. There may be a status buy-up in January of the next year -- not cheap and does not come in small increments,
PQMs can be purchased by Premier Accelerator purchases.
related threads
UA/Star Alliance: 2017-2018 Consolidated Mileage/Status/Challenge Runs help needed
Mileage Run Discussion
Mileage Run Deals
Premium Fare Deals
Poor man's MR planner
Google Flights enter a starting airport, leave the destination blank, select airlines - Star Alliance, set travel days and max cost and view the Map for options. Try multiple dates.
kayak.com/explore has similar functionality
Will UA Grant 2019 Elite Status if I am XXX PQM/PQS/{PQD} Short of Qualifying in 2018?
and previously - Will UA Grant 2017 Elite Status if I am XXX PQM/PQS/{PQD} Short of Qualifying in 2016?
Is it worth it to stretch for 1K (over Plat)? [2018 Consolidated]
Is it worth it to stretch for Plat (over Gold)? [2018 Consolidated]
Is it worth it to stretch for Gold (over Silver)? [2018 Consolidated]
Is it worth it making Premier Silver? [2017 Consolidated]
Last year's last resort
2018 UA MP elite status buy-up offers (for higher status than earned in 2017)
[Consolidated] "I need XXX UA PQD's/PQMs in 2016 for Elite Status in 2017
[Consolidated] "I need XXX UA PQD's/PQMs in 2015 for Elite Status in 2016
& [Consolidated] "I need XXX UA PQD's/PQMs in 2014 for Elite Status in 2015
PQDs are mostly earned by flying, but not all elites are subject to PQD requirements. PQDs can also be earned by Economy Plus purchases (by flight or subscription), although for anyone seeking to qualify for Gold or above an annual plan (min. $499) gets you nothing. There is no way to "pay" UA to fulfill PQD requirement in the qualifying year. There may be a status buy-up in January of the next year -- not cheap and does not come in small increments,
Non-USA registered MP members are exempt from PQD requirements.
Others can be exempt from PQDs up to the Premier Platinum level by having a Chase PresidentalPlus credit card {not open to new members} or by annually spending $25,000 or more as a primary MP branded Chase credit cardholder.
PQMs can be earned by flying UA or various flight partners and by various bonuses related to flying (class or service, promos, ...)Others can be exempt from PQDs up to the Premier Platinum level by having a Chase PresidentalPlus credit card {not open to new members} or by annually spending $25,000 or more as a primary MP branded Chase credit cardholder.
PQMs can be purchased by Premier Accelerator purchases.
Consolidated Award / Premier Accelerator questions
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2018]
Certain legacy (not available to new customers) Chase MP credit cards earn PQMs or FPQMsUnited Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2018]
related threads
UA/Star Alliance: 2017-2018 Consolidated Mileage/Status/Challenge Runs help needed
Mileage Run Discussion
Mileage Run Deals
Premium Fare Deals
Poor man's MR planner
Google Flights enter a starting airport, leave the destination blank, select airlines - Star Alliance, set travel days and max cost and view the Map for options. Try multiple dates.
kayak.com/explore has similar functionality
Will UA Grant 2019 Elite Status if I am XXX PQM/PQS/{PQD} Short of Qualifying in 2018?
and previously - Will UA Grant 2017 Elite Status if I am XXX PQM/PQS/{PQD} Short of Qualifying in 2016?
Is it worth it to stretch for 1K (over Plat)? [2018 Consolidated]
Is it worth it to stretch for Plat (over Gold)? [2018 Consolidated]
Is it worth it to stretch for Gold (over Silver)? [2018 Consolidated]
Is it worth it making Premier Silver? [2017 Consolidated]
Last year's last resort
2018 UA MP elite status buy-up offers (for higher status than earned in 2017)
[Consolidated] "I need XXX UA PQD's/PQMs/PQSs in 2018 for Elite Status in 2019"
#121
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,176
If they actually marked the change as voluntary, Original Routing Credit may be denied -- but while I understand what you're saying, the fact of the matter is that the change was forced upon you by United's operations. SOP in this situation is to mark the change as involuntary -- if the flight had been on time, or even close to on time, you would have taken it.
#123
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,347
https://www.google.com/flights#flt=D...600*.USD.63600
#124
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: NYC/Row 21
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott/Starwood Platinum Elite, National Executive Elite
Posts: 39
In advanced seach, just enter EWR-HNL, click "My dates are flexible" w/ 1 or 2 days and start date of Dec 15. Click "First or Business" - you'll get a month of prices. The best that comes back during Christmas week are D fares right now, so you just need to look for best price on calendar, not necessarily D fares. Any fare P and above will give 200% PQMs. The only thing to be careful of is P fares (if available) will only earn 150% for flight segments after December 31st.
Ended up doing 2 RT in business (to LAX and the week after SEA). Got everything for $2300 and will put me 600 miles over 100,000. Thanks again for all the input and help!
#125
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 23
A Search Engine for Star Alliance Flights with EXPLORE feature?
- Kayak has an Explore feature where you can input your origin & shows a Map of ALL destinations with Price Range listed Eg SFO to EWR $500, Europe $1,000 etc
- But you have to click on the Dollar figure to see what airlines
- Is there a feature where you can ask to just list Star Alliance (or Other Alliance) flights?
- This is helpful for year end status runs - where I care about PQD and available destinations instead of doing trial & error, one by one
#126
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,326
- Kayak has an Explore feature where you can input your origin & shows a Map of ALL destinations with Price Range listed Eg SFO to EWR $500, Europe $1,000 etc
- But you have to click on the Dollar figure to see what airlines
- Is there a feature where you can ask to just list Star Alliance (or Other Alliance) flights?
- This is helpful for year end status runs - where I care about PQD and available destinations instead of doing trial & error, one by one
#127
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,567
Google Flights does this
#128
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,347
#129
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,854
Hoping one can help, as we've been real light in travel this year. My wife more so than me. We've typically been gold, then moved to silver this past year, and now may not even hit that.
With a planned trip to PHX, and the outbound portion of a CVG-BLR trip left, I'll hit silver, but my wife will be about 1700 miles short. She won't do a run, and we don't have too much time to do that anyway. Obviously, would prefer to keep costs down - perhaps it could be worth buying the PQM for one of the itineraries, but typically, you can only buy too large quantities (I doubt I'll get an offer for 2000 PQM, for example).
We haven't booked the PHX ticket yet, and she has the UA select card that gets PQM for purchases on UA.com, though we tend to use our Sapphire Preferred usually, due to usually traveling with 2 kids and the insurance on that card. That could be 1000 more PQM, but even with that, would still be 700 PQM short (670, to be exact).
Any thoughts on other options? Only thought is to take a 'scenic' route to PHX via EWR/IAD vs. IAH/ORD, which could combined with using the Select to purchase could keep her covered - but also hesitant to add too much travel time (kids). Also looked at buying F to PHX one way, but the difference between the Y seats and lowest available F is like $600/person, so out of the question.
I'm almost wondering if it's worth it, and maybe we should just take my silver, and leave her as no status until she earns it again next year - that'll probably happen by mid-year as we expect travel to pick up with another trip to India in the summer. We typically travel together, so we'd still have access to free bags, it would just be economy plus that would be tough - since we're typically traveling with our daughter, so presumably we'd have to pay for one extra if we wanted that, and upgrades, as I'd only be able to choose one companion for that.
Happy to hear anything I'm probably not thinking of.
With a planned trip to PHX, and the outbound portion of a CVG-BLR trip left, I'll hit silver, but my wife will be about 1700 miles short. She won't do a run, and we don't have too much time to do that anyway. Obviously, would prefer to keep costs down - perhaps it could be worth buying the PQM for one of the itineraries, but typically, you can only buy too large quantities (I doubt I'll get an offer for 2000 PQM, for example).
We haven't booked the PHX ticket yet, and she has the UA select card that gets PQM for purchases on UA.com, though we tend to use our Sapphire Preferred usually, due to usually traveling with 2 kids and the insurance on that card. That could be 1000 more PQM, but even with that, would still be 700 PQM short (670, to be exact).
Any thoughts on other options? Only thought is to take a 'scenic' route to PHX via EWR/IAD vs. IAH/ORD, which could combined with using the Select to purchase could keep her covered - but also hesitant to add too much travel time (kids). Also looked at buying F to PHX one way, but the difference between the Y seats and lowest available F is like $600/person, so out of the question.
I'm almost wondering if it's worth it, and maybe we should just take my silver, and leave her as no status until she earns it again next year - that'll probably happen by mid-year as we expect travel to pick up with another trip to India in the summer. We typically travel together, so we'd still have access to free bags, it would just be economy plus that would be tough - since we're typically traveling with our daughter, so presumably we'd have to pay for one extra if we wanted that, and upgrades, as I'd only be able to choose one companion for that.
Happy to hear anything I'm probably not thinking of.
#130
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Portland OR
Programs: United 1K 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton HHonors Gold
Posts: 560
#131
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,176
We haven't booked the PHX ticket yet, and she has the UA select card that gets PQM for purchases on UA.com, though we tend to use our Sapphire Preferred usually, due to usually traveling with 2 kids and the insurance on that card. That could be 1000 more PQM, but even with that, would still be 700 PQM short (670, to be exact).
Otherwise, yes, I'd look at creative routings to PHX.
#132
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,854
Also trying to figure out if there is a way to purchase a PE upgrade (fare class) on our FRA-BLR to do that, although I'm guessing UA can't do it, and guessing that any upgrade LH could do (presumably, on day of) would be similar to UAs where they don't change the fare class. Buying E+ on PHX still won't get there.
Starting to think it might not be worth it, and we will just settle for 1 of 3 with status for the first half of next year, and we'll earn it back after our planned trip to India in August.
#133
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,213
I need 7k pqm and $1k pqd. Tons of options of course, as I have the rest of the year open to do it. The thing is, I'd like to use RPUs before they expire, So an IAD-SGU trip (one I'm considering) would need to go through LAX instead of DEN for the miles, or split with one way in P and the other RPU'd.
I'm just fishing for suggestions. Domestic preferred, but international is fine, too. Ex-IAD. Any days work.
I'm just fishing for suggestions. Domestic preferred, but international is fine, too. Ex-IAD. Any days work.
#134
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,256
Because my company cannot seem to plan more than a week ahead of time, a december trip may get cancelled leaving me 950PQM short of 1K. I have more than enough PQD.
I'm assuming I can still book a flight like SFO-STS or ORD-MKE, buy PQM (currently 2000 for $270), cancel the flight within 24hrs, and keep the PQM.
Normally, I hate just giving money away and would rather do a MR so I at least might get something out of the trip but I think my options out of PHL are limited and this seems like my cheapest solution as any flight will likely cost much more.
I'm assuming I can still book a flight like SFO-STS or ORD-MKE, buy PQM (currently 2000 for $270), cancel the flight within 24hrs, and keep the PQM.
Normally, I hate just giving money away and would rather do a MR so I at least might get something out of the trip but I think my options out of PHL are limited and this seems like my cheapest solution as any flight will likely cost much more.
#135
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: UA-1K
Posts: 308
Because my company cannot seem to plan more than a week ahead of time, a december trip may get cancelled leaving me 950PQM short of 1K. I have more than enough PQD.
I'm assuming I can still book a flight like SFO-STS or ORD-MKE, buy PQM (currently 2000 for $270), cancel the flight within 24hrs, and keep the PQM.
Normally, I hate just giving money away and would rather do a MR so I at least might get something out of the trip but I think my options out of PHL are limited and this seems like my cheapest solution as any flight will likely cost much more.
I'm assuming I can still book a flight like SFO-STS or ORD-MKE, buy PQM (currently 2000 for $270), cancel the flight within 24hrs, and keep the PQM.
Normally, I hate just giving money away and would rather do a MR so I at least might get something out of the trip but I think my options out of PHL are limited and this seems like my cheapest solution as any flight will likely cost much more.