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[Consolidated] "I need XXX UA PQD's/PQMs/PQSs in 2018 for Elite Status in 2019"

Old Oct 10, 2018, 10:58 pm
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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,
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, ...)
PQMs can be purchased by Premier Accelerator purchases. Certain legacy (not available to new customers) Chase MP credit cards earn PQMs or FPQMs

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)
Print Wikipost

[Consolidated] "I need XXX UA PQD's/PQMs/PQSs in 2018 for Elite Status in 2019"

Old Nov 9, 2018, 2:15 pm
  #121  
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Originally Posted by catbox9
No, it was just the "we're sorry" thing. I suppose I could write back. Normally I'd say 500PQM and probably like 100RDM seems petty, but it really could be the difference between gold and platinum.
I don't think it's the least bit petty, and neither would the agent making the change if they knew that.

Originally Posted by MattShaikh
I forgot to mention on the first trip from EWR-BOM-EWR I am waitlisted for upgrade to Polaris Business with $600 + 25000 miles each way. Does this change the dynamics if I get upgraded?
No. Upgraded segments will still credit as the original fare class. FYI: EWR-BOM is reputed to be one of the most difficult upgrades in the system. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Originally Posted by catbox9
My trip to POS is next week so I'll see if I can SDC before trying. Only concern is the cancelled segment was my choice and I had an agent do it for me to make sure they didn't get mad at me for skipping a segment.
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.
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Old Nov 9, 2018, 8:18 pm
  #122  
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Programs: UA 1K, SkyMiles
Posts: 25
I know now that I will need 6,889 PQMs to make 1K. That is the magic number. Thoughts on DEN or COS RT flights that will give me that?
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Old Nov 10, 2018, 7:46 am
  #123  
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Originally Posted by Asia1
I know now that I will need 6,889 PQMs to make 1K. That is the magic number. Thoughts on DEN or COS RT flights that will give me that?
Want to spend a night in LA and a day in Kona (and another day connecting)?

https://www.google.com/flights#flt=D...600*.USD.63600

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Old Nov 10, 2018, 10:57 am
  #124  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: NYC/Row 21
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott/Starwood Platinum Elite, National Executive Elite
Posts: 39
Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
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!
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Old Nov 10, 2018, 2:14 pm
  #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
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Old Nov 10, 2018, 2:22 pm
  #126  
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Originally Posted by ubrahme
  • 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
Be mindful not all *A fares can be plated on 016 tickets, if UA PQD is essential. Along the same lines, the ticket price is not reflective of actual PQD earning.
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Old Nov 10, 2018, 4:31 pm
  #127  
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Join Date: Jun 2007
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Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
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Originally Posted by ubrahme
  • 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
  • ....
  • Is there a feature where you can ask to just list Star Alliance (or Other Alliance) flights?
Google Flights does this
drewguy likes this.
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Old Nov 10, 2018, 7:06 pm
  #128  
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
Google Flights does this
Note (or I'm mistaken) the explore function with Google does not allow excluding Basic Economy fares. Once a city pair is selected the 'overhead' option will do so, but it doesn't correctly extend to the explore map.
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Old Nov 13, 2018, 10:45 pm
  #129  
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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.
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Old Nov 13, 2018, 11:10 pm
  #130  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Portland OR
Programs: United 1K 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton HHonors Gold
Posts: 560
Originally Posted by emcampbe
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.
I havent looked at schedules or fares, or incremental distance. But could route CVG-PHX via SFO? CVG-SFO is 2036 miles, then youre doubling back to PHX. Just a thought.

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Old Nov 14, 2018, 7:09 am
  #131  
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Originally Posted by emcampbe
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).
How close is she to the 5K PQM cap from card purchases? Can you pre-purchase $670 worth of your 2019 travel before EOY?

Otherwise, yes, I'd look at creative routings to PHX.
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Old Nov 14, 2018, 8:41 am
  #132  
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Originally Posted by usbusinesstraveller
I havent looked at schedules or fares, or incremental distance. But could route CVG-PHX via SFO? CVG-SFO is 2036 miles, then youre doubling back to PHX. Just a thought.
Appreciate that thought - I did think about that, but the current flight schedule doesn't work well for that. Evening departure from CVG would require an overnight at SFO. Return leaves SFO at 10:30, and would have us losing a half-day and requiring very early departure. Also thought about a EWR transit, but also pricing much higher that way.

Originally Posted by jsloan
How close is she to the 5K PQM cap from card purchases? Can you pre-purchase $670 worth of your 2019 travel before EOY?
Otherwise, yes, I'd look at creative routings to PHX.
Not close at all - our travel has been on CSR because of the insurance benefits and traveling with kids (and yes, we've had to use that a couple of times). In fact, a few years ago, we bought travel bank credit to get over the gold hump, but obviously, not an option today (but that option is coming in Q1 of this year, right?). Was trying to think about other things I could buy through UA.com to hit more - not sure what that is. Or reminisce back to the Choices day where you could top up PQM that way.

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.
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Old Nov 14, 2018, 8:47 am
  #133  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,213
Originally Posted by exerda
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 just flew SAN-IAH-LIR and return for a five day break. RPUs work for flights to Costa Rica. I think IAD-IAH-LIR and return may get you the miles. Realize Costa Rica is not domestic but you can use RPUs in Central America on UA flights.
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Old Nov 16, 2018, 8:58 pm
  #134  
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
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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.
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Old Nov 16, 2018, 9:54 pm
  #135  
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Originally Posted by eng3
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.
It looks like you can get a flight to ORD from PHL with a same day return on any of the first 3 Saturdays in December for about $320. DEN and IAH look to be under $300.
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