Oct 10, 2018, 10:58 pm
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"
Aug 6, 2018, 7:41 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 5
[Consolidated] "I need XXX UA PQD's/PQMs/PQSs in 2018 for Elite Status in 2019"
I'm currently on my way to gold status, at 48k miles of the 40k but i'm only at $4,200 of the $6,000 I need. Since i travel for work but our system generally books the lower fair is there any tips on how to get more PQD?
A few things i already found and looked into was getting the Explorer card, but it does say you need to spend $25k annual to waive the PQD, which I wouldn't want to spend by end of the year. Buying the accelerators seems really expensive as they are usually well over $1,000 when I look. I figure i might as well take trips in that case.
Is there any hot tips like which class fare is the best to purchase for the best value of getting PQD ?
Thanks in advance.
A few things i already found and looked into was getting the Explorer card, but it does say you need to spend $25k annual to waive the PQD, which I wouldn't want to spend by end of the year. Buying the accelerators seems really expensive as they are usually well over $1,000 when I look. I figure i might as well take trips in that case.
Is there any hot tips like which class fare is the best to purchase for the best value of getting PQD ?
Thanks in advance.
Aug 6, 2018, 7:52 pm
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,121
Aug 6, 2018, 8:14 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,364
A few things i already found and looked into was getting the Explorer card, but it does say you need to spend $25k annual to waive the PQD, which I wouldn't want to spend by end of the year. Buying the accelerators seems really expensive as they are usually well over $1,000 when I look. I figure i might as well take trips in that case.
(The US flight segment tax only applies when you're in US airspace; it's prorated on international flights; flights operated by partner airlines only earn PQD if ticketed on a United ticket).However, there are no useful tips. PQD is "the amount you spent to fly UA, or to fly partner airlines on United-operated tickets, not counting taxes." The only way to get to $6,000 is to spend $6,000.
Your other alternatives are to register a foreign address, if you have one (they'll require verification), or to spend $25,000 on the United Explorer card, as you mentioned.
Aug 6, 2018, 8:29 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,364
If you choose to do that, make sure that you call -- don't try to do it online. Upgrades purchased from the "manage reservation" screen, immediately after booking, or during the check-in process will not accrue PQD. If you call, and tell them you want to "up-fare" to the lowest available business class fare, the extra spending will translate to extra PQDs. The cost should be the current business class fare minus the amount that you already paid.
Aug 6, 2018, 8:34 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: UA 1K; *G, AA Plat
Posts: 1,700
Doesn't purchasing Economy+ earn PQD?
If the OP doesn't have status, this could boost PQD a bit on each of his/her remaining flights. Certainly probably wouldn't help for $1800, but for $100-200 here and there, def might!
If the OP doesn't have status, this could boost PQD a bit on each of his/her remaining flights. Certainly probably wouldn't help for $1800, but for $100-200 here and there, def might!
Aug 6, 2018, 8:40 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,364
Yes.
OP should have Silver status, based on the numbers posted.
Note that both of these suggestions -- buy-up to first and buy-up to E+ -- are simply other ways to say "spend $6,000."
There's no magic bullet -- although the E+ purchases may actually be the most efficient, since I don't believe E+ revenue is subject to the tax and therefore contributes 100% to PQD. (I may be wrong, though; I've been Gold or higher since the institution of PQD, so I've never paid for it).
OP should have Silver status, based on the numbers posted.
Note that both of these suggestions -- buy-up to first and buy-up to E+ -- are simply other ways to say "spend $6,000."
There's no magic bullet -- although the E+ purchases may actually be the most efficient, since I don't believe E+ revenue is subject to the tax and therefore contributes 100% to PQD. (I may be wrong, though; I've been Gold or higher since the institution of PQD, so I've never paid for it).
Aug 6, 2018, 9:37 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 5
Thanks for the info on how to upfare and choosing P/Z/F, i'm sure over the phone i could just tell the agent that's what i am after and they could tell me the difference in prices and how many PQD i'll get. After digging some more i found that i can see what i will get for PQM/PQD with my upcoming flights. Well at least most of them, for some reason i can't see the next flight but it should give me a few hundred i hope. Which will put me semi on track to take a handful more flights and i should be golden. I got a trip coming up in Nov that is international and it says I'm getting 500PQD on that, so that should help as well
Last edited by icyx; Aug 7, 2018 at 8:11 am Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
Aug 6, 2018, 9:48 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: San Francisco, CA (SFO)
Programs: UA 1K, UA .53 MM, Marriott Gold, Nexus, GE, TSA Pre, Hertz PC
Posts: 581
Thanks for the info on how to upfare and choosing P/Z/F, i'm sure over the phone i could just tell the agent that's what i am after and they could tell me the difference in prices and how many PQD i'll get. After digging some more i found that i can see what i will get for PQM/PQD with my upcoming flights. Well at least most of them, for some reason i can't see the next flight but it should give me a few hundred i hope. Which will put me semi on track to take a handful more flights and i should be golden. I got a trip coming up in Nov that is international and it says I'm getting 500PQD on that, so that should help as well
Aug 8, 2018, 10:11 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: SFO
Programs: COdbaUA Platinum 2MM
Posts: 5,532
- Prepay all of your utilities bills, cell phone etc
- Purchase lots of gift cards you will use yourself or gift
- Simply buy up your airfare
- Purchse your next year airfare this year
Simply put, there is no easy solution.
Aug 8, 2018, 10:50 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,364
Aug 8, 2018, 11:52 pm
#15
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Oakland CA
Programs: DL Gold, AS MVPG, Globalist
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