Willing to throw Money at 1K status. Best business Class "bargains?"
 

I've been 1K for a very long time and I don't want to lose it next year but I just haven't traveled that much, so I'm probably going to end up about 40,000 PQM short. PQD shouldn't be as much of an issue. So I'm looking around for a really long flight in business-class that would help get me there but something in the $6000 price range, that would help me hit that goal. So I saw UA was starting up svc to CPT so I thought that might be a good way to get a lot of miles. I'm in Tucson these days so if I went TUS-IAH-EWR-CPT and back that would help. But service doesn't start until Dec 15th and the business class fares are around $10,000.

Any other suggestion of routes on UA metal (I assume I need UA metal for the PQM and PQD) where I might get business class fares for $6k or less? Or a good search tool to use to accomplish this? Thanks, Jim

PS I seem to remember hearing of some sort of service that would help put together mileage runs or find good business-class fares...

Before you do this... what does your travel look like for 2020?

Actually -- you know what.... maybe that's the most important point.... I've been conditioned to getting the 6 GPU's for so long and now, they're pretty worthless (fairly worthless?) I still have all of mine left. so maybe I'm better off just putting this money into next years travel. I just crossed 2 MM so I'll have platinum guaranteed.... something to think about. thanks. Jim

No idle challenges...

TUS-DEN-SFO-HKG-GUM and v/v is 42,600 PQM for under $4,100 if you find two-cabin metal on TUS-DEN (deduct 319 if you are stuck on the Chariot) and catch HKG-GUM before it is discontinued. Or TUS-DEN-LAX-HNL-[full Hopper as separate segments]-GUM and v/v 35,880 PQM plus the error for whichever Hopper segment is wrong. Unlimited stopovers to visit as many or as few places as you like :)

Oddly enough, I could do better on the fare iff there were a direct TUS-PIT, but I don't think one exists.

There are multiple FT forums focused on your query that are probably the best resources for you

UA/Star Alliance: 2019 Consolidated Mileage/Status/Challenge Runs help needed

Mileage Run Discussion

Mileage Run Deals

Premium Fare Deals

Book a Premium Economy flight. Domestic PE legs book into B and international PE legs into R. Both B and R earn you 150% PQM which is the same as discount business P fares but for less $$. ICN and BRU both have PE.

Could be hard to do. I am essentially in the same situation, though I travel because I have to for work, not for leisure, so dates and destinations are pretty much fixed. I can move things around a day or got to nearby airports, make connections and so on. But even so, for the travel I need, I have found only one reasonable TATL business class or PZ availability on UA for my travel for the rest of the year. The other two trips I need to do, UA has been $5.8K at the lowest when BA is $2.8K, and UA was at $4.7K (this is to go to CPT, as it happens) when BA was $3.8K (and on a 747 and an A380). No PZ available on UA either time, regardless of connections or dates at booking, and I will not waitlist. Similar thing once earlier this year ($2.8K TATL on BA and $9K on UA). I realize that corporate customers pay less than list price, but that is what I would pay. If UA was competitive in price, or I could use more of my GPUs to make it so, I probably would have flown them to keep 1K, but I just don't currently see that it is worth it. If you fly F or J you pretty much get treated the same whether you are 1K or not. I can live with boarding with Group 1. Besides, the DO & Co. food (and the food on pretty much every other non-US airline) is much better.

No don't need UA metal for PQM or PQD. Can earn either on star alliance carriers (the latter though only if purchased through United)

I would go to Singapore, my flights from houston typically net 40K PQM for a return in Z. If you look at the ANA flights, you can get some good deals that earn full United PQD and PQM.

Not to convince the OP not to do this, but I was 1K for many years, and thought my life was going to end if I didn't make it again. Second year as a lowly Gold and I'm just as happy. I had a good run as a 1K, but things have changed IMO. Good chance I'll make 1K next year whether I like it or not, or I stick with Gold and split my travel with Delta.

From EWR the Micronesia tour in Business has some reasonable fares and is something I intend to do someday anyway. Might be worth checking aspirational trips from your home airport.

That's my situation, too. Was a 1K until 2016, and now as a 1MM, Gold forever with zero spend. I'm being smarter about where I put my travel dollar. And I, too, am just as happy. I now realize that in the last couple of years as a 1K, I spent too much money to have an upgradeable fare, but seldom scored the upgrade. As others have noted: upgrades are increasingly difficult - especially out of my home port of SFO. Being a 1MM/Gold, I am free to book with whomever I want, at whatever fare I choose. And in SE Asia, I have access to many lounges as long as I'm flying on *A. (shout out to SQ lounge at BKK!!).
Psychological bonus: No anxiety in the boarding area, wondering if I'll get that cherished, but elusive, last minute upgrade.

Man I am hitting you up for info next time I need a mileage run!