Best way to maximize UA mileage to DXB
 

Hello all,

First time poster and armchair mileage junky. I travel significantly for work in a given year. Previously I’ve hit UA gold and silver in and off by happenstance but lost status this last year due to an injury. I’m back on the road again and I’m trying to be more strategic with my earnings.

I have have some extended travel to Dubai this year and I’m trying to see how to maximize for pqd and pqm. Currently at silver but would really like to hit gold soon.

Theres no direct flights so what do the experts here suggest? I can fly to HKG then on a separate ticket fly to DXB. Or are there better options?

Thanks,

What is the starting point of your journey?

Buy a first class ticket from United on Lufthansa.

Welcome to flyertalk, Nicholas J!

Do you care about UA-operated mileage or PQM only?

To maximise PQD you almost surely should just 016-ticket yourself to DXB (with some partner flight), rather than going partway and having a separate ticket.

Well, the closest UA served airport with connections to DXB via a Star Alliance flight is probably BOM....

PS. UA does serve DXB via codeshare flights ...

Whilst that may be true, mileage earning on Star Alliance is based on the operating carrier, so other than the potential for a codeshare to possibly making it a little easier for you to purchase a ticket on United stock rather than (say) LH stock, those codeshares don't really change anything.

If you need PQM and can do a weekend run, Cairo often has cheap premium fares on long-haul flights. I would aim to find a fare to North America on UA or LH / OS / LX. You'll probably also see a lot of options on Turkish through Istanbul, which is awful for earning PQM.

I have much the same issue for 2020. I would like to stay on UA metal for as much of the journey to maximize the opportunity to qualify for GS. DEN based.