Define an EQS?
 

Can someone define Elite Qualifying Segment for me? Is it simply a one way trip or if I have layovers do I get an EQS for each leg of the trip. For instance is DCA-ORD-LAX one or two EQS's?

That would be 2.

Well I wonder how or if that will transfer over to Continental EQP's since there you only would get one.

Also make the case for potentially switching to MP from OP because I fly a lot of segments and not a lot of miles since I am doing almost exclusively US travel and live in the midwest.

EQS: Earn .5 for each take off and .5 for each landing:D. Unless the flight booked is a "direct" flight (not to be confused with non-stop), and this does not include unscheduled stops either.

Good point, jhayes_1780. If both segments have the same flight number, it would only count as one, but if they are just connecting flights, it would count as two.

I also am a mainly domestic flyer. For the first 6 years or so of my frequent flying, I qualified as a 1K based on segments. I have been qualifying based on segments and miles for the last few years.

How do you qualify based on segments AND miles?

I'd be curious to know what percentage of elite UA members qualify via the segment versus miles route? Is it 50/50? Anybody know?

As a general rule, just count the number of cities you'll be in (ie DCA-ORD-LAX-SEA-YVR = 5), and then subtract 1 to get EQS. In the example above, 5-1=4 EQS. Alternatively, .5 for each take-off and landing works too. :)

In your example: DCA-ORD-LAX (3) = 2 EQS.

I don't know the specifics of that poster's situation, but to me it would mean you have enough segments and enough miles to qualify on either. You probably would make it on one before the other - both on the same flight is possible, but unlikely - but if you're not moving up a level and you have them both by Dec. 31, that doesn't matter; you qualified on both.

Before the double EQM bonus that most airlines jumped on this year, I also used segments for 1K qualification. United usually allows "creative" routing, as long as your fare buckets can be found on each flight.
As an example: IND-LAX - traditional routing via ORD or Denver - two segments. For a segment run - IND-ORD-SEA-PDX-LAX-SFO -- five segments.
Yes, the fare is slightly higher but usually due to the airport takeoff/landing fees.

Isn't that four segments, i.e., IND-ORD-SEA-PDX-LAX in order to get from IND-LAX? The segment LAX-SFO has me confused?

BTW, I recently did SHD-IAD-FRA-JNB-FIH instead of the usual SHD-IAD-BRU-FIH and collected 32,000 miles instead of 18,000 miles. In that case, however, I was trying to increase miles rather than segments.

I flew over 100 segments and 100K miles.

Now I get it (and I'm very impressed).
Do you get anything extra from UA for that accomplishment?
They should had least make you a 2K. :)

Unless you're on a flight booked as the same flight # between DCA-LAX; then it would be 1 EQS, regardless of the stop in ORD. (I had that unfortunately happen to me one year when I was qualifying on segments; my corporate travel agent thought she was "simplifying" things to book it as the single flight #.)

I am not sure about the .5 for each take off and .5 for each landing concept. I somehow ended up with .5 in may number of segments. I think I would have remembered not taking off or landing on one of my trips...:D

I have been trying to figure out how I got .5 of an EQS too.

The extra .5 is for high-yield fares, which earn 150% on EQM/EQS. F, A, P, C, D, Z, Y, and B, typically.

Even if you're not booking those, you can end up in full-Y and get the bonus due to rebooking during irrops. This is a "bonus" / pleasant surprise and not a guaranteed benefit, mind you, so if you don't get full Y on an irrop flight, don't go complaining to UA for it!