Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Discontinued Programs/Partners > United Mileage Plus (Pre-Merger)
Reload this Page >

expiring 500 milers... options besides the obvious?

expiring 500 milers... options besides the obvious?

 
Old Mar 20, 2004, 1:44 pm
  #1  
formerly known as 2lovelife
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: ORF : UA_Premier_Gold4Life, Bonvoy_titanium, Accor_Plat
Posts: 6,952
expiring 500 milers... options besides the obvious?

I just cannot bear to see these turn into miles. I have no way to use them they expire end of March.

As I understand it, I cannot give them away unless I'm on the same flight. Correct?

Canot print them, cannot trasfer them. Cannot, cannot, cannot. I'm glad to have the miles, but it seems such a waste.

I'm asking Flyertalk experience for any ideas.
seanthepilot is offline  
Old Mar 20, 2004, 1:56 pm
  #2  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Texas, U.S.A.
Posts: 19,523
Well if you don't want the default miles, you pretty much have to pick somebody that looks deserving (or just cute) at the gate and try to upgrade them as a RAK Attack (Random Act of Kindness).

Though that does sound like Iraq Attack, doesn't it?

I've done this many times...hotties, military personnel, grannies, etc. And not just with expiring 500 milers. Systemwides, Region 1s, etc, which of course don't earn a thing for you when they pass their shelf life.

[This message has been edited by PremEx (edited Mar 20, 2004).]
PremEx is offline  
Old Mar 20, 2004, 2:05 pm
  #3  
formerly known as 2lovelife
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: ORF : UA_Premier_Gold4Life, Bonvoy_titanium, Accor_Plat
Posts: 6,952
Actualoly, Feb 28th I made a trip to SEA to ticket my current flights. I had 2 HK's expiring in 2 days and UGed one fellow I spoke with on the bus to the airport. You guessed it. The other was a real cutie at the easy check in conter.

It was alot of fun!

As for my 500 milers... my only domestic trips this month are SFO-BOS and BOS-SFO. I'm expecting to UG with SWU. Does this mean I can UG 1 or 2 people with 500's? I have 24 of them turning to dust and it'd only use 5 each way / pax
seanthepilot is offline  
Old Mar 20, 2004, 2:22 pm
  #4  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Texas, U.S.A.
Posts: 19,523
The rules say 1 traveling companion only.

But some agents will either fudge this for more, and some agents will even fudge it if the other person is actually on a different flight that day.

The airport "loophole" or "workaround" or "completely against rules" or whatever you want to call it that I've found, is that if you have 2 or more companions...you check in yourself and one companion with one agent, and then you accompany your second companion up to check-in with a different agent further "down the line."

They don't seem to make any provision or note that you've already forked out or sponsored for your one allowable companion.

If it's a DM list situation, just make sure the check-in agent set it up correctly for the deduction, so that when your guests start getting paged at the gate, you don't have to go up there with them one-by-one with (soon) egg on your face and some explaining to do!

Of course the easiest, safest and most ethical thing to do is to just upgrade one per flight.

Hardly any fun in that though!
PremEx is offline  
Old Mar 20, 2004, 2:33 pm
  #5  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Texas, U.S.A.
Posts: 19,523
I should also add one thing here. When I'm scouting out RAK prospects and I'm down to the wire on expiry, I often look for signs of Mileage Plus status. What line they are in. Eyeball their Gold Boarding Pass. That sort of thing. Or just go up and ask them.

Reason?

While if I find out the flight is open and upgradeable at once, I tend to like to RAK upgrade non-status folks...if you're running out of time and United is running the DM list, it's usually best to pick someone with some status to gift your upgrades to, in order to improve the chance that they will clear and actually have a chance to use them!

This is because, if you didn't already know...on the airport DM lists your companion does not share your status. They "stand alone" and non-status recipients of your gift would be at or near the bottom of the DM List.

If the flight is "wide-open" and confirmable on-the-spot...no worries, they're in!

[This message has been edited by PremEx (edited Mar 20, 2004).]
PremEx is offline  
Old Mar 20, 2004, 6:44 pm
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Wisconsin
Programs: Delta, UA, SPG
Posts: 436
Another experience - I have also done these RAK only to have the agent tell me "how nice of you" and NOT take it out of my UG EBank - GA helpful at the wrong time where is the Karma when I NEED it?! Next week I'll try again!

ME1st is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.