N227UA

Hello~ Folks

I'd like to know how to spend less than 2.5 cents for a mile. I consider actual/real mile at this topic.
I've seen a lot of fellow FTers who spend less than 2.5 cents for a mile. I want to know how FTers do that.
I started to fly UA since last year. I flew roughly 52000 miles last year by paying US$2620 including taxes. That's about 5 cents per a mile.
I wish I could save more money for a mile this year, but it turned out to be impossible. I've already spent US$1100(tax) for about 15000 miles. It's nearly 7.3 cents for a mile.
I have no idea about spending less.
I think many FTers have fancy ways to deal with it.

Any reply regarding this topic would be appreciated. Thank you.


[This message has been edited by N227UA (edited Mar 20, 2004).]


[This message has been edited by N227UA (edited Mar 20, 2004).]

KathyWdrf

There are lots of threads already on this subject, both here and in other forums.

A distinction is usually made between "elite qualifying miles" (that earn you status on the airline) and other kinds of miles (that can be redeemed for awards, but don't necessarily earn you status).

So, are you asking how to EARN STATUS for less than $0.025/mile, or simply how to rack up the miles for redemption for that price? The latter is usually much easier than the former.

Part of the answer to your query is simply to make use of all the promos and ancillary (non-flying) mileage opportunities you possibly can. For the last year or so, UA in particular has put forth a mind-boggling assortment of extra mileage- and status-earning promos, most of which have been and are being discussed here on FlyerTalk.


Kathy

braslvr

It totally depends if you are flying soley for pleasure/mileage runs, as opposed to having to be somewhere on certain dates/times.

Last year I was at about 0.12 per flown mile total for the year. This year so far(53K) I'm at about 0.03. The difference is I have not flown at all for work yet this year.

N227UA

I'm asking about actual miles, which goes into lifetime miles.
It's more likely to be EQM rather than redeemable miles. However, there are some promotions that gives you double EQM. So, I'm not really asking about EQM.
What I'm really asking is actual miles that I fly.

ozstamps

This thread seems more like fodder for Mileage Run forum, and clearly it depends on where you live and where you fly, but Kathy answers the core question well above.

Most of my UA status miles in recent years have cost me only a penny or so each as have been fortunate to have a consistent supply of $$$$$ anmd 15% off vouchers from service inconveniences etc.

And a strong $US and the ease with which I can take a low priced 20,000 real miles single ticket flight contributes to that low cost. i.e. a SYD-NYC RT is about 20K flown if routed wisely. Such a ticket UA has sold here for as low as $US800 full price. Offset with $500 vouchers and/or coupon discounts this runs 1.5c a STATUS mile.

This thread seems more like fodder for Mileage Run forum, and clearly it depends on where you live and where you fly, but Kathy answers the core question well above.

Most of my UA status miles in recent years have cost me only a penny or so each as have been fortunate to have a consistent supply of $$$$$ anmd 15% off vouchers from service inconveniences etc.

And a strong $US and the ease with which I can take a low priced 20,000 real miles single ticket flight contributes to that low cost. i.e. a SYD-NYC RT is about 20K flown if routed wisely. Such a ticket UA has sold here for as low as $US800 full price. Offset with $500 vouchers and/or coupon discounts this runs 1.5c a STATUS mile.

HOWEVER when UA runs deals like latter 2003 where you could effectively get TWO status miles for each mile flown for payment of a flat $100 fee, the cost per STATUS mile clearly is way under 1¢ each ... and even less if you were doing the 5000 STATUS mile promos at the same time.

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Try and make it down to SYD for "OZ FEST 2004" - May 21-23


[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited Mar 20, 2004).]

N227UA

I fly about 60,000 miles on specific time and date. Last year, I flew all flights on certain time and date. As I'm a student, I go to home on break or vacation. I spent US$0.05 for doing this on specific time and date in last year.
Since I need to go home and return on time, I don't have good method to deal with the fares for these trips.
However, I want to fly additionally for Mileage Run to bring down the fare per a mile. This is what I consider at this topic.
Anyhow, I want to know how to fly less costly for an actual mile.

ozstamps

N227UA - not sure if you are absorbing what others have posted. Despite 3 posts you give nobody even a clue of WHERE you are flying from and at what times of year. Without that info your questions simply CANNOT be answered. Few Flyertalkers are clairvoyants.

If based in the USA sounds to me like a 3 word answer is what you are after.


SIN





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Try and make it down to SYD for "OZ FEST 2004" - May 21-23

~ Glen ~ sipping bubbly from UA 747-400 exit row 15A near you SOON!

KathyWdrf

Let's take an example.

If you have status on UA, you get bonus miles as well as base miles. Premiers (2P) get a 25% bonus; Premier Executives (1P) and Premier Executive 100Ks (1K) get a 100% bonus.

Also, there is an online booking bonus of 1000 miles.

In addition, there are promos. For example, a current promo, MPD614 (through March 31), offers 5000 EQMs each for roundtrip flights that meet certain criteria, such as no Saturday night stay (see this thread for more info).

My example:

On Monday night, I flew a redeye (Flight 24) SFO-JFK; I visited NYC for several hours, then returned Tuesday evening on Flight 11. The roundtrip price was $266.70 all-in.

Base miles (count toward status and are redeemable): 5172

1K bonus (non-EQM): 5172

Online booking bonus (non-EQM): 1000

Promo EQM (and redeemable) bonus from MPD614: 5000

Total redeemable miles I anticipate receiving from this roundtrip: 16,344

Total EQMs I anticipate receiving: 10,172

Cost per mile = $0.0163

Cost per EQM = $0.0262

Of course, I also earned a few extra miles for charging the plane ticket to a mileage-earning credit card (not included in the totals above). On the other hand, I also incurred a few extra costs, such as transport to and from airports, also not included in the calculation. (And the flights qualify for OTHER promos as well, such as 1 for 2....)


Kathy

[This message has been edited by KathyWdrf (edited Mar 20, 2004).]

transpac

$0.025 (USD) per EQM (base fare plus all applicable taxes and fees, before applying any discount coupons or vouchers) seems like the holy grail? I'm happy to get close to $0.03 per EQM, and usually am closer to $.045. Other factors important to me include total travel time (elapsed time away from home) and accumulating the greatest number of miles per trip.

Edited to add: In calculating the cost per EQM figure I would also omit any possible "double EQM offers" that might be available.


[This message has been edited by transpac (edited Mar 20, 2004).]

N227UA

Hi ozstamps
I'm based on LAX/SNA/ONT for 3/4 of a year.
1/4 of a year, I'm based on ICN/PUS.
Since I'm a secondary school student, I can usually fly on weekend, except on vacation or break. Time of year doesn't matter to me.
I assume that SIN is a good place for Mileage Run. However, I haven't found a great deal from LAX to SIN this year. Last year, I found LAX-SIN RT for about US$250 on either UA or NW.

fallinasleep

Agree 100% with transpac.

Getting a pure sub-$0.035 status mile itinerary is pretty darn good (and usually available on JFK-SIN or LAX/SFO-Europe during the off season and on four-segment each way trips across the US when UA matches a LCC fare). Throwing in vouchers, one-off discounts, and other special promotions clouds the calculation since these aren't available to everybody.

Having said that, the original poster's $0.05 rate is still pretty respectable.

N227UA

That can be close to actual/real mile.

fallinasleep

double post

[This message has been edited by fallinasleep (edited Mar 20, 2004).]

KathyWdrf

It still isn't clear whether the original poster is looking for ways to fly a base mile (or EQM) for less than $0.025 WITHOUT taking into account promos, or....?

Going back to my example, I paid about 5 cents per base mile, which is indeed pretty respectable (agreeing with another poster).

Sometimes you can get an SFO-NYC transcon for less than $200. I have one booked in April for a cost per (base) mile of about 3.5 cents. (But no bonus EQMs, as far as I know!)


Kathy

N227UA

As I said, I'm looking for base mile, which is actual/real mile. However, you can't say that it's EQM, because there is double EQM promotion. Also, you'll get more than 100% of actual/real mile when you fly with full paid fare.

[This message has been edited by N227UA (edited Mar 20, 2004).]