Am i crazy??? Contemplating 5 weekend trips to Europe to make 1K
 

I have been reading this forum alot lately and want to propose a question for comment.

I am a premier on UA....and want 1K. Not really sure why but feeling crazy.
So was going to try and make 5 trips to Europe from Denver on 5 seperate weekends with my wife to see friends and see soccer games. If I pay the $495 for each of us to double Eqm's then we would both get to 1K.
Assuming 10,000 miles roundtrip and then double that through the promotion...at roughly $600 a ticket. Thats $1200x5= $6000. Plus the roughly $1000 for program. Total about $7000.
We would each get 6 swu for next year which would be 3 upgraded rountrips. Big savings.


Comments please....want to know if I'm crazy or just manic today...:)

HR

Welcome to flyertalk ^
I don't know if you are crazy or not, but what are your flying plans for next year. Do you plan to fly enough to make spending all that money for 1k worth it? Of course if you have the money to burn, then for it!

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Should be able to get less than $600/ticket. SFO-FRA Sat-Sun turnaround is $480. Sounds like you're in DEN, maybe take advantage of the DEN promo too? With 5 RTs, you're on your way.

Welcome to FlyerTalk!

This plan is only slightly crazy. I did the same thing in February 2003 when they extended the elite qualification period. I flew to Europe every weekend for four weekends in a row. Two of the four roundtrips were upgraded with SWUs, but even with that, I was a tired puppy by the end of the third week.

It can be done, but you should expect to be really cranky by the end of your odyssey. It helps if you can spend at least a day at your destination(s) to recover and see the sights. Two or more days are better.

Well do the math... care compare has DEN-most european destinations in C for 2600-3800 for one r/t ticket. Assuming you want 6 of those that on the top end would be 22,800.00.

Now your plan is spend 7000.00 now and buy upgradeable tickets next year (even at 1000.00 per ticket X 6 r/t's is 6000.00) 13000.00 total... right?

Looks like a 9800.00 savings... roughly.

If you have to ask, you already know the answer. :)

Welcome to FT!^

Don't worry, you'll fit right in. ;)

Don't forget that the 5 R/Ts will earn both him and his spouse about 77500 RDMs each (roughly 3 R/Ts as a 2P at 12500 RDMs each plus 2 R/Ts as a 1P at 20000 RDMs each). That's almost a saver C seat to Europe for the two of them which at 2600-3800 USD each almost pays for the MRs and promo.

Oh and dont forget the CR1s they will get for the 4Q and all those e500s

Welcome!

Here's a challange.....
Can you anyone come up with a better way to get to 1K from Denver during the double eqm promotion?
This could be some fun answers.
HR

You could fly many times for the Denver you mean the world to us promo and combine it with the DEQM

Ummm...really? care to share those? DEN-??? is 2600-3800 r/t? perhaps o/w 2600-3800 but not r/t.

doing some searches the cheapest i found for next jun was DEN-LHR for 5471 Z fare.

Lets say you need 50,000 miles...

DEN-MCO (Orlando)

3092miles RT

about $200 for a L fare

You would need 16 round trips for around 49,472miles
out of it, you would qualify for 64 points for the Denver promo, meaning you could add to that either 180,000RDM miles or 2 C class tickets anywhere UA flyes (or mix-and-match)

All has to be done by the 15th of Nov though.

And, if you need that DEQM, add the cost ($500) to 16RTx$200 = $3700PP, but with that, you would get your 1K, your SWUs, CR1s, etc of all the 1K perks, and also your choice of 90,000miles x 2 or C ticket where UA flys x2

and with the 49,472x2 = 98944total EQM. Youll need about 1,056 more EQMs. to make 100,000 from 0. You could open a Chase Plat card, and as a 1K you would get the fee waived and get 5,000 EQM, bringing you over the top.

But 16 RT by Nov 15th...

Heres how you could do it.
DEN 08:11 AM MCO 01:32 PM
MCO 03:05 PM DEN 05:05 PM
DEN 07:00 PM MCO 12:21 AM
Sleep for a short time in Orlando..
MCO 06:05 AM DEN 08:05 AM
DEN 10:05 AM MCO 03:26 PM
MCO 05:44 PM DEN 07:44 PM
And sleep at home.
Repeat at least 4 more times :)



Denver Promo

This may be the one place on the planet where you'll find plenty of people who find your desire/plan not only sane but perfectly reasonable.

One suggestion, though: if it's not illegal on your cheapie fares book your DEN-Europe flights via LAX and SFO!!! :)

If better means cheaper, I think you'll come out ahead (and with fewer trips) via the scenic route to Singapore. But there's a six day minimum stay.

Edited to add that the "scenic route" could be DEN-SEA-LAX-SFO-NRT-SIN, which appears to be valid.

About 10,905 EQMs each way (10,735 actual miles without the 500 mile minimum on LAXSFO...max permitted actual miles is 10,876.)

Probably <$1000 per 20K EQMs (and per 40K EQMs with the doubling.)