60 miles short of 1K: cheapest solution?
Nov 20, 2006, 2:21 am
#1
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Location: Seattle, WA
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60 miles short of 1K: cheapest solution?
Here's the deal. I'm a current 2K, trying to make 1K for the year.
I'm doing one more cross-country trip in December which gets me, unfortunately, ~60 miles short of 1K.
My question is: what is the cheapest way I can get the 60 miles? Try to find the shortest possible trip from SEA (where I'm based) and fly it?
Is that my only alternative, or is there a way to purchase gap miles to make up the difference?
Thanks for any advice!
I'm doing one more cross-country trip in December which gets me, unfortunately, ~60 miles short of 1K.
My question is: what is the cheapest way I can get the 60 miles? Try to find the shortest possible trip from SEA (where I'm based) and fly it?
Is that my only alternative, or is there a way to purchase gap miles to make up the difference?
Thanks for any advice!
Nov 20, 2006, 2:24 am
#2
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Can you add one segment to your December cross-country trip? If you give us your routing/city pairs we can probably add a segment painlessly. If it's not already booked, it should be easy to find a routing with an extra segment. If it is already booked, the $100 change fee may be a fairly cheap option.
Nov 20, 2006, 2:25 am
#3
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Can you add a connection to your trip in December?
As for finding cheap trips, you don't need the shortest, just the cheapest. Since any roundtrip is going to get you 500 miles each way, there is no flight that would leave you short.
You can use mileage plus visa "choices" to buy some EQMs, but I don't know any details (and they may not apply to this year).
As for finding cheap trips, you don't need the shortest, just the cheapest. Since any roundtrip is going to get you 500 miles each way, there is no flight that would leave you short.
You can use mileage plus visa "choices" to buy some EQMs, but I don't know any details (and they may not apply to this year).
Nov 20, 2006, 2:37 am
#4
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Originally Posted by robb
Can you add a connection to your trip in December?
As for finding cheap trips, you don't need the shortest, just the cheapest. Since any roundtrip is going to get you 500 miles each way, there is no flight that would leave you short.
You can use mileage plus visa "choices" to buy some EQMs, but I don't know any details (and they may not apply to this year).
As for finding cheap trips, you don't need the shortest, just the cheapest. Since any roundtrip is going to get you 500 miles each way, there is no flight that would leave you short.
You can use mileage plus visa "choices" to buy some EQMs, but I don't know any details (and they may not apply to this year).
Yes you can use (iirc) 10,000 of your your "choices" to purchase 1000 EQMs (that's the minimum, I think?)
Last edited by cblaisd; Nov 20, 2006 at 2:51 am
Nov 20, 2006, 2:48 am
#5
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I agree with the above. It must be possible to route your DEC trip to get that extra 60 miles. Alternatively, book it as B fare (or even just one segment in B) and get 150% EQM.
Nov 20, 2006, 7:48 am
#6
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Or if you have a United Visa card you can get EQM's for purchasing tickets for future travel (up to 5,000 per year, I think....)
Nov 20, 2006, 7:55 am
#7
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Originally Posted by actonma
Or if you have a United Visa card you can get EQM's for purchasing tickets for future travel (up to 5,000 per year, I think....)
Nov 20, 2006, 8:02 am
#8
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You can always fly SEA-GEG or SEA-PDX as a quick turn as well. Bit pricier but will definitely give you the miles you need.
Nov 20, 2006, 8:24 am
#9
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Originally Posted by josquin
My question is: what is the cheapest way I can get the 60 miles? Try to find the shortest possible trip from SEA (where I'm based) and fly it?
Is that my only alternative, or is there a way to purchase gap miles to make up the difference?
Thanks for any advice!
Nov 20, 2006, 8:34 am
#10
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Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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The OP can fly SEA-YVR on AC. That will be the shortest flight.
Nov 20, 2006, 10:32 am
#11
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Again, I wouldn't just look at shortest. Sometimes the shortest flights can be among the most expensive. Since ANY trip will get you across the finish line, instead look for the cheapest destination.
For example, I just pulled up a travelocity dream map from SEA and note that Salt Lake City is $203, but the farther trip to Denver can be had for $123 (These are not UA specific fares, just examples of why shortest != cheapest).
For example, I just pulled up a travelocity dream map from SEA and note that Salt Lake City is $203, but the farther trip to Denver can be had for $123 (These are not UA specific fares, just examples of why shortest != cheapest).
Nov 20, 2006, 2:27 pm
#12
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Posts: 1,884
my guess is that the cheapest way is to call mileage plus and ask them whether they will really require you to fly the extra 60 miles before doing anything else.
Nov 20, 2006, 2:45 pm
#13
Join Date: Sep 2006
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Originally Posted by MrAOK
my guess is that the cheapest way is to call mileage plus and ask them whether they will really require you to fly the extra 60 miles before doing anything else.
Nov 20, 2006, 2:54 pm
#14
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Originally Posted by Triple3
What abt. signing up for MP VISA Platinum? Will give you 5,000 EQM.
Nov 20, 2006, 3:09 pm
#15
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Originally Posted by cblaisd
What robb and I said
Yes you can use (iirc) 10,000 of your your "choices" to purchase 1000 EQMs (that's the minimum, I think?)
Yes you can use (iirc) 10,000 of your your "choices" to purchase 1000 EQMs (that's the minimum, I think?)