the things we do for miles and status...

I'm DC-based and have been searching hard for a UA/*A ticket to EZE under a 1000usd (which i guess is my threshold for a reasonable price.) anyhow, it seems that UA is matching some fares out of MIA (Aerolineas, LAN, AA) and I managed to grab a fare from MIA for 830 a/i after applying a 10% e-cert. Certainly not great, but the best I could seem to get...esp. if I want to get miles out of this.

My question here concerns my return journey (EZE-IAD-MIA). I am planning to just skip the last segment to MIA and just go home from Dulles...Do I risk losing out on all miles from my return trip if I do that? Or would I only be out the IAD-MIA miles?

Thanks for your responses.

This would be considered "throw away ticketing" and is against United's Contract of Carriage. Having said that, as long as you don't make a habit of it, you shouldn't have any problems getting all your mileage from EZE to IAD on your return.

I haven't heard of anyone having problems doing what you're considering, even though it is against the rules. Since you will be able to claim your luggage in IAD anyway before you go through Customs, I would be shocked to discover that you experienced any problem.

We are flying to EZE out of LGA for $765..This may be better than going thru MIA.

Beware, when your are flying back from EZE, if customs at IAD mid-terminal is open, then they will split passengers: connecting ones and their luggage will go to the mid-terminal, clear customs there, re-check baggage and then exit to the C-concourse through a TSA checkpoint. Local passengers will be bussed to the main terminal, clear customs and immigration there and exit to the main terminal.
So, if your bags are tagged to MIA and your plane arrives after 6:00 (or maybe even 5:30?) then your baggage will be automatically routed to the connecting passengers lounge. I am not sure if you can pick your luggage there and exit. You will have to pass it through a TSA inspection point and then carry it back to the main terminal in the "moving lounges".

I will recommend doing this *only* if you do not have checked baggage..If you do, your best bet will be to try to get it tagged at EZE to IAD, not MIA.

Hope this helps

I agree, if you can do not check bags because they will go to the Midfield Customs at IAD. UA does audit MP accounts once in a while but if you do this once or twice it should not be a problem. At EZE see if they can cancel your IAD-MIA segment.

I also do not like that UA will charge more for IAD-EZE-IAD but less for MIA-IAD-EZE-IAD-MIA.
People are taking the same flights plus one more.

I guess you also don't like that two people sitting next to each other on a plane could have paid fares that are thousands of dollars apart? Not sure how the airline industry would survive if they didn't do that...

Thats different though, people choose to buy Y fares for flexibility or are forced to buy a ticket the same week of travel. But for all else, i dont see how adding a segment reduces the price of a ticket.

Simple, competition. If there's no competition on a route the airlines have a lot of pricing power. If there's a lot of competition they don't and are forced to have lower prices.

Through the Air Canada website you can often find lower fares US-EZE which transit YYZ.

check it out for your dates.

Welcome to the illogical world of airline pricing.

Did you check any local airports in the DC region? UA have has sub $1,000 (barely) Y flights to EZE from PHL; might be easier to handle than MIA.