Any buffer on requalification thresholds?
 

My apologies if this has been covered; I tried a number of searches to no avail, and checked the FAQ. I would imagine it is a common question, especially at this time of year.

My dilemma: I am currently 2P (have been 2P or above for maybe 7 years or so), and it looks like I will miss requalification by less than 100 miles (I will end the year at 24,917 EQM). I realize there are no guarantees in life, but my question is whether historically UA has provided any leeway at all in qualification criteria, i.e. what are the chances that they will renew my status? I ask because at AA there is a semi-official policy of "rounding up" on requalification, so that if you are within 500 miles you generally will get the higher status.

I am aware that if I want to guarantee the status I need to fly another 83 miles; that answer will not help me. Any further advice would be much appreciated. (One other note: I don't have an MP Visa so the Choices conversion is not an option at this point in the year.)

The common response on this board (that I've seen) is that there is no rounding up. You either qualify or you don't. I've read isolated instances in which this has happened but general consensus is if you want status, you need the full number of EQMs.

If you signed up for the Chase VISA Platinum card you'd get 5,000 EQMs after your first purchase. Whether that would post in time to help you or not is another question.

OK, thanks. If anyone's experience is to the contrary, please chime in, but I'll assume no rounding unless I hear otherwise.

For the last 2 yrs that I know of, UA has offered an EQM requal buy up for people in your situation. My daughter got offered it last year when she was short about 4000 EQM from making 2P. It was hideously expensive once converted to AUD, so I let it slip :td:. As UA earns money from this offer, I wouldnt be surprised if it was offered again :rolleyes: :D!

BTW the amount they were asking for the EQM buy up was way more than what it would cost to do a cheap MR (especially for you, if you are based in the USA). For us in AUST, we cant get the credit cards and there are no cheap, fast MRs available.

Good luck :).

My suggestion would do the cheapest run from BOS that you can fine using a $ off certificate.

That's okay, it was hideously expensive before it was converted to AUD too.

Did you factor in the retroactive 500 mile min? Might help you out.
2009 MP Changes - UA Restores 500 Mile Min for Elites and New Award Redemption Rules

I agree , that UA will probably send you an offer to buy the EQMs.

In the past I was 1000 miles short of 1P and UA rounded me up but this was 5 years ago.

I would not risk it though, with the DEQM promo UA may not curve anyone.

If you REALLY WANT the status take a quick MR to LGA on the US shuttle and credit to UA. Or take a quick trip to IAD or ORD.

I had the same situation a few years ago, posting 24,968 miles after 12 straight years as 1P or 2P. When UA wouldn't make an exception I called AA and flew them for a year on a status match. Of course the geniuses at UA then send me an invitation in May to overlook the 32 missing miles and offer me 2P status for the rest of the year. At that point I already had flown 21,000 miles on AA, on my way to 50K for the year. Not wanting to miss the 1P status for the following year, I explained to UA that I would be happy to spend my money with them for the rest of the year, if they acknowledged the 21K miles I had already flown so I would be back at 1P status. Otherwise, I explained, I would have no choice but to spend the rest of the year buying AA tickets. Guess what UA decided to do?

Needless to say, I spent the rest of the year in the back of the AA MD-80's. Little wonder that UA is in such a financial mess.

ITA shows flights as low as $169 from BOS to IAD for the 31th and BOS to NYC for as low as $189 for the last week of the year. Maybe you have a discount coupon or so to take of a few extra bucks, I know I always have a handful available from $50-$200 and you can get the last few miles for close to nothing!

Mike, that sounds dangerous. If I told you that UA once let me keep status while being 100 miles away from threshold, will this make you decide not to take any action? And if you don't do anything, and don't make 2P, will you be angry with me? :(

A short MR is guaranteed. A buy-up at the end of the year is likely, but also likely to be expensive. Getting comped the last few miles is possible, but unlikely - particularly if UA is selling the miles.

At the end of 2005, I had 98,*** miles ( don't remember the exact number) and didn't realise it until too late to do a MR and I went down to Prem Exec for 2006. I was not impressed.

I bet :mad:

I might have to go to Vegas after my MR this weekend...

Or finding a nice same day turnaround deal :o

Enjoy GM :)

Be sure to include those retroactive EQM's, as mentioned. I did and ended up 156 miles short of 1P. Hence I'm doing a sub-200.00 MR to OMA on Saturday.