United Airlines frequent fliers

[chris snell]

Any frequent United fliers here?

I'm trying to figure out the best deal for a United credit card.

I'm flying all the time for work these days and I decided that I should stop using my normal USAA credit card for travel and sign up for one of the United credit cards so I can start banking the frequent flier miles. I'm already at Premier Executive level and would quickly hit 1K level with the card.

I'm new to their cards, though, and don't know which one to sign up for. They have the MilagePlus Explorer card that pays $1/mile and a MilagePlus Select card that pays $3/mile. Of course, Chase's customer service reps are useless when it comes to discussing the differences between the offers.

I have excellent credit and pay off the balance every month so if there's a more exclusive and better option, I'd like to know about it.

 

[p m]

I have a shit ton of miles with United, but whenever I am trying to use any, they come up with wild-ass excuses for not being able to honor them.
Fuck United.

 

[chris snell]

I don't really care so much about using the reward miles. I'm more in it for the first class upgrades. Getting the upgrades makes the trip so much more tolerable. As it stands, I almost always get them domestically but I want to advance so I can score them for international travel.

 

[Ballah06]

Not familiar with United, although I am sure I have flown with them a few times; have stuck with Delta for the past few years. I do have Delta SkyMiles Amex, which I use and get miles for. Now, as far as upgrades go, at least with Delta, the upgrades are based on your Medallion miles (I am sure United may have a similar equivalent, under a different name), which are the actual miles flown. Hence, one moves up from basic member to Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, etc. Medallion status and in the process warrants more and more benefits like first class upgrades. The key is that the upgrades are not based on the total amount of miles in Delta's case, but rather the actual miles flown. Look into it more and see if that is the case with United as well. Regular miles are good for gift cards as well as free tickets (they are free as long as you get them ahead of time to avoid increasing fees - when you book real close to the departure date). Just my .02 cents.
As far as getting free flights for miles, that has not been an issue in the past. Never came across any excuses from Delta, as Peter pointed out earlier with United. They have been pretty straightforward with the miles program. Also, I just flew first class with American about a week ago, and although I may be partial to Delta, I thought that their first class service sucked when compared to the former. While I am not the one to ask for constant service, it would be nice if the stewardess stopped by more than once during the 3 hour flight to ask if i desired anything else, besides a damn cereal, which sucks, for breakfast

 

[p m]

Most of my flights with United are work-related. Not sure if I really want an upgrade to 1st class from IAD to KWI.

 

[adriatic04]

edit: just read you said you are easily 1K - you should already be getting frequent upgrades, right?

get the Presidential Plus card...if you are lucky you might be able to snag an old application from an old Continental Pres Club which has a voucher code for the first year fee waived (promo they ran in December when they kicked out AMEX platinum members). The credit card itself will not get you upgrades but it gets you in to all United/Continental President's Clubs, which if you travel frequently is very well worth your while. Also gets you free checked bags but that is pointless if you are already Elite.

From there, fly United or stick with Star Alliance airline partners (US Airways) and bring the miles on. The new mileage plus thing is confusing (seems everyone feels they should be premier) but if you are Gold or above youll be upgraded from time to time, they do a decent job of this. EVen when you aren't upgraded you always get a decent exit row seat, or at least front of the bus. Most United equipment has a Business Premium seat class, I think its called. Its the front 10 or so rows, extra legroom, etc. Silver won't get you much other than shorter security lines.

United/Continental First Class IMO is superior to the others. They do a nice job with it, really nice on coast to coast flights.

All the cards below this level are just gimmicks to get you to earn miles, youll need to spend a shit ton to make Elite, your best bet is just stick with the carrier and earn miles as you fly.

 

[bri]

I don't really care so much about using the reward miles. I'm more in it for the first class upgrades. Getting the upgrades makes the trip so much more tolerable. As it stands, I almost always get them domestically but I want to advance so I can score them for international travel.

unlimited first class domestic upgrades require at least prem. exec. status. increases in status require elite qualify miles. general purchases on a united card are not elite qualifying miles. actual mileage flown and purchases on card for united flights are elite qualifying miles. call or read fine print before you choose. there are plenty on nat'l and int'l non black out dates. i went to los cabos over holidays and am planning rome in spring.

if you fly int'l do not forget that Singapore Air is star alliance.

 

[61rover]

Living in Denver, I've been a United ff for 20 years. No airline is perfect, but United has been good to me.

The new Explorer card has some good benefits. I'm required to to use Amex by my employer so I can't use it but I would if I could.

 

[chris snell]

That helps a lot. The only thing I'm still confused about is the difference between "miles" and Elite Qualification Miles (EQMs).

If I purchase a $1000 ticket for a 2000-mile round-trip with United, using my United MileagePlus card, how many miles would I get that count towards Elite status? Would I get 3,000 (1000 for the ticket plus 2000 for actual miles)?

In reality, I will be buying a lot of United tickets with this card, along with hotels and rental cars. I want the card that will get me to 1K the quickest. Right now, I've achieved my current level with pure actual flying miles only.

 

[adriatic04]

I am pretty sure my presidential plus purchases are dollar to dollar for elite qualification miles. I cannot speak for the other cards as those purchases might be some other non qualifying miles for reward tickets and not for status qualification.

In the case of my card in your scenario I am pretty sure my balance would go up by 3,000 and not just 1,000 flown miles.

I would also be willing to bet their system knows who has cards and who doesn't and those that do might get bumped up. This is all stuff I'm sure happens but they don't tell you.

 

[bri]

call and ask. EVERY card agreement is different.

I believe that my card counts 3 miles for a united purchase. NONE are EQM. Only the miles flown are EQM. I think that there are cards that you get some EQM on though.

I would actually be surprised if you can get EQM for general purchases. But it may be if you pay a big fee, i.e. 365 or more per year. You might get red carpet too. I have about $35 fee.

 

[Ballah06]

call and ask. EVERY card agreement is different.

I believe that my card counts 3 miles for a united purchase. NONE are EQM. Only the miles flown are EQM. I think that there are cards that you get some EQM on though.

I would actually be surprised if you can get EQM for general purchases. But it may be if you pay a big fee, i.e. 365 or more per year. You might get red carpet too. I have about $35 fee.

As mentioned above, it would be really surprising if airline credit cards gave out EQMs for regular purchases. If that was the case, I would be constantly getting upgraded. Just put everything on your cc, pay it off when it's due and reap the huge travel-related benefits in the process. As I have mentioned earlier though, it seems that typically qualification miles, medallion miles, etc. are strictly based on actual miles flown. While you may get general miles for purchases, to include the purchase of the ticket, your EQMs should be based on the distance flown.

 

[adriatic04]

As I said, I am pretty sure my regular purchases on the presidential plus go to EQM. They call them fEQM which means they are flexible and can be used to redeem or for elite qualification.

Just FYI, believe the presidential plus is 400 yearly fee. It was waived the first year because of the whole AMEX Continental thing.

 

[bri]

Well, it appears to be a continental card, so until later in march you really do not know how it will apply to the new merged program, right?

Read here:
http://www9.chasecreditcards.com/T3000/Offer_Details.aspx?compare=true&CARD=PresidentialPlus&CELL=6RRW&JP_CMP=cc/05BRContinentalPPExact/sea/na/PresidentialPlus&LP=3000050&MSC=IQ43951889&SPIDOP=DFQ5&SPIDPP=DG57&

I see nothing about one for one EQM, but I do see " You will earn 1 OnePass mile for each $1 of net purchases. " which is definitely not an EQM, nor is it a United mileage plus mile... yet.

At least with united, you can shop around and see what you find, but I almost guearantee that you will not find a CC that will allow purchases to accumulate EQM. Only miles. You may find expensive cards that allow other types of perks and some that have some upgrades, but these cards do not increase your "status" with the airlines through mileage. I.e. you will not become a premier exec., 1k, etc with purchased miles, only miles you fly. Best and cheapest way to free upgrades is premeir exec, but they are still not all that common on booked flights or if you fly where there are tons of 1k's.

If you do find one, please let me know cause I will change.

 

[adriatic04]

Yeah who the hell knows. I guess I could go through my account and see but that's a nightmare.

They make all of these programs impossible to figure out on purpose.

 

[Ballah06]

Well, it appears to be a continental card, so until later in march you really do not know how it will apply to the new merged program, right?

Read here:
http://www9.chasecreditcards.com/T3000/Offer_Details.aspx?compare=true&CARD=PresidentialPlus&CELL=6RRW&JP_CMP=cc/05BRContinentalPPExact/sea/na/PresidentialPlus&LP=3000050&MSC=IQ43951889&SPIDOP=DFQ5&SPIDPP=DG57&

I see nothing about one for one EQM, but I do see " You will earn 1 OnePass mile for each $1 of net purchases. " which is definitely not an EQM, nor is it a United mileage plus mile... yet.

At least with united, you can shop around and see what you find, but I almost guearantee that you will not find a CC that will allow purchases to accumulate EQM. Only miles. You may find expensive cards that allow other types of perks and some that have some upgrades, but these cards do not increase your "status" with the airlines through mileage. I.e. you will not become a premier exec., 1k, etc with purchased miles, only miles you fly. Best and cheapest way to free upgrades is premeir exec, but they are still not all that common on booked flights or if you fly where there are tons of 1k's.

If you do find one, please let me know cause I will change.

Although different airlines use different terminology to identify miles flown (EQMs with United, Medallion Qualification Miles with Delta, etc.), miles earned through purchases, one's standing with the airline (Delta - silver, gold, platinum, diamond, etc.), etc. I think the concept of earning miles, status, etc. seems to be more or less the same. I have stuck with Delta and have their Delta Platinum Amex which works out for what I need it for. Despite a $125 annual fee, i accrue a mile or more for every dollar spent, which I can redeem for Amex or store gift cards, or use toward a purchase of a Delta ticket. I have done all of the above in the past and it has worked out great. I suppose it just all depends on what particular benefits each one of us values more, as well as travel destinations, etc. This website http://www.comparecards.com/category/airline could be useful for comparison.

A quick perusal of the link above makes it seem that Venture One is a better card than some of the others, although I would question acceptance of miles accrued through the use of that card by various airlines, i.e. some additional stipulations, as opposed to when one of "their own" cards is used.

 

[chris snell]

I'm really okay if my regular incidental purchases (like dinner) don't count for miles. The only thing I really want is to be able to get EQMs when I purchase a United ticket with my United/Continental card. I still can't tell if that's possible.

The cardholder agreements beat around the bush and are so vague on this. Is there any way to get to 1K any faster than just flying the damned miles?

 

[Ballah06]

I'm really okay if my regular incidental purchases (like dinner) don't count for miles. The only thing I really want is to be able to get EQMs when I purchase a United ticket with my United/Continental card. I still can't tell if that's possible.

The cardholder agreements beat around the bush and are so vague on this. Is there any way to get to 1K any faster than just flying the damned miles?

Well, you can always look into purchasing miles, not sure if you can buy MQMs or EQMs, but at least with Delta, the only way to earn medallion miles - ones that count toward upgrades, etc. is to fly. Also, something I didn't mention earlier, at least Delta's miles do not expire any longer, at least the reg. ones. I am pretty sure you still have to fly a certain number of miles a year or have a certain number of flights (i.e., qualification segments) to maintain your previously acquired medallion status. Despite all this gibberish and "silly" rules, there is nothing sweeter than getting upgraded frequently.

 

[chris snell]

My goal is to get 1K. Then I'll buy a biz class ticket for my next international trip and--hopefully--get to try out International First.

 

[bri]

Yeah who the hell knows. I guess I could go through my account and see but that's a nightmare.

They make all of these programs impossible to figure out on purpose.

It's not that hard. With United, you login and it tells you how many EQM you have and each transaction. It does ususally tells you how may EQM to get the next status level, but that is disabled right now because they are merging the program with Contintental in the next 60 days or so.