I admit that when I first joined the TPG team, I was very faithful to airline loyalty programs.
Since I rarely flew the same airline more than once a year, I didn't bother to add my frequent flyer number to reservations.
I came to my senses.
Even when elite status is out of reach, I still see the value in earning miles on every flight, and I have pledged my loyalty to United Airlines.
At the time of writing, I have 83 premier points, one premier flight and a final act of passion from attaining top-tier elite status in United's mileage program, premier 1k. Next week, I will go to visit a friend.
I went out of my way this year to claim top-tier status, even though it is easy for me to be loyal to a single airline. Setting myself up for success next year is how I am achieving elite status with United.
As I've gotten older, I've come to value certain comforts enough that I don't have to book the cheapest flight I can find. I didn't think I'd be the person who spent more money on tickets to get more points.
I booked flights to Turkey on Turkish Airlines over the summer. I looked at United's chart for earnings with Turkish flights. The W-class fare was not eligible for any earnings. After consulting with my colleagues, I decided to pay an additional $500 for a flexible fare that would allow me to earn 100% of the mileage accumulated.
In what I can only describe as a stroke of good fortune, I had to rescheduling that trip, so I was relieved that I booked a more flexible fare that would allow tickets to be renewed.
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By buying up into a higher economy-fare class, I was able to earn the maximum amount of PQPs per segment for my flights between Istanbul and Newark, as well as a few extra points for my flights between Bodrum and Istanbul.
It was important to read the fine print before booking a partner flight, especially if you want to earn status with an airline.
Even the most researched plans can go wrong.
There is a secret to United's elite status.
My hands are clammy when I ask for assistance.
In addition to my colleagues, who should also earn 1K status based solely on PQFs, I also spent a lot of time communicating with United this year when things went amiss with my earnings.
It is possible to earn elite status with United by using Star Alliance partners.
I spent months trying to get credit for that flight after the final segment of my Turkish Airlines fight. After a number of emails and phone calls, United arrived about six months after the trip. I had to keep going.
Two segments from the multicity itinerary didn't accrue on a recent SAS flight. An email and a chat with United's messaging service was required to resolve that issue.
When every point and every segment counts, it's important to ask for help and advocate for yourself. If you don't pay attention to your account balances, you might not even know you're missing a piece of the puzzle.
There are ways to earn United Mileage Plus miles.
The strategy still has merit despite the fact that this was a failed attempt to earn more PQPs.
I bid on an upgrade when flying SAS in hopes that it would code as a higher fare class and earn me more PQPs. The discounted economy tickets I had were only good for 50% mileage earnings. This did not work out.
I have been able to earn more PQPs byUpgrading on United flights in the past. I was able to score more points on a flight to London with the help of buying up from economy to premium plus.
If you want to get a better class of service and extra points, you can upgrade after booking standard economy fares. If you want to earn more PQPs, you need to only do this on United flights.
There are last-minute strategies for earning United premier status.
I flew from Arizona to New York and back to Arizona in a single day last year. The harebrained itinerary that would have me flying from Australia to the East Coast via the West Coast and back to the West Coast was scrapped by my colleagues.
I'm starting to regret the decision that I made.
Even though I didn't include stopovers or additional legs in my strategy this year, they are always top of mind and can be an easy way to close the gap. Adding a takeoff and landing to an otherwise nonstop flight can be done for free with same-day flight changes.
You have a guide to United Airlines partners.
Applying for a co branded United card was the most sensible thing I've ever done. The United Club Infinite Card has a 100,000-mile sign-up bonus after spending $5,000 within the first three months of opening an account. The lounge benefit, which grants access to United Clubs and Star Alliance lounges when flying with United, was one of the reasons I was attracted to the card.
Up to 4,000 PQPs can be earned by United Club Infinite cardholders every year.
Without the 500 PQPs I earned this year, I might have missed 1K.
Card-earned points can be used to get 1K when travelers also meet the PQF requirement. The hefty fee is easy to swallow. There was also a complimentary bloody mary from the club.
There is a guide to earning elite status with United cards.
I'm not sure what you're thinking, but I haven't hit 1K yet.
Friends, don't fret, not at all. There is one last trip booked before the year ends. It's either a trip to celebrate the new year with my friend in North Carolina or the baby's first run. The two are true.
Assuming no unforeseen circumstances, I'll jump over the finish line to 1K status with 32 hours and 49 minutes left. If something goes wrong, there is plenty of time to book a backup flight.
My first segment and points of the year will be collected on Jan. 2 when I return from the last flight.
There are many things you need to know about United Airlines.
I wonder if I got where I was going quicker or cheaper this year. It's absolutely true. Achieving 1K was a priority for me this year because of the promise of a free snack and beverage.
United is going to introduce elite status requirements next year before the Pandemic puts travel on hold. Travelers who achieved status in 2022 will once again receive head-start PQP bonuses. That's 2,500 points for 1K flyers. Entry-level Silver travelers will get 500 PQPs on their first day of travel. PQFs and PQPs will be granted by United.
The 1K requirements will increase from 36 PQFs to 54 PQFs and from 15000 PQPs to 24,000 PQPs. Being loyal to a single airline is not enough for travelers to achieve top-tier status.
A successful bid for status can be achieved through the use of PQP- and PQF-earning strategies. I probably won't book a cheaper flight with a non-alliance airline unless absolutely necessary if I make my United card my go-to for all big purchases next year. If I have to fly back and forth across the world, so be it.
Next year, see you all at preboarding.
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