United Diminishes Partner Mileage Earnings Rates

This stuff is getting way too confusing for me on both United and DL.

Can someone help clarify these two scenarios, assuming just "normal" economy fares?

A: DL-marketed flight operated on KLM/AF. I earn full MQMs, MQDs, but redeemable miles based on ticket cost?

B: KLM/AF-marketed and operated flight: I earn full MQMs, no MQDs, but redeemable miles based on mileage flown?

judging from the change, does ANA seem like their closest partner now?

"Will the change in earnings rates for travel on MileagePlus partners impact your loyalty?"

No. Nobody in their right mind is loyal to United any more.

@Lucky.

The video ads seems to be back Lucky, can't say I missed them.

Starts in a frame with this address
http://www.viki.com/player/1034206v?il=en&sl=en&autostart=true&autoplay=true&volume=0

This is the video that play.
http://v.viki.io/1034206v/1034206v_high_360p_1403132003.mp4?e=1422545095&h=755b6941a57f9512ddfac67b5c51e465

All these program changes (Delta, United, BA etc.) seem to be encouraging less revenue flying and more credit card bonuses and earning through spending.

The lack of notice is unconscionable. I just sold 15 tickets in the last 2 weeks on AirNZ and made sure we were in 100% milage classes for March travel. AARGH!

I just got off the phone with Mileage Plus to express my dissatisfaction with the fact that when flying on some Star Alliance partners (looking at you, Air Canada) I often receive less PQM than actual miles flown, even when flying a United codeshare flight, on United ticket stock.

A recent flight:
Vancouver --> Toronto Air Canada S class on United codeshare. Ticketed through United.
Miles Flown: 2085
Base Award Miles: 521
Base Revenue Award Miles (if flight after March 2015): 990
PQM: 521

IMO PQM should never be less than actual miles flown, regardless of partner, especially on codeshare flights on United ticket stock.

@ No Name -- Thanks for the heads up, grrr! Will report it to the tech team.

It seems simply too complicated to encourage any loyalty to the alliance, and isn't loyalty supposed to be the point of the mileage game as far as airlines are concerned?

DL AF/KLM RDM mileage accrual question. Applies to UALS as well I believe.

Looking at an AF flight, let's say it's a 10k miles nonstop flight for easy math purposes. Ticket cost is $1500 (Class V).

It earns the following per link below:
A) 25% Base Miles
B) 25% Total Miles earned
C) 100% MQM
D) 80% Medallion Mileage Bonus (Eg.Platinum status)

Just to understand correctly, is this what would get posted to one's account:
A) 2,500 miles (cancels out B?)
B) 2,500 miles
C) 10,000 miles
D) 8,000 miles

For a total of 10,500 RDM, and 10,000 MQM.

For comparison, for a DL 006 stock, it would be 10,000 MQM + 13,500 RDM (9 x 1,500).

Is this right?

Thanks in advance.

http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...ir-france.html

Yup, way too complicated. Just eliminate "mileage" earning/using and go to a % cashback bonus/points system based on spend like the credit cards - oh wait they already have cards that do that :P. MileagePlus is degenerating fast.

For the most part, I see this as a net positive right now in my life. For instance, I fly ANA J/C all the time and now that increases to 300%. I'm also lucky enough to fly almost always in premium classes or full fare, but this is going to totally suck for family travel or when I change jobs..

Does United want to bleed customers??? But a real question...maybe its just me but I am having a hard time finding where the UA website states what the PQM earning rate is on *A partner airlines. Any help here? Thanks

Does United want to bleed customers??? But a real question…maybe its just me but I am having a hard time finding where the UA website states what the PQM earning rate is on *A partner airlines. Any help here? Thanks

am i really the only one who noticed F.A.P. i'd bet good money the ordering was not happenstance.

this was my (and many, i'm sure) work around to UA's 3.1.15 award miles death. now, looks like the only hope is to route everything thru ICN.

combine all this with chase banning me for life (odd how no blogger/partners have been banned by one of their partners. hmmm....) and it's adios UA. as a collective we really need to throw as much business at AA as possible- enough to show up on their bottom line to such a degree as to make them think that being the only '1 mile, 1 mile earned' left standing makes sense to continue.

I apologize in advance for all the quotation marks...What is so interesting [read disappointing] to me is how things are coming full circle...I have been w/ UA long enough to remember the days before Star Alliance and how difficult mileage credit/tracking/redeeming on "partner" airlines could be...Then behold, unto us a "Star" was born and everything was SUPPOSED to get better...You were no longer dealing w/ a "partner" airline, you were dealing w/ an "Alliance" ...Everything was equal as long as you were dealing w/ an Alliance carrier [except you, my beloved SQ, we know all to well you were the exception to almost EVERY benefit]...Then, not too long ago, slowly, I noticed how things were beginning to change in the other 2 alliances and feared for my precious Star...Yes, now those fears are reality, and its looking more and more like 1995 every time I look at these updated "benefits"...

Lucky: thanks so much for the phenomenally helpful summary of the new earning rates all in a single chart. So nice to have this PDF-able chart available on one's phone! Any chance you might do a similar one that shows the PQM earn rates for M+ carriers?

@ sf_uniform -- I'll see what I can do! Thanks for the kind words.

The airline loyalty programs are not worth it. I fly every week for work on United. Since I am based by one of their hubs it is basically impossible for me to earn a high status. Gold is the best I could do - and that is traveling EVERY WEEK! In addition, I just realized that I booked a flight on a Star Alliance partner airline for our trip to Europe. I will be getting 0% mileage accrual.

What a waste. It's a waste of time, effort, and money. I should fly Delta and connect every week, but I prefer to spend more time at home than in airports.

I noticed that on united.com you can't book a lot of partner airlines which would reward you better if you purchased it on United (and got miles for money spent). However, on United's mobile app you CAN book a lot of partner airlines. And that's just great when you are paying a lot for a business class ticket that is flying less than 1,000 miles. Change your rules UA, and I will fly a way to benefit....

DEC

Thanks for making this chart. It's much more user-friendly than clicking through dozens of links on the United web site.

Do you have a version that shows United PQM earnings for partner airlines?

I recently flew a bargain basement Eithiopean Airlines economy ticket --> IAD-ADD connecting to ADD-ACC and received 20k PQM and 20k redeemable miles.

I didn't realize how lucky I was because my next RT a month later was a United ticket flying Lufthansa from IAD-FRA-ACC. This United ticket was obviously 50% more expensive. Result? 0 PQMs and 0 redeemable miles. The were in 2H 2015. I worked like a son of a gun to explain to United how idiotic their "improved system" had become. The MP Rep said go ahead then and book on Eithiopean!!