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Whether or not you've hit your EQD threshold affects whether you achieve a status level. It doesn't directly affect your mileage earning rate (your status level

Whether or not you've hit your EQD threshold affects whether you achieve a status level. It doesn't directly affect your mileage earning rate (your status level can affect that, but isn't relevant to what the article is stating). So the article is correct: these fees do not change the mileage you earn from buying the ticket and taking the flight.

imgabe 8y ago
Right, it doesn't change the mileage you receive, but you need both miles (or segments) and EQD to reach the next status level.
- ubernostrum 8y ago
  Which doesn't contradict the article. Your comment is a non sequitur.
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
- monksy 8y ago
  Higher status has a multiplier on what you earn. https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/mileageplus/premier/bonuses.html https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/mileageplus/premier/bon...
  - ubernostrum 8y ago
    For those unfamiliar with the terminology, there are two types of miles you earn with the big three US carriers. All miles you earn can be redeemed for free tickets. But only one type -- elite-qualifying miles ("EQM") -- also advance you toward the next level of status in the frequent-flyer program, and status is what gets you most of the nice perks. The other type -- redeemable miles ("RDM") -- are only useful to redeem for tickets, and do not count towards status. When airlines offer "bonus miles", with a few exceptions they are RDM, not EQM. RDM are also a heavily deflationary currency, because airlines issue them by the bucketload, and then adjust their redemption charts regularly to account for how many they've given out. (the biggest exception is booking into premium fare classes like first class or business class, which typically does apply a multiplier to the earned EQM) Achieving status typically requires: * A certain number of EQM in a year, or a certain number of segments flown in a year * And a certain minimum amount of actual money spent (elite-qualifying dollars, or "EQD"), as a measure to prevent people racking up huge amounts of mileage on bargain-basement tickets, and then trying to claim status with all its perks There are typically four published levels of status; American calls them "Gold", "Platinum", "Platinum Pro" and "Executive Platinum". Delta has Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond. United has Silver, Gold, Platinum and 1K. Perks start out pretty basic at the lowest levels, but get pretty serious (and pretty nice) at the top tier. There are also unpublished levels above that, typically by invitation only, for people perceived as ultra-high-value customers. American's version is called Concierge Key, Delta's is called Delta 360, United's is Global Services.
    - tehwebguy 8y ago
      The psychological scheming behind free to play games have nothing on mileage programs

imgabe 8y ago

Right, it doesn't change the mileage you receive, but you need both miles (or segments) and EQD to reach the next status level.

ubernostrum 8y ago
Which doesn't contradict the article. Your comment is a non sequitur.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
monksy 8y ago
Higher status has a multiplier on what you earn. https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/mileageplus/premier/bonuses.html https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/mileageplus/premier/bon...
- ubernostrum 8y ago
  For those unfamiliar with the terminology, there are two types of miles you earn with the big three US carriers. All miles you earn can be redeemed for free tickets. But only one type -- elite-qualifying miles ("EQM") -- also advance you toward the next level of status in the frequent-flyer program, and status is what gets you most of the nice perks. The other type -- redeemable miles ("RDM") -- are only useful to redeem for tickets, and do not count towards status. When airlines offer "bonus miles", with a few exceptions they are RDM, not EQM. RDM are also a heavily deflationary currency, because airlines issue them by the bucketload, and then adjust their redemption charts regularly to account for how many they've given out. (the biggest exception is booking into premium fare classes like first class or business class, which typically does apply a multiplier to the earned EQM) Achieving status typically requires: * A certain number of EQM in a year, or a certain number of segments flown in a year * And a certain minimum amount of actual money spent (elite-qualifying dollars, or "EQD"), as a measure to prevent people racking up huge amounts of mileage on bargain-basement tickets, and then trying to claim status with all its perks There are typically four published levels of status; American calls them "Gold", "Platinum", "Platinum Pro" and "Executive Platinum". Delta has Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond. United has Silver, Gold, Platinum and 1K. Perks start out pretty basic at the lowest levels, but get pretty serious (and pretty nice) at the top tier. There are also unpublished levels above that, typically by invitation only, for people perceived as ultra-high-value customers. American's version is called Concierge Key, Delta's is called Delta 360, United's is Global Services.
  - tehwebguy 8y ago
    The psychological scheming behind free to play games have nothing on mileage programs