US Airways' Big Mileage Bonus Is for Big Buyers

Score up to 100,000 bonus miles.*

That's the headline for US Airways' upcoming promotion. With that fat, round number as an incentive, it has a nice ring to it. It's an attention-getter, all right.

As is often the case with headlines, this one has an asterisk next to it.  And with this offer, one asterisk may not be enough.

Offer Details

Between September 1 and November 14, members of US Airways' Dividend Miles program can earn up to 100,000 bonus miles by completing 36 eligible transactions with program partners.

During the promotion period, each eligible transaction generates a hit, in keeping with the Grand Slam theme of the promotion. Hits translate into bonus miles, as follows:

• Four hits 4,000 miles
• Eight hits 8,000 miles
• 12 hits 14,000 miles (3,000 of which are elite-qualifying)
• 16 hits 20,000 miles (6,000 of which are elite-qualifying)
• 20 hits 30,000 miles
• 24 hits 40,000 miles
• 28 hits 60,000 miles
• 32 hits 80,000 miles
• 36 hits 100,000 miles

Further complicating matters, there are limits to the number and types of partner transactions that qualify as hits:

• Cards - maximum one hit for each US Airways credit or debit card
• Hotels - maximum six hits
• Hotel transfers - maximum 10 hits
• Cars rentals - maximum six hits
• US Airways Club - one hit
• Dividend Miles Shopping Mall - maximum one hit
• Other partners - maximum of one hit per partner

Registration is required. Transactions completed before registering do not count toward earning bonuses.

Deal or No Deal

The headline-featured bonus is significant, obviously. But very few Dividend Miles members will walk away with the full 100,000 miles.

The question for most is whether they're willing or able to rack up enough hits to still earn a meaningful number of bonus miles.

If so, you'll have 2.5 months to work through as many transactions as possible. And if elite status in US Airways' program is on your agenda, the 12- and 14-hit thresholds would be goals particularly worth pursuing.

Reader Reality Check

Is it worthwhile jumping through so many hoops to participate in the promotion?

If so, how many bonus miles do you expect to earn with this offer?

Comments

[Mark]

Far too complicated. The hotel "hits" are only valid if you select miles instead of hotel points, which means you give up any hotel bonus point offers. The transfer of points from hotels to USAirways is generally not a very good deal. I'll pass on this one.