In the past with big mergers, the frequent flyer miles of each airlines were combined into one account. This happened to American Airlines and TWA, and when US Airways and America West merged, and also with Delta and Northwest once the two companies merged into one.
Here at Bestfares.com, we believe that United and Continental are going to do the same with their mileage programs.
To maximize this benefit, you want to load up both miles account with the cheapest costing miles. To start, don't buy from the airlines. If you buy miles from United, they sell them for 3.2 each plus a process fee (60,000 per year buy limit). But if you could buy 135,000 miles, it would come out to a whopping $4,353.75.
Here's a way to get them cheaper. The chart below has five Check/Credit Card Offers that will allow you to get up to 135,000 miles for $310 (in Annual Fees). Saving you over $4,000.
Continental offers a Chase Debit MasterCard for $85 per year but free the first year, a personal World MasterCard for $85 per year and a Business Debit MasterCard for $85 per year. The credit card offers a bonus of 25,000 miles and if you open a Chase checking account and one of the debit cards, you can earn bonuses of 25,000. If you get all three cards, you have the potential of earning 75,000 bonus miles.
United offers a personal Visa Signature card for
$60 per year and a Visa Platinum Business Card for $75 per year and each has a
bonus of 30,000 miles. If you got all five cards, you would get a bonus of
135,000 miles at a cost of $305*. The business cards are available to small
businesses and if you are an eBay seller, you could qualify for a business card.
Later on after you receive your miles, you can ditch the cards. We advise though to keep one for after the merger and use it at least once a year so you don't lose your miles. Note: Continental has a luggage program were you can get your First Bag or/and Second Bag for free if you have the right card (like Delta and American Express). Hopefully the new United will keep the program or grandfather in people who currently take part in the promotion. It maybe wise to get a Continental card.
While both airlines, Continental and United, will reduce flights and airfares in some regions will go up. You can benefit by taking advantage of each airlines affinity credit card programs. It's like double dipping! If you can take advantage of both United and Continental's credit car, debit card, or bank accounts you could end up with 80,000 to 135,000 combined airlines miles. Since each company gives mileage incentives, sometimes up to 30,000 just to sign up for their credit cards, and bonus miles on certain purchases you easily could achieve bonus miles and elite status in no time.
If you are approved you are actually buying air miles at about 92% off what the airlines sell miles for. This could be the best mile deal in the next few months. That's why we think if you can push the limit on this offer and earn 135,000 miles for $305, the first year, and $390 for second year onward, that is if none of the credit card companies up their fees, this is a dream come true deal.
The time to act is before the merger
goes through, then next summer you'll be sitting pretty. You could fly two
people to Europe for the cost of fuel surcharges alone for one European ticket.
Even if you can only qualify for the non business accounts you would earn 80,000 air miles for $145 versus paying retail air miles at $2,400.
Look at what incentive you can get, if you can redeem the miles for the lowest mileage awards.
| Number Of Miles Needed To Redeem | What It Will Get You |
| 80,000 Miles | 3-4 Tickets Domestic USA or Canada |
| 2 Tickets To Hawaii, Mexico, or Caribbean | |
| 1 Ticket To Europe, or South America | |
| 1 Upgrade Ticket To Business Class For Europe | |
| 135,000 Miles | 5-6 USA Tickets |
| 3 Tickets To Hawaii, Mexico, or Caribbean | |
| 2 Tickets To Europe | |
| 1 Business Class Ticket To Europe | |
| 2 Business Class Upgrades To Europe |
The credit card offers are listed below.
| Continental Airlines | |||
| Credit Card | Miles | Annual Fee | Link |
| Chase Continental Airlines Preferred Debit MasterCard | 25,000 | $85 * Free The First Year | Link |
| Chase Continental Airlines Business Debit MasterCard | 25,000 | $85 | Link |
| Continental Airlines World MasterCard | 25,000 | $85 | Link |
| United Airlines | |||
| United Plus Visa Signature Card | 30,000 | $60 | Link |
| Mileage Plus Visa Platinum Business Card | 30,000 | $75 | Link |
| Total Miles | Total Cost | ||
| 135,000 | $305* | ||








