As always, if elite-qualifying mileage is an important part of your decision on an itinerary, be sure to check the earning rules with the particular partner airline you're hoping to fly to make sure you earn the mileage you need.

Flyers in business class on Singapore will earn 125% base miles, but 150% Premier-qualifying miles. On ANA, those who purchase first class fares earn 250% base miles and 150% Premier-qualifying miles, for example. That's different than with some of United's other Star Alliance partners such as Air Canada or ANA where United Mileage Plus members will also earn bonuses of up to 50% on Premier-qualifying miles depending on the fare class. I only accrued 125% base mile and 100% elite-qualifying miles per Air China's agreement with United. The flight only counted as a single Premier-qualifying segment – the most you can earn at all on Air China with United. I was booked in Z class, or discounted business, so based on Air China's relationship with United, I only got 6,251 Premier-qualifying miles, and a 25% class-of-service bonus on base miles for a total of 7,813 United miles.

Air China is a member of Star Alliance, so I banked my miles to my United MileagePlus account. The flight took 12 hours going east across the Pacific, and clocked in at 6,251 miles. The Miles Ordinarily, my one-way ticket would have cost about $4,900 (though roundtrips go for about $5,500). They also served Budweiser and Yanjing beer, plus Glenfiddich 15-year and a few other liqueurs. The alcohol list was short and to the point with two French reds and white wines each, a semi-sweet French champagne, and red and white Great Wall wine from China. The Western choice was a plain omelette with Lyonnais potatoes, Canadian bacon and herbed tomatoes, breakfast rolls, cereal and fresh fruit. Breakfast was a sparse spread of dumplings and congee.īreakfast took place about 90 minutes before landing and started with pickles with sea kelp and salted duck egg, congee with dumplings and black mushroom-veggie dumplings, and fresh fruit.

Air china boeing 777 300 economy