United Mileage Plus members who register by Nov. 24 and pay at $499 fee, will earn double elite qualifying miles or elite qualifying segments on qualifying travel through Dec. 16. Contrast this offer with US Airways, where, through Dec. 31, members will earn elite status qualifying miles on just about every way to earn miles: qualified hotel stays, car rentals or purchases, as well as the usual channels of US Airways and Star Alliance flights. In addition, members who sign up for a US Airways World MasterCard or US Airways Visa Signature card and charge more than $25,000 in net purchases during the calendar year benefit from 10,000 of their base miles being converted to Preferred miles.