US Airways is back with their 100% bonus on purchased or gifted miles between September 16 and November 15.

When they ran the bonus from mid-August through mid-September the full 100% bonus was only available on larger mileage purchases, this time the full 100% bonus is offered regardless of quantity of miles purchased.

And 50,000 bonus miles is the most that can be earned from the promotion, except that the gift miles offer is stackable with the 25% bonus running all year for elites gifting miles. So elites doing the gifting will generate an extra 25% bonus for mileage recipients, on top of the bonus of up to 100% under this offer.

US Airways accounts have to be at least 12 days old before buying or gifting miles, so if you’re even thinking about using the promotion but happen not to have an account, open one. Joining by September 30 gets you 1500 free miles to start.

Last year the price for purchased miles was 2.5 cents apiece and this year they raised it 10% to 2.75 cents, and increased the cost of some awards e.g. US to Europe in business class is now 100,000 miles rather than 80,000 (but that’s still lower than the price United and Continental charge for the same award). Still, buying the miles for business class to Europe will run about $1400 (without the extra bonus for miles being gifted from an elite’s account), a good deal if you can find the seats. And US Airways will put an award on hold for you for three days even without miles in your account. So you can secure the award and then and only then buy the miles so that there’s not risk.

Some months back Flyertalk’s eponymous coward (I think) offered that US Airways seems to have become the ‘official consolidator for Star Alliance premium cabin seats’… Buy miles from them cheap to redeem for otherwise unsold business and first class seats on their Star partners. Great opportunity.