US Airways has brought back a bonus on purchased or gifted miles, after only a little more than two weeks. And as last time the bonus is only on purchases for yourself or purchases to gift to others — not on transfers of miles between accounts.

The bonus runs through September 15, and this time though it’s not a straight 100% bonus. Rather, it’s a tiered bonus from 25% to 100% depending on the number of miles you buy.

1,000 – 9,000 miles – 25% Bonus
10,000 – 24,000 miles – 50% Bonus
25,000 – 39,000 miles – 75% Bonus
40,000 – 50,000 miles – 100% Bonus

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.

Last year the price for purchased miles was 2.5 cents apiece and this year they raised it 10% to 2.75 cents, I’m guessing because of high demand for miles under these promos and they realize if they’re running a 100% bonus all the time that they can squeeze more money out of those transactions.

During the last purchase miles promotion, the best line (which I recall repeating on an Upgrd Podcast is 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. Crazy stuff.