I think I know the answer, but I'll try anyway:

Last year I made SP (a big step for little ole me). I understand that I remain SP until 2-29-04. This year has been pretty pathetic and I don't have the segments or miles to make SP, BUT, I will be flying in Jan/Feb, and those miles should put me over the limit.

So. . . . can I get to SP for the next (March 2004-2005) preferred period by flying in Jan/Feb, or has that ship sailed? If I can't, does that mean that my Jan/Feb 2004 flight is going to count towards status beginning in March 2005?! So consfused.

Status goes by calendar year. To have status on March 1, 2004, you must have completed the requirements by December 31, 2003.

Sadly for you, the counter will reset to 0 on January 1, so your Jan-Feb travel will count towards the next year. However, once you cross the line into silver you will qualify for the rest of that year and the entire next year. In other words, travel during 2004 will establish status until March 2005. So if you accumulated enough miles to reach silver by Febuary (unlikely, I suppose) you would remain silver until March 2005. If you don't accumluate enough miles or segments until June, you would have no status for March-June 2004 and then would regain silver status until Feb 2005. Does that clear things up at all?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MikeLaw:
Sadly for you, the counter will reset to 0 on January 1, so your Jan-Feb travel will count towards the next year. However, once you cross the line into silver you will qualify for the rest of that year and the entire next year. In other words, travel during 2004 will establish status until March 2005. So if you accumulated enough miles to reach silver by Febuary (unlikely, I suppose) you would remain silver until March 2005. If you don't accumluate enough miles or segments until June, you would have no status for March-June 2004 and then would regain silver status until Feb 2005. Does that clear things up at all?</font>

Actually, status would be till Feb 2006, not Feb 2005

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Alysia:
Actually, status would be till Feb 2006, not Feb 2005</font>

Oops. Of course that is right. All these numbers make me dizzy.

Ok, I think I'm getting this, even though it's not the answer I wanted.

What you are saying is, come 2-29-04, I lose my SP. BUT if my flights in 2004 get me to SP level, then I once again become SP at the time I qualify.

One thing that confuses me: If I earn 25,000 miles between Jan-Feb '04, don't I have to wait until 2-28-05 to become SP? Or stated differently, aren't the miles I earn in 2004 for my preferred status in 2005? I'm surprised US would allow someone to retain a preferred level for what could potentially be 2 full years (if I earned 25k in Jan '04, you are saying that I'd be SP from Jan '04 until Feb '06 - 25 months!). That doesn't sound like something US would do!

Uh oh, I think I confused myself again.

[This message has been edited by batboy (edited Dec 16, 2003).]

Actually, that *is* the case. I did a challenge this Fall and attained GP status. Even though the status period is from 3/1/04 until 2/28/05 and hasn't started yet, I am currently able to take advantage of GP perks. If I had done this earlier in the year, say June, I would have essentially had roughly 20 months of GP status.

No, as soon as you cross the threshold you qualify. I was in the middle of a trip on UA when I hit 1K. I called from the airport to the Mileage Plus desk and told them (I was on an upgrade wait list at the time). They looked at my last segment, bumped me to 1K on the computer (its normally once a week or something) and told me to ask at the gate to get put on the upgrade list AGAIN, so the change would take place. Basically if you fly 25,000 miles in Jan of 04, you are SP until Feb of 06.

It really does work that way. My wife made SP for the first time this year in June and she earned her status until March 2005, almost 2 years worth at once.

If you manage to go from nothing to GP or CP, you'd get all the welome packets along the way. I read a post recently from someone who got four international upgrade coupons within a few months in this way. It seems almost like a scam.

Sounds great. Seems like a great deal, earning preferred status for so long.

Psuedo-unrelated question: I keep hearing about these international upgrades/system wides etc. I have been SP for the last year and the only thing I ever got was 3 500 mile upgrades. Nothing else. Is that right?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by batboy:
I have been SP for the last year and the only thing I ever got was 3 500 mile upgrades. Nothing else. Is that right?</font>

No, you should have received 2 complimentary space-available transatlantic upgrade coupons. Call SP and check on this. They are pre-printed with your name so there should be a paper trail of some sort.

The 3 upgrades you got were most likely your threshold upgrades - although you should have gotten 4.

After becoming silver, you should have also received 2-one way transatlantic upgrades. If you didn't get them in your silver package, call the service desk.