Well after promising to do so for a while, I have to say I have joined the dark side....

I write this from the RCC in ORD. I joined yesterday at 5AM from the RCC in LGA waiting for my 6AM flight to ORD....

Thanks to US' reduction in value of their club system (1/3 of clubs are gone over 6 months), and their foolish decision to nickel and dime club members by charging extra to use RCC's, they made my decision to change my club affiliation very easy....

As a US1, with the UAL addon, my cost is $395 for a year.

As a UA 1P, with access to US clubs INCLUDED, my cost for a year is $350...

Go figure...

Oh yeah, and UA has a HOT breakfast on a 2 hour flight served on china with glass....I forgot how that feels.....

Oh well.....

My best to you all....

Overheard a similar conversation in an ORD RCC last weekend ... a US elite flying UA who hadn't bought the extra RCC add-on to his membership was unhappily turned away. I don't know who's to blame for such nickel-and-diming (though I'd suspect US, as with all their club closures, they'd be paying a lot of $$s when pax use RCCs)

Overheard a similar conversation in an ORD RCC last weekend ... a US elite flying UA who hadn't bought the extra RCC add-on to his membership was unhappily turned away. I don't know who's to blame for such nickel-and-diming (though I'd suspect US, as with all their club closures, they'd be paying a lot of $$s when pax use RCCs)

This is a perfect example of shortsighted planning by US. Between the club closings and the added charge for use of RCC's they are inviting us to leave and defect.

It has been said however, that on the back side, they get more money from a frequent traveler in fees from UA than the membership fees they collect on their own....so perhaps its just another case of smoke and mirrors, and that they WANT us to leave.

Unbelievable.

And as a US1 and a UA 1K it was cheaper for me to join the RCC instead of renew the US Club. The argument that people joining the RCC makes more money for US is an interesting one. I remember years back people saying that the Vega was a successful car for GM because they had major profits with it. But it seemed to me that it also caused a huge loss in loyalty to GM because it was so problematic.

Having people join the RCC may have a real negative effect on loyalty to US. Marketing an airline is marketing a package, almost like making people feel part of a team in my experience. Trading people to another team for a few bucks isnt a good plan. Getting 30 bucks or whatever for people with RCC memberships to use the club may seem like a good plan but only until they start buying tickets on United.