US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - If not US, then who?

I've been fascinated with this FT site and learning that there are indeed plenty of people just as crazy about this stuff as I am. So, time to delurk.

I'm US Gold and, in fact, considering a couple personal 6-segment BWI-JAN runs at $106 each that, when added to my upcoming employer segments, will put me at CP (80 segments).

Nevertheless, I'm giving serious thought to trying to gain silver or gold elite status on another airline in 2002.

After all, if I make CP this year, I won't have to fly constantly for upgrades next year. And if I don't re-qualify for CP or Gold, my understanding is that the worst US would bump me back is one level (to gold).

I've learned very little studying the forums for other airlines to determine if there's another where I might be happy aside from US.

My main reason for wanting to be elite is being able to upgrade, pure and simple. Once you start turning to the left, it's hard to go back! The 100% miles bonus is pretty cool too.

Is any other airline as generous as US that I could consider?

And thank you all for being here. I've learned a great deal from you.

syzygy8, welcome to Flyertalk!
I'm pretty new myself, but from what I've seen on the boards, your question is a common one, and requires some more info, such as:
1) your origin airports(s)i.e., how far will you drive for a good fare, BWI?.
2) your main destinations (domestic, Int'l, etc.)
3) your goals, upgrades, lounge access, alliance preference
I know there is more, but this is a good start to get you on you way.

syzygy8-

No other airline is as good with the upgrades as US IMO. I am a Gold and get upgraded about 97% of the time and the Systemwides are great. TWA was OK but lousy routes and hub for me. United was a little less than OK but if US goes I will probably go back. I hear Continental is good but stingy on trans-atlantic upgrades. I am really hoping US pulls through.

MG

Topster,

In response to your questions:

1) I usually fly DCA (I live one subway stop away...12 minutes from my bedroom to the gate pre-911). I do, however, go to BWI or Dulles for good fares. Which is usually BWI.

2) I fly exclusively domestic. Most frequent destinations are LaGuardia, Albany,NY, Chicago and occasionally various destinations in Florida. Outside of that, it's a crapshoot. Biz this year took me for the first time to MSP (twice), STL, SEA, SFO, OMA, and TOL.

3)Goals? First, I want to check in quickly, board early (and have no problem finding space for my overhead), and travel in relative comfort (i.e. not coach). So upgrade quantity and availability is my number one priority.

At gold, I'm at about 98% success on the upgrades, but I've had to buy them once or twice. Most of my travel is the short hops and I get status through segments, not miles. So I don't earn upgrades that quickly.

Number two reason is the mileage bonus. I rarely use awards myself, but will often give tickets to family members to come visit me.

I hope this clarification helps.

MG,

I recently studied Continentals website to see their elite policies and it was difficult to understand. I emailed them for clarification, telling them I couldn't understand what their web site said. They replied saying I should look at their website. That's customer service that makes you worry!

Let me give a few differences(good and bad):

DL:
No Systemwide upgrades anymore
Top tier(Platinum) members get free club access. This is especially helpful for the partner clubs internationally.
Guranteed full Y seat on sold out flights

UA:
500 mile upgrade certs, so it takes 5 to cross the country.
TONS of 1K members(US equivalent=Gold), making upgrades more difficult
Nice alliance to use points on


CO:
Policy prohibits BizFirst standard awards from being issued more than 30 days from trip. You can pay DOUBLE the standard mileage to get it confirmed, but why spend 160,000 points for a bizfirst ticket to Europe when it's only 80,000 on US. Oh - and good luck getting the bizfirst seat within the 30 day window, too.

US:
SWUs to all members(at least in 2001)
800 mile upgrade certs, only 3 needed for a transcon(even though its a little more than 2400 miles for some routes)
relatively easy award redemption for all types of flights/seats(in my own experience)
crappy partner opportunities


You decide...

All (or should I say most) CO flyers rave about their program. Maybe spend some time perusing that forum.

btw- I've hear even UA's 1k's sit in coach sometimes <cringe>

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by PHL:
Let me give a few differences(good and bad):
...
UA:
500 mile upgrade certs, so it takes 5 to cross the country.
TONS of 1K members(US equivalent=Gold), making upgrades more difficult
Nice alliance to use points on

You decide...</font>

UA's 1P (Premier Executive) is the equal to US's Gold.

Yes, there are tons of 1P's. But there are few of us 1K's and even fewer of us Million Mile 1K's.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by syzygy8:
[B]Topster,


At gold, I'm at about 98% success on the upgrades, but I've had to buy them once or twice. Most of my travel is the short hops and I get status through segments, not miles. So I don't earn upgrades that quickly.

I am totally confused here---how do you get upgraded without using a cert.,SWU, or buying one?
thanks

I think (s)he means that occasionally the free certs that US sends are used up, so the original poster must buy the certs with money (or miles). Of course, as a CP, this is a concept that is totally foreign to me...

I'm switching a lot of my business to my nemesis, NW. And I too am in the Northern Virginia area. Here's why.

UA is going to the birds. And US is or has cut non-stop flights so dramatically that you will almost always connect in Pittsburgh or Charlotte or Philadelphia anyway, so you might as well look around at all the other airlines.

I got a trial Silver from NW in the mail and I have gotten upgrades most of the time. It's nothing great, their F product is frankly lousy, but it is better than sitting in coach, you get the extra miles, and you can also go on CO using your status, as they have a virtually seamless program with CO.

Lastly, the lines aren't bad at BWI to get to the NW terminal.

Like some others here, I'm also considering potential alternatives for the future. I'm Gold with US currently. The sticking point for me is that most of my flying is leisure, not business. As a result, I am usually on inexpensive fares (wife is the business flyer in our household).

I understand that some of the other majors don't allow upgrades or award credit towards elite status for certain fare classes. Does anyone have a grasp on which types of fare classes (for the various airlines) are upgradeable and provide credit toward status?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by BillMorrow:
I understand that some of the other majors don't allow upgrades or award credit towards elite status for certain fare classes. Does anyone have a grasp on which types of fare classes (for the various airlines) are upgradeable and provide credit toward status?</font>

I think most fares on most majors count toward status. The one exception that immediately comes to mind is that NWA E-Savers don't accrue FF miles.

As for upgrades, I don't know about all the majors, but you'll probably want to avoid Delta. Go over to the Delta forum and search for "LUser" fares. Some airlines also disallow upgrades on web-only fares.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by aceman36:
I think (s)he means that occasionally the free certs that US sends are used up, so the original poster must buy the certs with money (or miles). Of course, as a CP, this is a concept that is totally foreign to me...</font>

Um, I am a he. And that's exactly right!

Out of DCA, CO is not such a bad bet for you. They'll comp status once if you send them a letter and proof that you are Gold with US. Unlike U, they have not eliminated meal service in F on everything less than a transcon-- they're the only major not to do so -- and you get elite qualifying miles for flying NW and HP. Plus, their platinum status starts at 75,000 miles rather than 100,000.

Why I choose Continental:

Flight 1: US Airways, October 6, LAX-PIT. Two PAID full-fare tickets in first class . Somehow, our seats got switched and we weren't together. My companion was very nervous. All seats full. Gate agent response: "Sir, I don't have time to fuss with something like seat assignments. Take your chances, get on the plane, and ask someone to switch. I can't help you".

Flight 2: Continental, cheap seats with elite upgrades, LAS-CLE. Same EXACT situation...seats confirmed together, but switched once checked in. Agent at check in counter: "here's the name of the gate agent. Ask her to work on it and I doubt it will be a problem...but we are checked in full". At the gate: "Sir, this is EASY. Give me your boarding passes, and I'll do my best...but this is a no-brainer." After I thanked her, she said, "If this is the most difficult thing I'm asked to do, I'm doing well". 10 minutes later, we had our seats.

My companion, a US2 who overlooks a great deal said to me, unsolicited, "that would NEVER have happened at a US Airways gate".

I became Chairman's a month ago, and since then have found many reasons to fly other airlines. I love the FF program at US; and I really don't believe they're going to fold. But I CAN'T STAND some of the attitude I get..especially since I'm now forced more than ever to fly through PHL.

I really don't think bankruptcy will force me from US Airways. Better service from their competitors is taking care of that.

I hope that there's someone in the Crystal Palace reading this thread; when your us1s and us2s are pondering whether or not to change carriers, you've got some major problems. With the first of the year approaching, somebody needs to do something or you're gonna find some of us racking up our miles on other airlines soon and using U for the sole purpose of drawing down our mileage before Chapter 11.