US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Upgrade clock resets March 1??

I thought that US provides upgrade certs after every 10,000 flight miles. I'm a Gold member (Silver last year) and I recently passed the 10K mile mark this year. I was informed by a US rep. that the upgrade mileage counter resets on March 1 and since some of my 10K miles were from before March 1, I still have a few thousand flight miles to go for another set of upgrade certs. This is the first I have heard of this rule resetting the counter on March 1. Is this correct?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MileKing:
I thought that US provides upgrade certs after every 10,000 flight miles. I'm a Gold member (Silver last year) and I recently passed the 10K mile mark this year. I was informed by a US rep. that the upgrade mileage counter resets on March 1 and since some of my 10K miles were from before March 1, I still have a few thousand flight miles to go for another set of upgrade certs. This is the first I have heard of this rule resetting the counter on March 1. Is this correct?</font>

Yes. It would be a good thing to bring up at the chat session Thursday...

This is correct - and we've discussed this issue several times before (may want to search to see various thoughts on it). Of course, it doens't make sense considering that elite qualification goes only 'til Dec. 31 - not March 31. US ought to use just one date.

Confusing? Yes, but it's not a huge secret.

A set of Threshold Upgrades will be issued from your account each time you fly a multiple of 10,000 Preferred miles as a Gold or Silver Preferred member. They are for Preferred miles since either March 1, 2001, or the date you became Gold or Silver Preferred, whichever occurred last. (that means your clock resets when you go up a level)

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by chexfan:
(that means your clock resets when you go up a level)</font>

So GOLD status by challenge does have a downside. Segment based earners are sort of out of the equation, but milage earners earn status on the 10,000 mile break points, so their clock would be reset anyway. The question is, since status usually begins (based on how the flight bonuses were awarded in DM account) when flying on the silver to gold earning segment on the "status at landing" for the entire segment, is the same true for CERT earning?

I was told by one DM rep that the clock resets when you hit a new level. She said that is why they give you the 2 certs and the 2 SWU (not really true). Another rep told me the clock did not reset. I was curious since I had the possibility of hitting another 10K and Gold at the same time. I changed my schedule to hit the 10K a week before I hit Gold so I could collect both. I am going to pass another 10K on this week if my clock was reset or not - so I can't even confirm which is true.

As others have noted, the clock does reset each year on 3/1.

There is one other point you should know. If you call DM customer service, they will tell you how far you are from the next set of upgrades. This past winter, several of us made mileage runs in late January and early February to maximize our upgrade coupons (and to get a jump on this years miles).

Just a reminder for those out there- NAU reset at the end of the month-

Is there any way to check where your mileage counter is currently at??

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by RMINIONE:
Just a reminder for those out there- NAU reset at the end of the month-

Is there any way to check where your mileage counter is currently at??

</font>

You can just call them. It might be on the automated phone unit, but I usually just ask someone in person. Personally my upcoming trip to London is to push myself over the 20k prior to March 1.

You have to call the appropriate preferred desk. There is no way to retrieve the info on the phone system or web site. Alternatively you can do what i do and keep an Excel sheet which tracks the upgrade counter; you know it starts at zero each March 1.

Ever since I figured this out, i have strived to end February with a "remainder" of 1 or 2 thousand after dividing by 10,000 and not (heaven forbid) a remainder of 9000 which as a gold would leave me just 1000 q miles short of 8 or 10 NAU's, which could be used for upgrades or turned in for 4000 to 5000 miles (not Q miles tho)

thanks for the suggestion to call-- Just called the gold desk and my flight last week put be over the 40K amount- so 10 more NAU heading my way.

What happens to me? As you are all painfully aware, I lose CP status this year. And it sucks that I don't have any upgrade certs I might add. All those miles flown as CP and not a single cert - not that I'm griping about unlimited upgrades as CP. But it's sortof like starting over. So assuming the elite Gods smile and I only slip to Gold, I'm not losing the miles I've flown in Jan/Feb in terms of the 10k bogie to get new certs, am I???

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by svpii:
So assuming the elite Gods smile and I only slip to Gold, I'm not losing the miles I've flown in Jan/Feb in terms of the 10k bogie to get new certs, am I???</font>Sorry svp, but I think that's how it'll work. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

aghhhhhhh, man http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

I earned silver in June and gold in September last year, both for the first time. When I call to check on my mileage clock, I was told that it would not reset until March 1, 2003. I asked the agent to check again to be sure and she confirmed.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by svpii:
What happens to me? As you are all painfully aware, I lose CP status this year. And it sucks that I don't have any upgrade certs I might add.</font>
You might want to look into redeeming some miles to "purchase" a few of those 800 mile upgrade certificates to keep you out of coach. Surely you have racked up a stack of dividend miles as CP...

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MarshB:
I earned silver in June and gold in September last year, both for the first time. When I call to check on my mileage clock, I was told that it would not reset until March 1, 2003. I asked the agent to check again to be sure and she confirmed.</font>

I'd be willing to bet she's mistaken.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by svpii:
What happens to me? As you are all painfully aware, I lose CP status this year. And it sucks that I don't have any upgrade certs I might add. All those miles flown as CP and not a single cert - not that I'm griping about unlimited upgrades as CP. But it's sortof like starting over. So assuming the elite Gods smile and I only slip to Gold, I'm not losing the miles I've flown in Jan/Feb in terms of the 10k bogie to get new certs, am I???</font>

Email them and ask them for some certs ... the worst they'll do is say no. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Sounds like you need to take a mileage run to Europe after March 1 using SWU's maybe http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Beckles:
Email them and ask them for some certs ... the worst they'll do is say no. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Sounds like you need to take a mileage run to Europe after March 1 using SWU's maybe http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif</font>

Stupidly, that's what I thought I was doing in Jan when I flew CLT-LGW. Yea, I'll be buying those babies to stay out of coach...

Last year I lost 9K in preferred miles on 3/1 and swore it wouldn't happen again. I was all set for 3/1 with my counter at 1800. THEN I got the call - 4 500 mile segements in a Y4A fare which were upgraded to a F fare. If I calculate correctly that is 750*4=3000 plus double status bonus = 6000 preferred miles. Now my counter is at 7800 miles. I'm very happy with the miles but feel like I got **rewed again. I need to make CP so I don't have to worry about this anymore.


[This message has been edited by mileshound (edited 02-11-2002).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mileshound:
Last year I lost 9K in preferred miles on 3/1 and swore it wouldn't happen again. I was all set for 3/1 with my counter at 1800. THEN I got the call - 4 500 mile segements in a Y4A fare which were upgraded to a F fare. If I calculate correctly that is 750*4=3000 plus double status bonus = 6000 preferred miles. Now my counter is at 7800 miles. I'm very happy with the miles but feel like I got **rewed again. I need to make CP so I don't have to worry about this anymore.</font>

Yeah buddy, we feel for you. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/tongue.gif

You've got it rough ...

Gee thanks for the sympathy Beckles.... I wasn't complaining - I'm actually very happy - but it just shows that you can plan for 3/1 but a trip and a promo can mess it all up.