US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Earn or buy upgrades?

I keep reading about Golds who say they never fly coach and have upgrade success 96% of the time....you don't get THAT many upgrades from US for flying miles. I'm assuming most are buying their upgrades?
Thanks.

I haven't bought any upgrade certificates and have been sitting in FC most of the year. Though, there have been a couple of operational upgrades that required no coupons. I also don't bother to upgrade really short flights.

I am gold, upgrade >90% of my mainline flites, and have never bought upgrades. As I type this, I am looking at an envelope containing 55 NAU's with expiration dates from 11/31/02 to 8/31/03. I often upgrade traveling companions from my company just to be nice.

I think you are missing two points:

1) International travel, for instance PHL-AMS, is 7000 miles RT and almost triggers 8 or 10 NAU's by itself.

2) Many times on short domestic trips I am on RJ's or Dash 8's. No chance to upgrade, but earns miles toward the old upgrade counter.

None of this takes into account the double tier miles offered early this calndar year or the current Amex Tier or Get Out More bonuses, which of course have the potential to trigger even more NAU's.

I bought one book of 4 upgrades for $120 in April as a Silver this year, 2 of which went to my wife. I bought one other single (as a Silver). When I did the math, I realized I would need no more, due to the 10,000 mile NAU release, and double at 20,000. I have only flown from rural NC, connected thru CLT to either BOS or MHT. I have never flown coach from CLT north or vice versa. The only reason for coach on smaller leg was due to the fact there is a whole nest of us that commute from the beach and work elsewhere in the country. CP don't get to see 1st many times. Will have maybe 4 NAU's left after this weekend where I crack 100k

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by gardener:

None of this takes into account the double tier miles offered early this calndar year or the current Amex Tier or Get Out More bonuses, which of course have the potential to trigger even more NAU's.</font>

I thought someone posted that he called the DM service center and they said that the Tier and Get Out bonuses do not count toward the upgrade counter.



[This message has been edited by Alysia (edited 08-08-2002).]

As a Silver, I bat about %75 this year on Mainline upgrades. With the stage lengths I've been flying, I've never quite run out of NAUs.

I will burn 20k to upgrade transcon runs from time to time (to ensure that I get the upgrade), but it's not that hard to keep in the certs, so to speak. For Golds, this process is even easier.


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Saving the world, one clue at a time.

The "worst case" is probably someone who only flies minimum length flights but always on upgrade eligible flights. Way back when I used to be Gold ("Plus" actually) and fell into this category. Earning them fast enough was hard. 8 @ 10k, 10 @20k so figure 9 for every 20 segments flown on average -- so earning enough to upgrade about half of my flights. I would buy them when needed. But not as often as theory would say due to a good percentage of uncollected certs or waived certs due to various things.

Then I caught on to the benefits of CP and decided that circuitous routings weren't such a bad thing http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif By the time I made CP I had tons of extra certs. Not knowing about redeeming them for miles I gave them away (I was a little fuzzy on the rules there too -- but nobody ever had a problem with them either...)

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Alysia:
I thought someone posted that he called the DM service center and they said that the Tier and Get Out bonuses do not count toward the upgrade counter.

[This message has been edited by Alysia (edited 08-08-2002).]</font>


Yep. Saw that post. All I can say is with USAir you never know until you get your statement. Employees have been known to be wrong, especially about promo details.

Reminds me of the old lab rat experiment. If every time the rat pulls the lever, he gets a bit of food, he pulls the lever until he's full. If every time he pulls the lever, he gets nothing, he gives up after a few tries. But if the lever randomly gives nothing or a snack, he pulls the lever until the cage is full of food. Sort of like us - register for all the bonuses, and then fly all over the country to see what happens. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by gardener:

Yep. Saw that post. All I can say is with USAir you never know until you get your statement. Employees have been known to be wrong, especially about promo details.
</font>

So has anyone's Tier or Get Out bonuses posted towards their upgrade counter?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Alysia:
So has anyone's Tier or Get Out bonuses posted towards their upgrade counter?

</font>

I can confirm that the bonuses did not count towards my upgrade counter. Your mileage may vary!

Although it is theoretically possible to not have enough upgrades, for practical purposes, frequent US flyers will probably not need to if they are Gold due to:

1) Flying on non-upgradeable flights (Express and Shuttle of course)
2) Being able to upgrade two (or even more) segments with only 1 800 mile NAU (and of coursing earning 1,000 base miles or more for the same segments).
3) International travel
4) Using Systemwides for a R/T (the longer the better of course!)
5) Flying in I class (where the class of service bonus counts towards the upgrade counter!)
6) Using other upgrades, i.e., US20, DMUMH42 and CS0007 for example, on occasion

Not all of the above will apply to everyone, but enough of them do that Golds typically have no worry about upgrade certs UNLESS they frequently upgrade companions too. I think I bought one pack of upgrades for myself early into the program, but I flew enough internationally eventually to put me over the hump to where I know have plenty of certs (and the DMUMH42's didn't hurt either!).

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Beckles:
4) Using Systemwides for a R/T (the longer the better of course!)
</font>

Beckles --

What do you mean here?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MarshB:
Beckles --

What do you mean here?</font>

Last year I flew SFO-PHL-AMS RT and used a Systemwide to upgrade. Even though I didn't use a single NAU, I earned a pile in the 13K miles I flew.

At least I think that is what Beckles means.. not to put words in his mouth :-).

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Skip Middleton:
When I did the math, I realized I would need no more, due to the 10,000 mile NAU release, and double at 20,000. Will have maybe 4 NAU's left after this weekend where I crack 100k</font>


So you received 18 NAU's for flying just 10,000 miles or did you not need as many as anticipated? Or what do you mean double at 20,000?




[This message has been edited by planeluvr (edited 08-09-2002).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Beckles:
4) Using Systemwides for a R/T (the longer the better of course!).</font>

MarshB and Noah,

I think he means why waste 6 NAUs for a transcontinental trip when 2 SWUs will suffice...

Beckles would never stoop to using a SWU for a Transcon trip, he loves Envoy too much. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

I thought it meant using a single SWU for a RT. Don't think you can do that. I've only used them in lieu of 2-3 NAU's as they come close to expiration.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Beckles:

5) Flying in I class (where the class of service bonus counts towards the upgrade counter!)
6) Using other upgrades, i.e., US20, DMUMH42 and CS0007 for example, on occasion

(and the DMUMH42's didn't hurt either!).</font>

So, just out of curiousity, what are the above certs? I also assume Beckles meant that using 2 SYS upgrades for a transcon RT could yield a bunch of NAU's and 2 more SYS certs. I am unsure of how many system upgrades you get and when. Do you still get them as a CP?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MarshB:
Beckles --

What do you mean here?</font>

I think you folks are reading too much into that, I just mean that you don't need NAU's for at least one R/T per year because you get Systemwides ... and of course, the longer that R/T is, the more it helps you in that regard since you're still earning miles towards more NAU's while not using any.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by planeluvr:
Beckles would never stoop to using a SWU for a Transcon trip, he loves Envoy too much. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif</font>

Actually, with the time limits on the new SWU's, I'll be trying to use miles on future flights to Europe ... so I just might end up using SWU's on a lowly Transcon instead.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Skip Middleton:
So, just out of curiousity, what are the above certs? I also assume Beckles meant that using 2 SYS upgrades for a transcon RT could yield a bunch of NAU's and 2 more SYS certs. I am unsure of how many system upgrades you get and when. Do you still get them as a CP?</font>

US20 = 20,000 mile R/T upgrade within the US
DMUMH42 = Marriott Rewards free upgrades they sent out earlier this year (expering 8/31/02)
CS0007 = Confirmed First Class Upgrade from Customer Service (books into F class!)

Now that they've "fixed" the system supposedly you should only receive Systemwides once per year. Previously folks would receive them with each Preferred pack, meaning if you made Silver, Gold, and CP all in one year you would actually get three sets of Systemwides ...

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Beckles:
US20 = 20,000 mile R/T upgrade within the US
DMUMH42 = Marriott Rewards free upgrades they sent out earlier this year (expering 8/31/02)
CS0007 = Confirmed First Class Upgrade from Customer Service (books into F class!)

Now that they've "fixed" the system supposedly you should only receive Systemwides once per year. Previously folks would receive them with each Preferred pack, meaning if you made Silver, Gold, and CP all in one year you would actually get three sets of Systemwides ...</font>

A friend was comped to Silver Preferred and completed a challenge for Gold Preferred. That friend got two systemwide upgrades and two DMUP01's in both the Silver and Gold package. There was no difference at all, actually, except for the different membership card (and the welcome letter/brochure was adjusted to reflect the appropriate phone number, etc.)

FWIW, as a reminder, there are two ways to buy DMUP01 (800 Mile North American) upgrades.
1. Purchase using credit card at any US Airways ticket counter, US Airways Club, or US Airways special service center. Cost is $40 for one or $120 for four (aka by three get one free).

2. Purchase at a rate of 4 for 10,000 Dividend Miles. This must be taken care of thru the Service Center, so make sure you leave enough time to get them sent in the mail (a few weeks).