US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - New CP - Question

Question:

Should I mail in all of my unexpired NAUs? Is there any reason to keep them?

Depends on whether or not you expect to make CP in the future and how the new upgrade system will be implemented.

My previous plan as a current CP who does not expect to requalify was outlined in a post in this thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum51/HTML/002204.html) time stamped 10-02-2002 01:39 PM, but now I have to wait and see how the new system is implemented, but I expect I won't be able to hold on to my upgrades until 3/1/04 (when I'll drop down from CP) and will just cash them in for miles.

Any "expiration" to send in the expired ones?
I've got 8 from July 01, 8 from 8/01...

Also, w/ this new policy, should we be holding off in order to get the best deal on the new 500's? (I wonder if they'll do the same exchange deal for expired ones..)

Can you tell I'm nervous about not getting all my GOM to requalify for CP?

If you just made CP, then I assume that's until 2/04. Based on the rumored 500 mile upgrade cert change and loss of the benefit of cashing the old ones in for 500 miles, I'd just mail them in.

They're useless to you as a CP, and by the time 2/04 rolls around, upgrades will be electronic and the 800 miler ones you have will be worthless.

Here is my situation... I'm expecting to GOM to CP within the next week or so and will have a bunch of 800 mile certs left.

While I'm not certain, I think it is likely I won't make CP for 2004 therefore certs will be my lifeline. Can I have certs that expire say 2/28/2003 reissued for certs or equivalent that expire 2/28/2004 and then in 2004 have them reissued for 2005 so then I have some upgrades to use for 2004 if I am gold? Or will DM tell me I can't get the certs again because I am CP and they aren't needed for CP even if I ask for them?

I'm basically trying to bank and hold on to them for when I will need them again.

On a related note, if I hit a 10k mileage threshold and 2 days later hit CP will the system still send me certs from threshold that was hit prior to CP?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Daniel:
On a related note, if I hit a 10k mileage threshold and 2 days later hit CP will the system still send me certs from threshold that was hit prior to CP?</font>

I don't know the answer to your first question, but I think you should receive your NAU certs for reaching the threshold before you get bumped up a level. Your cert counter won't reset until you hit your new level, so you should be OK.

Your describing the quandary that Beckles outlined elsewhere eloquently. The rest of us faux CP's are in the same situation. My take is that you should trade in your NAU's for miles, and rely on the 10 NAU "starter pack" when you're demoted from CP to GP in 3/04. Also, yes, you will will still get the 10K certs even if you hit CP a few days later (and I have a stack to prove this...).
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Daniel:
Here is my situation... I'm expecting to GOM to CP within the next week or so and will have a bunch of 800 mile certs left.

While I'm not certain, I think it is likely I won't make CP for 2004 therefore certs will be my lifeline. Can I have certs that expire say 2/28/2003 reissued for certs or equivalent that expire 2/28/2004 and then in 2004 have them reissued for 2005 so then I have some upgrades to use for 2004 if I am gold? Or will DM tell me I can't get the certs again because I am CP and they aren't needed for CP even if I ask for them?

I'm basically trying to bank and hold on to them for when I will need them again.

On a related note, if I hit a 10k mileage threshold and 2 days later hit CP will the system still send me certs from threshold that was hit prior to CP?</font>

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by producer:
Any "expiration" to send in the expired ones?
I've got 8 from July 01, 8 from 8/01...
</font>

Same question here. I've got something like 50-60 of them laying around from the 1st year of CP when they kept sending more and more certs but the counter never bothered collecting them (before the 'no-certs needd for CP' process was in effect). I didn't realize that they could be traded for miles.

Now here is a question from a new CP:

I've got 4 SWUs. I'll have 6 + 2 companions once the CP kit shows up (for those keeping score, that's 2 for silver, 2 for gold, and 2 + 2 for CP--love getting out more).

Anyway, I'm failing to see what good this year's versions are to CPs.

1. 7/3/1 is a killer. Why would I do this when I can confirm (if it's available) transatlantic for 40k?

2. I don't need 'em for transcons anymore.

I'd be interested to hear how many CPs have had luck confirming transatlantic segments with DMUPSYS02s inside of 7 days and/or at the gate.

We just had (last week) 1 member of our party - GP - use DMUPSYS02 to LGW at the 3 day window and then again at the gate for the return.

We went over on a Thurs and back on a Mon.

He booked late and all of the upgrade seats were gone. So instead of going in the queue for 40K, thinking more seats are not opened up until at most 7 days out, we decided to use the certs. They called inventory at the 3 day window on the outbound and were able to confirm. International res in London was unable/unwilling to call inventory to try to confirm in advance. As a GP arriving at the airport 3 hours early for the return, he was #1 on the list.

Also, it is not uncommon for them to hold 10+ seats until day of departure. But waiting that long usually means you will fly coach to the gateway city.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ClueByFour:
Now here is a question from a new CP:

I've got 4 SWUs. I'll have 6 + 2 companions once the CP kit shows up (for those keeping score, that's 2 for silver, 2 for gold, and 2 + 2 for CP--love getting out more).

Anyway, I'm failing to see what good this year's versions are to CPs.

1. 7/3/1 is a killer. Why would I do this when I can confirm (if it's available) transatlantic for 40k?

2. I don't need 'em for transcons anymore.

I'd be interested to hear how many CPs have had luck confirming transatlantic segments with DMUPSYS02s inside of 7 days and/or at the gate.</font>

Not really what you're asking, but when Mrs. Dingo and I went to London in May we used the system wides. I had put in for the 40k for both of us, but never got confirmed. At the gate I asked about the 40k and she said it was finally available, then I asked if I could use the system wides and she agreed. Got the miles put back in, used the certs that were about to expire and we were happy. I was Gold at the time.

Another question from another new CP. As I understand the "real" CP's, you are able to call the CP desk at any time and ask to be placed on the upgrade list. Then they will (may?) automatically clear the list 7 days out. This is why it seems that the CP's derive more value out of virtuallythere.com because they can check to see if their upgrade cleared.

Is this correct? I don't see this documented anywhere.

for domestic flights, yes - once you are in the upgrade queue, you don't have to call back. you will automatically be moved up 7 days prior to the trip - provided there is G inventory.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by PHL:
for domestic flights, yes - once you are in the upgrade queue, you don't have to call back. you will automatically be moved up 7 days prior to the trip - provided there is G inventory.</font>


Or you could be Ben's poster pax and buy B fares all the time... they're upgradeable upon purchase; no need to go in the queue.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

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

Or you could be Ben's poster pax and buy B fares all the time... they're upgradeable upon purchase; no need to go in the queue.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif</font>

Only REFUNDABLE B fares are instantly upgradeable.

Any domestic B fare is upgraded to I when avail any time in advance (refundable or non-refundable) Steve

This must be a new policy, because I've been on B fares that still required waiting for the upgrade window. There are some B fares that are 3 day advance purchase. After that, they incurred a change fee and such. They were not completely refundable, and therefore were treated like a cockroach K fare.

So, can you confirm for certain that as long as "B" is the first letter of our fare designation, we can upgrade at time of ticketing into 'I'??

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ATC:
Then they will (may?) automatically clear the list 7 days out. This is why it seems that the CP's derive more value out of virtuallythere.com because they can check to see if their upgrade cleared. </font>

I've upgraded using the CP queue on every mainline flight thus far since I turned CP. However, none of my upgrades ever show up in virtually there. I book on my company's corporate travel website (powered by Amex, I believe) and my flights always show the original coach seats selected with the reservation.

So ... the queue is great but virtuallythere isn't any more useful now than it was when I was Gold.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by PHL:
This must be a new policy,
</font>

It is. About 6 months ago, they swithced from "only B fares with US in the fare basis code are upgradeable in advance on odd days during full moons" to "any Y or B is upgradeable in advance"

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


So, can you confirm for certain that as long as "B" is the first letter of our fare designation, we can upgrade at time of ticketing into 'I'??[/B]</font>

Yes Ba3 Be101 and all other B fares can be upgraded to I ...Only if we're out of I inventory would you not recieve imediate upgrade on domestic flights...and yes some of these B fares are non-refundable and do have change fees but they are still upgradeable to I bucket...Steve


[This message has been edited by ChairPrefRes (edited 10-10-2002).]