US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-2005 America West merger) - CP yearend preferred miles overrun and redeposit

I tried to get a e-mail confirmation from US
concerning the CP tier miles overspill at the
end of the year (in excess of 100,000) and
whether it was true that they credited on
to the following years preferred mile tally.
Their responce (at least they were honest
about their uncertainty.

"This special opportunity was based on 2002 travel.

There are no plans in effect at the present time to offer this opportunity. We recommend that you checked with us later this year to see if the plans have changed and this offer extended.

The question posed to any responders is, how
many years out of say the last 3 have they
made this offer?

Is this any kind of incentive for someone
with 90,000 miles after the 1st 6 months of
this qualifying year. I think I'll finish off
100,001 miles and status match and try to
qualify for CO since most of my business is
in west anyway and will provide flexibility
in fares at a given time. On the other side
of the coin is that I'm registered for double
tier miles til Aug 10, and maximizing until then on US would be benificial if they do decide to offer this.
match

I agree with you that it is a mistake for them to offer this program. I am already at 70,000 miles this year. Like you I will be doing more flying on other carriers, mine ins NW. I expect to have between 115,000 and 130,000 on US this year.

I can understand it for people who don't know what their travel plans are for the next year, and want to keep their status, but for flyers like me it does not matter because I know I will earn enough next year, and that lets me keep my gold at NW

I will make US1 status on Labor Day and plan on flying NW & CO for the rest of the year. Since I am Gold on NW I want to increase my elite status there. Might as well give my $$ to someone else since US is not making it very rewarding to stay with them; *A, UA partnership or not. I am not looking forward to getting stuck on those RJ's out of PIT for the rest of my life if MDA does start to fly in the near future.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by gar777:

The question posed to any responders is, how
many years out of say the last 3 have they
made this offer?
match</font>

This offer was made post 9/11 to draw customers back by giving them elite status. Unfortunately it diluted the ranks of US1 and US2 significantly. Ever fly out of the hub and minor hub cities? More than half the plane is elite. It's ridiculous at times to watch that many people crowd the gate during preboard.

I don't think they'll offer this again in the near future. Only when things look very bleak would they entice customers again.

OK, I don't get it.
You spend 6 or 9 months earning your CP status and the unlimited upgrades at 7 days out and all the other benefits of CP and instead of relaxing and enjoying, you start flying another airline and enduring all the hassle of tring to clear upgrades at last minute and figuring out how to maximize segments and/or tier miles on another airline.

Why bother going through the quest of making CP if you are not going to continue flying US and take advantage of the benefits?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by LikeItUpFront:
OK, I don't get it.
You spend 6 or 9 months earning your CP status and the unlimited upgrades at 7 days out and all the other benefits of CP and instead of relaxing and enjoying, you start flying another airline and enduring all the hassle of tring to clear upgrades at last minute and figuring out how to maximize segments and/or tier miles on another airline.

Why bother going through the quest of making CP if you are not going to continue flying US and take advantage of the benefits?</font>

Because I will be a US1 by Labor Day this will insure that come January 2004 I will get those upgrades and other perks for all of 2004. I get those perks now since I have been a US1 for the last 5 years. Gaining more status on NW or CO by flying them after Labor Day I will then insure my ability to gain the perks with those airlines, like I currently do as a Gold member in the WorldPerks program. Might as well have the advantage of 2 different frequent flyer programs to enjoy the various perks in. Think of all the places in this world I could go to with my ability to use both the *A and NW/CO/DL/KLM alliance. And free to boot!!

Yes I am a mile whore and proud of it!! LOL

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Singleflyer:
I agree with you that it is a mistake for them to offer this program...</font>

I used to agree but I'm not so sure anymore.

I've found that the prospect of them offering this is keeping me from drifting -- yes it's tempting to run up status elsewhere once you've got CP for the year but the thought that I can be working towards CP for the year after next is pretty powerful too.

If CP becomes useful for * then the idea gets even more attractive...

With 250 segments a year it is impossible to give US all of my business, they just don't go everywhere I need to go. That is why NW is my secondery carrier and I need to keep status with them as well

If US gave reasons for me to give thme more than 120 segments each year I would. The current fly 3 get 1 free dones not work for me. I always fly Y fare one-way tickets. The promo is for round trip only! Talk about forgetting about the high paying business traveler.

I think the erning miles for the next year did put too many elite travelers into the program, and did cost revenue this year because those people could builld up on their secondery carrier earlier this year, and acheive a higher status on another carrier.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Singleflyer:
With 250 segments a year it is impossible to give US all of my business, they just don't go everywhere I need to go. That is why NW is my secondery carrier and I need to keep status with them as well

If US gave reasons for me to give thme more than 120 segments each year I would. The current fly 3 get 1 free dones not work for me. I always fly Y fare one-way tickets. The promo is for round trip only! Talk about forgetting about the high paying business traveler.</font>

I agree with everything you said. Although I can't quite grasp the idea of buying tickets like that http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif Our Buddy Ben should be calling you every day to see what he can do for you... But he should never make the mistake of thinking that there are hordes of people who will buy tickets like you.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">I think the erning miles for the next year did put too many elite travelers into the program, and did cost revenue this year because those people could builld up on their secondery carrier earlier this year, and acheive a higher status on another carrier.</font>

I don't see how the carryover causes more elites -- you had to fly more than 100,000 miles or 100 segments to have any carryover. So anyone who made it would have made it anyway.

All it does is provide a cushion if you have a bad year -- your "fall from grace" is possibly delayed a bit. Which is a good thing given the way CPs going to GP get ripped off in terms of the upgrade bank.

I prefer to build or maintain my status on backup carriers a bit at a time over the year. The idea of spending the fall and winter flying coach just to build up a position with someone else when I could be sitting up front a good part of the time really isn't very appealing.

You're also better comp bait if you have a very strong monthly statement to show the competition if and when things go badly or your patterns change and US just doesn't work for you. Your odds of being comped top tier are better if you have 250k tier miles on US than they are with 110...

Unless...you're at 110k preferred right now...(gr)

I am indifferent on the spillover (never benefitted).

However someone needs to think of something creative that would also be an incentive to keep flying. Letting you spill them over only works half-way.

Doesnt UA offer SWUs for every xx miles once 1k is achieved? Something like that keeps you flying to earn them AND to burn them.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by hscottm:
I am indifferent on the spillover (never benefitted).

However someone needs to think of something creative that would also be an incentive to keep flying. Letting you spill them over only works half-way.

Doesnt UA offer SWUs for every xx miles once 1k is achieved? Something like that keeps you flying to earn them AND to burn them.</font>

I like that! That would be very, very attractive.

(I'm at 182,527 at the moment...)

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">

I prefer to build or maintain my status on backup carriers a bit at a time over the year. [/B]</font>

You can get a complimentary status match on non US partner airlines. For example, I'm considering an offer to platimum on America West. (125% bonus miles, and upgrades, and only 75,000 miles to qualify for the following year, and a 1000 segment bonus since I'll connect thru PHX or LAS to the west. As well I could probably keep US status next year flying to US/UA/*A worldly
destinations.

[This message has been edited by gar777 (edited 06-19-2003).]

I due build up my secondery airline miles throughout the year. I partly choose the airline that has the bigger planes. I want the most comfort for my dollar. Since I travel mainly last flight of the day I get many big planes to the smaller cities. As far a getting comped on other airlines, I had no luck this year. NW told me gold I earned, and would not budge with 125 segments on US. COntential found out I was Gold on NW and would not do anything either. I was silver on DL, and they are just jerks. Bust since US does not go to places like Rhinelander WI, you do need a back-up.

If you look at the trickle down effect, of transferring miles to the next year. A CP may be gold, the gold a silver, and the silver might stay around for an extra year if their flying is less than the year before. I see both sides of the program to keep the loyal flyer who for what ever reason is flying less in one year than before. But I still see people who fly alot might use the time to build up on a secondery carrier. A co-worker made CP in March because of the carry over miles. He is now looking at other carriers because of the reduced service to Norfolk.

I've been CP on 1/1 for the last 2 years and continue to fly US regularly. I'd rather fly up front on US than fly in back and build up status on other carriers that I won't fly regularly.

Actually, I've managed to get comped on most other carriers the last few years but other than getting E+ seating and boarding early, it doesn't mean much. I probably have some upgrade credits earned somewhere but I've never really checked.