US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Silver status perks?

My wife and I are on track, and will end up both achieving silver status on US by the end of the year.

Our recent move to London will ensure that we get at least three transatlantic flights per year, guaranteeing that we at least maintain that status for the forseeable future.

From my understanding, as a benefit of achieving silver status, we will each get a certificate once we make silver that entitles us to a one-class upgrade on an entire itinerary.

Once we make silver, what will we get?

Most importantly (to us), what will happen on the subsequent years? Will we get a similar certificate? I would think/hope that we would, but don't know.

Thanks.
--Alex

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ayb1:
Once we make silver, what will we get?
</font>

http://usair.com/dividendmiles/preferredlevels/silver.htm

As of this year, you will each receive 2 transatlantic upgrades - each good for ONE WAY. Not an entire itenerary. So, one roundtrip between the US and Europe would use up both certs.

Who knows, however, if Silvers or any other level will continue receiving this perk in subsequent years of the program. I think a lot of us were surprised to get them this year, considering US was operating in chapter 11. It definitely sets USAirways apart from the competition, though, in terms of their perks for even the lowest level elites.

The previous year they were systemwide rather than just transatlantic.

As listed on the linked page, you get North American upgrades for your non-transatlantic travel. The big bonus is the 50% extra mileage on any paid ticket (including UA). UA and AA only give a 25% bonus, and on your long flights that'll make a significant difference. Between your certificates, mileage and the bonus, you should be able to upgrade most flights, pending other people jumping on the list in front of you...

The web site makes no mention of this system-wide upgrade.

A friend who qualified as Silver in October of last year got the systemwide upgrade. But now we just get two transatlantic certificates per person?
--Alex

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ayb1:
The web site makes no mention of this system-wide upgrade.

A friend who qualified as Silver in October of last year got the systemwide upgrade. But now we just get two transatlantic certificates per person?
--Alex</font>


Yep, just the two transatlantic upgrades. These upgrades are not automatic at the time of purchase, like the systemwide upgrades used to be, but depend upon the fare purchased. If you purchase a discount fare, as a silver you can only try and upgrade one day before the flight.

As you are registered in the UK. The procedures for preferred members are slightly different than they are for those who reside in North America. To make up for the fact that North American Domestic Upgrades are pretty useless, European Preferreds get the following additional benefits:
(1) An extra 25% mileage bonus on top of the standard 50% silver amount.
(2) Chairman's preferred like system wide/transatlantic upgrades (4 certs - 2 for the preferred member and 2 for companion)
(3) Complimentary club memberships of variable length.
(4) [Not sure if this is still valid] but when the A330s had first class, if you were travelling Envoy then you were automatically seated in first class row 1. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
These were the extra perks I got when I made silver early last year. When I made gold in the summer they were extended and improved again. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
Definitely beats our own 'native' airlines like BA!

The only downside is that US Airways is quite expensive to fly transatlantic compared to some of the competition - especially if one wants to upgrade. Also, 'GB' fares are about 50% more expensive than the reverse. In other words, it costs about 50% more to do a roundtrip in 'K' class from say LGW-&gt;PHL-&gt;LGW than it does to fly PHL-&gt;LGW-&gt;PHL, also in 'K' class. I guess that this is used to offset some of the additional status 'perks'. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by lgw741 (edited 07-09-2003).]

I have the Systemwide upgrade certificates, but they don't seem to be automatic. They have me on a waiting list.

Is there anything that I should say to the Customer Rep to make these go through today.

I fly tomorrow to England and would hate to have to fly coach.

W

They're automatic at your upgrade window time only if seats are available in the upgrade class.

There may still be seats available for paid bookings which will come available around check-in or boarding time, so you could get upgraded then.

To see how many seats are still available, you'll need to get the fare basis capacity remaining. (If you don't know how to do this, post your flight number and date and someone will do it for you, or you can read the primer instructions in the Mileage Run forum.)