America West FlightFund (Discontinued Program) - HP unveils "Go for the Gold" promo.

Now that Gold is worth dirt, I guess that HP can afford to start offering it in promos. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

Go for Gold! (http://www.americawest.com/flightfund/promotions/form.asp?promocode=FC04)

"Earn Gold Elite status through 2005 by flying six First Class roundtrips or earn Silver Elite Status through 2005 by flying three First Class roundtrips."



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"Rows 50 and above are business seats for those with infants" - gfowler-ord-1k
SkyTeam - "The whatever's leftover Alliance"

This is the first time one of their promos has hit me directly. I know you guys have been harping about the deconstruction of their program, but now I am offended that someone who has flown just 6 RT flights in F in 6 months can be a gold.

What are they trying to put together?

Ed

I agree this is insulting. However, how many pax will fly paid F in the next six months. It has to be a small amount I would imagine.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by LiquidLifeUSA:
...but now I am offended that someone who has flown just 6 RT flights in F in 6 months can be a gold.

What are they trying to put together?
</font>

Not only that, but this promo also puts even more upgrade-sucking Silvers out there.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by enviroian:
I agree this is insulting. However, how many pax will fly paid F in the next six months. It has to be a small amount I would imagine.</font>

I would be one of them if I wasn't Plat already. I have seven business flights planned(not booked) already. I may sign up as a measure of insurance, just in case I don't make it to Plat next year.


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"Rows 50 and above are business seats for those with infants" - gfowler-ord-1k
SkyTeam - "The whatever's leftover Alliance"

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by enviroian:
I agree this is insulting. However, how many pax will fly paid F in the next six months. It has to be a small amount I would imagine.</font>


And it will be based on this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum21/HTML/013428.html

If only 6% is paid overall, then I wouldn't worry too much about this affecting many current elites. I thought it was an easy way to get Silver/Gold status, but when I saw everything has to be in paid F, not as sweet. Even the cheapest 6 roundtrips (assuming flights between southern CA/PHX/LAS) will probably cost approximately $415 per ticket, totalling about $2500 for Gold or $1250 for Silver. Maybe good, maybe not. With some of the killer European fares as of late, one can probably earn 25,000 status miles (or even 50,000 status miles)for half that price.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by cab747:
Even the cheapest 6 roundtrips (assuming flights between southern CA/PHX/LAS) will probably cost approximately $415 per ticket, totalling about $2500 for Gold or $1250 for Silver.</font>

I've been able to book PHX-LAS-LAX-LAS-PHX for $298($336 w/tax). So you're looking at $1788($2016 w/tax).

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"Rows 50 and above are business seats for those with infants" - gfowler-ord-1k
SkyTeam - "The whatever's leftover Alliance"

As an HP lurker, I have to say this sounds excellent to me and I am going to do it. I can't get to Las or San or Lax on DL without going thru SLC, and even then to get a 1:1 Skymiles upgradeable fare, it's almost as much as these new HP FC fares.

It's worth it to me. I think HP just won me over.

Hopefully tickets already booked count. I just bought 2 RT paid FC last month. One more and I'm somebody.

Yes, tickets booked count. I had three tickets booked before the promo came out.

The system counts when a flight is flown not booked. Just make sure you sign up.

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"Rows 50 and above are business seats for those with infants" - gfowler-ord-1k
SkyTeam - "The whatever's leftover Alliance"

What does booked in F mean? Do restricted YUP fares (with confirmed F seating) count?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by zrs70:
What does booked in F mean? Do restricted YUP fares (with confirmed F seating) count?</font>

YUP fares count as well. As they book into A, or whatever HP's discount First fare code is.

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"Rows 50 and above are business seats for those with infants" - gfowler-ord-1k
SkyTeam - "The whatever's leftover Alliance"

...thats interesting, the prom says tickets must be purchased btwn Mar 4/June 30 and travel done by Sept 6.

do oneway FC flights count towards this promo?

Yes they do.

"One-way travel may be counted as one half of roundtrip travel."

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"Rows 50 and above are business seats for those with infants" - gfowler-ord-1k
SkyTeam - "The whatever's leftover Alliance"

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by cab747:


If only 6% is paid overall, then I wouldn't worry too much about this affecting many current elites. I thought it was an easy way to get Silver/Gold status, but when I saw everything has to be in paid F, not as sweet. Even the cheapest 6 roundtrips (assuming flights between southern CA/PHX/LAS) will probably cost approximately $415 per ticket, totalling about $2500 for Gold or $1250 for Silver. Maybe good, maybe not. With some of the killer European fares as of late, one can probably earn 25,000 status miles (or even 50,000 status miles)for half that price.</font>

well, 6% was the pre-YUP reforms number. I'm sure that's come up quite a bit with more "accessible" pricing. Since the big bang, I have booked 2 1/2 HP roundtrips in paid F (well, YUP) that otherwise would have gone discount fare.

I do agree there are surely more efficient ways for the status-seeking to get Gold than this... and it's hard to see how giving Gold to people who are already buying F is all that harmful to existing Golds...

Thx...I missed that last bullet on the promo page...

Hey, nobody likes more competition for UGs -- especially me -- but I don't think this is a promo people can complain about. If someone gets Silver or Gold through this, it's because they're buying FC seats. Granted, FC doesn't cost an arm and a leg like on other airlines, but I don't see anything wrong with HP giving something extra to folks who are buying HP's highest-priced tickets.