US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Any CPs out there?

I'm flying tomorrow for pleasure to Venice. I was hoping to upgrade, but there is no way.

It used to be that they gave upgrade coupons to everyone (Silver on up), and they worked for any fare. Even points would work for any fare given out on the day of departure based on status, a feature I really appreciated.

However, in light of their current situation they've now are offering to CP's two upgrade coupons each for the traveler and for a companion. So we're talking one round trip with our spouse. However, these are only good on a B,Y, or M fare.

A quick check showed the lowest M fare possible is:
US Airways USD 1305.00+ MKWAB2M

A check on the seats showed:
Cabin class: C9 D9 Z8 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 V9 S9 L9 W9 T9
(for those not familiar, a number of 9 means 9 or more seats available in that fare class).

I have a problem with this one two levels:

(1) US Air is not being competitive. I've switched most my business to United (I live in DC so it's pretty easy), since at the 1K level they offer 6 system wide upgrades that work on most fares.
(2) Why have Envoy sit empty? Why not at least reward those travelers that provide the most revenue?

Since I won't be using my DMUAT5's - why not at least make them usable for a confirmed (in advance) upgrade on a domestic flight? That way (at least) I'd be able to go to Vegas and get an upgrade.

Anyone else frustrated too? I'm encouraged by the HP merger, but I'm frustrated that there isn't even a pretense to try to keep their best customers.

DC-USCP-UAPE, soon to be DC-US-UA1K

The upgrades are also good with the H fare. I am not sure but you might want to check on the Q fare too.

Anyone else frustrated too? I'm encouraged by the HP merger, but I'm frustrated that there isn't even a pretense to try to keep their best customers.

Unlimited domestic FC upgrades, that are not common on most other carriers, plus the beloved CP desk not being merged with other departments or exported overseas: two very important ways they are trying to keep their best customers. Add: generally excellent frontline personnel, available to all their customers.

EB, CP

P.S.

I've switched most my business to United (I live in DC so it's pretty easy), since at the 1K level they offer 6 system wide upgrades that work on most fares.

Anyway, doesn't exactly sound like you're one of their best customers anymore.

The upgrades are also good with the H fare. I am not sure but you might want to check on the Q fare too.

They are good on Q. They are good on anything except V & W.

And I believe you can turn them in for 1000 or 2000 miles (forget which as I always use mine). And the DMUTA05's are good until March or April of 2006 so don't despair yet, you'll have plenty of time to use them. Surely you don't fly V & W on every itin to Europe (Super Roach?).

Not sure what would be the value of using them on a domestic itin even if allowed as a CP you get free unlimited ug's domestically. The reason they are only good TA now is people were abusing them to ug domestically in advance and then turning in paper or e-ups.

Q isn't much better.

US Airways USD 1017.00+ QKXAN1

Well, in some sense they are competitive in that they are the only airline flying PHL-VCE. The only other airline flying non-stop to VCE in the US is Delta out of JFK.

\ They are good on anything except V & W.


Actually it depends on when you got your certs last year. I got mine in Oct and it says on the cert that mine is good for the V fare. I called the DMSC and asked if they had to honor it and they said they would even though the rule changed. They said because it says I can use the V fare on my cert they must honor it. I am sure there are others out there like me because I know of a few of you who became CP before I did. I reached it towards the end of Oct last year and got my CP packet within a week.

I heard some of you waited for months! I don't know what happened there.

2 years in a row I think I have been pretty lucky. The year before I was gold I got 2 system wide upgrades and from these boards no one else did from what I can tell. When I called to use them last year and they saw I was gold the reservation department was equally shocked.

T

...... I called the DMSC and asked if they had to honor it and they said they would even though the rule changed. They said because it says I can use the V fare on my cert they must honor it. ...

Earlier this year, a CP friend from AVL did a MR CLT - FRA on a V fare. He called CP Desk/DMSC and they also said they would honor the use of DMUTA4 cert. No problems in CLT - he got the one remaining gate UG on that flight. At FRA, however, he encountered one of the female dragons, who curtly told him that V fares could not be UGed with the DMUTA4 and would not budge even after being politely asked to check the PNR for the DMSC notation of V eligibility in this case. Supervisor was nowhere around. Grrrrrr. Luckily he had an extra DS0087 in his carry-on and used that for an UG home. He was going to write CA to complain, but I haven't followed up with him on this.

I'm flying tomorrow for pleasure to Venice. I was hoping to upgrade, but there is no way.

It used to be that they gave upgrade coupons to everyone (Silver on up), and they worked for any fare. Even points would work for any fare given out on the day of departure based on status, a feature I really appreciated.

However, in light of their current situation they've now are offering to CP's two upgrade coupons each for the traveler and for a companion. So we're talking one round trip with our spouse. However, these are only good on a B,Y, or M fare.

A quick check showed the lowest M fare possible is:
US Airways USD 1305.00+ MKWAB2M

A check on the seats showed:
Cabin class: C9 D9 Z8 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 V9 S9 L9 W9 T9
(for those not familiar, a number of 9 means 9 or more seats available in that fare class).

I have a problem with this one two levels:

(1) US Air is not being competitive. I've switched most my business to United (I live in DC so it's pretty easy), since at the 1K level they offer 6 system wide upgrades that work on most fares.
(2) Why have Envoy sit empty? Why not at least reward those travelers that provide the most revenue?

Since I won't be using my DMUAT5's - why not at least make them usable for a confirmed (in advance) upgrade on a domestic flight? That way (at least) I'd be able to go to Vegas and get an upgrade.

Anyone else frustrated too? I'm encouraged by the HP merger, but I'm frustrated that there isn't even a pretense to try to keep their best customers.

DC-USCP-UAPE, soon to be DC-US-UA1K

Wow, the nerve to complain... On United, only transatlantic Y,B,M, and H fares are upgradeable, while on US Airways, you can even upgrade Q class. As far as most of us know, chances of getting upgraded on US Airways are significantly better than on any other carrier. Granted, United has better inflight services these days, but we are talking about upgrading now.

How are you one of US Airways' best customers??? Flying other carriers? If you were such a good US Airways customer, you would have enough miles/certificates to get upgraded. Free transatlantic upgrade???? I think not. Maybe you should switch to American, Continental, Delta or Northwest, I can't wait to see you whining about how American requires a transatlantic upgrade fee or how it is impossible to upgrade on the other carriers.

mrs. overpaidslacker and i are recent (jan '05) defectors to northwest worldperks. although we are happy for the most part with northwest, the biggest source of consternation for worldperks members is the availability of upgrades to world business class (equivalent of envoy) overseas. the only fare classes eligible for upgrades transatlantic/transpacific are Y & B (not a typo), AND the purchase of one of these expensive fare classes only entitiles you to the right to burn 30,000 miles for the upgrade (also not a typo). no other fare classes can be upgraded using mileage or by any other technique. there are no exceptions made for elites at any level, and not even their platinum elites (equivalent of cp) are awarded any kind of systemwide or transatlantic upgrade certificates.

i think the op should realize how good us' frequent flyers have things in this respect. although things at us are not as nice as they were several years ago, it is still significantly better than nearly all other legacy carriers when trying to upgrade to europe.

in essence, us airways is asking ~$1000 for a business class seat to europe (q fare + your cert). i haven't looked at the northwest fares for a comparable itinerary, but i bet it would be something closer to $1600 (b fare), PLUS 30,000 miles.

-- he who slacks

Wow, the nerve to complain... On United, only transatlantic Y,B,M, and H fares are upgradeable, while on US Airways, you can even upgrade Q class. As far as most of us know, chances of getting upgraded on US Airways are significantly better than on any other carrier. Granted, United has better inflight services these days, but we are talking about upgrading now.

How are you one of US Airways' best customers??? Flying other carriers? If you were such a good US Airways customer, you would have enough miles/certificates to get upgraded. Free transatlantic upgrade???? I think not. Maybe you should switch to American, Continental, Delta or Northwest, I can't wait to see you whining about how American requires a transatlantic upgrade fee or how it is impossible to upgrade on the other carriers.

Im sorry, I dont believe this is accurate. You can only upgrade with miles on those fares. As a 1K, the CP equivalent, you get 6 SWUs, which are more than on US, and can be used on wider range of fares.