Changes to O/ON coming Feb. 1, 2013

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to let you know about a change we’ll be making to the way we allocate MileagePlus award inventory for United Global First and United First on 3-cabin aircraft. As many of you know, we currently use the same fare class (ON) for both upgrades and Saver travel awards redeemed from MileagePlus Premier Platinum, Premier 1K and Global Services accounts. A consequence of this pairing has been fewer seats being available for upgrades.

To remedy this imbalance, we will begin using ON exclusively for upgrades into United Global First and United First on 3-cabin aircraft effective February 1, 2013. Having a dedicated fare class for these upgrades will enable us to offer differentiated availability. To accommodate this change, we will no longer offer a dedicated fare class for Saver travel awards redeemed from MileagePlus Premier Platinum, Premier 1K and Global Services accounts. Instead, the inventory once used for ON class will be allocated to O class, which will become the sole booking class used for Saver Awards in United Global First and United First on 3-cabin aircraft.

Between now and January 31, ON will still be used for new Saver Award bookings from Platinum, 1K and Global Services accounts, and any flights booked prior to this change will not be impacted. We’ll also continue to offer better access to Saver Awards in United First (on 2-cabin aircraft), United BusinessFirst and United Business for Premier Platinum members and above, and better access to Saver Awards in United Economy for all Premier members.

Shannon Kelly
Director, Customer Insights
United Airlines

So premier platinum and above no longer have better access to saver awards for Global First than general members starting Feb 1, 2013?

While not the best news, I appreciate the transparency as always UA Insider.

Agreed on all points- not the best news, but the transparency is appreciated. That said, it takes a lot of miles (140k for a transpac, if I recall) for a GF saver award, so that will limit the number of non-platinum and 1ks which are picking up GF tix.

While, that is probably going to mean that access to saver award F is probably going to go down and they would much rather people book and pay C and upgrade to F then to give out a F Saver award until the last minute.

Thumbs down for me.

thanks for the update and the transparency.

I just hope there are actual GF saver awards out there that we will actually be able to use miles on.
Im worried that its hard enough to get a transpac GF saver now, its going to be near impossible if its cut.

Agreed. I've only been able to book transpac GF saver awards once. Yet another devaluation of the awards program.
I don't think I will be flying as much on UA this coming year.

If upgrade availability from Y to C improves that's a good thing. Hopefully they don't intend to sell all the extra upgrade space (left by those upgrading to F) for cash.

Seems this is more about C->F, no??

If this is the only downgrade in the new year I'll take it. But definitely a downgrade. Doesn't matter to me as I've never redeemed for UA 3-cabin F and I likely never would have. Still a shame that the only way to make it work is to pull inventory from top elites.

my experiences is that it seems to be easier to redeem a TPAC F versus a TPAC C saver award. I suspect that with this change, it will be as hard both ways which is why its a thumbs down for me.

They just want more control over the ON space so they would probably release way more ON than O.

this is stupid.

IF they want to separately manage O/ON/OU space .... why not create a separate booking code for upgrades (OU)? Its not like there's running out of 2-letter combinations... Its more about not giving better availability for award space in F to top tier members.

I tend to be agreeing with everyone's comments so far. Saver first has always been much easier than saver business in my experience. Rarely do i ever see saver business when I need it, and when I do there is usually first available too. So saver first reducing is a big minus. That being said GMs generally don't have 140k to spend readily. But to the last point, why can UA just add another inventory space if they are concerned and still want to maintain the same benefits for elites?

Correct, agreed.

At the very least, bring back the ability to convert ON to O for GS.

I've never seen O or ON (or for that matter R and RN) ever not the same.

I can't imagine this has much impact at all for 99% of MP redemption.

You're probably right, since they probably don't sell much GF anymore might as well just treat it as extra C space, which this allows them to do?

I have seen a huge difference in routes like Sfo-Syd/Lhr/Fra
Lots of ON space and zero O space