SF1K

So for the first time ever I'm evaluating whether earning 1K status is worth it for me anymore. As a 2 million miler, my husband and I are Platinum for life. So just comparing the $ difference between Platinum and 1K, which basically means:

2 RPUs
6 SWUs
Lower earning of 9 versus 11
Priority of CPU


I kind of value the RPUs at about $300 each. Let's say I was going transcon, then I think now a days one can find a coach fare for about $200, and a reasonable first fare for about $500. So I'd be potentially missing about of about $600 in benefits (the two additional RPUs).

The GPUs I value at about $1000 each, I did this calculation by looking at SFO-HKG/LHR/FRA. Looking at lowest available fare, and then adding the cost to buy miles and upgrade co-pay, versus having to buy a W and using the SWU. Actually also compared just buying miles for enough to get a free o/w in J, which is often the cheapest option and gets you connecting flights beyond HKG/LHR/FRA.

I haven't used any GPUs in a number of years, the last two I gave to my dad, but my parents are not planning on going overseas again - so no need for that.

Mostly going overseas we redeem miles as we can be fairly flexible and haven't had availability issues. I'd be ok buying miles if we need to for getting those rewards - figure Europe J is about $1100 O/W for 57K miles, and Asia about $1300 O/W J for 70K miles, so any miles I earn basically discount that (see I'm already looking at miles as a $ figure. )

The final would be the earning ratio dropping. Looking at my PQD last year it was about $17,000 so that would be about 35K in lost miles. But really less than that because I probably would spend a whole lot less on UA tickets.

My plan is to take more AS and AS partner flights (AA), both of us are MVP with them and always fly them to Hawaii (4 to 5 times per year for leisure). It is important for us to be in F on those flights, just because we enjoy it. So we either buy F and/or upgrade instantly at time of ticketing.

The CPU is the question mark. Lately as a 1K I find that the only time I'm in F is when I pay for it, I can do that as Platinum at the same cost. So is there anything I'm missing?

I wouldn't give up on UA totally - as I'm at 2.2 million miles, and would like to eventually get to 3 million with the 1K for life, but who knows that that would mean by that time?? Also with Dynamic pricing coming that is a big question mark.

mamabear

Totally agree with that as a fellow 1K out of SFO. The tech companies pay for first class, my company doesn't, I very rarely get upgraded.

Where do you find these $500 transcon first class tickets though?

washdcguy

Your post represents my sentiments exactly. Although, I'm think of an AA jump.

Given the impacts of the "monetization of premium cabins," seems like this deserves a 2015 thread vs a 13/14 edition.

Asiatraveler15

I actually value the GPU's higher. But, I guess it depends where you go.

LAX to Hong Kong runs about 4k RT.
The GPU price is usually 1300-1500.
Lets's say 1500.
So 3 times 2500 is $7500.
If the RPU's are worth $300. That is another $1800.
So now it is $9300 in upgrade benefits.

The rest may just be listed as service oriented.
Better award options, priority boarding, generally better service when you call or have an issue with a flight. I have often gotten hotels with canceled flights when others do not.
Another huge one for me is no charge on canceled/changed award travel. I think that saved me easily over 1k last year.

I think it is worth it. If you don't use the RPU's or GPU's then maybe not. I use them so it is good for me.

flyer_south

My calculation has been similar and was receiving such value until about the middle of last year but, since then, it has been impossible to find confirmed upgrades using GPUs, regardless of flexibility in dates or locations. RPUs have ceased to clear on domestic transcons as well.

Other benefits continue to apply and are much appreciated.

SF1K

Isn't it fairer to value a GPU by comparing it to the cost of miles plus copay's minus the cost differential between lowest economy and W versus looking at the value of the GPU of cost from lowest Y to actual Business Class price??

Kacee

Multiple ways to assign "value," none of them perfect, and all depend on the particular use to which the GPU is put. That's certainly one way. Of course, then you run into the issue of valuing the miles. There's also the fact that the GPU on a W has priority on the waitlist over a miles upgrade on a lower fare class. Not sure how you value that

Tall Paul

Got caught up in the weather problems around Chicago. I don't know how you can value it, but I was treat far better as a 1k than I have been in the past as a lower tier flyer. The treatment and getting home sooner was worth the effort to make it to 1k.

Unfortunately, part of that help came from the GS staff at IAD so now I've had a taste of the forbidden fruit!

CO FF

Due to a weird combination of (a) having a PresidentialPlus card, and (b) some paid (by other people) premium cabin travel on *A, by mid-June I will have about 85k EQMs (and thus qualify for PLT) with only ~ $2500 PQD. At that point, with just regular planned business travel (all in lowest cost Y), I will easily hit 100k EQMs this year.

I need to decide whether it's worth spending $9000 for a paid F/J UA ticket (to anywhere...) in order to get my spend to $12k PQD and qualify for 1K.

The 6 GPUs are the obvious benefit -- as I know that I will have longhaul travel to UA destinations in 2016 that I could use them on, and that would easily be worth $1500 per segment (9 hour flight segments, minimum...). The CPU priority is a nice perk, but hard to put a number on.

Any thoughts from the hivemind at FT?

entropy

?
Your FEQM don't count for 1K.

CO FF

Not FEQM -- I would buy an F/J ticket that would cost enough to get me the PQD I need to get the $12k PQD for 1K; any ticket costing $8k-$9k would mean flying longhaul (LAX-LHR; LAX-SYD; LAX-NRT, etc.) and get me way more EQMs than I would need to go over the top...

lhrsfo

Your valuation of GPUs totals them at $9000, then there are some extra RDMs, which you can value and othe bits and pieces which you can't value. So, in your case, >$9009.

bmr12

Looks like the OP is only using the PP card for the PQD waiver up to Plat.

entropy

OP said a combination of the PP card... Any FEQM earned/applied via PresidentialPlus are worth 0 EQM. e.g. you can have 5k FEQM and 96k EQM earned in a year and you'll be platinum.

aacharya

Take the money and book something for next year. There is no value if you've flown most of what you're going to fly in 2015 already.

With that money, I'd emphasize PQM value and book when there's cheap P fares. I'd get a lot of PQMs out of $9,000.