frekwentflier

I just received this email and thought it was worth sharing. Is anybody signing up for this? Is there a catch?


frekwentflier, enjoy complimentary access to 1,200 Business Lounges worldwide

Your MileagePlus® membership benefits now include complimentary access to off-airport Business Lounges around the globe through our partnership with Regus.

A $600 value, your complimentary 12-month Regus Businessworld Gold membership includes:

• Free access to 1,200 Internet-equipped Business Lounges in 550 cities worldwide

• Preferred rates on Meeting Rooms, Video Communications Studios and Day Offices, plus 7 award miles per $1 spent on all bookings

• 7 miles per $1 spent on a new Virtual Office with mail handling, a prestigious address and call answering to enhance your business image

• 5 miles per $1 spent on a new full-time Regus Office, fully-furnished and with terms to suit your business

Link is http://www.regus.com/mileagepluspremier1

jhayes_1780

Catch? Other then RDM earning potential, what exactly is the benefit here?

MtRoot

I received this too. Free access to the lounges might be a nice alternative to Starbucks when you have a couple of hours to kill in the town. I'm trying to find out the locations and amenities but their website is taking forever to respond. Maybe MP members are flooding the server .

GBadger

I got this too...

Call me skeptical, but I feel as though this may be one of those offers of "first year on us -- if you like the service we will automatically bill your credit card $600 each year after the first year."

German Expat

I had it through a credit card at one time. Never got billed afterwards so I don't think there is a catch. Never used it though, I kind of like Starbucks or Panera Bread

FlyingHoustonian

I signed up and no credit card was required. I've yet to use the "lounge" though.

frekwentflier

These are basically like airport lounges on steroids at locations outside the airport. Like MT said, they beat a Starbucks for privacy if you have some time to kill between meetings or just need to get some work done.

And I agree with GBadger; I'm concerned they'll auto-renew and make it a pain to cancel.

I'm not traveling enough for business anymore to make this worthwhile for me, but figured others on here may find it useful.

staeiou

The website is slow and keeps timing out on me, but I'm not being asked for my credit card. Doesn't seem like there is a catch.

edit: Finally was able to register and got an instant confirmation of my card number via e-mail. Makes me sad that there are dozens of locations in San Francisco, the peninsula, and San Jose, but zero in Oakland. :-( Although I guess I shouldn't be surprised...

marzomarz

I have this. I don't think there is a catch in that you get billed automatically. But I've also not found a use for it yet.

MtRoot

I guess I'll give it a try. I might actually end up with a couple of hours of free time next week in Bangkok (I'm flying out that night so no hotel), so I'll report back if I do get a chance to use them.

But their website is REALLY slow. Hope this is not always the case.

mherdeg

UA also sent me an e-mail about this on 2 August (subject: "Earn award miles and access any of 1,200 Regus Business Centers", content included "Activate
your 12-month complimentary Businessworld Gold membership (a $600 value) and receive…").

I guess someone from marketing thought sending an e-mail from United with the subject line "You've been upgraded" might get more conversions. Good for them.

Red Raider LV

I signed up, have used it, and quite like it. Lots of locations across LA.

wendyg

US Airways had a similar deal for DM elites a couple of years ago. There was no catch; I took up the offer but was never billed. There are lots of locations, though unfortunately in the year I had access I really never found an occasion to use them.

wg

timbre

There is no catch. I signed up for this when it was offered to me being an AA Platinum. It is a GREAT alternative to Starbucks when you are in between meetings -- especially in a dense city like New York. They have a good mobile app that tells you where the closest one is. I must have used it 7-8 times while I was in NYC. Each office is a little different (some are nicer than others), but I was never more than a few blocks away from one.

They have good internet access, quiet spaces and free coffee.

Obviously, their goal is to sign you up for another year after your free year is over.

MDtR-Chicago

There was extensive discussion of the BusinessWorld membership when it was offered to PC elites.

See this thread for lots of details: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inter...el-merged.html

And especially this post: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/14027245-post32.html

I have actually used the membership quite a bit. Each location is different, so it varies widely what constitutes the "lounge". Sometimes it's a small office with some furniture in it. Sometimes it's a dining area. But the consistent theme is: free coffee, free wi-fi, fewer distractions than a coffee shop, and often parking of some sort nearby.