<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Redhead:
I'm about 2 segments short (after I complete my previous planned trips) for the new lower 24 seg qualification for Silver. I just bought a ticket to SYR for an up & back trip that I never would have done if it had not been for the lower qualification levels (getting 8 extra segments wasn't in my oh too limited budget) so I, for one, am flying extra as a result of these incentives.
I already have Plat on AA so thought I'd try out Silver on US.
Anybody have any thoughts on what Silver is like? Are upgrades simply out of the question at this lowly level or are they ever a possibility. I only ever fly US for pleasure while most of my business trips are on AA so I always pay the cheapest rate I can find.
</font>
Although I made Chairmans Preferred this year, I was Silver last year when I first started flying. The problem with comparing what Silver is now, compared to then, is that with so many flights cut, the planes will get more crowded as people return to flying. Plus you'll be competing with more Silvers to begin with: people who used the Silver Challenge or are going for the reduced-requirement levels.
In any event, the US program is quite generous. You'll receive certificates upon qualifying that you can use on short flights within North America (or compile them to use on longer flights) and you'll receive two one-way systemwide upgrades you can use to/from Europe (or on long-haul flights within the United States). As you fly more, you'll receive more 800-mile NA certs.
When I was Silver, I got upgraded around 60% of the time, and when I was Gold, I was almost always upgraded.
The great thing about the program is that the certificates can be used to upgrade any published fare, which can be really low, although E-savers are excepted. And the Systemwides can be used on any published fare to Europe, even heavily discounted, non-Esaver fares. All-in-all, the program is quite good, and it only gets better as you get higher status.