Originally Posted by
SAT Lawyer
The UA changes are dreadful for mid-tier and low-tier elites. Premier Executives/Golds see their mileage bonus slashed in half and Premiers/Silvers, who are least likely to get upgraded anyway, lose their ability to reserve E+ seating until 24 hours out, if anything's still left. It's hard to see how any non-million-miler who flies between 25,000 and 74,999 miles per year with UA could be pleased with the changes.
Indeed. With regard to the 25,000 to 74,999 mile CO/UA flyers, there are always some wishful thinkers that may want to believe otherwise, but they have indeed been targeted for a reduction in benefits and an increase in fees.
Even the 75,000-99,999 mile CO/UA flyer is going to see a reduction in bonus miles earned from their flights.
Except for the million mile benefit aspect, CO/UA has done nothing with its changes to encourage me to use CO/UA more. That said, the negative changes aren't going to impact me in any substantive way for the time being and so I'll continue using CO/UA's program(s) in the manner I have for some time now.
It will be interesting to see if DL decides to reduce the Diamond tier qualification level to 100k status miles.