Originally Posted by
michael13
Am I correct that if you were 1 million mile flyer on UAL before merger, you were lifetime Prem. Exec. member with 100% bonus miles. Now after merger, it seems like you are now Gold member getting 50% bonus miles. Is that true, and if so, it sounds like UAL is decreasing and not increasing benefits. AA still gives 100% bonus miles to its Platinum members, which is equivalent to Prem. Exec. level, what gives? I have flown 1.666 million miles on UAL and am not happy. May go to AA.
I agree with you...I am well on my way toward Lifetime Gold (about halfway to 1MM), but the new Gold reduction in bonus miles to 50% from 100% is a BIG deal.
That is why I posted this yesterday:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/17910077-post2465.html
For those who don't want to click, it reads:
A few years back, after AA essentially abandoned SJC as a west-coast hub (discontinuing several non-stops that were important to me, including SJC-BOS, SJC-JFK, and SJC-NRT), I made the conscious decision to move my business to UA. SFO is only slightly more inconvenient than SJC, but the massive number of non-stops more than make up for it.
I have been generally happy with UA (3 years of Prem Exec, 1 year of 1K), but these changes (both the MM and the annual achieved levels) are atrocious and uncompetitive. Thankfully, I had earned Lifetime Platinum on AA and am moving my business back to AA for long-haul flights. I've booked 8 paid flights so far for 2012; 3 of which are on AA; 3 on WN; and 2 on VX. I've booked 2 award flights on UA (burning off miles).
If we vote with our feet, maybe UA will get the hint. They have no reason to bend on the changes if all we do is complain but simultaneously continue to book and fly on UA.
I'm on strike.
I am voting with my feet (and my wallet). UA simply won't see my $$ going forward. If enough of us followed suit, Smisek and friends would have to pay attention. Otherwise, what is their incentive to change if everyone simply complains but continues to book and fly UA?