Originally Posted by
jfidler
This is important to emphasize. Since the OP is based in the US, there's a chance they may be taking some domestic flights in the US, and lounge access is a great perk. My travel is a mix of domestic US and international, and one of the reasons I don't join UA's FFP is that it still won't get me lounge access when traveling domestic.
Yes, free domestic upgrades on UA for their FFPs is a big benefit, but on the UA flights I take, it always seems to be 20+ people on the upgrade list for 2-3 available seats in F.
Indeed. Even as a UA1k during the economic situation in 2011-2013, I didn't get upgraded domestically on UA more than a couple of times and that too only on flights under 750 miles.
That said even the economy class seats given free to UA*S as "EconomyPlus" are not free for other airline*Gs, and so the default result is most commonly some of the worst economy class seats on UA planes unless willing to pay more money.