Big deal! If United starts offering upgrades to F for $9, then I will have a problem! I don't care if they charge $9 and up for E+, because the seats are identical except that there is a bigger pitch. I choose to fly at times where I can upgraded to F and that has not been a problem for me as a Premier Plat because I fly when most business travelers do not fly. I also fly from DCA, which is not a hub.

As far as priority boarding goes, I am in Group 1 and the credit card holders are in Group 2, so I don't have to compete for them in that line. And at DCA, I have seen them kick Group 2 travelers out of the Group 1 line. In other words, it is strictly enforced at DCA. What I don't like are the people who claim they "need extra time" to board. They get to jump ahead of ALL elites. United should limit pre-boarding for people without status to those in wheelchairs only. I know people who have bought canes just to get pre-boarding. Fortunately, there aren't many people who have the chutzpah to do that. I do wish that United would follow Delta and allow those traveling in F to board ahead of others in Group 1 flying in Y. Right now F passengers get no special treatment and that's just plain wrong.

Further, I use the TSA Pre-Check lane at DCA, which nearly always has not even one person ahead of me in line, while the elite lane is usually full. (Still can't figure out why more elites don't apply for GE - maybe they are just ignorant or are too cheap to pay $100 for 5 years).

Because I am semi-retired, I can usually fly when I choose to fly, unlike most full-time business travelers.