dkc715

Pass plus was a wonderful bulk mileage program in the 90s. I was an early purchaser of a 5 year 25,000 mile plan, which I was able to add to and extend a few more years. It was an incredibly cheap way to fly on Y tickets which were heavily discounted. If my memory serves me, it worked out to about .22 cents a mile. Great for flights of 1,000 miles or less, at a price well below the best corporate discounts. I was based in Chicago at the time, an ideal hub for routes of 1,000 miles or less. Obviously, coast to coast flying wasn't as good a deal under the program so you would then just buy the ticket in those instances.

My only regret was not buying an unlimited lifetime plan when it was offered. If my memory is correct, it was priced about $1M for unlimited flying for you and a travel partner, in any cabin, as long as you live. It made sense to the UA CFO at the time. It was upfront money to the airline in an environment of 5% interest rates. So, in effect, the airline was letting you fly anywhere as much as you wanted for $50K a year. Aside from shelling out $1M upfront, the big negative with the Lifetime plan was assuming credit risk. But, United honored the program through bankruptcies, etc.

You can probably guess who of the FT community bought the lifetime plan back in the early days. They paid the bucks. I'm just envious they are flying around the world in GF for free now. Heck, I'd be racking up millions of more miles if everything was free.

Guess the new management didn't want to mess with these Lifetime Pass Plus plans. Take away 2 RPU's from million milers and you have a revolt. Take away a LifeTime of free flying........well, that would have been an interesting court case!

Cheers