In 2013, when United announced their Minimum Spend Requirements, many loyal United Frequent Flyers became Free Agents. No longer wedded to United, they went to other programs or simply purchased tickets from whatever airline provided the best pricing, routing, schedule, etc. While they Zigged, I took the opposite route and Zagged.

My history was that I usually made 1k with a minimum of spend (usually at $.05 a mile) or around $5-6,000/year with 90% domestic travel. Some years, I would take an occasional Mileage Run or two at the end of the year to reach 100,000 mileage threshold. However, with the new $10k (then $12k) spending threshold, I realize that my historic flying/spending model was not going to work. I analyzed the situation and came up with following options.

1 – Become a Free Agent and simply fly other airlines, with no allegiance to any program.
2 – Shift/Consolidate my flying on Delta. I was also Delta Platinum for the years 2009-2014.
3 – Switch allegiance to another carrier (i.e. American, Alaska, Virgin America). American looked appealing since they still awarded miles on what you flew, not what you spent.
4 – Drop down from 1k status to Platinum status (Spent >$25k on Chase Explorer card).
5 – Deliberately spend more per ticket (i.e. $.05/mile to $.12/mile) to reach the spending threshold
6 - Dramatically increase the # of miles flown (at $.05/mile) to reach the spending threshold

With about 2.5 million lifetime miles with United and living near San Francisco, I decided not to change carriers (eliminate Option 3). Being cheap, I couldn’t fathom the thought of over spending on tickets (eliminate Option 5). In 2013, 1k status retained some upgrade chances, so dropping down to Platinum status was unappealing (eliminate Option 4).

Although I was also a Delta Platinum, this was due to a temporary bump in business travel to the Southeast during 2009-2011. I was using MQM roll over and other non flight promotions to maintain Platinum status. While I thought Delta provided a slightly better overall in flight (including upgrades) product, it didn’t make long term sense for me to try to reach Delta Lifetime Mileage status. I would be starting out at a low lifetime base and their program tops out at 4 million miles (and only at Platinum). Eliminate Option 2.

This left only Option 1 (the most logical and rationale) or Option 6.

Of course, I chose option 6 and would work toward taking advantage of the lifetime mileage “loophole” and try to reach the permanent 1k status at 3 million miles. And once I reached 3 million miles, I can shift to Option 1, being a free agent, while still retaining 1k status.

United would still get my money, but at the same rate of $.05-.06/mile. Thus, instead of taking an occasional mileage run or two at the end of the year, I stated to actively seek out mileage runs that would provide the best value (i.e. <$.05/mile). My yearly miles on United equipment went from 100k/year to 250-300k/year. I also had a sense of urgency, as United could easily devalue the lifetime mileage at any time (there was a rumor a couple of years ago that United would drop down a level for each million mile threshold). I also remembered when United discontinuing the 2 million benefit of Lifetime United Club membership. When United announced dropping the Lifetime United Club membership @ 2 million miles I was going to fall about 45k miles short. I wrote in to United and, fortunately, was granted Lifetime UC membership, so I knew first hand, how lucky I was and how that things change.

In 2015, I broke through the 3 million barrier and breathed a sigh of relief, lifetime 1k status. I thought about dropping my travel/spend back to normal. However, the effective degradation of 1k status (i.e. lower chances of an upgrade) was in full progress, (i.e. aggressive TOD upgrades). So I decided to go for the 4 million mile, Global Service threshold, and continued to seek out Mileage run opportunities.

This week I finally reach 4 million miles and Lifetime Global Services status. For the past several years, as a 1k, traveling at a low fare classes (K or G), upgrades were sparse. Basically, I viewed myself as a Platinum on with high fare class. If I wasn’t upgraded before the day of the flight, I knew that I will be sitting in Coach.

While I have no illusions that being Global Services will change my life, I am looking forward to

- Getting notifications a few days before my flight that I have been upgraded (I haven’t seen many of those lately)
- Being able to use the San Francisco Global Services lobby to bypass the (sometimes long) Pre Check lines
- Looking for PN (Positively Nice) availability instead of R (Rare) availability for international and PS/Cross Country flights
- The ability to board early (avoid standing in line, so I usually board at the very end of Group 1)
- My first Mercedes Benz transfer
- Getting Complimentary upgraded on SFO-Hawaii flights, using saver awards tickets (once commonplace as a 1k, now, not so much)
- Avoiding seeing my upgrade standing drop like a stone as the flight time approaches (from 2nd to 4th, to 8th, to 15th, to 22nd)
- Upgrading, via GPU’s from a saver economy award tickets to Business (an incredible benefit).
- Getting a little better treatment (note - I always felt I was treated well as a 1k)
- Not worrying that United will arbitrarily discontinue the Lifetime mileage threshold (assuming they grandfathered those who are already in)
- Flying other Star Alliance partners (better fares/schedule) since I no longer have to concentrate my flying only on United metal

Basically, I have become the anti Bob Uecker. Paying for the cheap seats, but being allowed to sit in the front rows.

Looking back, I realize that this was a classic example of making lemonade out of lemons. Taking lemons (the imposition of minimum spending) and turning it into lemonade (achieving Global Services 10+ years sooner). In a way, I should thank United for imposing the spending threshold and not waiving the credit card spending waiver for 1k status. Without both of these changes, I would have stayed at my historic level of 100,000 miles/year. And although I would have reach the 3 million miles (Lifetime 1k) at the end of 2018, it would have been a pyrrhic victory. For the next 10+ years, while I would have 1k status, I would still be looking at low % of upgrades. Now I can enjoy Global Service status 10 years ahead of time. Of course, United could start implementing changes to degrade Global Services status, but that is another/different story.