(I know it's against forum rules to offer upgrades here- I'm NOT offering any, I'm looking for clarification regarding UA's MP rules)
I've been sponsoring upgrades (GPUs and RPUs) for friends and family for a long while, similar to most of the members here - not selling, bartering, exchanging or offering "travel advice", simply upgrading people who are close to me.
Since I have a few xPUs expiring in a few days, I thought about offering them to people who I don't necessarily know personally (e.g. on travel forums, social media, etc.) - again,
100% free, not selling or anything like that. Before doing so, being a good boy 'n all, I went to UA's website to read the
MP program rules, to make sure I'm in the clear- I'm happy to be a Good Samaritan, but have no intention of "breaking the law" :-)
Section 10 (
Prohibition of sale or barter), states the following:
The sale, barter or other transfer or attempted sale, barter or other transfer of any mileage, certificates, awards, benefits or status, other than as authorized and/or sponsored by United, is expressly prohibited. Any mileage, certificates, awards, benefits or status sold, bartered or otherwise transferred is in violation of the Rules and any accounts or Members involved in such sales, barters or other transfers may be subject to United’s Remedies. The acquisition, use, transfer or attempted acquisition, use or transfer of mileage, certificates, awards, benefits or status that have been acquired by purchase, barter or other transfer in violation of the Rules may result in United’s exercise of United’s Remedies.
Now, I'm no lawyer, but doesn't this section basically state that ANY upgrade transfer is prohibited? That is, unless "other than as authorized and/or sponsored by United" (whatever that means
) is what allows it? Obviously this is somehow allowed, since most (if not all) of us redeem upgrades for people all the time.
Once again, I'm
not looking for a 'loophole' or 'validation' to sell/barter/exchange the upgrades, just trying to better understand this.