Originally Posted by
osotoc
I've read the close-in-booking-fee workaround is gone now.
Plus, i think this is my final year as a 1K. I'll make Gold but won't be flying UA or *A much for the rest of the year.
Over the past 1.5 years, I've been focusing on AS MileagePlan and its partners who fly ex-Europe to Asia (e.g., CX, AY, BA).
I did get a few CPU with an award ticket, and yes, those were definitely a nice surprise.
As 1K for several years now I haven't been pushed to do the "workarounds" but I suspect there is a wiki for that and other FT members can better address whether or not they still work. I would not be surprised if UA shut them down by now anyhow.
Not for this thread but I as well have toyed with the idea of moving over the AS Mileage Plan as well and have match for the last two years (not 2018). But UA somehow keeps pulling me back with intermittent perks. Post Virgin merger AS is even more attractive as far as my travel needs so not sure what the future will bring.