Originally Posted by
Nihon_Ni
Why would anyone strive to complete 100% of the qualification requirements if they knew UA was going to offer them a discounted buy up in Jan? I think most of us here expect to pay a premium for the buy up if we didn't satisfy all the requirements the usual way. In your case, your premium is only $49 above what you would have had to spend on PQD the old fashioned way, plus taxes on that fare. The last $560 ticket I bought had $89 in taxes, which don't count as PQD. You didn't have to buy gas to drive to an airport, pay to park your car, and spend a day of your free time flying from here to there just for the sake of a mileage run to qualify; and you got to do all that for a "premium" that is less than the tax you would have paid if you had flown, and you got to spend a day doing something other than making a mileage run. To me, this is a win-win. If you want to be a Silver, I think you should take the offer and consider yourself as one of the few winners of the buy up program!
I guess one man's slap is another man's good deal.
I understand paying a premium if you are short miles or segments, that makes perfect sense. If you are short PQD though? Not so much. If I had spent the $550 plus taxes the old fashioned way, at least I would have flown somewhere. Yes it would have cost me time, parking, etc. It also would have cost United too. I could have checked 100 lbs worth of bags, taken up an E+ seat that they theoretically could have sold, earned miles, etc. This isn't a one sided thing that United is throwing me a bone here. And sadly one of the main reasons I am even considering this offer is to access the premier line at customer service. That alone has saved me hours when United has the inevitable delay or other problem.
Look, I get it, airlines are in business to make money, and its a race to the bottom. United isn't any worse than the rest. I just have to start drawing the line when I flat out pay a fee for loyalty, as if I am paying Tony Soprano a tribute with an envelope full of cash.