Originally Posted by
Kacee
The comparison is 100% valid in this context, since as a UA 1K I'm limited to the UC (or similar) at HKG, while as an EXP flying CX I can access the superb CX F lounges. Since I transit HKG over a dozen times a year, this is a meaningful advantage for me. (And btw, the CX J lounge at SFO is IMO better than Polaris lounge SFO, so it's a win on both ends.)
This is fair. For your travel pattern I'd choose CX as well. This has nothing to do with AA though. You're basically just noting that top Asian airlines and lounges are better than US airlines (and I agree) When I was flying UA out of NRT I skipped the UA Club and went to the NH lounge. The real issue is that there is no *A partner based in HKG.
But for international travel that is served by a *A partner, I don't think that this comparison is a good one. Note that the new changes actually allow you to fly a partner without the 016-ticket requirement and still count it towards status. This brings cheap TK business class fares (with a requirement that they be ticketed by TK) into play. I passed on one of these last year because there was no way to count it for UA status (no PQD anyway). Same with SAS -- UA won't ticket their TATL flights because they want to force you onto UA or LH. No more.. I can now fly SAS through CPH when I go to HEL (far superior PE product, which is all my employer will pay for) and count it towards status. And of course SQ has tons of cheap PE fares as well.
Some domestic road warriors have pointed out that the changes will allow them to qualify for 1k, when they previously couldn't (due to the PQM requirement going away)
I guess the point is that these changes are going to be helpful for some people and harmful for others. If I were frequently flying premium cabin to HKG I'd be using CX too (though, I'd be crediting to AS, not AA. Lounge access is nice but free flights are nicer, and the PP lounge in HKG is fine)
My basic point is that UA encouraged me to look at the alternatives when it raised the spend threshold this year while further gutting the MP program, and for me, it turns out that AA is a better alternative. This is why smart businesses never give good customers a reason to check out the competition.
I find this a little hard to believe. You come across as a savvy enough traveler to consider all your options -- you don't need UA "encouragement" to do this.