I earned 1K in 2019 for 2020, which was extended to 2021. I took 1 international flight in Feb 2020 and then didn't fly again until May 2021. My May - Dec 2021 travel has been 100% leisure, but with the promotions etc, made it to Platinum (3K PQP away from 1K). I think I've been extended to 2022 in that my virtual 1K card shows 1/2023 expiration, but that's about it. No other indication of the extension whatsoever. I have 40 PP expiring 1/2023 (I assume the ones I earned getting to Platinum this year). The other points expire 07/2022.

I know some here are upset that they pushed hard to make it through the promotions to earn status, only to have others "gifted" an extension. But those who did (at least Platinums/1Ks) also received additional PPs, which I didn't get for my "freebie" extension. I personally think that UA should extra-reward customers who achieved the original status requirements organically, not customers that achieved status because of lowered requirements and gifted PQPs.

With that said, in addition to those on FT being an extremely biased sample set not representative of the "average" elite customer (I don't say that flippantly given that I am part of that biased sample set - a technical term), an even smaller minority on/off FT took flights to nowhere solely for the purpose of retaining status. I would venture that the **vast** majority of customers taking advantage of the various promotions either gave business to United instead of Delta/AA/etc for a flight you would have taken anyways or maybe were nudged to take a trip with the side benefit of attaining 2022 status. Or maybe you got to sit in first class when you would've been okay with coach to spend extra $$ towards the promotion (tiny violin ;-))

Personally, I purchased a ticket in J on AC whereas I would've been happy to fly Y, so that I could 'fly to the finish' (which I missed anyways). But I did it eyes wide open, and I enjoyed the experience flying J on a carrier that actually makes domestic J special. I am extremely grateful that UA chose to extend my status in a year where I have taken 0 business flights because we are still operating remotely.