Originally Posted by
fumje
If I'm reading correctly, this is an argument that benefits haven't been diluted, i.e. because +P can still clear into open PZ, they still hold their worth. And if I am reading that correctly — hope I'm not coming in too hot here — meh. You are the immaculate informed consumer when it comes to specifics, but on the general point, I can't help but think this is like boiling a frog (guess who's the frog), and the larger moral is being missed.
The point of all this griping is that upgrades have gradually but significantly become more difficult to use. And now that they are, the instruments aren't worth as much. In the past, if you did a bit of searching and had a few days' flexibility, you could usually find open upgrade space, and if you simply couldn't flex on schedule, waitlisting with top status panned out a reasonably high percentage of the time. Now if you waitlist, you're dead. You might even be tenth "dead" out of twenty. And if you do shift your dates/destinations to make it work, you have to go >500mi away from your intended origin/destination, move your flights by multiple weeks, or maybe both. This has been a slow diminution of benefits, but it is a definite one, and by now a meaningful one.
Bottom line: we've already hit or passed the point at which status is not worth stretching for, excepting rare cases. If they hike the requirements (which I do expect they'll do, as they tried before the pandemic), those cases are going to be even more rare.
Bingo. I’ve taken LAX-LHR once or twice per year since 2012 (excluding the last 2 years). I always fly out on a Wed or Thur. This is the first time I’ve ever not cleared the outbound, and I’ve only missed the inbound once. And, I’ve always been on a W fare — usually clearing at least 5 days in advance, This time I’m on an A fare, above all but GS and those on GS instruments, as well as 1K’s on O fares. I was the only 1K who boarded early, after about 5 GS’s. I will pay for J when it’s reasonable. At 7K+, it wasn’t reasonable. For this type of experience, there is no point in spending extra just to earn 1K and the PP that come with it, that (for me, at least) fail more often than they clear — with no option to fork over 3X the amount to “skip the waitlist.” I may as well book the cheapest J fare with the best route on any airline. The higher UA raises the bar, the more distasteful re-qualifying becomes, and the greater the likelihood that I will become a free agent.
Still waitlisted for my Tuesday return, of course. In the past, PZ has always been available at booking when I returned on Tuesday.