Originally Posted by
EpsilonZer0
Reading through this thread I think the general consensus is that Plus Points are an interesting experiment but they for the most part go unused.
For domestic flights it just does not make a whole lot of sense to use them because of the chance of getting a normal upgrade. International flights they have some worth but there is a good chance that the upgrade may not go through.
I used to complain about the delta between a domestic PP upgrade (20pp) and an International PP upgrade (30pp to 40pp) but based on how many points go unused I think my complaints were unwarranted.
Not sure I agree.
PPs may not be as useable now, but they were a big improvement over the CR1/SWU regime. As a primarily domestic flyer, it was complicated to get decent value out of SWUs. With PPs at least we have more flexibility. They're going unused because of reduced capacity and people paying for F. Some of that is revenge travel, some of that is due to more attractive pricing, and some is due to new travel habits learned during COVID (i.e., people who didn't used to pay for F wanted less crowding during COVID then stuck with the habit when the masks came off). Revenge travel will likely dissipate, but unless and until (a) capacity increases, which isn't likely in the near future; and/or (b) some kind of recession occurs, things aren't likely to change.
Back OT, I'm guardedly optimistic that things will get a
little - not a lot
- easier with all these expiring PPs. I think the number of GS/1K who reflexively apply PP to every itin is going to go down, if only a little. On my last transcon I died at #3 on the list...a family of 8 (!) all cleared ahead of me. I've never seen that before. Yikes.