From a customer perspective, the whole point of exchanging pluspoints is if the pluspoints are so close to expiring that it makes sense to extract whatever meager value you can out of them. By setting the decision date for exchange 10 months in advance of the expiration date, UA is both giving minimal value for exchange and also setting a far enough time horizon that opting for the minimal exchange value makes little sense.

So as a customer, I don't see this program having much value to me, with the possible exception of the somewhat reasonable Gold status exchange rate.