UA Comp
Last week for no apparent reason I received a Premier Executive Gold Card (and status) from UA through the mail. I did not ask for it, and the only thing I can figure is that about 3 months ago I faxed a copy of my Skymiles Statement along with a couple of other Airline FF Statements to UA for some mileage promotion. I got an e-mail back from them stating that I did not qualify for this promotion. However, three months later, bingo, I am now a UA Premier Executive without asking. Somebody is thinking in UA's marketing department.
Took a non-stop UA flight from MCO to LAX today and I must admit it was a pleasure. Went to the Red Carpet Club in MCO and used my DL Plat Card to gain access. Very nice clean clubroom with some food to eat it in - bagels with cream cheese, danish, juices and a coffee machine that made a variety of different hot drinks. They even had a special area for kids seperated from the rest of the club.
As I am now a premier executive, I got to sit in Economy Plus, and was in the second exit row (with reclining seats) with three seats to myself, on an Airbus 320. The seat pitch was about 46", better than first class. Hot breakfast (a little small but very edible), electronic headsets and not "tubes", clean bright looking plane interior (not new), ATC on Channel 9 of the audio, and friendly professional flight attendants and ground staff. I must admit the plane was only about half full so it did make this travel experience really good. However, overall it was a very pleasant experience, and was totally different to DL coach product, which really compares very poorly.
I expect the return trip on Sunday will be about the same. Oh, I forgot the mention this experience was on a Skymiles standard coach award ticket on UA. Thanks Delta. Shame they are discontinuing it soon.