This was said of AC but it is just as true of UA, and so in my view not particularly surprising that they chose to do away with the E+ benenfit for *G. Believe me, I'm bummed about it -- I loved this benefit -- but why should they give these seats away when they can sell them?

True, some and perhaps many of us will fly UA less than we used to. But that only reflects the fact that the E+ seat was a major draw. And if drew us before it can still draw us, or if not can draw someone else, someone willing to pay to get up there. Indeed, perhaps some of those people paying to get up there will be the ones who used to get it for free! In fact, their system makes a lot of sense to me. $300 is not a lot of money and once shelled out it means that each time one flies UA the cost per flight gets cheaper: a way of keeping loyalty for UA!

From my perspective as AC elite, this change is a reduction in my AC benefit package. Ideally, AC would negotiate a deal with UA -- perhaps even pay money -- to allow its elites to fly in E+ for free, and hence preserve my loyalty to them and to *G. (Of course ideally AC would let me fly in business class for free on every flight just because they like me: I won't hold my breath.)

I've flown less this year, and it will be a struggle to make 35K for the first time in quite a few years (some years I was flying double that!). So this is one extra data point I'll keep in mind as I wonder whether to stretch to make AC elite this year.