global happy traveller

we have competition....... only the other way around.... passenger out competing other passengers in $$$

beepyou

not sure if I'm reading this correctly -- none (1p through 1k) of the UA FF can access lounge on a purely domestic itn?

Boogie711

All of the US programs (not just *A, but Delta, AA... all unless someone can correct me) charge for lounge access on domestic itineraries. An annual membership costs between $300-$500. It has nothing to do with status, although the membership is cheaper the higher up the status ladder you are.

If you're a Gold member or higher and traveling internationally, Star Alliance rules apply. From Canada to the USA counts as "internationally." But if you're like me and fly out of Buffalo a lot, that now becomes a domestic itinerary, and you have to be a member or pay a daily rate.

If you get to SE/1k status with only 20 segments, chances are good most of your flying is International. If you're like me and racking up 60-80 segments up and down the Atlantic coast, then the $350 a year is worth every penny just to have free coffee and a quiet place to work (much less free booze.) The lounges are NOT as nice as a MLL. Suck it up. The corporate staff don't treat their elites with contempt, either. *cough AC*

I also like to point out that EVERY fare (except reward travel) counts for mileage accumulation on UA. None of this Tango/Tango+ crap where you shell out an extra $70/segment just to get miles. UA also credits to a much broader range of partner airline fare classes. So when I see people claim "35k on AC is easier than 50k on UA," I actually beg to differ.

KenHamer

If you can, get a Canadian American Express Platinum card (the real one, not the Aeroplan knockoff.) Managed correctly, that card will gain you access to something on the order of 1200 different lounges, perhaps more.

$399/year, but as well as the lounges, includes things like out of country medical insurance, deductible free car rental coverage, etc. Also has a number of travel benefits such as two for one ticketing, upgrades, and discounted fares, albeit most are from J and F.

1¼ points/$ which can be transferred into a number of programs, including CX, AC, DL, BA, and a few others, as well as into a number of hotel programs.

KenHamer

Not to mention that the higher economy fares (which are still often less than Air Canada T/T+ fares) earn 150% EQM/status miles.

tcl

I had always been with UA as they had more award ticket availability, and there was no penalty (points or $) for last minute booking. However, I noticed that with the recent merger, certain routes have been cancelled. For example, UA's JFK - HKG no longer exists. For something to NYC you now have to fly in and out of Newark (NJ). So if total # flights have decreased, I'd assume the total # of seats (and therefore award seats) would also decrease.

My main issue with AC over the years is that they have some sort of East coast vs West coast rivalry within the company. For example, when I check-in YYZ and have my upgrades confirmed, I get bumped when I reach YVR bc their logic is that I didn't get there in time (...?!) I had already checked-thru to HKG 8-hours prior in YYZ! My flight didn't arrive late or anything. So my choice was either to go in Y or to overnight in YVR

Another issue with non-AC *Alliance is that you get a lot of MLL attitude. In the past as *G I've been refused entry into several MLL even when flying AC metal. Had to get the UA supervisor to sort it out more than a few times and it was explained to me as politics or just "attitude". The point is, why are we being treated like panhandlers when trying to enter MLL?

However, if you are mainly based in Canada, and your bills are paid there, the credit card offers are good for accruing AP points so it would be better to stay with AP. You can always transfer your AP points to UA/CO "shell" account for redemption purposes.

global happy traveller

Looks like CO earns 100% on Tango fares

http://www.continental.com/CMS/en-US...spx?ItemId=313

YUL_Around_The_World

This maybe true for you (and me) ... But not for the majority of employees who must select the cheapest fare based on company rules ... I have myself about 10 employees in that category ... That's the end of their chance to upgrade!!

PVDtoDEL

If you want to switch to an american program, I'd suggest US before UACO. No YQ, an actual shot at getting an upgrade without 1K status, etc. is all really nice...

That said, not sure if US has full mileage accrual for AC Tango fares.

3Cforme

Using an expanded definition of domestoc flight, the Delta rules are complicated:

- Diamond elites (125K) get full Sky Club membership and the partner lounge reciprocity and most generous guest rules that go with it

- First, Business Elite and full Y-fare passengers get Club access on select transcons have access: between JFK and Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Portland, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle, and San Francisco

- Business class passengers on flights from Mexico get access

- Gold elites (50K) and higher get club access on international travel regardless of the ticketed class of service, and for club access purposes Canada is considered international (for many other purposes with the airline, it's not)

- Delta Reserve (Amex, $450 annual fee) cardholders get access when flying a Delta-operated segment

Santander

I have a semi-active US account which I just use for their promotions like buying double miles and Grand Slam. Their award chart is very reasonable, you can earn 1:1 in Canada using an SPG Amex and they have a great call centre where they actually pick up the phone, which can't be said about calling OnePass. There is some award blocking and routing rules aren't as generous as CO or AP but overall Dividend Miles is a great FFP, especially for redemption. If their network works for you then even better.

Personally I don't mind the reduced earning for discount Y for domestic travel, that's pretty much the global norm (there is a world outside the US). The problem I think is that they're applying this to international routes where they have to compete with "real" airlines while offering either an inferior product (e.g. compared to CX) or uncompetitive price (e.g. compared to CA). If I'm only going to earn 50% miles, I might as well just fly CA for $700 r/t PEK-YVR instead of forking over more money for a non-upgradeable AC flight with less legroom and inferior service. International Tango fares is almost a good thing for me, I no longer feel "tied down" to AC and am free to fly better airlines.

canolakid

Cdn Delta affiliated card isn't AMEX; only offers skypesos, so no love for 'status seekers'. Would use DL as my secondary if a card helped bump status miles

Shareholder

The US market is over 10x the size of the Canadian market. There are now just five major and three minor players. By dividing by a factor of ten, there should not be any airlines operating in Canada, let alone two competing carriers.

Shareholder

Which MLLs were these? Never heard of a STARGold from any program being denied lounge access if fly outbound on a STAR flight. Inbound is a different matter. BTW as an AC SE (and Es) I get access to AC's Arrivals Lounge at LHR irrespective of the COS I fly. However, as a UA 1K, I don't get access to UA's Arrivals Lounges even if I'm on a C upgrade.

rankourabu

That is also my typical experience trying to enter the MLL in YYZ with a UA card - you are literarly frowned upon, always allowed entry, but usually with a grunt.