CloudsBelow

Did you read Shareholder's post about who decides? Are you saying that's wrong?
I really don't care which airline needs to be fitted for the clown shoes in this instance - likely both - it's a joke to change the rules after the contract is signed. I paid $250USD for a one-way LAS-YOW flight in April. I'd like to call UA and say, "I've made some changes that will affect you. For flights after April 1st, I'm paying in CAD. Please refund me the fx difference on all post April bookings w/ United"

As I said, airlines are a business. I've defended their right to configure HD, they can change mileage accumulation, they can cut benefits ... but not AFTER the fact!
I'm not going to claim absurd "loyalty" or lose sleep over this - I picked UA because they had the best, most direct schedule for my needs - it's still bush league

markandrew

This is part of a wider *A devaluation, note LH have implemented this change as well from 1.4.14. Recall who is Chairman of the Executive Board at *A.

Star Alliance just got too big, too unwieldy, and so now you have SQ blocking redemptions to partners, completely uncorrelated award charts and fees/charges, UA not showing SQ flights even when available, LH/LX blocking F, downgrade of reciprocal earnings and perks (free baggage).

Star is barely an alliance anymore.

Longtime the third place chaser, with the integration of TAM and US, increased coordination of benefits and more uniform quality, oneworld looks pretty good.

canadiancow

I'd MUCH prefer 100% miles and a revenue minimum similar to UA. I'm going to hit $10k this year no problem. But now I'm unsure about 100k miles.

I'm also considering some MRs before April, and then crediting to UA next year.

--------

But yeah, I'd much rather they do what UA does. Award 100% miles on everything, but include a revenue requirement. AC is going to lose my flight pass and paid Z (okay, it's not J, I'm a bottom feeder) business, as well as other trips I need. I can actually fly SFO-YYC cheaper on UA than AC, but I was going to book with AC because I can upgrade it. Not if I switch programs...

yerffej201

Eeeeeek

CT1

Starting Feb 17 2014:
UA only gives 25% miles and zero PQS on AC-operated flights booked in S, T, L, A, K to MP members for flights within Canada, transborder, Central America and Caribbean:

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

So UA is doing the same thing for flights not operated by them.

rankourabu

Thanks for that, also pretty stealth move by UA!

so now STL fares are moving down in earnings too (but no W Tango?)
Giving zero reason to fly AC transborder when crediting to UA.

This is both airlines telling us: make a choice. Sorry we cant have you swing both ways. Its AC or UA crediting.


At least they didnt touch longhaul Tango earnings

CT1

My guess is the proposed UA-AC transborder joint venture just isn't going to happen.

The Canadian Competition Bureau excluding some of the most profitable routes in their Oct 2012 agreement with AC and UA probably killed it off, and now the partners are just favouring their own metal.

rehoult

I can see your point, but remember that a change like that only saves UA money via a reduced number of FFers. They're still stuck footing the bill for 100% miles on every seat you sell. AC's method OTOH reduces both the number of FFers AND reduces the mileage bill they get for non-FFers as well. That double savings is the reason it's why I expect to see UA and the other US carriers move in that direction in the long run.

CARose

AC is already making it revenue based like UAL without saying it. You want 100% AQM, spend the money to get it.

gglave

Can anyone point me to an FAQ or summary that explains the benefits of A3? Looks like same lousy earnings over there on UA metal, but fewer miles required for status...?

I live in Canada and mostly fly Transborder. Flew 60K last year, will probably fly around 50K this year, so with new math I'll maybe hit 25K.

Wondering if its worth making the move with the new Altitude rules in effect kicking me out of their program.

rjp123

Maybe it is time to start crediting everything to UA for 2014 flights then...?

E75 this year, but probably not going to make even E50 for 2015 due to all the recent changes.

Maybe now I only fly UA on TPAC/TATL and credit everything (all *A) to UA. Even with higher redemption tiers, at least with UA it is easier to earn miles.

gglave

How does the "minimum spend" on UA work?

Suppose I should hop over to United forum and ask some of these questions.

yvr76

AC's approach (minimum AC metal requirements, reduced AQM on both Tango fares and other *Alliance partners) effectively does the same thing without putting a number to it. But if you start doing the math, it's starting to get more difficult to get S100K on even $10k.

I'd think that most SEs that fly mostly AC metal would spend at a minimum $20k a year.

canadiancow

No, UA is giving to their members the same as the operating airline would give to members of its own FF program. I see that distinction as being very important here.

Fly AC, credit to AC, get X.
Fly AC, credit to UA, get X.

Fly UA, credit to UA, get Y.
Fly UA, credit to AC, get Y/2.

But if I spend $20k on a bunch of flights worth 95k miles, and then take a weekend trip for another 5k at a low price, AC is earning a lot more from me than someone who spends even 10cpm on Flex fares for 100k miles.

But the person spending 20k is E75K, and the person spending 10k is S100K.

That's my problem.

rjp123

AFAIK if you are not a US resident, then there is none.