Logistics of a Switch
 

Hi All:

I have a quick question for you. Here is my reality. Travel patterns have changed greatly. A lot of Singapore... And thats quite a bit more expensive to do Via AC metal... This means a lot of UA...

Do I use my AC status for this year to access gold benefits and accumulate to UA? Or do I try to swing enough segments on connecting to stay with AC... With a non US address its my understanding I could qualify for P1K in like 5 trips...

I mean its not like I can use the Eupgrades on UA flights... Thoughts?

Hello

There are so many threads on this site on this matter. Dolllar for dollar UA is cheaper than AC and in SIN UA actually has a lot of flights out of there to non US destinations.

If I lived closer to a US airport or outside of Canada, I would go UA, but that is me.

I am sure several others a lot smarter than me will share their knowledge with you. ^

...except you didn't read the question. :) Not *whether* to switch, but *how* does one best switch, in terms of using benefits efficiently.

Status match or challenge.
Has been discussed many times. Get AS or DL to match your AC status, and then do a UA challenge

You can always accumulate UA and use your AC benefits (boarding, lounge) until you get gold on UA.

The new earning scheme will severely affect your mileage earnings on UA though. A $1000 ticket to SIN will only earn 5000 miles at first. That will hurt, on a roundtrip of over 20000 miles.

Status mileage hasnt changed, and you will indeed be 1K after 5 trips to SIN.

So what do you want, status benefits? guaranteed economy plus? redeemable miles?

Once 1K, you will get 6 upgrades that you can use on W fares or higher. (3 RTs)

Or do a status challenge based off AC*G: 17.5k PQM or 22 PQS in 90 days for UA*G (50k) status. You might have to push depending on who answers your email though; some agents confuse the status challenge with a status match.

Do you think they'd do this? Especially if I explain they're not really poaching a *G? I just won't be doing that much domestic Canada anymore, if any.

I love CX but their program just isnt competitive and I live in Halifax... And going the other way around the world to do SQ is $1-2K more a trip.... I can buy PE for that... on CX or AC...

Staying with AC means routing through China on purpose... Which I will have to go 2 or 3 times. So I would probably have no problem making AC50K again.

But Im going to be hauling butt on UA a lot to Singapore. Its just cheaper and frankly the connection is better (hard to miss connect when you come in on the aircraft going to SIN...) Im thinking it might be nice to upgrade. And as P1K when I do go domestic USA (not so often) an upgrade should be pretty easy for USA Canada - after all are they not unlimited?

I also don't think it would impact my ability to choose the ANA lounge in Tokyo over the crowded UA lounge as they are both *G.

Thanks, yeah I know I will loose on the reward miles side... But where it will be a lot of UA metal its the upgrades... Ill most likely be going in March, April, May, July, September, November. Many of those times are "lower" so upgrade=likely...

You wont get any upgrades until you are 1K though.
Economy Plus until then though, but not with AC status.

They will status match via challenge off your AC 50K. They did for me. I am now 1K, and have not looked back. When I asked, I was holding a confirmed and paid for ticket to HKG. Benefits took effect immediately, challenge was
20K in 3 months, that was accomplished off the first flight. Even as a PM gold, I found they bent the rules from time to time to make sure things worked out for my travels. It was kinda of cool being addressed by name on the Premier line, more often than not, and being thanked for my loyalty to UA.

You can upgrade if you buy a W fare and get some GPUs through Coupon Connection.

Or if you know where the look, I typically see them go for about $400 each :rolleyes:

I have a GS friend with two expiring, but I don't have TIME to travel before the end of the month :(. At least I got an RPU out of her :)

Two can be extended until April for free, so this year there is no rush to use them up

Generally January is fire sale month - they go for next to nothing.
$400 is normal for 2016 expiring ones

Two can be extended if you've retained your status for the next year. If you've gone from GS to Gold, they're not as nice to you :p

Has anyone every tried that with AC? I'm pretty sure I know what the response would be, but I can't recall reading about any failed attempts.

Seriously? AC refused to extend expiring upgrade instruments that were issued 2-3 months earlier.

I've never asked for an extension, so how would I know?