MikeLaw

UA is clearly significantly worse for upgrades than US because of the seemingly random upgrade charges where many people buy their way into F. However, DL is actually pretty good in terms of upgrade percentages for mid-tiers. Several of my employees are DL elites and they report upgrade percentages that are decent, but worse than US. I just had a platinum in my office while I was reading this and he told me he runs about 75%. He says that the routes he misses are Monday morning and Fridays. Conventional wisdom on my staff is that if you have to make lots of last-minute changes, you are better off with DL and if you generally have your schedule set you are better with US. In a straw poll of people I've been in meetings with or who have been in my office this week, it seems that upgrade percentage is a much bigger concern than award redemption to the majority.

I run about 90% on upgrades as a US plat, but I rarely make last-minute changes. IIRC, the only upgrades I missed last year were when I used the move-up to change to earlier flights. I even clear some of those, depending on the route. I do sometimes choose schedules for leisure travel on transcons to optimize my upgrade chances or cash in miles on routes I think might be a tough upgrade, otherwise I might miss more.

flyjackjack

Less competition usually isn't good for consumers

GadgetFreak

Hell, it isn't like it happened when Horton was in charge. I consider it an omen, it disagrees with how I read the pattern of chicken bones I dropped in the sand, so we will have to see how it plays out.

bubba198

[QUOTE=AAExPlat;20289088]Astounding that there are EXPs who think $300 transcons are expensive, use fuel dumps liberally, and consider playing with their home address to get better promo coverage, and think $6k for EXP is too much.

And people here wonder why airlines are considering revenue floors as part of status requirements....[/QUOTE

What's a fuel dump?

AAExPlat

[QUOTE=bubba198;20291446]A way to remove carrier fuel surcharges from ticket pricing.

FWAAA

It's a complex method of ticket purchase where you can avoid the YQ/YR fuel surcharges, as some airlines mistakenly fail to add them to fares. I think there's a lot of info on these techniques in the mileage run forum.

I'm amazed that airlines haven't figured out a way to confirm that all surcharges have been paid and to deny boarding when they've not been paid.

Consultette

^^ I was blown away to learn via this thread that there are people who can achieve EXP for $3-4k - especially knowing my upgrade %. I would easily spend that in a MONTH since my flights tend to be transcons booked with days advance notice. Unfortunately, transcons booked with days advance notice (especially between JFK/LAX and PHL/Anywhere) tend to not be too high up on the upgrade list.

Carolinian

, , , and that is why it is outrageous that USDOJ has been approving these airline mergers,

Heck, I would even welcome RyanAir to the US market just to give the oligopoly some competition.

brp

Well, my hope is that there are not so many of these bottom-feeders* that AA really sees them as a problem that needs to be addressed.

Cheers.

*I use this term liberally to apply to myself as well. Of course, there are even lower levels, it seems

Score8

Couple of things:
- I do hope that US's policy of filling the F cabin far in advance doesn't end up as the standing policy. When I was a US flyer and wanted to buy F last minute, often flights were 'full' and couldn't be purchased. This obviously has an effect on being able to standby or deal with Irrops.
- I flew a UA redeye the other day SFO-BOS (I have been at least pondering a change back to UA from AA). Suffice it to say that it was not a flight that would compel a change: 1. No pillows for a redeye 2. WAY too many announcements (none of which was a reminder to shut the shades) and other noise 3. Lots of announcements about not putting jackets in the overhead and zero done about it. While not the airlines fault, it really felt like a rookie crowd in F that evening.

Not related to my general distaste for the flight was the hammered guy who swore at me for taking the overhead above his seat (I was in F, he in the first row of Y). He actually threw a little shoulder into me on his way by, which to me was way more comedy than threat. The icing on the cake was that after some disagreement with fellow passengers about overhead space he was asked to leave the plane. Good times.

Hoc

So, what happens to you when you consider those of us who do it for around $2k or so?

NauticalWheeler

Mr Parker has sucessfully acquired two larger airlines. I bet he will manage this issue effectively as well.

Consultette

I am in awe and wish I was able to plan that far in advance. How is that even possible? No, really, how?

Ambraciot

Wait for AA's IT to fail and book 13 of these http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milea...stt-150ai.html.

Those extremely low rev EXPs are bottom feeding scum, not like those of us who spend $4-$6k a year.

canyonleo

No, you're middle feeding scum

But, even if that MR is worth 4,000 miles (I didn't add it up), then one needs to do runs like that 25 times and at $150/ea that's still $6k. OK, say there's a DEQM and one does 12-13 of those in the say eight weeks DEQM period, that's still over $3k spend. So, again, how is $2k really possible (unless the answer is a MR and/or FD of greater mileage all done during a DEQM month or two)?