GetSetJetSet

It seems like the only people in favor of this are biz travelers that fly high $ short mileage routes. Can’t be THAT many of them right? This year i’ll fly 200k+ EQM, 55+ segments and rack up $20k+ EQD with AA, so i’d make EXP under any of the proposed systems, however I think following UA would be a HUGE mistake and might make me go free agent. Boiling it down to straight spend takes all the remaining “fun” out of the game. I enjoy hunting for “cheap” sometimes insane biz fares to get me the extra EQM needed. If not for those MR vacations I might not have gone to Algiers or Tunis. Would be a shame to lose the random MR trips to odd places. I’d probably just get alliance status from foreign carriers with sane programs since that brings all the benefits aside from UDU anyway (and better lounge access).

GetSetJetSet

for me, the answer is yes. The vast majority of my travel is longhaul international and 100% in J/F. Domestically, I rely on EXP UDU for most flights, but will miles+copay transcons or buy J and not risk it on 5+ hour flights. OWE access to first check-in, first class partner lounges, exit row seat selection on short partner segments for free are worth it for me. Also the EXP UDU perks and priority handling when there are IRROPS. I have been we taken care of by AA and OW partners when there were delays, not sure being a no-status biz passenger would’ve gotten me the same treatment.

Spanish

Agreed. Oneworld was good to me as both sapphire & emerald, and AA now good to me as PlatPro / Plat the last couple of years I'm in your boat buying exclusively J/F for international, 90% F domestic, and the IROPS handling is important. I just wonder how prioritized it is, however. As an outstation inhabitant, I have had issues with rebooking in my class of service when my first flight is late. That is a major issue with me. I believe a J/F ticket should get you the best of the best, including downgrading complementary upgrades to maintain your cabin. I know that's quite unpopular here, but at least as a higher status customer you can get a better chance of getting priority phone line service...

I must say, I'm interested to see what AA does in response. They seem to always be the copycat in some way (along with Delta, the big 3 legacies all the same generally)..... Good overall experiences in Delta F service wise (lousy legroom and window placement) and the few times I flew United was not impressed..... Who knows with the mgmt shakeup thought, what's next?

bse118

I've scanned the UA changes - can't see anything in it that would change my booking behavior. As far as I am concerned the only thing of significance in it is the increase to $18K in "spend" required for 1K. Which - if anything is a good thing as it further weeds out credit card elites and status mileage runners.

My travel is almost all discount Y, with the occasional W, mix of international long haul and US domestic.

#unpopularopinion

cmtlatitudes

This. I've been free agent for many years but am planning a significant number of international award trips during 2020, with some paid F mixed in. Putting enough business on AA to at least make a lowly Plat status this year became a priority, primarily because of the likelihood of IRROPS at some point. Not certain it'll actually help much, but having at least some status is better than not.

xliioper

People will still mileage run on UA partner flights for the PQP (even though there's no longer PQM) just as people do now on AA and DL partners. I've earned 5K+ DL MQD's on $1K VS flights several times. If they are short segments, you can generally fit in 5-6 flights on a domestic segment run day trip. Where there's a will, there's a way.

TXguy

One RT at more than $24K. That’s a little different than a traditional MR.

But this seems very appropriate if someone was willing to spend the money.

madmexusa

Unless you are after domestic upgrades, the way to go is to be a free agent.... I have been UA 1K, GS (GS for 3 years), AA EXP and CK (CK for 7 years) .... 1.2 million UA miles and 8 million AA miles.. it makes no sense to chase these ever-changing goal posts any more ...

Frankly, I get more value being subscribed to the Flyertalk premium fare deal forum than chasing status.... I've snagged some amazing biz fares ... and the great deals just keep coming if you are a bit flexible (I am aware that there are better premium deals X-western Europe than from North America).

I am now based in Spain flying paid business to North America, Latin America and Asia so status doesn't buy me much.

Where I think the big 3 are missing the mark is that with the spend based FF the customers they are going after already get the perks and this will just drive more of us to be free agents... and doing the math the savings are substantial.

Happy flying,

enviroian

It’s easy to say be a free agent when you’re flying paid J of F. For the most of us (me at least) I fly for work on paid Y only so a FFP is key for me to follow to get benefits.

madmexusa

Seems they are making it harder and harder to attain decent status flying on discounted economy fares ...if your employer pays higher value Y tickets then you might attain a worthwhile tier.... Status makes sense if you are going after domestic upgrades ... internationally there's not a good case for chasing status.... In AA's case 4 SWUs for EP don't have much value (at least for me) ... Cheers.

enviroian

They wouldn't have much value to me either if I was flying paying J. lol

I don't seek complimentary domestic upgrades and not important. What is important are the other benefits. I put everyone of the 4 SWU's to use. That plus free award travel change, MCE, and a free turkey wrap are all I need but value each of those.

enpremiere

At the time, Y, H, K, M, L, V, G, S, N, Q, and O on AA all earn the same EQM so it would really by EQD chasing to pay for the higher coach fare code.

Mr. BoH

That and the rate at which their elites earn free flights is insane. Wish I still lived in a WN hub...

Alex_I

- Exactly! WN works very very well for business people on domestic short haul flights. Do 100 segments and get a free companion pass for a year! UA cannot beat that. Their latest changes is a pathetic attempt to tap into the same cadre of business travelers who are much better off by flying WN.

gateH15

UA/AA/DL have J and extra legroom economy, assigned seats and priority boarding. How can flying cattle and rushing on board to grab whatever seats left can be a good thing. Plus no food on board any WN flights.