Elite status change questions
Oct 4, 2006, 10:16 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Ann Arbor Area
Programs: UA Million Miler, BonVoyLifetime Platinum, UA Platinum, President's Club,
Posts: 1,494
Elite status change questions
Hi-
I used to live in Houston and flew all the time. I made Gold easily and maintained it until last December when my Father-in-law passed away on Christmas night. I was unable to take the next flight (a trip to Anchorage), which would have put me over the edge for Gold again, but I couldn't go. So, I was a bit surprised to see I'd been bumped back down to Silver.
I was so upset that I flew other airlines early in the year. I felt I had spent so much money and was so close, that they should've just upped me. However, that is over and done with. NOW I live in the Detroit area and Northwest is easier and quicker to fly. I continued flying Continental from about March on, and after my next flight I will have qualified for Silver again. (Would have been Gold if I hadn't gotten angry and flew other airlines early in the year.) So, I live in a NW hub, and still have Continental Elite. I heard people talking about switching over to a new airline elite program, but I wonder if they do that with just Silver Elite members?
I'm also thinking about not renewing my Pres Club card this year, as I've heard that the NW one is better and gets you into more clubs. Any thoughts on this? I do love Continental, but when they put me back in Silver, I lost my upgrades. Would changing to NW make a difference for the better? Do they upgrade their Silver members any more than Continental does?
Just curious- I do have to renew the Pres Club thing soon, but wonder if I can be a Continental Elite and have a NW Club card? Do they really have a better program? I DO like their clubs better.
All this because Contitnental, after years of loyal patronage, dropped me to Silver! I know, I know, I missed Gold (by one trip) but it was due to a family emergency! But really, I live near a NW hub, so would changing from Continental Elite to NW Elite be a good idea, or is it better to stick with Continental and hope to make Gold Elite again, even with the more difficult rules, etc. And, do they even DO the changing when you're not Plat or Gold?
Ay- I'm tired and rambling, but I really do wonder about the NW Elite program versus ours.
I used to live in Houston and flew all the time. I made Gold easily and maintained it until last December when my Father-in-law passed away on Christmas night. I was unable to take the next flight (a trip to Anchorage), which would have put me over the edge for Gold again, but I couldn't go. So, I was a bit surprised to see I'd been bumped back down to Silver.
I was so upset that I flew other airlines early in the year. I felt I had spent so much money and was so close, that they should've just upped me. However, that is over and done with. NOW I live in the Detroit area and Northwest is easier and quicker to fly. I continued flying Continental from about March on, and after my next flight I will have qualified for Silver again. (Would have been Gold if I hadn't gotten angry and flew other airlines early in the year.) So, I live in a NW hub, and still have Continental Elite. I heard people talking about switching over to a new airline elite program, but I wonder if they do that with just Silver Elite members?
I'm also thinking about not renewing my Pres Club card this year, as I've heard that the NW one is better and gets you into more clubs. Any thoughts on this? I do love Continental, but when they put me back in Silver, I lost my upgrades. Would changing to NW make a difference for the better? Do they upgrade their Silver members any more than Continental does?
Just curious- I do have to renew the Pres Club thing soon, but wonder if I can be a Continental Elite and have a NW Club card? Do they really have a better program? I DO like their clubs better.
All this because Contitnental, after years of loyal patronage, dropped me to Silver! I know, I know, I missed Gold (by one trip) but it was due to a family emergency! But really, I live near a NW hub, so would changing from Continental Elite to NW Elite be a good idea, or is it better to stick with Continental and hope to make Gold Elite again, even with the more difficult rules, etc. And, do they even DO the changing when you're not Plat or Gold?
Ay- I'm tired and rambling, but I really do wonder about the NW Elite program versus ours.
Oct 4, 2006, 10:20 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Houston
Posts: 988
I'm sorry, is there a question there?
Generally people around here are pretty unsynpathetic about missing status levels.
Generally people around here are pretty unsynpathetic about missing status levels.
Oct 4, 2006, 10:22 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: BOS & FLL
Programs: DL FO,Starwood Gold, Hertz 5*, National Executive, Nexus & Global Entry
Posts: 1,161
This may sound pointless, but did you actually contact CO and ask if there was anything they could do? I mean, what likely happened, is the computer bumped you down to silver, without any human ever involved.
Oct 4, 2006, 11:14 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Verdi, NV, SFO & Olympic (aka Squaw )Valley.
Programs: Ikon Pass Full + AS Gold + Marriott Titanium + Hilton Gold. Recovering UA Plat. LT lounge AA+DL+UA
Posts: 3,821
CO vs NW elite...it will be easier for you to hit Gold in 2007 if you live near a NW hub and aim for NW elite. I'm sure that you can fly with elite status on one airline and club membership on another...although if you are not going for a lifetime membership it will cost you. I'm happy with my CO elite membership living in a non-CO/NW/DL/AS hub city because I have relatively frequent upgrades and an excellent PC. As an elite at a smaller station, for me it is the staff at my home club that really make the difference. Athough many of my travels take me to Asia and I could much more easily make NW Gold than CO Gold (my goal for this year)...I'm rewarding Continental because at the PC they treat me right. As a DTW focused-flyer...I might gamble that NW will make another year without Ch 7. I love their product, whether domestic or international, and just hope that all ends up well. The NW crews are amazing and the entire airline is really trying hard to make it through a difficult time. We'll see.
