cova

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/12833185-post6.html

CO Gold beats a UA 1P on CO metal. A UA 1P beats both CO Plat and CO Gold on UA metal. So really no reason for a CO Elite to fly UA metal - except international for E+ (where there is no EUA).

hughw

I agree. One way to look at is that the million mile clubs are rewards for many years of flying. If you were a perenial silver at 25K per year, it would take 40 years to qualify for lifetime silver. And that's pretty much the same at each level. If you want to say that someone that it takes 40 years to qualify for your level, fine. But I think that's pretty excessive. As things stand, it would take over 13 years for a platinum with 75 K a year to qualify for lifetime silver, To me, that's pretty chintzy, Better than nothing, but still pretty chintzy. I would think that if the lifetime levels where somewhere around 500,000 lifetime silver, 1,000,000 lifetime gold, and 1,500,000 lifetime platinum equivilant to 20 years of travel at each level it would make more sense.

I know many of you will point out that there are too many elites already. Perhaps, but this couldn't add too many percentage wise at each level. If I'm a platinum, I would hardly cut back my flying on CO just because I managed to make lifetime silver or gold. Conversely, I would have a reason to try and maintain my Plat status to keep from competing with those lower levels. But as my travel cut back with age or change of employement, I would have something tangible in return for my loyalty to CO that really wasn't much skin off of anyone's back,

sweetkiddddo

I stand corrected.

However, my point is still valid. 1M UA = 1P which allows you a good chance of getting upgraded on UA. 1M CO = silver which has almost no chance upgrade on CO.

If the million miler program is suppose to entice me to fly CO after 75K, it isn't working. Due to DEQM I hit 75K after the second BF trips EWR-HKG in May. My remaining transpacific flight revenues went to CX. I think this is a good example of DEQM and lack of incentive above 75K hurting CO's bottomline.

Steph3n

I am already over 25% of the way to 1MM, and have decades of flying left in front of me. 1MM for Silver seems just fine, and as long as you keep flying you maintain higher than that, silver is just the 'fallback'

cova

But as I keep pointing out - do not forget about the spouse/SO benefit of the Silver Lifetime (1MM). If you are flying >75K miles per year with CO you will continue to be Plat (not Silver). And you can assign Plat status to your SO - and they will fall within the same upgrade window as you when they travel with you. This is a big benefit that UA does not offer.

Live4Upgrade

I have no issues with the current program for 1 Million = lifetime silver and 2 Million = lifetime gold.

They are rewarding their best customers who have been loyal for years with immediate benefit (spouse gets same status) and lasting benefit (lifetime elite). Makes perfect business sense to me!

I started traveling for work at age 22. Now 37 and already 1.3 Million miles on CO. 2 Million is very doable in a career.

The point I have issue with is 4 Million = lifetime Platinum. Would much rather see it set at 3 Million. 4 Million is 40 years at 100k/yr ---- that's a heck of a lot of flying and one would be dead and not able to be around for retirement after that much travel.

perezoso

Lifetime silver ain't all that great if you are focused on upgrades.

But if you frequently fly in and out of a place like Bogotá, where check-in can be a real b*tch for regular economy passengers, getting into the elite check-in line can mean something. I think this is also the case in a number of other international destinations, and for people who have family in the US and one of those countries. (Yeah, you can OLCI; but it doesn't matter, you still go through the same airport procedure.)

So I'm not really excited about lifetime silver for the in-flight experience; but it does provide some motivation to expect that when I'm 60, 70, hopefully 80-something, me and wife won't have to drag our butts through some horrible check-in queues.

futaris

Just in case you haven't seen the other thread...

Syzygies

System-wide Upgrades and Presidential Platinum, coming mid-2010

SPN Lifer

It will be interesting to see if the post-merger airline will adopt the UA or CO model.

Whichever it does, at least I'll be a lot closer. More than halfway there.

And my investment in a spousal lifetime Presidents Club membership may pay off in the way I was hoping before the proposed merger a few years ago was quashed by the DoJ Antitrust Division.

mre5765

I argue that the post-merger airline should preserve both models.