The real problem, $150 reward change fee, not the 500 minimum
Sep 24, 2008, 8:10 pm
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,231
I agree with the OP. It really is a shame that everyone got their panties in a bunch over the 500 mile minimum. We probably blew our chance to get the $150 reward change/redeposit fee rescinded, CO's not going to backtrack on two policy changes.
Of course as a Plat I'm not affected, and I am one of those who made multiple changes to award tickets as better availability opened up. But I do feel bad for the Silver/Golds.
Of course as a Plat I'm not affected, and I am one of those who made multiple changes to award tickets as better availability opened up. But I do feel bad for the Silver/Golds.
Sep 24, 2008, 8:56 pm
#32
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Houston
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, UA 1.56MM (fmr UA1K)
Posts: 5,770
You are 100% correct about this. Of all the changes lately, this has got to be the most infuriating. If one is so unfortunate to have to pay this fee, I would make sure I call to change/redeposit (instead of doing it online) it if I were in a nasty mood. Only a CO apologist can love this fee!
Sep 24, 2008, 8:59 pm
#33
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
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Sep 24, 2008, 9:05 pm
#34
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Join Date: Mar 2006
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I agree that $150 for a change is steep. How much is it to redeposit?
Sep 24, 2008, 9:13 pm
#35
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Houston
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, UA 1.56MM (fmr UA1K)
Posts: 5,770
Sep 24, 2008, 9:21 pm
#36
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Sep 25, 2008, 4:03 am
#37
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: JZRO
Posts: 9,169
I'm glad others see this. I ask you, though, how come there is no outrage at this. This fee is already in place! What did we see here about this? Nothing. Instead, we saw people complain ad nauseum about 25% bonus EQM and 500 mile segment credit. Sure, those items are important -- but they are nothing compared to gold elite members having to pay $150 to change an award ticket.
Sep 25, 2008, 6:42 am
#38
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Houston, TX USA
Programs: United Platinum, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Avis President's Circle
Posts: 569
As someone who has had to change all of his CO award tickets to decent routings/times/days due to the ridiculous Rev Management nonepass reward availability, this fee is going to hurt, and hurt bad.
CLG
Sep 25, 2008, 7:31 am
#39
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 1,812
if CO had enough reward availability on CO metal when booking a reasonable amount of time out (say 6 months) then I don't think a high change fee would be a problem. However, I've had problems booking tickets over 9months out on a routing that isn't unique or unusual.
Sure, a free reward ticket on paper is now worth more due to the price inflation on fares. But with the increased mile requirements, reduced capacity, and now this change fee I'd say that my miles are worth substantially less than before.
Sure, a free reward ticket on paper is now worth more due to the price inflation on fares. But with the increased mile requirements, reduced capacity, and now this change fee I'd say that my miles are worth substantially less than before.
Sep 25, 2008, 9:07 am
#40
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: Kommissar Giga-Posting Direktor, PWP; Fasano Nouveau Aristocrat; CO Platinum; BD Gold; MR Gold
Posts: 18,733
C'mon guys, all this focus on the 500 miles has got people snowballed.
I realize there are mostly plats here, but if you're GOLD, you're paying $150 a change on reward tickets. IF you're gold you're paying the same exorbitant fee that some schmo who has nothing with CO except 25k MR points transferred in.
Why not something more reasonable? Especially for changing things like date/time/routing/carrier. Make a reasonable change $25 (or free). Refuding the miles, I could understand being $150, that's fine (though I still think for Golds its excessive)
If CO had the kind of inventory available that competitors, such as UA have, then this wouldn't be quite the same, but the fact is that CO has VERY little available >3 weeks out. Once CO has figured out they're not going to sell all the seats they start to open seats up. Until then, its tight, and you might be forced to choose inconvenient flights because that's all that is available.
I realize there are mostly plats here, but if you're GOLD, you're paying $150 a change on reward tickets. IF you're gold you're paying the same exorbitant fee that some schmo who has nothing with CO except 25k MR points transferred in.
Why not something more reasonable? Especially for changing things like date/time/routing/carrier. Make a reasonable change $25 (or free). Refuding the miles, I could understand being $150, that's fine (though I still think for Golds its excessive)
If CO had the kind of inventory available that competitors, such as UA have, then this wouldn't be quite the same, but the fact is that CO has VERY little available >3 weeks out. Once CO has figured out they're not going to sell all the seats they start to open seats up. Until then, its tight, and you might be forced to choose inconvenient flights because that's all that is available.
Sep 25, 2008, 10:46 am
#41
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Join Date: Aug 2005
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Posts: 18,733
Maybe it's me, but I just don't get all the complaining. Sure, the $150 fee seems steep. But, how often are people changing their reservations?
I make 1-2 reward reservations and very rarely change them. I make a lot more flights under 500 miles. I would assume a lot of people are in this boat, particularly the intra-texas and NE travelers.
I make 1-2 reward reservations and very rarely change them. I make a lot more flights under 500 miles. I would assume a lot of people are in this boat, particularly the intra-texas and NE travelers.
Sep 25, 2008, 10:50 am
#42
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Jul 2001
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Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, UA Silver, dirt elsewhere
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While I don't often change reservations 8 times, I almost always have to change them at least once to get the class of service and dates I want.
BF is almost never available when Y is, so in order to get something near the dates I want, I take what I can get and hope it opens up.
FWIW - I've also found that by the time they open BF, all the Y seats are gone. Then I have to book a paid ticket to match the award. This means I can't jump on an inexpensive fare because I would have to change the dates to match the award I finally end up with.
[I often want and book HNL trips in both classes of service]
This fee, for me, is the equivalent of charging $150 per award ticket.
BF is almost never available when Y is, so in order to get something near the dates I want, I take what I can get and hope it opens up.
FWIW - I've also found that by the time they open BF, all the Y seats are gone. Then I have to book a paid ticket to match the award. This means I can't jump on an inexpensive fare because I would have to change the dates to match the award I finally end up with.
[I often want and book HNL trips in both classes of service]
This fee, for me, is the equivalent of charging $150 per award ticket.
Sep 25, 2008, 11:12 am
#43
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: CLE
Programs: UA GS+LT UC, AA EXP+LT PLT, Fairmont LT PLT, Marriott PLT, Hilton DIA, Hyatt Glob, Avis CHM
Posts: 4,671
It doesnt really matter whether you agree or not...I just made a connecting city change (LGA to ORD) on an AA 17,500 reduced mileage award from CLE-YUL without any fee. On CO this would've been $150.
Sep 25, 2008, 12:12 pm
#44
Join Date: Feb 2007
Programs: United 1K, Delta Platinum, LY Maybe:)
Posts: 162
I agree with the OP 100%. For me, CO was the #1 loyalty program. Now, it is just one of many. I also change the reward reservation many times. While I can use an elite account for that, my personal account is gold. $150 for a date change is out of line. To help CO manage the inventory I would think that changing in the last 3-5 days should cost that much. Changing 2 months in advance should cost nothing.
Sep 25, 2008, 4:24 pm
#45
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Central Florida
Programs: Bonvoy-Gold, HH-Gold, UA-Gold, *A-Gold
Posts: 2,043
What I would like to hear is the reason WHY they are charging the $150...and I don't mean how much it costs, I just want to know the "ABUSE" they are detering by instituting this fee?
At least we could understand Free for plats, $50 for Golds, $75 or $100 for Silvers and $150 for everyone else.
I don't do many pure reward tickets (maybe 4 in the last 4 years) mostly I use my miles for upgrades, but I can see how this is onerous, hell I think $150 is onerous for non-refundable revenue tickets.
In the days of electronic ticketing and websites I want to see where the real cost lies in instituting these fees except it gives them certainty of seats sells.
With all these changes, if I ever move away from a CO Hub (EWR, IAH, CLE) this may not all be worth it, once I get to 1M miles and lifetime Silver, I am outtie! Maybe things will present themselves in the future that would make it worthwhile sticking around.
This fee stinks.
- HF
At least we could understand Free for plats, $50 for Golds, $75 or $100 for Silvers and $150 for everyone else.
I don't do many pure reward tickets (maybe 4 in the last 4 years) mostly I use my miles for upgrades, but I can see how this is onerous, hell I think $150 is onerous for non-refundable revenue tickets.
In the days of electronic ticketing and websites I want to see where the real cost lies in instituting these fees except it gives them certainty of seats sells.
With all these changes, if I ever move away from a CO Hub (EWR, IAH, CLE) this may not all be worth it, once I get to 1M miles and lifetime Silver, I am outtie! Maybe things will present themselves in the future that would make it worthwhile sticking around.
This fee stinks.
- HF