We are going to review Continental OnePass in the January issue of InsideFlyer magazine and would like your input.

If you would like to participate, please post your response in the thread with the pros and cons of membership in OnePass and grade the program from A to F (A being the highest grade). You can include a plus or minus with the rating.

You can also respond directly to me at [email protected].
Thank you!

I actually like the OnePass program and by extension Continental. Been a OnePass member since 1999. I have been usually Silver over the years in but in the last 3 years I have been Gold and now Platinum. Haven't really been a member of any other FF program.

Pros:

-- Respect the staff treats you as you move up in status.
-- The rewards desk treat you nicely.
-- Being an CO elite has some nice perks with other partners.
-- TSA Elite lines (in fact Term C at IAH has been recalibrated exclusively for Elites.... Nice!

Negative:

-- Gold Elites are carrying the program.
-- Plats lost 125% mileage earning.
-- Wish they went back to the nicer Elite Cards of the past

I honestly couldn't care less what the card looks like. I rarely use it and when I do the people who I'm showing it to (partner lounge facilities) can match it to the picture in their book. That's enough for me.

The OP program has some amazing people working inside it and absolutely work to make sure that they are actually operating according to their rules and resolve the situation appropriately when they do not do so. But the rules are shifting these days and they are moving away from customer friendly. (A for people/customer service)

I still find the "unlimited" free upgrades to be a valuable benefit. I don't mind flying in Y (even on UA to HKG in E- ) so I guess I'm easy to please, but as a Platinum this year I've received upgrades on the vast majority of my flights and even managed companion upgrades for two random strangers over the weekend. Wow were they happy. I'm sure that I am in for a rude awakening next year when I drop to Silver, but I understand the game with the upgrades and I'm willing to play it. (A- for free upgrades program)

The BF upgrades program is one that I don't every actually use, so it is hard for me to really judge its value. I prefer the co-pay approach to a minimum fare bucket requirement (Y/B/M only for DL, for example) as it allows you to pay the cheaper fare if you fly in the back. And CO has extended the window for upgrades to clear right up to the time of departure now, which means that they really will fill every seat if there is someone there willing to pay for it one way or another. Yes, the chances of clearing into an upgrade right away are low, but the upgrades generally do clear eventually. No SWU-type instrument is a bummer, but not the end of the world to me. (B on the international upgrades program; probably an A if they had SWUs)

The fees are outright ridiculous. This past year has seen the introduction of or increase in fees unlike anything I've ever seen before. No more free standby. Now it costs $50 unless you're top-tier, and then it costs $25. Ugghh. Change fees on reward tickets used to be reasonable and on a sliding scale by status. Now it is $150 unless you're top tier, where it is free. This is a shafting of their members that is matched only by Delta's ridiculous fuel surcharges and partner booking fees, and Delta has removed their fuel surcharges for most redemptions so Continental is still leading the pack by far on this front. (D- for fees, and the only reason it isn't an F is because Platinums still keep free changes on rewards).

Non-airline Partner earning is so-so. Every now and then there is a decent bonus program with a rental car company or something, but not a ton of great options. (C for non-air partner earning)

Bonus miles/programs are definitely worse than other programs seem to offer. Mileathon is the only real challenge/race-type bonus program that CO offers, and it is limited to targeted participation. Other carriers have open programs and bonus earning opportunities with much broader options. (C for bonus opportunities)

Elite Bonus Miles used to be industry leading (50%/100%/125%). Next year they will remain better than US (0s across the board) but will go down for the majority of their elites. That is not a good thing at all. Still, the 25%/100%/100% numbers are decent in the industry. (B- on elite bonus miles)

Redemption is a tough one for CO. They have a pretty good partner network and I've never been shut out of my reward redemption desires, but finding the partner awards can be a bit difficult and if one wants to fly on the same carrier where loyalty was shown in order to accrue all those miles the options are even more limited. There is expanded availability for elites and the double miles awards are still last-seat availability for elites which is nice. But then there are the recent changes in the fees associated with rewards as noted above. There is also the issue of a reward chart scheme so complicated that they actually haven't managed to put together a rendering of the reward charts online that is coherent. Yeah, there are reward charts, but there are frequent issues where the charts don't match what the actual redemption costs are, and it isn't something that is well explained. (B- for reward redemption)

Airline Partner earning isn't horrible. There are a number of partner fares that do not earn 100% EQMs, but most partner fares do earn RDMs across the board. The exceptions are few and far between. (B+ for airline partner earning)

I'm sure I'll think of more later, but those are some thoughts for now.

OnePass for Platinums: B-
No fees for reward changes/redeposits, upgrade rate well below united's, no SWUs, No fee waiver for SDC like every other major

OnePass in general: C
Are there upgrades for non-plats? probably not too often.
audacious and unmitigated $150 change/redeposit fee for rewards even for Au/Ag.
Limited reward availability, but excellent ability to mix/match rewards ^
confusing and disparate reward chart/levels
50% EQM program
Limited/Targeted promotions
The previously generous 125% Pt/50% Ag bonuses were great but now they're reduced

CO As an Airline: B-
Friendliness of inflight crew is excellent
Phone agents are often useful
Airport employees are a mixed bag
BusinessFirst is still a good product, the food is very good, the wine is less than extraordinary. The new seat couldn't come sooner.
XJ is still a great regional company, very seamless
EA is a good service for those eligible.
The chincing of domestic/HNL F/J is bad.
PDA website is great
President's Club is still solid
CO Insider A+

Sent Private Email

very well thought answers already and its only post #4

pros

a) decent network of partners that work for ME , hopefully COPA will follow CO when /if they move to *A

b) in the routes that I fly , very good chance of upgrades

c) clean planes, good staff, reliable airline (which is good because they irregular ops.......honestly leave a lot to be desired)

d) CO in general has imho a very good bang for the buck

e) IMHO good variety of international destinations (Europe)

cons

a) as someone already mentioned, the confusing award chart.....2#$@$@ , there is no easier way to get a customer pissed off than telling him that 'you can have x for y' and THEN changing the tune and have no good excuse as to why its still screwed up months (or years?) after it was detected that it didnt work properly

b) 150 dollar change/redeposit fee for award tickets HAS to go before I go.....hard enough to get miles to cash in for a reward ticket......and be flexible enough to find availability to ON TOP OF THAT have to pay THAT ......if I have an issue and need to reschedule OR have to cancel

I am biased because I don't have a lot to choose from (in my neck of the woods its either Delta which is often much more expensive, American which welll..........not going there......and CO which is light years ahead of AA)

IF I had to switch, I would much rather move to Delta and pay more , than going back to AA

another IF

IF I have to point out the most blatant negative of CO as a whole, its the website, I am so tired of the multiple errors.......bugs........and misc stuff ..that in many cases ends up in talking to an agent and hearing "well that is the best fare we see.........." while I keep saying that the website says that it is 2 or 3 hundred less........well, another way to piss a customer off

I can't say I use 'lots' of other airline sites, but when I used NWA's ......it looked GREAT and guess what, it actually worked when I had to modify a ticket. Modifying a ticket on CO ........even if its just the dates.......it is still an 'art' and also a crap shoot

I live within 35 minutes of Newark airport, so I give 99% of my business to CO. The Onepass program is incidental. As along as I get a few bennies here and there it's all good.

Being objective, if I were to grade the overall quality of OnePass (without taking into account the overall quality of CO as an airline), I would give OnePass a D+ since upgrade and award travel inventories are very low in comparison to other US carriers and some award levels on non-Sky Team members are just outrageous.

Ouch -- so harsh! That doesn't sound objective at all. I've redeemed at least 10 awards in the last year or so, all of them at standard redemption levels. I've had nothing but good luck getting pretty much what I want when I want.

I have to agree with the comments above about the confusing award chart and the $150 fee for gold elites to change their award reservations.

The above basically covers my thoughts, though I haven't redeemed 10 awards in the last year. In the seven or eight years I have been flying CO, I've had little trouble booking award travel at standard levels. However, my travel plans are always flexible and I can work around availability.

The $150 change/redeposit fee is the rub for me. I am currently Gold this year, but will be Silver for '09 because there is not enough difference between Silver and Gold to motivate me to do the extra travel for Gold. My upgrade rate has been no better this year than it was as a Silver.

One area in which CO excels is its President Club network, but this is only tangentially related to OnePass. The ground staff at AUS and IAH (the airports I use most) are outstanding, and I do think they go a few steps farther to solve problems for elites, especially Golds and Plats when there are IRROPS.

I would give OnePass a B.

CO in general would get an A-.

Onepass D-

1. Upgrade possibilities appear to be be severely restricted over the last few years. Upgrades for this Plat on deep discount fares running way south of 50%
2. Award redemption is adequate but not great..
3. Limited preference to high level elites during IRROPS.
4. 50% EQM and 0 EQS for deep discount fares purchased through corporate travel agencies is painful.

Airline overall B

1. Good experience in domestic first, although lack of power on most AC is a problem. Service is typically top-notch.
2. BF is a good value
3. Very uncomfortable experience in coach
4. IRROPS are rare, but difficulty handling IRROPS
5. President's Club is outstanding

I will restrict my comments to OnePass, and not CO overall (since this is for use in a review of OnePass in InsideFlyer magazine). Overall OnePass grade is C-.

pros:

1. full elite bonus awarded on skyteam partner airlines
2. generous plat level bonus (125%)...for a few more months at least
3. shiny, pretty elite card!

cons:

1. a general lack of sufficient formal benefits for the top tier elites (plat)
2. p*ss poor award availability (duh)...whether 11 months out, or 2 days out.
3. no SWUs for top elites
4. too easy to achieve top level (much easier than AA or UA)...end result being too many plats
5. very high and absurd co pays for BF mileage upgrades
6. constant clawbacks and watering down of the program
7. absence of dedicated agents answering the plat phone line...sometimes great service, while sometimes I think "Bill from accounting" picked up the phone.

Onepass B+

Pros:
- EUA Upgrades (a major +)
- Plat/Gold Companion Upgrades
- Million Miler Program
- No change fee on rewards for Plats
- Exit rows for Plat/Gold in advance
- Good set of partners for redeeming miles 11 months out - DL/NW (now)
- Elite Access

Cons:
- No release of CO premium cabin rewards 11 months out
- Lack of SWU
- High copay with miles for International upgrades
- High mileage options for travel to South Pacific (QF/KE) - to change w/UA
- 50% EQM for purchases on Corporate Travel sites with limited fare bucket control

excellent point. I forgot about that.

Another aspect of OnePass and CO that I forgot to mention was CO Insider's presence on FT. I am tough to please (trust me on that ), and not easily impressed. But I must say that Scott's presence here on CO, and his proactive approach to problems as if they were his own, speaks volumes to me.

As a CO loyalist for years (they don't call them loyalty programs for nothing) I can't claim a lot of personal experience with other carriers, so much of my grading comes from what I hear from colleagues who give their business to other carriers.
Elite level perks
-Elite lane for TSA usually good.
-Bag tags work about 60% of the time to get your bags out faster (seems to have improved lately)
-Phone Agents are typically great, really work to satisfy while enforcing the rules. Seems like there was a bad bump when calls started going into the general queue but has gotten better in terms of both response time and agent helpfulness.
-Broader availability of reward options for Elites is very nice indeed - on several occasions I have been able to snag reward travel not available to non-elites.
-Preferred seating - exit row options are good when you can snag them, but the only advantage to reserved seats in the front is deplaning sooner, still the same cramped seats.
-Elite Access boarding is nice in terms of being able to get on board earlier when there is still some overhead space left
-EUA is nice, but hard to get unless you are Plat on a high fare as so many ac seem to have fewer FC seats.


Other good stuff
-Ability to easily see partner rewards on line is nice. Hope this will continue with the *A changeover.
-Not strictly a OP thing, but the PDA site is great - love it, love it, love it.
-Flex EQM accumulation with affinity credit card is nice
-I find the web site pretty easy to use in most cases, and when the occasional error message appears the tech help line staff are great

Areas for improvement
-Those damn fees for upgrades
-No SWU
-Inability to change one leg of a ticketed reward itinerary, having to scrap the whole thing and start over when it means that higher redemption level must be used for the other already booked leg