Thought on closing Early Returns account
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northeast Kansas | Colorado Native
Programs: Amex Gold/Plat, UA *G, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Gold, NEXUS, TSA Disparager Unobtanium
Posts: 21,558
Thought on closing Early Returns account
Given all of the things going on with Frontier, I have thought about using up the rest of my F9 miles, and closing my account. Has anybody else done this? I have about 240,000 miles right now...
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
#2
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 185
What's the point? You now have an opportunity to accrue miles on Midwest Airlines, in addition to Frontier, and you can get 1.25 pcnt or 1.50 percent more miles if you buy the slightly upgraded tickets. If you reach Summit/Ascent status you are entitled to the "Stretch" seats for no additional charge, so it seems like you'd be cutting off your nose to spite your face if you cancelled your account.
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northeast Kansas | Colorado Native
Programs: Amex Gold/Plat, UA *G, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Gold, NEXUS, TSA Disparager Unobtanium
Posts: 21,558
I thought about it because I have been flying UA much more than F9. I feel that I get more bang for my buck with UA.. For the lowest status you can reach on UA, Premier, you get free E+, free bags, priority boarding and security, free upgrades, and other opportunities.
I've been Summit for seven years, and just don't see a point in keeping the status... I don't fly Midwest, so it wouldn't matter to me if I got some extra miles... I already have a ton to burn..
I've been Summit for seven years, and just don't see a point in keeping the status... I don't fly Midwest, so it wouldn't matter to me if I got some extra miles... I already have a ton to burn..
#4
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: MKE
Programs: Delta Skymiles, Frontier EarlyReturns Summit
Posts: 766
Well you could easily drop the status but there is no reason to dump the account completely. The miles can sit there until you feel like using them. I'd wait until we know more about what Frontier/Midwest is going to look like at this time next year.
#5
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Central Florida
Programs: no elite status, but i get around
Posts: 369
While in bankruptcy, wife and I drained our accounts for tickets to Mexico. This is when F9s future looked ugly. We have since built these balances back up and have hope F9 is here to stay in some form, thus making our miles valuable.
#6
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Denver
Posts: 509
I agree with Mike and AZstar...I don't see the point.
Feel free to change your allegiance over to United, but there is no benefit to closing your account with Frontier. Might as well keep it open, earn miles if you ever fly them again, and use your existing miles for reward redemption when the time is right.
There is always the chance that your accrued miles become valueless in the future. If that's your concern, then I would use your current miles, but still leave your account open.
Feel free to change your allegiance over to United, but there is no benefit to closing your account with Frontier. Might as well keep it open, earn miles if you ever fly them again, and use your existing miles for reward redemption when the time is right.
There is always the chance that your accrued miles become valueless in the future. If that's your concern, then I would use your current miles, but still leave your account open.
#7
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: LH Miles & More, F9 Early Returns
Posts: 32
What's the point? You now have an opportunity to accrue miles on Midwest Airlines, in addition to Frontier, and you can get 1.25 pcnt or 1.50 percent more miles if you buy the slightly upgraded tickets. If you reach Summit/Ascent status you are entitled to the "Stretch" seats for no additional charge, so it seems like you'd be cutting off your nose to spite your face if you cancelled your account.
I thought about it because I have been flying UA much more than F9. I feel that I get more bang for my buck with UA.. For the lowest status you can reach on UA, Premier, you get free E+, free bags, priority boarding and security, free upgrades, and other opportunities.
I've been Summit for seven years, and just don't see a point in keeping the status... I don't fly Midwest, so it wouldn't matter to me if I got some extra miles... I already have a ton to burn..
I've been Summit for seven years, and just don't see a point in keeping the status... I don't fly Midwest, so it wouldn't matter to me if I got some extra miles... I already have a ton to burn..
#8
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Denver, Colorado
Programs: DEN: WN or UA, AA LT Gold, VIA Preference Preferred
Posts: 1,550
240k is a handful of trips to Mexico, no reason not to try to burn them. That is the reason for FT, after all. My purely anecdotal experience indicates Early Returns has slightly better availability recently, although that amounts to slightly better than virtually none.
As for "closing" your account, if you don't accumulate any miles in two years F9 will delete your miles without any action required by you.
As for "closing" your account, if you don't accumulate any miles in two years F9 will delete your miles without any action required by you.
#9
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: UA
Posts: 1,775
I would burn the miles quickly if you still have Summit or Ascent status and can use double the amount for any flight.
I like Frontier as an airline (planes, crews, tv etc.) but their frequent flyer program is really bad. On UA I get 100% bonus on all flights (Gold or higher) and I can use the miles with relative ease. On F9 finding anything useful was recently close to impossible.
I like Frontier as an airline (planes, crews, tv etc.) but their frequent flyer program is really bad. On UA I get 100% bonus on all flights (Gold or higher) and I can use the miles with relative ease. On F9 finding anything useful was recently close to impossible.
#10
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: BAEC Silver, WN CP, Marriott Gold
Posts: 420
The biggest benefit I found from Summit status was the ability to change flights with no penalty. I don't think United gives that, even at the top tiers. Think I might take a trip in a couple months? Book a ticket... can always change it to something else later if I don't want to go. That was an amazing benefit for how few miles it took to reach Summit. I've since fallen down to Ascent due to lack of business travel, but plan to keep Frontier over United status.
I echo the previous sentiments when I say that I've never flown Southwest, and I never will.
I echo the previous sentiments when I say that I've never flown Southwest, and I never will.
#11
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Washington DC USA
Posts: 2,571
Now that the increase in miles has been announced, it might not be a bad time to spend some miles if you can find a good use for them. The last time F9 devalued their miles (a couple of years ago when a domestic RT went from 15,000 to 20,000) I burned my entire account down to about 500 miles before the change went into effect. But, since I do fly F9 a fair bit, and credit my random Airtran flights to F9, and have the credit card, I've since built a fairly healthy balance back up.
I'll certainly be looking to book what I can at 20,000 before it goes to 25,000. But I'll also certainly keep the account, as I (for now) expect I'll continue to fly F9 at least sometimes.
I'll certainly be looking to book what I can at 20,000 before it goes to 25,000. But I'll also certainly keep the account, as I (for now) expect I'll continue to fly F9 at least sometimes.
#12
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: somewhere
Posts: 1,381