Flying for Fun

And how much are you willing to spend on meetings and stays to get a $25 bag fee waived? I think the RewardsPlus program is useless for a Marriott Platinum Elite with 75+ nights, but maybe I value things differently. Absolute Zero Incentive for me to persue Platinum Elite for United Silver. You can spend your or your company's dollars as you see fit but it makes no "Cents" to me.

James

Kacee

Free economy plus at check-in is worth substantially more than $25. It can be worth $200+ on a long-haul flight.

SS255

Per person, and Silvers can get free E+ at check-in for one companion.

asot550

Well, I've already done enough to get 55 nights this year. (6 award, 25 from cc, 4 from work, and 20 from meetings already). I can book meetings for $60, two more would get me to platinum elite for $120. One checked bag for both me and a companion to Hawaii would save $100 (assuming our return leg doesn't clear the waitlist into I), plus potential upgrade to economy+ and we'd have it for another year. We'd also get 5 additional SN awards. In my specific niche case I think the extra $120 is worth it since I probably won't have enough paid/award nights to ever get high level status again. Especially on United.

Flying for Fun

Nice Niche!

Flying for Fun

E+ is not guaranteed though. It isn't something that would change my travel habits. Less non-organic Elites crowding the lounges would be nice. If UA Golds remain as Marriott Golds in the new program then I think it will be a better program. This is my first full year as a Platinum Elite and the differential from Gold isn't worth the effort to attain it. I will requalify this year but not looking to put much effort into maintaining it going forward. The status of a UA Gold in the New Program will be the deciding factor.

It will be interesting to see if Meetings will get the same Elite Treatment in the New Program. The whole loyalty concept really gets watered down when it is easier and less expensive to get status by association than to actually stay.

James

Kacee

No, but the consistent reports in the UA forum are that Silvers are able to score E+ a very high percentage of the time. And even the occasional upgrade to F.

Mine either (as 1K), but that doesn't prevent me from seeing the value in the benefit for others.

The conclusion "it's not valuable to me, therefore it has no value" is simply not valid.

phltraveler

Maybe not on your own money but with OPM (business travel) or trying to close lifetime PP qualification before end of 2018, it's very appealing. On six flights this year (thus far) on UA I've cleared E+ seating on 5/5 that had it avaiable at check-in, and two of those got upgraded to F (one with a companion, and once alone when I was traveling by myself).

It's going to depend on how much other airline status you have, how likely you are to travel United as a secondary airline, how close you are to 75 night level. You also get the 5 extra SNAs on the Marriott side, and you get perks that would other require a United credit card with an annual fee (free checked bag, priority security and luggage tag [UA & UAX only, not *A partners]). In the NYC having United as a second option is very appealing because you have United operating connections at LGA and a lot of directs out of EWR, making it a great potential pick if you're a frequent traveler with more status on AA or DL, but occasionally find United flights cheaper/more convenient.

As someone without lifetime status (former UA Plat with ~115 segments/yr) and who now falls short of the thresholds for UA Silver (30 segments/30K miles) or any other airline it's a pretty huge value add for me. Having secondary benefits with Delta via SPG Crossover Rewards proved handy a couple of times too, although that's now dead (as of July 15th 2018).

It also depends on how badly you want the E+ seat. I prefer E+, but I'll survive on flights without it. Someone who was taller might not be willing to wait for the "chance" for E+ and would have to buy it outright.

pinniped

This is my thought.

AA and AS are my primary FF programs. But having Star Alliance as a secondary will be a huge benefit. Simple Silver status is good enough to make a few trips per year tolerable. Opens up the award search permutations to Europe and Asia by quite a bit. I have a few miles parked in a couple *A programs and can usually get more if I need them.

Flying for Fun

@phltraveler, @pinniped

Thanks for your thoughts. I understand the "value" of any program depends on the goals of the individual and the benefit it provides in attaining those goals. Myself, I travel over 100K miles a year strickly on self-funded leisure travel. As such my valuation is going to be different than someone attaining status on the company's dollar. I am MR Platinum Elite and United Silver through AwardsPlus, yet I still have never stepped foot onto a United Aircraft. The benefits are not enticing enough for me personally.

I haven't found MR Platinum Elite to be sufficiently better than Gold to warrant an additional commitment to earn it and a match to UA Silver isn't going to remotely sway that.

I see more value in attaining UA Gold for MR benefits if they remain the same going forward. Marriott would lose significant stays as I wouldn't need to maintain status organically, while enjoying the benefits when market and location are favourable. United would be a winner only to the extent of a few mileage runs to attain Gold. Beyond that, the benefits are there if I choose to use them.

AS is also my primary program. Earning RDM is easy and the value of redemptions is very good. Anyone can buy a BA First (A) YVR-LHR-CPT return (where I go annually on awards in J 125K return) for ~$6.5K in the new year. That one itinerary would provide MVPG status for nearly two years as AS does not have a reqirement to fly their metal and generate 101K RDM for anyone without status, enough for a J seat NA-SE Asia RETURN. MVPG+ also gives you access to QF Lounges when flying QF. $6.5K isn't small change but still inline with UA Gold PQD requirments for those without a waiver. Adding on a premium return award flight makes it even sweeter.

Is there a similar possibility with United? I am not being sarcastic, I am really asking as I am not as familiar with the nuances of United's program.

Thanks in advance.

James

UA-NYC

As a 1KMM who routinely misses upgrades...OOC what route(s) did you clear on?

phltraveler

EWR-> DTW on a Friday morning (cleared at gate) and LGA -> ORD on a Monday early afternoon (cleared mere minutes before T-24).

I'm not going to say that Silvers should ever expect an upgrade because there's so many UA elites, but it does happen from time to time (and depending on flight time/route/aircraft). And it's nice to have an actual shot, however small, unlike AA's e500 upgrade system.

Flying for Fun

Isn't Gold Golden? UA Gold will be New Platinum until 2019. After that you will be New Gold. I guess you won't see me on a UA flight and I won't see you in the Marriott lounge!

Now we are Balanced!

James

entrada

I am a SPG Lifetime Gold and an United Lifetime Gold. I have matched my SPG status to Marriott so am a Marriott Gold. I have also matched my United Gold to Marriott through Rewards Plus. My question is, come August 2018, should I expect to be treated as a Marriott Gold (via United) and therefore achieve Platinum in the new program? Or will I be treated like the other SPG Golds and receive only Marriott Gold in the new program? I guess the question is which Gold status will Marriott look to?

Counsellor

Generally they've said that only earned status, not comped or matched status, determines your elite status after 1 August. If they apply this rule, your SPG Lifetime Gold status should control.

It appears you'll be lifetime Gold. Here's the info: https://members.marriott.com/spg/