Hmm, interesting discussions all. I will see what other narsty subjects I can come up with. (BTW I too have gained TWA elite by renting from Thrifty, I was merely using them as an example).

This year there was a 10K United bonus mile promotion for having two full fare tickets by May31. Currently there is a double mile bonus for full fare tickets - this is published on the United Web site. My favorite pasttime when I have nothing better to do at airports is to call up the United promotion numbers and see what promotions they have.

What is this great deal with Thrifty and TWA? Can anyone get in on it? Is there a code and/or number to call? I have cards for everyone but Thrifty- I'd be happy to get one if necessary!

I really don't know the deal between Thrifty and TWA. I rented from them a number of times last year and signed up for their frequent renter program. This year, although I have not rented from them, they sent me a TWA Aviators Elite card with two International upgrades available (I think they are for full-fare coach to business). I did not do anything to request it.

pgupta011: I wasn't aware of the 10K bonus; wish I had known about it earlier. BTW many other airlines are running the full fare double miles bonus (or something similar).

Thanks for posting this information.

dgolds:
A person who flies once per month (or once per week) does not cost the airline. Remember, it is all about yield management and the airline needs to fill a minimum amount of seats to make that flight profitable.

I always try to book the best fare as my company expects me to do so. PremEx said it best: Loyalty. I then tell people how good UA treats me which means free word-of-mouth advertising for UA. How much is that worth?

OK, after standing on the sidelines for a bit, I feel a need to respond.

I fall in the category of the frequent traveler who pays the discount fare. I travel SJC to IAH every week round-trip. I do the legal back-to-back maneuver by booking one-way ticket SJC to IAH and then booking my roundtrips from IAH back to SJC thereby getting the Sat night stay.

I'm on a project for a specific long-term period, so I generally book 3 weeks in advance. Plans change sometimes and I'm willing to pay the $75 change fee...and when they do, I usually have a fare difference which can be expensive ($1000 or more).

I fly CO and AA, usually CO because of a direct flight. Have elite status on both (Gold/Plat. respectively). I think CO does a good job of rewarding the full-fare traveler by allowing instant upgrade if it's a Y ticket. That person will be ahead of me to upgrade if he's purchased full-fare (and rightfully so). I've also had "instant upgrades" from AA when paying Y class fare. Pay Y class but I am seated in first-class depending on availability. (As most of you know, Plat. Exec. on AA is based on class, which I disagree with.)

So when I pay Y class, I am rewarded with a better chance to upgrade. When I pay discounted fares, I call like every other elite traveler. I think this is fair.

The reason why FF programs are around are to promote loyalty (and therefore, more business). I think if more airlines went the way of TWA, there'd be a lot less loyalty to a specific airline. Many people who would be excluded from status would fly whatever airline based on price/convenience instead of sticking with one carrier.

Sorry this was so long...just my opinion.

Coming into the fray rather late but thought I would offer this perspective. AA's top tier Executive Platinum program caused a bit of consternation among AA ff's when it was first announced. The deal was (and is) you accumulate 100K EP points to gain the status which is based on mileage and class of ticket purchased. F class = 1.5 points/miles, C class = 1.25, Y/B = 1.0 and discount economy 0.5 - a minimum of 500 points are awarded per segment.

At first, I thought the scheme rather unfair when compared to UA's top tier where you just have to accumulate 100K miles to reach their top tier. My viewpoint changed somewhat when I looked at it from the mathematical perspective. If you fly approx 67000 miles in first class you would qualify. If you fly 80000 miles in business class you would qualify. Now, in comparison to United, you would not get 1K qualification, just Premier Executive, which is pretty much the same as AA's Platinum. I was convinced further when I qualified in the first year EP was introduced on approx 93,000 miles, based on a mixture of discount, full econ, business and first class tickets. No way I would have got 1K on United!

Granted, not everyone is lucky enough to travel on full fare or premium cabin tickets. However, in the examples given above at the very least in AA's program you get mid tier status, even if you fly on the cheapest tickets available.

I think AA's approach is a fair one - it rewards the very frequent flyer (who may be generating less revenue on a transaction basis, but does it consistently) and it rewards the premium ticket buyer who does'nt necessarily travel with the same frequency but generates a larger amount of revenue.

While I don't mind the premium multiplier for flying first class with AA's Exec. Plat., I do disagree with the 0.50 multiplier for discounted fares.

I do fly Y once in a while, but I never will fly paid first class as my company will not pay for it (except for international flights which for me are far and few between).

So I guess the argument is for me...why should I get less miles for planning ahead of time to purchase my ticket? Maybe AA thinks I am less valuable of a customer, but I guess that's why I've switched to CO as my airline of choice. After I've reached Platinum status, it's too difficult for me to reach Plat. Exec. when I have to earn double the miles to reach the same plateau as someone who pays Y fare all the time.

If the idea of an FF program is to promote loyalty to an airline, then I don't think this 0.50 multiplier is the way to do it.

--Ryan

The Thrifty/TWA promotion involved the sending of Aviator Elite cards to Thrifty customers in the "Blue Chip" program, which is like National's "Emerald Club" and Hertz' "Number 1". It's basically a database which provides members with stored rental info for preprinted contracts. If you really want TWA Elite, just call them. The way they give it away, you can probably get your dog a card.

SJSharky -- I partially agree with you on the 0.5 multiplier. I think it is reasonable when you consider that most M fares (AA's lowest) are significantly less than the full Y fare (usually much more than 50%). It is not so reasonable on W, H and Q fares. I would like them to introduce a sliding scale multiplier based on the different types of coach fares - but I doubt it will happen as there are so many of them and they change frequently.

MGM--

Agree with you on that. I sometimes am booked in H26 class and the price almost seems like full fare!

--Ryan

I think it is obnoxious that the .50 multiplier is in use for an "H" class ticket. This class is fully refundable, so why should I buy a "Y" class ticket when an "H" is available? I asked the Executive desk to send a note about this, of course I never got a reply.

thepla--

Yes, I agree. H class is almost Y class...maybe a few dollars of savings. Whenever, I'm booked in that class, I am irritated that I am (A) given that .50 multiplier, and (B) can't use my Wyndham upgrade certificates (only good in Y class).

That's why after making Platinum, I don't even try for Plat. Exec. It takes almost 180,000 for me to make it as I rarely book in Y class.

Continental gets all my business for the most part. Better elite program...

--Ryan

After reading all the replies (up to 7/20), it appears that we have two teams playing on this field: one, those who favor the airlines and the other, those who favor the passengers. Now all we need is a long rope and we can have a tug or war. The passengers will win and then can use the rope to hang the airlines.



The basic programs are all designed to benefit the airlines by promoting customer loyalty, also known as preventing empty, non revenue producing seats. They have done that and are one of the most successful marketing programs offered in the past twenty years. Some, like AA with their ExecPlat, are now linking the program to revenue. I am not sure that I see what benefit the passenger gets from this but as I am not ExecPlat and never will be, I hope someone will tell me, us, just what grreat and grand benefit they receive beyond those for Plat, PremEx, 1K. I will hazard one guess: they will be greeted at the gate by a Special Services Representative,, made to feel important, and always moved up front if there is a seat. Pretty expensive way to get fancy treatment But everyone has free choice (there's the saint in me coming out again). As for me, I would rather have the money burning a hole in my pocket than in the airline's. Cheers.