Since online statements is a trend, I wonder what other FT folks think about it vs paper statements/flyers.

I preper to have both ways. The reason, with the paper statements and flyers, you get some freebies like rental car, airlines coupons etc. Maybe some folk don't care but I do; sometime these coupons can be valuable.

But with online statement, you can access and check your latest postings. The paper statements are reasonable as long as I receive them on timely manner. AA does a fair job at this. With UA, as someone said earlier, "I'm just grateful to receive it".

Beside some freebies, online paperless statements/flyer are fine as long as you get detailed real time info like AA & UA. NW only gives you short summary and CO's online statement need more up to date detailed info.
What you think?

P.S. If offered FF miles to switch from paper to online like LH, I will.


------------------
Dan

I prefer online (detailed) statements.

I agree, I use both online and paper. The coupons are useful, so I like the paper.

I prefer online if they update on a real time basis. AC is still sometimes getting paper statements (2-2.5 weeks) to me ahead of online ones (2.5-3 weeks).

As for coupons, you can download coupons from the internet--several sites offer coupons. No need for paper and mail. If they could reduce mailing costs and give me more perqs it wouldn't bother me a bit. But if I lost my cable modem service, I might be a bit ticked . . .

Either way is fine for me- just please be accurate, detailed and ideally timely. Do you all print out/save copies of your online statements? I never have and so I like the paper backup as well.

I like both. Delta are very accurate and timely with both. I agree about coupons/bonus offers with the mailed ones but the instant accessibility on the web is nice.
ancient, inaccurate statments (Hilton anyone?) are more annoying than useful.

In the case of discrepancies or problems, I think that the paper ones carry a lot more weight and are therefore still useful. They can also be conveniently filed as a 'historical record'. As a tiny point, I love to get letters (especially ones that don't cost me money), so a few statements a month add to my pleasure and sense of wellbeing.

I am sure the main trend is toward online info and I can handle that and therefore live with it comfortably when it happens. It may be a problem for those who do not yet know the joys of the internet - do you think airlines will go online only with these things and when?

I doubt that there will ever be an online only (in my lifetime). Many places that do offer an option offer paper (ie mailed) only, e-mailed only or both.

Airlines could substantially reduce mailing costs if they could contact us regularly via e-mail. Although some items (like statements) may be offered several ways, we are already seeing some perqs only offered via e-mail (AC only offers its websaver fares via e-mail, they are not even posted on the web site like CP does).

I love the online statement that Alaska produces. They list all activity chronologically for a year or so back. I can print them and review them for accruacy at my leisure. They usually miss one or two items a month, however, and are slow to post.

NWA's on line statement are pretty useless as they only list a total so it is very difficult to catch errors. (Maybe that is their plan.)

I am just becoming familiar with United and they seem to be quite detailed and post very quickly. I do have a problem sometimes with UAL getting online booking bonuses.

While I seem to do ok tracking my actual flights andcredit card posts, I often forget the miscellaneous mileage that I earn. Anybody have any fool proof strategies?

Punki: let me show you in SEA how I (try to) keep track with my Excel-sheetlike bookkeeping on my Palm III.

columns (A, B, ... are different programs)
date, code, text, promo-code, basic-miles A, class-miles A, promo-miles A, status miles A, total miles A, commentary A (includes follow up remarks), basic-miles B, class-miles B, promo-miles B, status miles B, total miles B, commentary B (includes follow up remarks), etc with C ...

planned activities
credit pending
reclaimed
credited
I delete credited activitis after I receive either a paper-statement of after having done a print-out of the online-statement.


[This message has been edited by Rudi (edited 08-12-1999).]

There is no fool proof strategy. I maintain an e-file where I will add entries for miles/points I am supposed to receive. For example at the end of a trip I will write entries for air, car, hotel, dining points etc. along with a breakup of bonuses I am supposed to receive. For example for air it will be base miles, elite bonus, online booking bonus etc. For Hilton it will be base points, air/car bonus, double dip miles, any promotion etc. I will add entries for other items as they happen, for example if signup for MCI, or if I enter a United online survey I will add an entry for that. When I see that something has been credited I will delete the entry for that.

Great idea! Thanks. When I have previously tried to keep a more accurate record I found I got aggravated/frustrated over the incredible numbers of missing miles/points and feeble responses and lack thereof and I'd just focused on those with a high yield like to earn/retain Elite airline/hotel status.

I don't mind on-line for a quick check but I think paper carries more weight and is a permanent record in case of a computer goo-up, like potentially Y2K. I write each trip and its bonuses on the paper from the previous month and when the new statement comes, if something hasn't posted, I sent out my Xeroxes. Though I hate it when I have to do that. The new Hertz deal is driving me nuts, sending copies to Hertz instead of the airline. I am having a lot of trouble with those postings. I feel like a frequent flyer manager. I do it for my husband's accounts since he is busy traveling for business. We had a situation with Marriott a couple of years ago where the desk clerk somehow wiped out 3 months of my husband's points. I was REALLY happy to have paper to share with a supervisor at Marriott.

I, like Punki, like AK's comprehensive and fairly timely online statement. I can peruse it and catch ommissions and mistakes quickly. Of course, you get your complimentary upgrade coupons, etc., with your mailed statement although you can see how many you've earned online. But, in the case of AK, I received my May statement in August!!

Uniteds online satetment is not bad but they are slow to post sometimes and somethings never show up even though the miles are in the total. Fo example TCI cable has TCI rewards. I turned in certificates to United for 1500 miles. After 2 months I did not see the entry so I called MP. They said the miles were added as an adjustment thus would not show up in the online statement (don't know about paper because last one I got was through March). I added up the entries in the online statement then compared to the anual total and sure enough, the miles were there. Very confusing way to do it.

Rudi,

You never cease to amaze me. Is learning your system going to be the equivalent of an additional college degree?