Rudi: If you're talking rum, you're talking Appleton Estates Dark! Of course, now that United code-shares (one flight from ORD) with Air Jamacia, I may even get back to my own little island paradise in Negril...a place (aptly) named Crystal Waters!!

(Jamacia access is the one thing I miss about Useless...)

OMNI TRAVEL DREAM POSTING: I have to get to the Caribbean. From what you describe it's
a very nice (and closer) piece of paradise.

And I would take five UA flight to get there, just to get the miles!!! CATMAN

baobab -- slightly off topic -- I look forward to purring (myself) in one of those BA club seats, if not warping to the U.K. on the concorde!

Travelcrazy -- my therapist (well, you know, I live in California) keeps telling me to ask for what I want so I may practice with your suggestion. Given the presence of elderly, sickly parents near Tampa it would be entirely accurante to project more intensive UA flights (which, from my home port of SFO, are more convenient for Tampa on United than is IAH).

Matt & Rudi -- Surely you both mean Meyers Rum! Pay attention to what the Lady baobab doth speak: only the best for moi!

KatW... Given your proximity to 50K in '98 and the fact that you usually travel Full Fare or A & D, UA should not trouble you too much to just comp. you the status for '99. If they don't, let me know. I'll try and help out a fellow Bay area native.

I'm impressed. I would NEVER dream of flying a single mile more than I had to.

I value Elite status as much as the next person, but I look at it as a means to an end.

You must all have more resiliance than me. I can't wait to get off the plane, making a trip deliberatly longer i smy idea of torture.

Perhaps that is why I am just Prem Exec this year and not 1K. I don't think I will make Platiunum for 2000 either.

Nick

vgrove ... we may be competitors (in business that is). I too live in the Bay Area. Does the term SAP mean anything to you oh fellow consultant?

Merry, I too am anxious to get on and off a plane (especially if I'm in coach between Ms. Chatty and Mr. Drunken SNorer.) But when I realized last year that I was just a few thousand miles from PremEx I decided "I'll take a quick trip or two and go for the higher status."

Once I have "tasted" the benefits of elite status it's so hard to give them up. Like Pepsi. Or Blue Bell Ice Cream. CATMAN

Merry Flyer brings up a valid point that different people have different priorities. For some convenience and non stop flights are very important. To me I do not mind connecting flights - but I look very carefully at ticket prices.

Also, one should analyze their flying patterns. KatW has not mentioned her other flights for 1998, maybe there was some other flight she could have changed which would not be as drastic a change.

pgupta011 -- I fly most commonly these routes:

SFO - TPA (four times Sept-Dec), always UA

SFO - PHL or JFK (2X annually), always UA

SFO - to North America's Northwest (Seattle, Portland, Eugene or Vancouver) (circa 2/3 X annually), usually UA

SFO - various Pacific Mexican locations, always Alaska (UA doesn't fly to Zihua, Puerto Vallarta or Cabo (1X annually)

SFO to Hawaii (1/2X annually), always UA

SFO to LAX (3/4X annually); always UA

Sure, I likely could have accumulated UA miles more effectively earlier in the year but I didn't then know I had a hope of making PremEx because my elderly folks didn't get sickly until September . . .

I am gradually becoming more attached to the idea that it may make sense for some less-frequently flying FFs to maximize miles whenever it doesn't represent major inconvenience or additional cost . . .

I have consolidated as much flying as possible via UA which works well from SFO, except to Mexico. I regret not having joined Alaska's FF program years ago . . .

Alaska is partners with BA, KatW...

UPDATE -- I called the United Premier desk to ask about courtesy qualification for Premier Executive. Upon explaining my situation, I was invited to send a letter (again explaining the situation) to the Premier Executive desk. I've done this and will report back results.

Thanks to all for good advice.

Cheers,
KatW

FOLLOW-UP: Taking the good advice above of Travelcrazy and vgrove, I wrote to Mileage Plus requesting inclusion in their Executive Premier program even though I was 2000 miles shy of the 50,000 qualification requirement. I explained I am a loyal UA customer (not difficult to believe since SFO is my home port); use UA for business, leisure and personal travel; often pay full-fare first or biz; make my beloved fly UA, too; have a new need to fly frequently to Florida, and so on.

Last evening I got a call from Mileage Plus welcoming me into the Executive Premier program! The caveat: I must fly 50K miles in '99, which ought not to be a problem.

FlyerTalk is tres nifty! My thanks to all, especially to that loco fellow, Travelcrazy, and his wiley sidekick, vgrove.

Cheers,
KatW

Way to go KatW. The needing to fly 50K in '99 is no biggie as you would have had to do it anyway had you made the full 50K in '98 (i.e. there is no difference). See ya in the "friendly skies"?

Most Welcome KatW,
Just another reason why United is Rising....