I'm going to assume that we are talking about someone flying enough to reach the low-tier elite status. I'm also going to assume that you aren't considering JetBlue, Southwest, ATA, etc.

I've flown UA, US, and AA with a low or midlevel status, and I rank 'em like this for the low-elite level:

(1) AA: Customer service for Golds is at least humane. Not great, but better than anyone else's. I also like upgrading int'l from dirt-cheap fares and I love MRTC. As far as domestic upgrades, I've found that as a Gold I can get *most* of the seats I want, as long as I'm not flying a popular business route at peak times. AA limits domestic upgrades tightly (except for those on full Y), which actually works to your advantage at the low-elite level.

(2) US: Again, customer service seems OK for Silvers. Haven't flown 'em recently, but when I was Silver in 2001, they threw a few comp upgrades my way on random flights, and they actually had availability when I wanted award seats.

(3) UA: Customer service at the Premier level is downright lousy. I avoid this carrier whenever possible. Only redeeming factor is that a few of their aircraft have Economy Plus (available to Premiers in theory), but they've ripped that out of most configurations. I flew 8 segments on them last month and was on 1 E+ aircraft. Premiers are left to scrap for exit rows, because they aren't going to sniff first class except on "undesirable" routes (e.g., a 550-mile flight like MCI-DEN).

I've also flown those three at the mid-tier and rank them the same way for different reasons. (At mid-tier, I want serious perks. At low-tier, I just want a good seat and good customer service.) In the past, I felt AA treated their Plats very well in terms of phone, airport, and int'l lounge service. I know today's Plat are a bit less satisfied, but overall they still seem like a happy bunch.

Actually, UA hasn't taken E+ out of any planes that had it. AA on the other hand will be getting rid of MRTC on 757s and A300s.

UA does lack E+ on ex-United Shuttle 737s and on 767-200s (which are rare these days). And of course no E+ on United Express (although Air Wisconsin's RJs aren't bad).

And E+ is a bit more legroom than even MRTC, and is available for pre-booking to premiers and to pax on full fare.

If a UA premier avoids prime business flights (7-9am, 5-7pm or so) and avoids small planes like 737s and Airbus aircraft, they can do pretty well for upgrades. Same theory as AA that since domestic upgrades aren't 'unlimited' there's less competition for them. And since UA flies the most widebodies domestically there are planes where upgrades tend to be gimmes ... eg 747s flyings ORD-LAX/SFO and IAD-LAX (and 777s for that matter).

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View from the Wing: A blog about Free Miles and Free Markets

For the larger question...

Low yield flyers with first-tier elite status: you're gonna fly coach sometimes. So you want a bearable coach product. And that means AA/UA. And as the previous poster observed, neither of those carriers give elites unlimited domestic upgrades, so there's the chance of an upgrade for the lowest level elite. So I'd tie those two for lowest level elite -- followed by NW because Silvers do pretty well on upgrades there (but heaven forbid the upgrade doesn't clear and you have to fly coach. Ugh.)

For top-level low-yield elites, I'd say AA is the best program. Upgrades on any fare internationally. UA returned mid-year to giving out international upgrade certs good on any fare. But at UA the highest level ("UGS") is now reserved for high revenue flyers. And while UA always had a VIP program for its high revs, the UGS program is now more formalized and larger.

Now, at the mid-tier I might be a bit more torn and say Northwest - because a NW Gold is going to fly up front most of the time that they stick to NW metal.

Looking beyond the big 6, HP and AS gave good programs for low yield flyers. Who knows what next year will bring though, esp. with AS?

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View from the Wing: A blog about Free Miles and Free Markets

Great topic, Rusty

I am a 1K on United, and fly exclusively the cheap fares. I am at 110,000 miles this year already.

My last flight was from SMF - PVD for $220 RT, where UA matched WN's $99 fares...then used my confirmed upgrades to FC.

I get wonderful customer service from just about everyone at UA. And when I mention that I am flying on really cheap fares, the reaction is "we're glad to have you aboard on any fare."

Of course, that's from the troops in the field, and not from the MBAs in the corporate office.

I plan my own travel and take advantage of all of the fare sales there are...thats how I have gotten to close to 1 MM miles.

I will never make UGS...thats ok. I still give United $30,000 a year. I just get a whole lot of flights for that $30G

What is meant by this specifically? Is there rumor that AS may be making cuts, or???

It's nice to see that someone gets the idea. Customers are customers, while you can reward the premium ones, you shouldn't punish the others.

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No thanks, I'm just lurking. Call me the Lurker!

United #1

United might be at the point Continental OnePass was back in 1992 and 1993, in that they really need to retain customers through a bankruptcy and it'd cut their own throat to run them off. Maybe that's helped keep cuts from being worse than what they are.

I'm a low-yield non-status flyer. I fly transcontinental approx. once a year, and use low cost airlines for intra european travel. I collected miles on United and Delta. However I used those miles, and switched to AA. Without any status, I feel American is the best bet: MRTC and Power Ports are the best "perks" I can go for in my status.

Check out the Alaska board.

AS has decided not to remove F from their planes, but they definitely want to extract more revenue. Unclear as yet what that will look like, but it could spell the end of unlimited free confirmed upgrades for MVP Golds at time of booking...

Perhaps limitation on the ability to confirm upgrades from the lowest fare? Or an upgrade fee? Or...?

But right now AS lets top elites upgrade any fare at booking, unlimited and free, subject to availability. That's pretty darn low-yield friendly...

Try flying jfk-sfo on a 762 http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif They seem to pop up too often for my taste...
-howie

Since this thread began, the changes at CO would move them to the cellar with DL.

If you are flying on economy fares and some of that travel is to Europe, the third worst would be AA because of the way they shortchange economy ticket travellers on miles with flights on their partners.

My order would be:
NW
UA
US
AA
CO/DL (tie for worst)

This list would apply to mixed fare travellers as well as low yield travellers.

[This message has been edited by Carolinian (edited Jan 11, 2004).]

With the recent changes to the US elite program, I don't see how you could rate UA higher or even NW really ...

US gives unlimited upgrades on all published fares, gives even the lowest tier elites 2 free Transatlantic upgrades each year, and allows upgrades on all published domestic fares and most published international fares.

I would rate US down for charging for drinks on international flights which NW and UA do not.

Let's say there are three tiers:

The Good - NW, UA, US
The Bad - AA
and
The Ugly - DL, CO

[This message has been edited by Carolinian (edited Jan 11, 2004).]

Welcome to Flyertalk http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif Would you like to expand on your statement a little bit?

I've been top tier on UA before, and currently top tier at AA, and the programs look pretty similar to me as a discount flyer. UA offers 6 SWU's (now reported to be good again on cheap fares) and 2 North American upgrades if you fly a minimum each quarter, while AA offers 8 VIP's. I think the programs are pretty similar, and the deciding factor, for a leisure traveler, should be the routes they fly, and if they work from your home airport.

Status may play a bigger part on AA. I had two international tickets last year (one an award ticket in business, the other upgraded from coach to business with a VIP), and AA moved me up to first at the gate. That just didn't happen at UA in my dozen years of flying with them.