Let's not relitigate this ancient history, for reference this thread covers
2012 CO/UA Million Mile (and Beyond) Flyer Benefits, Effective Spring 2012 - FlyerTalk Forums
This removed the annual RPUs for UA MMers and replaced it with the companion status benefit (note options were split on this)
Note these RPUs were in additional to the 1K allocation.

Okay, that sucks then but it�s not like PlusPoints are particularly easy to use anyway. This does confirm to me that 2MM and global MM devaluations are coming. It�s a matter of when, not if. Even with the changes, I don�t think 2MM is a very interesting status to have unless the MM is earning 1K or GS to pass to a companion. As an end state lifetime status, it still feels very mediocre.

In practice it's hard to see how this will make a huge difference, except perhaps for companions of GS flyers and those at the margins in non-hub markets. The companions will still get free E+ at time of purchase, will board with group 1 instead of preboard (still plenty of overhead space) and will simply die at 40th on the upgrade list instead of 10th. Oh, and for the few who check 3 oversize bags (seriously who does this except on ski trips)

MM is much more difficult to achieve on AS due to the footprint. I'd wager 50% of my EQMs on UA were earned on TATL, TPAC or transcon. On the flip side AS is still the easiest status to earn now by flying cheap fares.

AA actually had the easiest lifetime EQM program for many years because it included all credit card miles. Most of my 500k EQM on AA were earned through spend. Alas, 1MM on AA only snags AA Gold...

It was. CO_Insider at the time describes the benefit here on FT, when details of the MM program were announced.

I suspect you are right. It is hard to see how this change for 1MM makes much (financial) difference to United. It is the higher tiers that likely cost United much more, and they may be what UA has in their sights. But they can't make changes to say 4MM without making changes too to lower tiers. And given that the benefits of 1MM are minimal - UA gold, and companion status - there isn't much to chop away. As stated a downgrade to Silver won't work and they seem not ready to abolish companion status entirely, so downgrading companion status from equivalent status is the only thing left they can take away, but that is hardly anything of value, unless GS, as (certainly if one reads this forum) major relevant benefits of platinum and 1K, sans PP, over Gold are limited. Besides if the companion is not already flying enough to independently be Gold then unlikely they fly that much to be a drain on Plat or 1K resources.

However, a similar change for 4MM will be what makes huge difference. I bet there are many 4MM who are now retired or have evolved to jobs with minimal travel (and hence don't bring UA much current revenue), but have younger or working MM companions traveling all over with full GS benefits.

Interesting point raised.

How many 4 MM+ flyers are out there? Is the number making a significant impact? Are the 4MM+ companions all flying a lot to actually taking benefits away from the 1Ks and PPs in a material manner? How about Chairman’s Circle? Based on assumptions of Flyertalk threads, members in CC don’t fly much but with ability to make nomination for elite status.

I personally believe the numbers of 4MM+ CC are still small at the moment. 10 years from now, who knows.

It has been more than 7 years since I made 4 MM (and I just made 5MM a few weeks ago). During those 7 years, I could still qualify for GS 5 out of the 7 years without relying on my LT GS status ( did not fly as much during 2-year of Covid). My companion only did about 5 RT a year (mostly between Northeast and Florida), so I (and my companion) can raise my hand and state I continue to bring “quality” revenue to United and my companion has not really made a difference in taking benefits away from other elites as a 4MM+ companion.

As frequent flyer purchase program continues to evolve over time with more people (and increasing frequencies) flying, no benefit is safe all all elite levels.

I am also in this category and curious about this. I have 1.5m lifetime miles, and I did not receive any email about changes.

I've had some time to think about the changes. For perspective, I crossed 1MM LT 4 months ago.

If UA was just trying to make the upgrade list a bit cleaner for existing 1K (non-LT) members, then all they had to do was move companions down to PLT, not Gold.

By changing the companion to Gold, it does make me think UA believes they can pick up revenue from E+ seats that might be taken up by companion reservations of more than 2 people.

For example, when I travel for business and my wife joins me later, along with our two kids, they all get E+. In 2027, I would need to pay for anyone traveling with my wife beyond the first companion.

I have no idea how much extra revenue that produces for UA. But, I struggle to find another significant revenue source they realize by dropping companion from "earned status" to Gold (as opposed to Platinum).

Personally, dropping the companion from 1K to Gold (and not Platinum) is really painful, and strikes me as quite harsh on the part of UA. The decision not to grandfather existing elites, or considering a less painful drop in status for companions, will absolutely lead to me booking fewer trips on UA, if only because they charge more for E+ than other airlines on routes I travel.

To be clear, I'm 100% aware United took away benefits from MMers in the past. And, I was clear-eyed they could do so again. But, I'd be lying if I didn't convince myself just a little bit that they weren't going to do it again when I hit MM.

How confusing would that be? If you're 1MM, your companion is Plat if you qualified for Plat or higher, but Gold if you didn't.

And it still doesn't address the LT companion being higher on the upgrade list than someone who earned status (yes, only maybe higher than an earned Plat depending on fare class).

Does it enhance revenue in some situations (like yours)? Yes. But I genuinely believe this is more about prioritizing those who actually earned status over those who get it via a companion.

Just a hunch, but I don't think that 4MM companions taking benefits away from 1K's and PP's is what UA is targeting. But, it feeds the narrative that UA is a benevolent corporation that cares more about its current spenders than it does about the lower-spending +1's of its current spenders. I suspect that the real reason for the change is because the spreadsheet jockeys came up with some obscene number that the 1MM companion benefits of PP/1K/GS were costing UA, and how much they could save by downgrading the 1MM companion benefit.

It also could be a trial balloon to see how much blowback they get from 1MM'ers. I don't expect them to reverse course. But, if the spreadsheet jockeys determine that the revenue from 1MM'ers and their companions drops over the next 2-3 years, it might convince UA to put down their hatchet and leave the 2MM+ crowd alone.

There may not be many 4MM companions but I think they are hurting 1K benefits at the margins, since they will always but at the top of the u/g list...

For example in your case, You�d book away from UA and your 1K status and your wife�s Gold status because the cost of one E+ seat for the 2nd kid is more expensive on UA? Even though you�re getting 1K and Gold privileges and 3 E+ seats free (you traveling separately, and wife and 1Ks)???

My guess is you�d fade the one E+ seat cost for everything else.

I'm in a very similar situation, though not too concerned about paying for 1 extra E+ seat when my wife and 2 kids fly without me from 2027 onward, and I can't imagine this will make United much money. If I had to bet, they're trying to clean up the boarding process for their top elites, so there aren't giant numbers of people pre-boarding with GS/1K status before every flight. To me, that's the huge differentiator ex-SFO between Plat and 1K-- very annoying getting on a domestic flight with group 1 in paid F and having to throw my carryon back in coach. Still hoping they bring back the red carpet one day.

It is the 1 MMer companions of GS/1Ks that was the target. Given the population of 1MMers is much greater than any other level (some have speculated larger than the sum of all other levels-- which I would not find surprising -- see United Lifetime Flight Miles "BIS" Ranking for the End of 2020). So the number of 1 MMer GS companions is likely larger than other MMer GS companions.

While understanding 1MMer benefits has been downgraded, there has been little debate the 1K/GS ranks seem bloated. And as choice of Gold vs other level such as Platuim for the 1MMer companion, The Gold level matches the level guaranteed for 1MMer.

I don't think it would be that confusing. Certainly not any more confusing than the way they wrote that e-mail.

To your point on the LT companion being higher on the upgrade list, a LT Gold status holder is still ahead of people (which I believe you allude to). However, I think the current landscape of CPUs doesn't really extend in a meaningful way to Platinum members. United is doing a good job selling those upgrades at a price that many customers want to pay. As a GS last year, I failed to clear the list on a number of occasions. As a 1K this year, I expect I will fail on many more occasions.

I just don't see a LT companion stealing many seats from a Platinum who paid to earn the status.