Warning about UA fliers using A3 to get *G
Jul 24, 2012, 7:59 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New York
Programs: UA MileagePlus (Platinum)
Posts: 163
Warning about UA fliers using A3 to get *G
I'm sure this has been mentioned at some point here but I have 2 friends who have been burned by this (and just came to this realization myself) and so I think it's worth mentioning.
All over the net you now see reference to how easy it is to get Star Gold status through Aegean by flying only 20k miles. It's almost a legend in the FF online discussion.
However, if you fly UA (and if you're an American domestic traveler trying to accumulate *A status, you probably do) and like to try to get cheap tickets, be aware than many of your UA flights are only going to get you 50% mileage.
http://en.aegeanair.com/milesandbonu...-miles/#UNITED
(W,S,T,L,K,G fare buckets are pretty common if you book well in advance and get relatively cheap fares).
I'm not saying it's definitely not worth it, but be aware that getting *G is not as easy as 20k miles sounds.
Given that *G does not get you upgrades of any kind on UA (even to E+) as far as I know and that the United Club card gets you essentially the same benefits as *G (better even, since you get club access on domestic itineraries), you might be better off getting the Club card and trying to get status through UA's FF program than trying to get *G through A3.
All over the net you now see reference to how easy it is to get Star Gold status through Aegean by flying only 20k miles. It's almost a legend in the FF online discussion.
However, if you fly UA (and if you're an American domestic traveler trying to accumulate *A status, you probably do) and like to try to get cheap tickets, be aware than many of your UA flights are only going to get you 50% mileage.
http://en.aegeanair.com/milesandbonu...-miles/#UNITED
(W,S,T,L,K,G fare buckets are pretty common if you book well in advance and get relatively cheap fares).
I'm not saying it's definitely not worth it, but be aware that getting *G is not as easy as 20k miles sounds.
Given that *G does not get you upgrades of any kind on UA (even to E+) as far as I know and that the United Club card gets you essentially the same benefits as *G (better even, since you get club access on domestic itineraries), you might be better off getting the Club card and trying to get status through UA's FF program than trying to get *G through A3.
Jul 24, 2012, 8:09 am
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,153
I'm sure this has been mentioned at some point here but I have 2 friends who have been burned by this (and just came to this realization myself) and so I think it's worth mentioning.
All over the net you now see reference to how easy it is to get Star Gold status through Aegean by flying only 20k miles. It's almost a legend in the FF online discussion.
However, if you fly UA (and if you're an American domestic traveler trying to accumulate *A status, you probably do) and like to try to get cheap tickets, be aware than many of your UA flights are only going to get you 50% mileage.
http://en.aegeanair.com/milesandbonu...-miles/#UNITED
(W,S,T,L,K,G fare buckets are pretty common if you book well in advance and get relatively cheap fares).
I'm not saying it's definitely not worth it, but be aware that getting *G is not as easy as 20k miles sounds.
Given that *G does not get you upgrades of any kind on UA (even to E+) as far as I know and that the United Club card gets you essentially the same benefits as *G (better even, since you get club access on domestic itineraries), you might be better off getting the Club card and trying to get status through UA's FF program than trying to get *G through A3.
All over the net you now see reference to how easy it is to get Star Gold status through Aegean by flying only 20k miles. It's almost a legend in the FF online discussion.
However, if you fly UA (and if you're an American domestic traveler trying to accumulate *A status, you probably do) and like to try to get cheap tickets, be aware than many of your UA flights are only going to get you 50% mileage.
http://en.aegeanair.com/milesandbonu...-miles/#UNITED
(W,S,T,L,K,G fare buckets are pretty common if you book well in advance and get relatively cheap fares).
I'm not saying it's definitely not worth it, but be aware that getting *G is not as easy as 20k miles sounds.
Given that *G does not get you upgrades of any kind on UA (even to E+) as far as I know and that the United Club card gets you essentially the same benefits as *G (better even, since you get club access on domestic itineraries), you might be better off getting the Club card and trying to get status through UA's FF program than trying to get *G through A3.
There is no free lunch!
Jul 24, 2012, 3:03 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: ORD
Programs: nobody
Posts: 1,837
I'm sure this has been mentioned at some point here but I have 2 friends who have been burned by this (and just came to this realization myself) and so I think it's worth mentioning.
All over the net you now see reference to how easy it is to get Star Gold status through Aegean by flying only 20k miles. It's almost a legend in the FF online discussion.
However, if you fly UA (and if you're an American domestic traveler trying to accumulate *A status, you probably do) and like to try to get cheap tickets, be aware than many of your UA flights are only going to get you 50% mileage.
http://en.aegeanair.com/milesandbonu...-miles/#UNITED
(W,S,T,L,K,G fare buckets are pretty common if you book well in advance and get relatively cheap fares).
I'm not saying it's definitely not worth it, but be aware that getting *G is not as easy as 20k miles sounds.
Given that *G does not get you upgrades of any kind on UA (even to E+) as far as I know and that the United Club card gets you essentially the same benefits as *G (better even, since you get club access on domestic itineraries), you might be better off getting the Club card and trying to get status through UA's FF program than trying to get *G through A3.
All over the net you now see reference to how easy it is to get Star Gold status through Aegean by flying only 20k miles. It's almost a legend in the FF online discussion.
However, if you fly UA (and if you're an American domestic traveler trying to accumulate *A status, you probably do) and like to try to get cheap tickets, be aware than many of your UA flights are only going to get you 50% mileage.
http://en.aegeanair.com/milesandbonu...-miles/#UNITED
(W,S,T,L,K,G fare buckets are pretty common if you book well in advance and get relatively cheap fares).
I'm not saying it's definitely not worth it, but be aware that getting *G is not as easy as 20k miles sounds.
Given that *G does not get you upgrades of any kind on UA (even to E+) as far as I know and that the United Club card gets you essentially the same benefits as *G (better even, since you get club access on domestic itineraries), you might be better off getting the Club card and trying to get status through UA's FF program than trying to get *G through A3.
Jul 24, 2012, 4:40 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New York
Programs: UA MileagePlus (Platinum)
Posts: 163
Well that isn't really news, but for non frequent fliers, it is still good deal to go with A3 as some long haul V fare is not that much more than the discount fare. Also, as of today, no one knows when your A3 *G membership will expire once you reach their highest status. So in the long run it is better than the United Club card. As A3 *G, you can access UCs on domestic itineraries unlike UA/US *G and 3x70lb bags on UA flights. The only thing you don't get is E+ and CPU.
Jul 24, 2012, 6:19 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: YYZ
Programs: A3&O6 Gold,IC AMB & HH Diamond
Posts: 14,132
This is not a hidden secret that some booking classes do not give you 100%.
All UA enthusiasts only need to focus on these when accumulating towards A3:
B, M, E, U, H, Q, V 100%
All UA enthusiasts only need to focus on these when accumulating towards A3:
B, M, E, U, H, Q, V 100%
Jul 28, 2012, 5:15 am
#10
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Dubai / NYC
Programs: EK-IO, UA-1K2MM, ETIHAD-GOLD, SPG-PLAT LIFETIME, JUMEIRAH SERIUS GOLD
Posts: 5,220
You can have as many different *Gold memberships as you like (I have 2 <UA,SQ> and my business partner has 3 <UA,SQ,NZ>. The only 2 things that you can't do is get credit in more then 1 program per flight and when doing status matches, *A member airlines are not supposed to offer them to Elites of other *A airlines). You can get UA gold from your BA gold but not from your LH gold
Jul 28, 2012, 7:19 am
#11
Senior Moderator, Moderator: Community Buzz and Ambassador: Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: 150km from MAN
Programs: LH SEN** HH Diamond
Posts: 29,517
*G can access any *A member carriers' owned lounges with the *A Gold logo at the entrance whether travelling domestic or international. The only exceptions are UA and US *G members who can only access the United Clubs and US Airways Clubs within the US when travelling in conjunction with a *A international flight.