The Need For a New *A Status
 

I am a 1K with UA and have *G Status is very nice for traveling international with the lounge entry , but now a days there just too many *G members because getting to 50K miles in a year is much easier than before when this level was invented.
Some * Carriers are restricting the entry into their top level lounges even for *G , I think is time for * Alliance to make a new top tier for travelers that fly over 100K miles because this would give new perks for people to fly mother inside the alliance , not to look for another alliance when the reach the *G status:p

What does my mother have to do with this?


If anything, its not too many Star Golds - its too many United elites.

I also dont understand how its easier to fly 50k nowadays than it was 10 years ago, has the unit measurement of a mile changed?
If anything, its harder to earn 50k in a year, because of restrictions on earning on low fares.

I have an idea, we raise Star Gold to 1 mile more than you fly, would you be so vocal then?


ps. not all Star Gold is 50k

Now a days we do more business travel 10 years ago I did may be 35K a year , this year I am doing 221K and still have 3 more months to go .
The problem is that the lounge system in some airports get to crowed at some point during the day , so regarding the *G status I have it now for life because I am 1MM and give Gold Status with MP for life so for now I am set.
I think that higher elites in the alliance should get a new status

I think that it's a matter of time that Premier Exec on UA will no longer be *G.

That said, there will have to be concessions to grandfather MM status.

I think that also the good thing that 2MM is coming soon and that would clear me as Platinum for Life which should get me *G for some time.
Now the problem is that 5 years ago there where few to tier elites in Central America now CM has many Gold and Plat before there where many silver and gold. Even the 1K are few but there more and more every year

The reason that carriers are restricting access to their lounges is that UA doesn't want to pay the hefty tab for its *G.

The solution isn't another tier of *Status, but rather UA thinning its herd of so-called elites. The shift to spend-based status is a beginning, but the fact is that UA Gold needs to have a much higher $ threshold if UA can be expected to pick up the tab for intl. lounge use.

I agree they should make hard to achive status

Who says? UA has reneged on benefits before and they can / likely will again. Nothing says they have to grandfather anything.

The Need For a New *A Status
 

Guy flies a little = 50k is reasonable. Work changes and guy flies a lot = raise the threshold to keep more out. Guy stops flying as much = 50k is reasonable

The Need For a New *A Status
 

I say get rid of the mileage requirement and make it segment based so those of us that spend a ton on UA Dom fares ($750 OMA-MSP) finally get some recognition.... You can get 100k miles on 10 round trips flying overseas :)

No it shouldn't be, I wouldn't want LH FCT in FRA or FCL in MUC to be crowded at all. Those restricted lounges have high standard high level of customer service high quality food will be diluted once they set another status above *G, perhaps you should look at how all the OneWorld Emerald ruined many One World F lounges like CX and BA !


Your statement wouldn't be true starting from 2014 when UA MP switch to revenue base.

Those that flown enough to qualify to be 1K/Platinum/Gold may not spend enough for their status.

Agree but the solution is multifold:
(1) *A lounges like SQ need to honor commitments to other members.
(2) A new tier created so 1K or at least GS are admitted to international F *A lounges
(3) rehab for major *A lounges like LHR (as is happening at LAX) which are an embarrassment.

Personally I don't find UA RCCs to be crowded anywhere but that's likely because they are so mediocre, many people just choose to hang out in restaurants.

The most effective way to thinning elite herds would be to apply status/spend/benefits to the entity that actually pays for the ticket, not the flyer.

That would get rid of all the OPM'ers, and make elite truly for those who actually pay for it

but the OP wouldnt like that ;)

If you truly want a higher elite level within an alliace, you can always switch to OW, which recognizes OW Emerald members and gives them access to International First Class Lounges. BA even offers lifetime Gold (~ lifetime OW Emerald) now for those having flown 35,000 Tier Points.

Currently *G passengers do not have access to international F lounges unless you are flying international F. This is nice for those flying international F because most of the time, international F lounges are not very crowded. One exception is Thai F lounge in BKK where quite a few international flights leave within a few hours time period around midnight.

The OW perk for F lounges is a nice one for top level flyers. DL also offers free DL club membership to 125k flyers.

I would not mind so much if UA had decent domestic lounges. But they are so mediocre that it would be nice to have access to F, if only for international flights. However with so many 1Ks I'd agree that the F lounges at SFO, ORD, IAH, IAD etc would get rather jammed. The better solution is for UA to overhaul their clubs to international standards, rather then continuing the race to the bottom with AA, DL, etc.