I Should Have Signed Up For ANA's vs United's Loyalty Program, huh?
Jul 31, 2019, 3:58 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 3
I Should Have Signed Up For ANA's vs United's Loyalty Program, huh?
Hi All, I'm on a multi-year expat assignment in Japan and travel from HND/NRT - SHA/PVG and PEK monthly in economy, occasionally HND/NRT - GMP/ICN in economy, and to the US in business 2x per year. I joined United's MileagePlus program last year, I'm currently Platinum and am on track to make 1K by October. This past Sunday flying HND-SHA on ANA it donned on me that I'll never fully realize many of the benefits that ANA Diamond's receive at HND and NRT; that the highest level of benefits I'll receive the vast majority of the time is limited to those of Star Alliance Gold. It specifically occurred to me after I was rejected when trying to go through the much shorter "elites" security line as United Platinum flying ANA. I was informed you have to be flying the same metal as your loyalty program, which for me is only ~2x per year. At this point it seems to me that because I'm so far in with United's program I might as well stick it out and be content with Star Alliance Gold 90% of the time I fly. Any thoughts on this? Is there something I'm overlooking that would make starting over with ANA worth it? I'll be in Japan till at least early 2021, possibly until early 2023.
Jul 31, 2019, 6:22 am
#3
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
Hi All, I'm on a multi-year expat assignment in Japan and travel from HND/NRT - SHA/PVG and PEK monthly in economy, occasionally HND/NRT - GMP/ICN in economy, and to the US in business 2x per year. I joined United's MileagePlus program last year, I'm currently Platinum and am on track to make 1K by October. This past Sunday flying HND-SHA on ANA it donned on me that I'll never fully realize many of the benefits that ANA Diamond's receive at HND and NRT; that the highest level of benefits I'll receive the vast majority of the time is limited to those of Star Alliance Gold. It specifically occurred to me after I was rejected when trying to go through the much shorter "elites" security line as United Platinum flying ANA. I was informed you have to be flying the same metal as your loyalty program, which for me is only ~2x per year. At this point it seems to me that because I'm so far in with United's program I might as well stick it out and be content with Star Alliance Gold 90% of the time I fly. Any thoughts on this? Is there something I'm overlooking that would make starting over with ANA worth it? I'll be in Japan till at least early 2021, possibly until early 2023.
This Star Alliance Gold benefit allows you to proceed more quicker through security by using dedicated lanes. It is currently available at more than 150 locations globally and is being rolled out airport by airport across our network. All Star Alliance Gold Customers (including those travelling in Economy Class) and customers in First or Business Class on a flight operated by a Star Alliance member airline are eligible for Star Alliance Gold Track access.
https://www.staralliance.com/en/gold-track
You do get lounge access and other things even on ANA as *G - peruse the benefits summary for a full list:
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...ralliance.aspx
I guess I'd look at your upcoming travel this year and see if you'd' have a shot at a status level with ANA that you find appealing. If not, may as well finish out with UA this year.
The other thing is what you want to do with the award miles you're accruing, either near term or when you return to the US at some point. Would UA or ANA's program be more beneficial to you? Which would rack up award miles faster for your travel patterns? ANA has some excellent sweet spots in its award charts but it all depends on one's award travel goals. Good luck whatever you end up doing!
Jul 31, 2019, 8:34 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: WAS
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 1,752
According to the Star Alliance site you should be given access to gold track elite security lanes - the lane minder apparently was misinformed, unless you were at a different access point than the designated gold track access at HND:
[emphasis added]
https://www.staralliance.com/en/gold-track
[emphasis added]
https://www.staralliance.com/en/gold-track
OP, if you have a shot at making million miler with UA, stick with UA. If not, you'd likely be better served with ANA.
Aug 2, 2019, 3:51 am
#5
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. No longer Palm Coast, FL though still exiled, again, from the Bay Area.
Programs: Only the good ones
Posts: 5,153
The lane agent was correct, at Haneda's international terminal your status has to match your departing carrier for access to priority security (unless you get it through class of service. This has been the rule for quite some time, though enforcement can vary. Per your own link, Gold Track is not listed for Haneda's international terminal.
OP, if you have a shot at making million miler with UA, stick with UA. If not, you'd likely be better served with ANA.
OP, if you have a shot at making million miler with UA, stick with UA. If not, you'd likely be better served with ANA.
Too bad you're so close to 1K, as I've found One World to be a much better alliance, and you could probably make AA EXP (vs. UA 1K) using JL (depending on the fare basis,) and AA. If you have IHG Spire, they match to ANA PLT and provide an easy challenge to keep the status.
Aug 2, 2019, 5:00 am
#6
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: WAS
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 1,752
What??? Tokyo - Tokyo International (Haneda) Airport (HND) is shown on the link.
The rule about having to fly your native metal at the HND international terminal is well-known, though not always enforced. See further: https://loyaltylobby.com/2019/01/07/...-elite-member/
Last edited by Beltway2A; Aug 2, 2019 at 5:05 am
Aug 2, 2019, 7:33 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 3
The lane agent was correct, at Haneda's international terminal your status has to match your departing carrier for access to priority security (unless you get it through class of service. This has been the rule for quite some time, though enforcement can vary. Per your own link, Gold Track is not listed for Haneda's international terminal.
OP, if you have a shot at making million miler with UA, stick with UA. If not, you'd likely be better served with ANA.
OP, if you have a shot at making million miler with UA, stick with UA. If not, you'd likely be better served with ANA.
Aug 2, 2019, 7:47 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 3
What???....
Too bad you're so close to 1K, as I've found One World to be a much better alliance, and you could probably make AA EXP (vs. UA 1K) using JL (depending on the fare basis,) and AA. If you have IHG Spire, they match to ANA PLT and provide an easy challenge to keep the status.
Too bad you're so close to 1K, as I've found One World to be a much better alliance, and you could probably make AA EXP (vs. UA 1K) using JL (depending on the fare basis,) and AA. If you have IHG Spire, they match to ANA PLT and provide an easy challenge to keep the status.
Aug 2, 2019, 1:08 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. No longer Palm Coast, FL though still exiled, again, from the Bay Area.
Programs: Only the good ones
Posts: 5,153
I'll probably end up trying for a status match/challenge once early next year with One World. I chose Star Alliance because of Chase's ability to transfer points to United. So far I've been satisfied with Star Alliance but I really do not have much to compare to. What makes OneWorld better in your opinion?
