I think the only benefits to a Star Silver (NOT a UA 3p, 2p, 1p, 1k) when traveling on United are:

- 2 free luggage check-in
- Priority Boarding in Zone 1
- Priority Security Lines
- Priority Check-In
- Priority Luggage Handling?

Am I missing anything?

i feel quite stupid asking this...
 

thanks for compiling all the data! it is very useful!

i feel quite stupid asking this but.... i dont know what a LOT of the abbreviations stand for and what they mean.

1. what does COS stand for? it says that "COS = Status Mls" but is that ... Status miles? what is a status mile....

2. And when it says "Y" as it does for AC Prestige, what does that symbolize?

2. what is COS bonus? if there is a slash, like it does for AC Prestige's "paid business COS bonus" (25%/50% AC Can-USA) Does that mean that for Canada to the USA its 50%? and 25% for all other destinations?

3. For "miles/km/pts needed for status" what is "seg"? why does it say "(mls) Y" for AC Prestige but "(Pts) Y" for NH AnaClub?

4. Is "requalif." under "mls/km/pts needed for requalif", requalification? What does it mean if AC Prestife does NOT have a Y

5. What is "% Bonus for elite". the higher the better?

6. Special Bonus Mls:
a) What is a "flight pass" found under AC
b) what is "renewal of sev ... CC" under
c) what does "4 times 500 miles cert @ 10k status mils " under UA mean?

7. What is RCC membership found under UA's Lounge access?

8. What does the "C/F" signify under UA's Check In Counter

* For miles expire. I was under the impression that AC expires if there is inactivity for 12months+ (and not 7 years). And that NH expires 2 years later on Dec 31st (and not 3 years). it might be worth a look

"i feel quite stupid asking this but"
-don't worry we all took a bit of time learning the lingo . . .


1. what does COS stand for? it says that "COS = Status Mls" but is that ... Status miles? what is a status mile....

Class of Service--you get more miles for First and Business Class and (often) for full fare Economy and less for discount economy. COS=the class of service bonus. In some programs you didn't earn status miles for the COS but now most (all?) include COS in status miles. (Status Mls)

2. And when it says "Y" as it does for AC Prestige, what does that symbolize?

Y = Economy fare or YES

2. what is COS bonus? if there is a slash, like it does for AC Prestige's "paid business COS bonus" (25%/50% AC Can-USA) Does that mean that for Canada to the USA its 50%? and 25% for all other destinations?
See above F(First Class)= 50% J/C (Business) = 25% COS bonus on AC

3. For "miles/km/pts needed for status" what is "seg"? why does it say "(mls) Y" for AC Prestige but "(Pts) Y" for NH AnaClub?

- seg = segment (each numbered flight is a segment that counts towards status)-you can usually qualify by segments or miles/points. Some programs use miles, others use a points system that does not equal miles flown.

4. Is "requalif." under "mls/km/pts needed for requalif", requalification? What does it mean if AC Prestife does NOT have a Y
- yes for requalification. I'll let someone else answer the Y question since it isn't my thread

5. What is "% Bonus for elite". the higher the better?
more is better. You can choose to get extra miles in some programs (or choose other benefits on Aeroplan) in recognition for your elite status. This mostly applies to higher, not lower, tiers.

6. Special Bonus Mls:
a) What is a "flight pass" found under AC
- flight passes are booklets of tickets good for travel--see Air Canada website--you pay for them just like regular tickets but they are at a guaranteed price--right now they are selling at a premium, not a discount
b) what is "renewal of sev ... CC" under
- over to someone else--not my thread

c) what does "4 times 500 miles cert @ 10k status mils " under UA mean?
- you get four 500 mile upgrade certificates every 10,000 status miles you earn

7. What is RCC membership found under UA's Lounge access?
- you can buy Red Carpet Club membership for hundreds of dollars a year--good in Star Gold lounges (there are cheaper but still not cheap ways of buying this)

8. What does the "C/F" signify under UA's Check In Counter
(C/F = Business and First Class fares)
* For miles expire. I was under the impression that AC expires if there is inactivity for 12months+ (and not 7 years). And that NH expires 2 years later on Dec 31st (and not 3 years). it might be worth a look

thank you for the answer!
 

thank you so much for the super long answer blondebomber!

but i have ONE more question. lol.

[QUOTE=BlondeBomber;109846793. For "miles/km/pts needed for status" what is "seg"? why does it say "(mls) Y" for AC Prestige but "(Pts) Y" for NH AnaClub?

- seg = segment (each numbered flight is a segment that counts towards status)-you can usually qualify by segments or miles/points. Some programs use miles, others use a points system that does not equal miles flown.[/QUOTE]

If for instance it says "25k/25 seg (mls)" (as it does for AC Prestige under "Mls/Km/Pts needed for status") does that mean that you need 25 segments of travelling OR you need to travel 25km to get the status? Then why is there the word "miles" in parathesis? Is it 25 miles instead of 25km?

It is a bit reversed by the look of it (at least as you have it written-should be "25k/25 mls/seg")

25k= 25,000 (miles not kilometers)
(k stands for thousand)

or

25 segments

either will qualify you.

Also from me, a big thank you for taking the time to answer the questions


The Y in "Mls / Km / Pts needed for status [Year / 12 Mo]" stands if you can qualify in a rolling 12 months period or if you have a calendar year for your requalification.

what is "renewal of sev ... CC"
That means, you get 2000 pts if you renew several different NH affiliated Credit Cards (CC)

I will look into when miles expire on AC and NH again.

On AC Aeroplan, miles expire in 7 years but if your account is inactive in 12 months (this is very easy to fix--you can buy $3 worth of gas at an Esso station and use your Aeroplan card and it counts as activity) then you can also lose your points due to inactivity.

Anyone knows which airline has the longest time for retaining status level?

Asiana Club. You can get *A Silver for 24-25 mths, if you fly 20k miles on any *A within a few weeks of joining. Fly 40k miles, and get *A Gold.

Alternatively, there is lifetime status on United, Asiana, etc.

Thanks! But do you know where I can get a comparison on a table, so I dont need to go to every single airline site

This thread? The OP links to this table for *A Silver.

And BlondeBomber has done a table for *A Gold.

As a new US Silver, I've been wondering about this. So United does allow *A Silvers to use the priority check-in and security? There doesn't seem to be anything about this on their web site.

With TG (Thai Airways)'s Royal Orchid Plus (ROP) your status (*S or *G) is good for 2 years.

With Asiana, *S is valid for up to 48+1 months (a bit over 4 years). e.g. If you join in Apr 09, fly 20k miles in April 09, your *S will be valid until end of May 2013. The requalification period is the last 24 months before the current period.

Thai Royal Orchid Plus needs 15k for rest of current calendar year and next calendar year, or 10k for just to end of current calendar year.

*S AC
 

I'm with you, KA, as AC Silver is equally as useless. I'm wondering what the point is of giving you a card to give you status that actually, doesn't give you any ? Imagine my joy at Latitude upgrade certificates that give you the option of buying a YYZ/LHR/YYZ route at $ 4200 CDN for the possibility of getting an upgrade.

I couldn't concur with you more..

Chaptwo