A modest proposal for revising elite benefits
 

In light of the upcoming but unknown changes to the program, I thought I would advocate a modest proposal for realiging benefits in a fashion that would help differentiate between th elite tiers.

I would propose the following Plat/1K and up -- eligible for UDU, pre-select E+.

Gold/ Premier Executive -- not elgigible for UDU, can select E+ 48 hours
before flight, or earlier by paying $10 co-pay.

Silver / Premier - not eligible for UDU, no pre-selection of E+, but reduced fee to select E+ at check in (50% of fee for general member). Baggage fees half of those for general members.

I just hope the new program is revenue based..People who spend more with the airline should get rewarded better than people who just fly more spending less..^

A large part of why I fly united is because I get E+, among other things. To have no ability to select E+ until 48 hours in advance and possibly not be able to sit with my flying buddy... would completely devalue the program for me.

I am not the only one in this sort of position... My father who indirectly got me into MRs, does about one intercontinental flight a year to maintain 2P status, which he does mostly to get E+.

Half off E+ is not nearly enough to make the frequent flying worthwhile.

+1

Let me guess, you're a 1K/GS, right? I can't see any reason why you'd be proposing such a drastic devaluation of the lower tiers otherwise.

E+ and free baggage are the only practical benefits that 2P/Silvers ever actually get to make use of. So take your 'modest proposal' and stick it up your exhaust manifold.

There is nothing more infuriating than being a top tier elite booking a very expensive flight at the last moment or chaning flights at the last moment and getting E-. Another proposal would be that although lower tiers could reserve the seats, any higher tier elite can could displace at any time prior to E+. There needs to be some preservation of benefits for the upper tier flyers who matter far more to the bottom line than barely elite 25,000 mile flyers.

As a 2P, No E+ = No flying United. There are just too many options out of seattle. And the title "Modest" should be changed to "Drastic".

And such options have E+ for free?

Your proposed devaluations are worse than what AA offers to their mid and low tier levels. By charging for bags to 2P/Silver then the CC holders actually get better benefits.

There will ALWAYS be instances where a 1K will get an E- seat, but the chances of this happening are reduced by having a big E+ cabin.

This exists, its called Global Services.

Now for ALL flyers revenue based? No thanks. The transactional mindset would not bode well for the airline long term. All TOD, all the time is not an airline for me. :td:

Maybe the 1K's can all get gold crowns at checkin so that they can be recognized throughout the airport and not have to deal with the lower levels at all.

I've never fully understood how it's a benefit to anybody to remove benefits from elite levels.

Oh dear such ribald language.

I'm merely suggesting than given the severe devaluation of the program for upper tier elites, it would be a laudable goal for the airline to ensure that no gs/1k sits in E- when lower tier elites have taken E+ seats.

Read your own post "no pre-selection of E+, but reduced fee to select E+ at check in (50% of fee for general member)". That doesn't sound like "free" to me? The only reason I fly UA is for free E+. I can take more direct flights with AS that usually cost less, so if I'm going to be stuck in regular E, I'd rather get there quicker and cheaper ;)

Jonathan Swift

Maybe it's just the routes I fly, but is exhaustion of E+ actually a major problem? As a UA non-elite, I think I have yet to check in for a mainline flight and not be offered an E+ pay upgrade.

If Global Services kicks in around $30-50k annual spending and a purely EQM program allows a person to obtain 1K at around $8-5k the present system seems to be abusing a very profitable customer segment.