as219

A couple of reactions/thoughts:

(1) I get the reasoning behind a new vocabulary -- something not entirely PMUA or PMCO -- but it's going to be annoying having to relearn all these new terms. (Mods: Feel free to move this to the "Stupidest, Least Substantive" threat... )

(2) With the emminently reasonable 4 paid flights requirements, there's no sign of any revenue qualification requirements here at all. Interesting, no? 2000+ posts over something that was only a rumor.

(3) Ability to use RPUs on IAH/EWR-HNL flights is a big ^, though I'm still not happy about the reduction fromi 8 -> 4. Oh well.

(4) Notice that the upgrade hierarchy makes explicit something we've long asked for: that confirmable instruments will trump all UDU except Y/B/M pax. This not only means I can use RPUs for GM friends and family and they will clear before the hordes, but it makes them more valuable because it puts you ahead of everyone (except full-fare and UGS) not using them. ^

(5) Yes, 2P is taking a big hit. Not being able to confirm E+ in advance is a blow. That said, checking in at the 24-hour mark, though a pain, will probably make up for it. Most of E+ right now is taken by 2Ps, so I would expect it will be more open at T-24 hours. The baggage change is a shame, though. I wonder how many 2Ps took advantage of multiple bags anyway.

(6) Lifetime benefits... Am I to understand that the one-time UA adjustment will tally as lifetime miles all *A EQMs I've ever credited to M+? I flew a lot of LH back in the day....

dcsnowwake

yeah im confused by this also

raehl311

I think if anything torpedoed the revenue-based program, it was fundamental issues with making it work - not all revenue is created equal, so a revenue-based system wouldn't really fix the problem of giving better status to the most profitable customers.

I.e., someone who does $10k in discount fares isn't any better than someone who does 50k miles in discount fares. Especially if that $10k in discount fares is on fares where a lot of fuel is burned. But someone who does $10k on two international C tickets is quite awesome.

And then there's the issue of what revenue to count... bag check fees? BoB? Fuel surcharges? Can you imagine customers trying to figure out a system where only ticket price and not fuel surcharges counted?


By giving major bonus miles to certain fare classes, UA gets a better solution to the problem - status matched closer to PROFITS.


I am assuming the bonus miles for fare classes are EQM... anyone know for sure?

mintirish

As a current silver member the only reason I fly United is for E+ - sweating it out until 24 hours basically ruins mileage plus for me. This is the ONE benefit I care about, and I'm about to get the shaft on it.

I will qualify for gold this year, but probably not next year. I am going to have to look at chances of getting upgrades on Delta for golds and maybe status match there.

UA-NYC

I think this is just what we have to live with (I have the even older/better MP Plat Visa). You get the benefits of a much better (out of date) card - but you don't get to share in the new comp. upgrades on award tix. I'm quite fine with this - just don't want a forced migration to a new card.

evanderm

I wonder where this will put ua1flyer's lifetime miles with 10,000,000+ BIS as it stands now?

raehl311

I don't really mind the loss of early access to E+, especially when you consider other airlines don't have it at all.

The loss of the 2nd checked bag is the big value loss. If you check 2 bags, and I do, that's a big deal.

That means I can examine the cost of getting to Gold and subtract $500 in value of checked 2nd bags over the course of the year... which is probably the point. (Well, getting that bag check revenue is also probably partly the point.)

tarheelnj

If I read it correctly, M-ups are only available for 1K's, as opposed to Platinum currently. Big benefit for 1K's+ who fly a lot on these fares and currently find no R availability (assuming the same number of R seats is retained.)

Overall happy with the program changes.

spgaston

With 2Ps getting E+ at checkin only, E- is going to be consistently full long before departure, meaning 2Ps and any non-elites are going to see that there are no non-middle seats available less than one month out, and choose another airline. The seatmaps will always be completely full in back with no assigned seats available, and a massively empty E+ section.

PVDProf

This is definitely good for high elites, at the expense of low elites. I'm looking forward to next year, but only because I'm flying more and may actually hit 1K (and I'm already at Plat and it looks good). However, as I think about what drew me to PMUA in the first place, I'm not sure if current Silver benefits would have attracted me: I started flying UA because of E+. Then one year I made the leap to 1P because of the 100% RDM bonus (and that was my explicit justification to Mrs. PVDProf for the mileage run). I've been 1P or 1K since--eight years--but it took that E+ access hook to get me addicted, and not being able to get it at booking might have been less attractive.

I am bummed about what looks like the loss of E+ access for companions on different PNRs, as I use that all the time when flying with family. On the other hand, I'm excited about Global Access.

I wonder what counts as four "paid flights"? Is that segments, one-way routings, roundtrips, PNRs, etc.?

bmvaughn

I am soooo delighted with these changes as a 1K. Finally we get a bone thrown to us after taking it in the teeth for the past year.

p1cunnin

Just hit my 2P status that I've maintained for just about ten years now with forays into 1P from time to time. I have done whatever I can to keep at least 2P to keep E+, even when I was doing little business travel. One of the best benefits of 2P was E+ seating. The second free checked bag was nice, but I rarely used it. It was a nice to have if I needed it.

Over the past year, I have grown used to seeing my name at 20+ on the upgrade list, so I resigned myself to never getting an upgrade again. I keep coming back to UA because of E+ and thought that the merger was a good thing for UA, but clearly UA now has more than enough "good" FFers and those of us who have been steady, loyal customers at the lowest tier are being marginalized.

The E+ at check in will do me little good. Given the load factors that I have seen in recent travels, that means, almost always, a middle seat on larger aircraft and a window on the RJs if I want E+. Neither will work for me. Front or back isn't the issue, but legroom and shoulder room is something I covet.

Since the Visa card can get me 80% of the benefits (early boarding, one free bag), I may as well start shopping for other airlines and chase the lowest fares rather than stay brand loyal.

*sigh* I knew things were going too well.

couscous

I like the new program. I think it's fair.

ric_wx

A quick note to say I am really pleased with how this turned out. Need to make sure I book a couple more trips in 2011 to make sure the 1K threshold is surmounted once again. This definitely pushes me over the top.

Also, I am quite amused that I can grant my wife lifetime 1P status after I roll over 1MM BIS in a few years. I think she will get a real kick out of that, even though it's pretty rare that we aren't traveling together on leisure journeys. A nice touch and in my case, something that has a perceived value with little to no true out of pocket expense for UA.

Nice job.

Critic

I was over at the UA website, reading about the changes and getting ready to post a nice, positive post here - really, I was. And then I got to the part about Premier Silvers losing advance access to E+ (which, judging from the description, will also include rows > 20 on unmodified pmCO aircraft) and 50% reduction in check bag allowance, and I felt like someone pissed in my Corn Flakes.

I'm a long-term hard-way Silver; depending on the year (and the amount of business travel required), I've come tantalizingly close to hitting Gold, but I easily clear the earning requirement for Silver by July each year. To make matters worse, I'm hub-based; EWR is technically closest airport with the best UACO availability, although PHL is a viable option (and has been my go-to for the last 12 months based almost exclusively on E+ availability). Sure, PHL is a US hub, but...come on...that's not an option.

To lose E+ access until T-24 is a MASSIVE devaluation of benefits for someone at my level - especially since it's pretty much a given I'm not going to get EUAed/UDUed/CPUed. I think losing the second checked bag stinks too, as it stinks of a money grab from brand-loyal customers, but I can personally live with that as I never travel with two checked bags. E+, however, was the main reason I switched most of my travel from pmCO to pmUA, as it meant I could guarantee I could fly transcon without my knees buried in a seatback. I would say that I feel a little betrayed by UA, but I know better - they're a huge corporation thinking about a bottom line. But that's little comfort to my knees.

I get that UA is trying to accommodate their high-tier elites, but how about a little consideration for those of us near the bottom of the ladder? Why not open up E+ to Silvers at, I dunno, T-168 (7 days)? Or make the E+ advance booking upcharge something nominal, like $10-20? To have the E+ benefit (and to recently have the ability to prebook exit rows!) and then have it pulled out from under...it's a [bad] move, UA.