Counsellor

Further to the above point, the United announcement said Does this mean that we Million Milers from before today *will* get the two CR-1s for 2012?

Fredd

Indeed. Thanks to UA's calculations they are now Million Mile Flyers, a title that perhaps should have an asterisk attached - "This does not necessarily mean one million miles actually flown." As for those of us who actually flew 1 MM BIS on UA metal - was it an "accomplishment," or an act of foolishness that airline executives have ridiculed by their actions?

The "adjustment" was symbolically announced on New Year's Eve and IMHO some folks will have a morning-after headache when they figure out their new status doesn't mean what it used to mean.

Mrs. Fredd and I were "bumped up" more than 30%. When our CO lifetime miles are added, combined with SWU-burning flights already booked for 2012, we'll pass 1.5 MM. After that? You're right - there's no incentive at all for us to pass 2 MM under the new scheme and perhaps we'll be thanking UA for allowing us to explore a much wider range of options for our leisure travel dollars.

There's confusion about that as well, due to UA's wording e.g. "before December 31", and UA Insider acknowledges here that there is still confusion. What a surprise!

I will no longer assume anything that is based on UA's previous statements.

oenophilist

Probably more than a few, and for good reason.

1MM benefits were changed, and this included removal of some benefits and replacement with other benefits. I would prefer the old MM program too, but the changes were minimal when considering the merger of the two programs into one.

And as mentioned before, that particular FAQ question was not related to the merger, and it is entirely inaccurate to state that it was. UA made an error in not scrubbing the FAQ from prior years, true. However, there is absolutely no evidence that the question was part of the merger FAQ, and there is plenty of evidence that it is part of the 2009 FAQ related to CR-1's.

Question for those existing 1MM members: why are you so upset about the CR-1's and barely mention the loss of RCC at 2MM? I would think that this is a much bigger loss, given that Premier Platinum is worth very little compared to Gold. And since 2MM is the next level to be achieved, losing that is really a big deal. Why spend so much effort on a couple of CR-1's when RCC has a real monetary value to it?

So you are saying that recalculated 1MM members should have a 1MM-lite on their profile? If that's the case, can we please identify those members living in UA hubs and put an asterisk by their names too, since it was a heck of a lot easier flying BIS on UA metal when its your only choice?

Fredd

Agreed right up to "but..."

IMHO UA erred in leaving the previous language in place as long as it did, displaying the way the benefits have been advertised for several years.

IMHO UA also erred in touting the spouse/s.o. benefit as a replacement for UGs.

IMHO UA did the right thing, however, in honoring an historical commitment to the CO Infinite Elites. As other threads explode with the New Year's Eve MM bump-ups, it remains to be seen whether UA will likewise recognize those of us who earned our 1 MM the old-fashioned way.

UA is grandfathering that benefit for current 2MM flyers. That's one key difference and is another huge inconsistency in the way one group is being treated versus another. It's the removal/changes/diminishment for the pre-merger BIS MMers that alienates me. Yes, UA now provides me with little or no incentive to reach 2 MM but that's their problem, if my feelings are shared by significant numbers of other customers.

These new "lifetime mileage" figures don't represent actual miles flown, do they? They could be called "Merit Miles" or "Lifetime Points." No, I was indulging in a fit of sarcasm that I should have advertised more obviously. Perhaps you don't recall or aren't aware of the debate over the asterisk added next to the 61st home run of Roger Maris. And no, before you ask, I'm not comparing my feat of flying a million UA BIS miles to Maris's.

The New Year's Eve mass bump-ups provide another example of the way UA is changing its loyalty program.

oenophilist

In many cases they do represent actual miles flown on *A airlines, to places that UA doesn't fly. I realize that it was sarcastic, but my point is that you are suggesting those that reached MM status based on the recalculation are not as worthy because they didn't sacrifice by being BIS. I would argue that they did fly BIS on partner airlines because they were loyal to UA. In addition, people that fly UA based out of a non-hub are more loyal and sacrifice more than people who fly UA based out of a hub, but we don't say that hub-based people didn't earn their MM because they had little choice but to fly UA.

Fredd

If you realize I was being sarcastic, despite my not flagging it with a , I don't quite understand why you'd reply with a . Update: I've now edited the post to make its irony more apparent.

No, my point is simply that Million Mile and Beyond formerly recognized customers who flew 1 MM BIS on UA metal. That was the program. I understood it thus to be more challenging than some other airline programs, but with greater rewards.

Yes, in many, some, most, or a few cases, the new lifetime miles may represent actual miles flown on *A. It doesn't for me.

dgcpaphd

I received my final two CR-1s for 2011 (old rules) in accordance with united.com announcement "at the end of every year."

2012 is not part of the CR-1 earning for million-mile purposes.

Real million-milers should have received their final CR-1 for 2011 by this time. If you have not received them, a call to MP should solve the problem.
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newK2

I'm a Million Miler in UA - for over a decade - no deposit of CR-1s for me as of yet. I usually got my 2 annual in early January. Still doesn't seem clear to me if I should expect these, would be nice to get one last pair as the spouse benefit won't be affecting me. I'll give it a few days and then likely will call in to see what the response is. I average only about 10K BIS a year now.

Fredd

Good to know you got it. Auld Lang Syne and all that.

We haven't received ours yet either. Thanks for mentioning that or I might have thought it was something I'd said.

I wish I could have it bronzed and hung on the wall next to my Million Miler certificate but the room that one is hanging in is too small anyway.

WineCountryUA

Have not received mine yet -- but probably premature to start calling -- these sweeps can take a while.
Not here by tomorrow, then I would consider calling.

Mountainman

My 2 CR-1's for 2012 just posted.

hans

Still work to be done behind the scenes - I clicked over to MM status this morning but when I go to add my wife under the "companion benefit," it says I'm not a "million miler yet."

halls120

^^ I'm pretty sure most all of my added miles were from flights on LH, BD, and US, to locations not served by UA metal.

dgcpaphd

If customers fly on partner airlines and purchase tickets from these same partner airlines but credit their mileage to UA, UA does not get any money from the flight.

In fact, it costs UA to record the outstanding miles that are issued by the partner airline to the customer's UA frequent flyer account.

Where is the loyalty? I cannot see any bonafide loyalty related to a customer choosing to maintain their miles in one frequent flyer program for future use.
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oenophilist

I flew twice a month from RDU to someplace in Eastern Europe. The first two legs were on UA metal, the final one to two legs were on partner metal. Are you seriously arguing that this is NOT being loyal to UA??? Try 12 months of being bussed to your plane at FRA and tell me that this is not loyalty. UA made plenty of money off of these flights, not the least of which because they were ticketed through UA.

I think a lot of people here have a domestic flight mentality.