Jun 30, 2013, 2:46 pm
CO/UA Million Mile (and Beyond) Flyer Benefits, Effective Spring 2012
Sep 22, 2011, 2:13 pm
#241
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Princeton, NJ; Lviv Ukraine
Programs: UA 3.6MM, AF/KL Lifetime Plat, BA Gold, AA 1MM, IC Spire RA, Kimpton IC, Marriott Plat, et alia
Posts: 2,732
"How to earn Million Miler lifetime status.
Starting January 1, 2012, flight miles on the new United (including Continental), Copa Airlines or Copa Airlines Colombia will accrue toward Million Miler status. Until that time, MileagePlus and OnePass members will continue to earn toward status and benefits in their respective programs."
Unless I missed this in the thread, there has been no discussion of earning MM miles in the future. Does this mean that only UA and COPA miles will accrue toward Million Miler status and that flights on other *A carriers will not? Will UA and COPA bonus EQMs count?
Starting January 1, 2012, flight miles on the new United (including Continental), Copa Airlines or Copa Airlines Colombia will accrue toward Million Miler status. Until that time, MileagePlus and OnePass members will continue to earn toward status and benefits in their respective programs."
Unless I missed this in the thread, there has been no discussion of earning MM miles in the future. Does this mean that only UA and COPA miles will accrue toward Million Miler status and that flights on other *A carriers will not? Will UA and COPA bonus EQMs count?
Sep 22, 2011, 2:15 pm
#242
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: United 1k aa exec plat
Posts: 1,842
sorry if i missed this but until exactly when are eqm on star eligible to count?
still eligible til programmes are merged in spring or til end of yr?
still eligible til programmes are merged in spring or til end of yr?
Sep 22, 2011, 2:17 pm
#243
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K/MM, AA GLD
Posts: 1,708
Sep 22, 2011, 2:26 pm
#244
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: New York
Programs: Bonvoy LifetimeTitanium, UA Plat 2MM, LHW LeadersClub, IHGPlat, HiltonDiamnd, ASMVPG100K, WyndDiamnd
Posts: 1,227
It sounds like after the one-time "boost" of UA lifetime BIS miles to EQMs (so they can be combined more or less on "par" with those of CO lifetime EQMs), future earning will be BIS only. No *A flights. No class of service bonus. No double EQMs. No fare class bonus. Just butt in seat miles. Just like has been the case for UA.
This is an important difference. If *A flights do not count, that is a major negative for CO flyers.
Sep 22, 2011, 2:31 pm
#245
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 187
I just sent an email in regarding my disappointment in how the new UA is treating loyalty.
In short how do you consider someone with 1MM+ EQM (maybe earned via CC bonuses or flying on other *A metal) loyal to United. Yes they might be loyal to Mileage Plus but not to United if you ask me. 1MM+ BIS in seat on UA/UX is what I consider loyal.
I guess we now will have MM-lites come January 1, 2012.
In short how do you consider someone with 1MM+ EQM (maybe earned via CC bonuses or flying on other *A metal) loyal to United. Yes they might be loyal to Mileage Plus but not to United if you ask me. 1MM+ BIS in seat on UA/UX is what I consider loyal.
I guess we now will have MM-lites come January 1, 2012.
Option A is to give MM credit for all EQM, which gives a "bonus" to all UA flyers, and a bigger one to those who have also used other *A carriers.
Option B would be to retroactively subtract MM credit for CO flyers non-CO/UA EQM and bonus miles.
(Option C would be to scrap the whole thing, make up new rules, and start everybody at zero.)
If you're angry because some people are getting something you're not (that's basically what this is about, right?) just imagine how angry somebody would be to see their MM count go down - in some cases, significantly - given the fact that at the time those flights were chosen, they were told they would count.
There was no perfect solution here. The only way to harmonize the two programs would be to either subtract miles from CO fliers who were told they'd be getting them, or add miles to UA fliers who were told they wouldn't. Sometimes the path of least resistance makes the most sense.
If you in the past chose to fly UA instead of another *A carrier in order to get BIS for MM status, and now you're angry because you could have flown another carrier, I'm sorry, but that's your problem. You still got credit for CR-1s. More importantly, as it regards BIS / MM status, you were making day-to-day decisions towards what is for most people at least a five if not ten (or twenty) year goal, in the context of a program that has the right to change its rules as it sees fit, in an industry where bankruptcies and mergers are endemic. At the end of the day, you got exactly what you were told you would get, and you're getting a bump up; those who have flown more *A are getting a little bigger bump up. This isn't about UA devaluing "loyalty" - it is, quite frankly, the only rational solution. On top of that, future earnings are again based on the old UA BIS method - suggesting that UA does, indeed, view "loyalty" as it relates to lifetime MM status the same way you do.
Last edited by danBfree; Sep 22, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Sep 22, 2011, 2:32 pm
#246
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K/MM, AA GLD
Posts: 1,708
Not sure why you quoted my post. *A flights will no longer count for lifetime status, but will still count for annual status (just to avoid confusing anyone). While this is a negative towards earning lifetime status for PMCO flyers, the flip side is that flying 1mm miles on UA/CO/CM will now get you gold instead of silver, which is a major positive for PMCO flyers.
Sep 22, 2011, 3:05 pm
#247
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Houston
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 12,693
Trying to understand the CR-1 situation:
1MM = no more (annual) CR-1s
2MM = 2 CR1s, as this is the equivalent of the new Premier Platinum level.
So, while the 2 CR1-s are gone for 1MMs, they're still there for 2MMs, at least as long as this benefit is offered to PremPlats. At least, that is the way I understand this.
1MM = no more (annual) CR-1s
2MM = 2 CR1s, as this is the equivalent of the new Premier Platinum level.
So, while the 2 CR1-s are gone for 1MMs, they're still there for 2MMs, at least as long as this benefit is offered to PremPlats. At least, that is the way I understand this.
Sep 22, 2011, 3:16 pm
#248
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: UA 1K MM, HH Gold, Marriott Gold Elite
Posts: 1,478
Sep 22, 2011, 3:22 pm
#249
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,854
Not sure I see this a major negative for CO flyers since the thresholds have been lowered. Use to take 2MM PMCO lifetime miles to get Gold, now just 1MM. So unless CO flights were less than 1/2 of your flying you are better off got achiving lifetime Gold. For CO elites, Lifetime Plat is now 2 MM and not 3MM.
Sep 22, 2011, 3:35 pm
#250
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: somewhere
Programs: their are many of them
Posts: 1,614
my thoughts and prayers to those of who have reached this level of flying you have officaly spent way too much time on an Airplane.
I love the qoutes from good friends and family friends who have attianed Million Miles or more
my favorite quote is" i spend my life on a plane , i mean sure flying is fun but you don't want this you spend way too much of your time in the air it is awful and your at the mercy of the airlines, i don't wish this upon anybody"
lol
I love the qoutes from good friends and family friends who have attianed Million Miles or more
my favorite quote is" i spend my life on a plane , i mean sure flying is fun but you don't want this you spend way too much of your time in the air it is awful and your at the mercy of the airlines, i don't wish this upon anybody"
lol
Sep 22, 2011, 3:55 pm
#252
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 28,878
I'm totally confused as to how this will work as other than one codeshare CDG-LHR, all of my 725,859 lifetime miles have been BIS on United. So what are they talking about that will/could bump up lifetime miles? COS bonus (either paid or IRROPS re-bookings)? DEQM'S? Credit card spends? Or am I hosed?
The announcement seems to say they will adjust the UA lifetime metric to be the same as the CO lifetime metric. But then only BIS will be used for travel in 2012 and beyond.
I'm totally confused as to how this will work as other than one codeshare CDG-LHR, all of my 725,859 lifetime miles have been BIS on United. So what are they talking about that will/could bump up lifetime miles? COS bonus (either paid or IRROPS re-bookings)? DEQM'S? Credit card spends? Or am I hosed?
- *A flights
- COS bonii
- D/TEQM
- credit card EQM
- old Elite Choice awards
A not-insignificant total for someone who flys some paid C fares, likes to fly other *A carriers, did well with the DEQM, gets 10K annually on the Plat Visa (ok, this describes me)
*Took my total EQM's for each year, subtracted out the actual flight miles for that year and added the differences to come up with roughly 180k
Sep 22, 2011, 4:09 pm
#253
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Seattle WA USA
Programs: AS MVP Gold, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks/Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, and some others
Posts: 251
CO (esp. when in Skyteam) Partners often yielded 50% EQM
It's good that United BIS will be converted to EQM so miles originating there may increase.
However, it brings back memories of all the times I have gotten 0%, 25%, or 50% EQM when flying on Continental partners - especially in the past. I wish they would convert those EQM < 100% into BIS as well.
However, it brings back memories of all the times I have gotten 0%, 25%, or 50% EQM when flying on Continental partners - especially in the past. I wish they would convert those EQM < 100% into BIS as well.
Sep 22, 2011, 4:09 pm
#254
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAH / HOU
Programs: UA GS, DL-Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Somethingist, Marriott Titanium Lifetime
Posts: 2,853
As someone who benefits tremendously from the spouse/SO benefit I think it's great. And remember the regional upgrades were a holdover from before the unlimited domestic upgrades were available. Since I fly mostly domestic non ps routes the unlimited upgrades give me many more upgrades IN TOTAL than the old PMUA system.
Sep 22, 2011, 5:30 pm
#255
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO
Programs: United 1K 2MM / Marriott LTP
Posts: 5,071
First of all, I don't think we have established that credit card bonuses count, have we? Secondly, if I book a United flight from LAX to FRA, and that flight happens to be on LH metal, why shouldn't it count towards my MM status? If I were un-loyal to United, I would have booked directly with LH. And if United wanted me to be on their metal, they would operate an LAX-FRA flight. But they don't.
Currently, MileagePlus and OnePassŪ track lifetime activity differently: MileagePlus counts only base EQM (actual flight miles on United and United Express), while OnePass counts both base EQM and bonus EQM (those earned on partner airlines, or through promotions or credit cards).
To bring everyone to the same starting point, on December 31, 2011, we will recalculate MileagePlus lifetime miles balances to include both base EQM and bonus EQM. This means the lifetime miles balance will either increase or remain the same.
To bring everyone to the same starting point, on December 31, 2011, we will recalculate MileagePlus lifetime miles balances to include both base EQM and bonus EQM. This means the lifetime miles balance will either increase or remain the same.
Look, drop the "loyalty" talk for a minute and think rationally. There are two programs with different ways of granting MM credit. You need to harmonize them.
Option A is to give MM credit for all EQM, which gives a "bonus" to all UA flyers, and a bigger one to those who have also used other *A carriers.
Option B would be to retroactively subtract MM credit for CO flyers non-CO/UA EQM and bonus miles.
(Option C would be to scrap the whole thing, make up new rules, and start everybody at zero.)
If you're angry because some people are getting something you're not (that's basically what this is about, right?) just imagine how angry somebody would be to see their MM count go down - in some cases, significantly - given the fact that at the time those flights were chosen, they were told they would count.
There was no perfect solution here. The only way to harmonize the two programs would be to either subtract miles from CO fliers who were told they'd be getting them, or add miles to UA fliers who were told they wouldn't. Sometimes the path of least resistance makes the most sense.
If you in the past chose to fly UA instead of another *A carrier in order to get BIS for MM status, and now you're angry because you could have flown another carrier, I'm sorry, but that's your problem. You still got credit for CR-1s. More importantly, as it regards BIS / MM status, you were making day-to-day decisions towards what is for most people at least a five if not ten (or twenty) year goal, in the context of a program that has the right to change its rules as it sees fit, in an industry where bankruptcies and mergers are endemic. At the end of the day, you got exactly what you were told you would get, and you're getting a bump up; those who have flown more *A are getting a little bigger bump up. This isn't about UA devaluing "loyalty" - it is, quite frankly, the only rational solution. On top of that, future earnings are again based on the old UA BIS method - suggesting that UA does, indeed, view "loyalty" as it relates to lifetime MM status the same way you do.
Option A is to give MM credit for all EQM, which gives a "bonus" to all UA flyers, and a bigger one to those who have also used other *A carriers.
Option B would be to retroactively subtract MM credit for CO flyers non-CO/UA EQM and bonus miles.
(Option C would be to scrap the whole thing, make up new rules, and start everybody at zero.)
If you're angry because some people are getting something you're not (that's basically what this is about, right?) just imagine how angry somebody would be to see their MM count go down - in some cases, significantly - given the fact that at the time those flights were chosen, they were told they would count.
There was no perfect solution here. The only way to harmonize the two programs would be to either subtract miles from CO fliers who were told they'd be getting them, or add miles to UA fliers who were told they wouldn't. Sometimes the path of least resistance makes the most sense.
If you in the past chose to fly UA instead of another *A carrier in order to get BIS for MM status, and now you're angry because you could have flown another carrier, I'm sorry, but that's your problem. You still got credit for CR-1s. More importantly, as it regards BIS / MM status, you were making day-to-day decisions towards what is for most people at least a five if not ten (or twenty) year goal, in the context of a program that has the right to change its rules as it sees fit, in an industry where bankruptcies and mergers are endemic. At the end of the day, you got exactly what you were told you would get, and you're getting a bump up; those who have flown more *A are getting a little bigger bump up. This isn't about UA devaluing "loyalty" - it is, quite frankly, the only rational solution. On top of that, future earnings are again based on the old UA BIS method - suggesting that UA does, indeed, view "loyalty" as it relates to lifetime MM status the same way you do.