UnitedSkies

I guess it's called a "Million Miler Program" for a reason. Half a million isn't a million.

sbm12

Only if they want to make lifetime status easier, and there is no indication that they do.

Lifetime status.

No.

Not much value in that "competitive advantage" IMO.

dgcpaphd

My spouse has been deceased for years and I have no "significant other" which means that the benefit after reaching million mile status is severely reduced when you consider that two CR-1s will not be given and that we will earn only 50% bonus on miles flown and we have another elite status added ahead of us.

This change makes a lot of us unhappy.

Why is there not a choice to have either a spouse or the former CR-1s?

This new formula is a total shaft to those who remained loyal and earned their million mile status. Not a pretty picture by any means.
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It is all in semantics - "every year" implies for life.

Yes, UA has a right to change the program.

However, to change it to the detriment of loyal passengers who chose UA over other carriers in order to make million-mile status is quite a slap in the face for those of us who stayed loyal to UA.

It is clear that UA is no longer UA but, instead, Continental with the word UNITED painted on the side of the fuselage.
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dasams

+1 I'm a 1.7MM BIS guy but my lifetime status is not factored into upgrades. I'm 1K 18 yrs in a row (early yrs on segments) and tomorrow I'm flying MEM > IAH and IAH > SFO, all in coach <sigh>. dave

Michael D

How about Million Kilometerer?

perezoso

After years with US, then NW, then CO, then nobody, and now CO/UA, and having been both rewarded and screwed by all of them, I've lost any sentimental attachment to any airline, and I doubt I'll ever develop one again.

But I must say that MM programs keep me interested. I intend to raise my 700k with CO to 1M with the merged UA. (And regret all the useless LFMs on US and NW.)

With an international marriage and (modest) international real estate holdings, I really don't want to be put through the steerage wringer when I need to travel when I'm elderly.

It's a definite quality of life issue. I can see myself travelling longer (and, ahem, buying tickets longer), if I have things like lounge access on international and easier check-in / seat assignments.

So, SMI/J and friends: Don't screw this up.

It's the only 'benefit' I care about anymore. I've had perks awarded and taken away, and I'm pretty cynical about it. If you uphold your promise to treat me and my wife decently when we're old, however, and I'll be satisfied.

Otherwise, I'll be one bitter fracker.

Firewind

Note DL's wording, as compared to "Lifetime":
Source: SkyMiles website. (Bolding mine.)

Fredd

Mrs. Fredd and I both reached Million Mile status virtually simultaneously earlier this year. As others have lost benefits because they are single, we have "lost" benefits because we are married and monogamous.

We now lose our upgrades and UA has spelled out very specifically that we're not allowed to designate anybody other than a spouse or "significant other" at the same address (or who "shares" the same last name) to partake of our benefits.

This new policy carries the odd whiff of discrimination. It's UA's own 21st century version of being required to show one's marriage license at the hotel check-in desk.

For example, if one's mistress isn't in a ménage à trois arrangement at the same address, she will be denied the benefits of co-Million-Mile status unless she coincidentally "shares" the identical last name.

What exactly is UA promoting here?

• A companion is defined as your spouse or significant other who either resides at the same address as you, based on your MileagePlus profile information, or shares your last name.
  
  
• Your children, other family members, friends or co-workers are not eligible for this benefit.

Despite my annoyance, I have to chuckle at the unwitting corporate hilarity.

Ocean2Ocean

Given all the possibilities, this is a pretty good accommodation especially given they will now go back the 30 years I've been in UA MP and recalculate the EQM which will give me a nice bump to the next level. Quite honestly, leveling the playing field once so both CO and UA long time flyers are on the same track is an unexpected give. Plus adding in a 75K layer is great because there are some years when 100K isn't possible and getting some recognition an benefit for being close is great.

My wife and I don't fly together for family reasons so giving her status is great.

Overall, very happy.

jchiguy1

While there are many MP changes I don't like I am pretty happy about the Million Miler program. I hit 2MM BIS tomorrow (ORD-ATL) and therefore get the lifetime United Club membership I have coveted for so long, the extra CR-1s and SWUs and the new 0P status for life. The recalibration should give me another 250K as well toward lifetime 1K and move me inexorably closer to the Holy Grail (lifetime GS).

zabes64

Actually that isn't what I said, I said they should give 4 GPUs and if you fly 100K in the year you get 6 more, right now you are getting 6 GPUs whether you fly 100K or you don't fly. If they are going to give me 6 GPUs no matter what, I'll fly 2 r/ts 1 with my g/f and 1 by myself and be done with it... if I get 6 more for flying 100K I'd probably shoot for flying 100K.

I'm one that WOULD fly UA to just use my GPUs and then go fly AA for the remaining 100 as I fly 200K a year on my own dime, I'm not one of those people that have been lucky enough to get all these benefits paid for by someone else, so to me, if you're going to give me nothing additional for being loyal and flying 100K each year after I hit lifetime 1K, I'll go fly AA and get 6 GPUs from UA for free and then go fly AA and earn 8 eVIPs.


What I am saying here is that they have the chance to keep getting additional revenue.. if you're only willing to fly UA to use your systemwides then why are you worth as much as someone that does fly 100K a year? Yes you were loyal and put in your time, and you should be rewarded for that, and a nice reward is to say here are 4 GPUs, thank you for your business and if you want to keep flying with us more, we'll give you 6 MORE GPUs if you fly 100K this year with us.

You're looking at this thinking OH but they are going to get 1 extra flight by giving 6, but they probably won't get more than that really. IF you give 4 and say fly 100K with us this year and we'll give you 6 more, heck I'm flying 100K, but the NEWLY announced scheme gives no reason to fly more than 3 flights r/t

boeing747-400

I hope you'll send your thoughts to

[email protected]

eltdog

Thanks SF1K !!! I completely agree with you !!! As I said in my post, United completely screwed existing 1MMs in this deal. They could and should grandfather us to Premier Platinum status. 50% bonus miles and 3rd in priority is a SERIOUS downgrade. I stress this again... Obtaining 1MM status up to now was much more difficult because it only counted paid flying miles. Now with this one-time adjustment for United that now are 1MMs and the merger with the Continental 1MMs, there will be way more 1MMs now who I am sure are very happy about this new plan. They're the real winners.

The big fat losers are United's existing 1MMs. Thanks for nothing!

Firewind

My case is that I am single, unattached, and staying this way. But I keep thinking of the Vera Farmiga and George Clooney characters. What would they do?

There must be a choice.

And I think people who say the alternative should be a couple of upgrades (albeit not trivial) are selling waaay short. It should be reinstituting the (Red Carpet/United) Club privilege. It's not a new benefit. Yes, the crowded RCCs do have us running to *A partner lounges overseas. But the new UACO will have the same proportional number of club rooms and beneficiaries as now. Usage would very unlikely stress that zero-sum situation as badly as the upgrades would -- and what are the few thousand miles it takes for a MM to upgrade? Usually pretty trivial. I actually think UACO - if pushed - would prefer to have the alternative be a couple of upgrades rather than the Club privilege. Just think of all the upgrade cert "breakage" -- e.g., when someone just doesn't get around to using them, or there isn't space available, or the willingness to pay the upsell to use them.

Budley

No news there then. You just have to look at the "new" livery. If that doesn't tell you something nothing will.