SPN Lifer

No, thank you!

If anything, this would debase lifetime status, making it much, much easier to earn. Being a Million Miler on UA is far better than on DL.

A logical conclusion to such a change would be reducing benefits!

cfischer

UA LT status has the benefit of gifting status to someone else, but otherwise I don’t see a huge difference anymore. Sure, DL Gold is not what it used to be, but the same can perhaps be said for UA Gold as well.
Compared to ‘all partner flights counting’ like 10 years ago, this is definitely more restrictive these days. Don’t think it would make a major difference if UA would allow award flights on UA metal to count

escapefromphl

I believe Delta is pretty close to the bottom of the barrel as far as inflating award prices. So UA would only do this going forward (not retro-actively) to shore up declining interest in ever inflating award prices. So it wouldn’t be a positive signal, more an indication that half million mile one way award flights are going to be the new “saver” level.

Doppy

A second lifetime status is a pretty big benefit, since otherwise that would require flying one or more million miles for the other person.

Also Delta gives 360 status at five million versus "only" four million for GS

jsloan

Much, much easier to earn? You'd still have to fly the million miles on UA metal. It just changes the way some of them are paid for.

And, per the OP's point, tickets paid for by a credit card company using their rewards currency earn lifetime miles already. This would even the playing field a little bit more.

SPN Lifer

I have never had AmEx Membership Rewards (MR) or Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR) or similar.

So such a change would actually benefit me (except I have spent most of my miles on my wife and our adult son).

I still think such a change could presage a reduction of benefits and a DL-like devaluation of mileage award redemptions.

But whatever UA wants to do, I will make the best of it, such as by having each of our family members sign up for more UA cards with a sign-up bonus (SUB).

The reason I haven't done more SUB hunting is that miles are a depreciating asset, we had as many miles as we could use, and award tickets didn't count for lifetime status.

If the latter changes, this opens up a world of possibilities for mileage runs!

jsloan

It... really doesn't, though. At least, not any more than the mileage run forum does. Even if you're willing to go jump through all of UA's availability hoops and fly in economy, you can maybe get 20K lifetime miles for 60K award miles, if you find a good deal on XXX-SFO-SIN and vv. Depending upon you how value your miles, that's not really that much better of a deal than a 2-2.5 cpm mileage run would be. People who want to run for million miler status already have the means to do so.

Most flyers will never come anywhere close to 1MM miles on a single carrier -- and, in fact, my general advice for most travelers is to ignore the lifetime programs entirely for exactly that reason. I know that you value UA 1MM greatly, and more power to you for it. But most travelers don't -- and shouldn't -- feel the same way. Adjusting the program at the margins isn't going to lead to any major changes; or, put another way, if UA intends to change the program, they won't need a minor earnings adjustment to give them cover for doing it.

SPN Lifer

I have limited means, but could do several mileage runs with SUB redeemable miles (RDM).

Given where I live and where I usually travel, I am basically a geographic captive of UA. Lifetime, I have about 580K miles with UA, 270K with DL, and 75K with AA. My lifetime United Club membership makes UA travel a bit easier, and as I have mentioned, I was a UA res agent from 1985-87.

Say Vandelay

I am at those exact same levels despite holding some type of elite status with CO, DL and UA for 20 years. A mega merger is my only path to lifetime anytime soon, so it would be nice if award/partner flights counted. Or how about lifetime Silver for .5MM?

mmack

Now that I’m 2.7 million miles, I’m paying more attention to the BIS total.
Where, on the United site, can I see the total miles flown on each ticket?
I see the miles earned, thePQPs and PQF s.
The only total is up at the top…..I’d like a little more detail on each trip

WineCountryUA

Not longer provided.
However, using a great circle tool like Great Circle Mapper gives a number that is very close (generally +-1 or 2 miles) and occasionally sync up with UA's total is what many of use do.

timfountain

I'm at 1.4 MM on United, 3.6 MM on AA and over 500k on AS... But I'm an abnormal flier and agree with your sentiment. Oh, and I made LTD with Hilton back in January. True signs that I travel too much!