2013 Mileage Plus Program Speculation
Oct 5, 2012 | 5:44 am
#76
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: United Premier 1K 1MM; AA Plat Pro; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Platinum; Avis President's Club
Posts: 2,614
I don't see any major changes. I'm getting a sense that UA is slowly realizing they instituted a lot of change recently. I think they probably also want to see if there is an AA-US merger and what they might do to stay competitive against that newly combined airline.
Oct 5, 2012 | 7:45 am
#77
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton GLD, Marriott Plat, NEXUS/GE
Posts: 2,872
AAdvantage is pretty strong as-is. I don't see US bringing anything to the table. (In fact, my nightmares are of Doug Parker ruining it.)
Oct 5, 2012 | 2:08 pm
#78
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE, AA EXP MM, BA Silver, UA Gold MM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Titanium, HH Dia, IHG Plat
Posts: 4,966
When will 2013 MP Program be Announced?
Wasn't the 2012 program announced earlier in the fall? Any predictions for this year?
Oct 5, 2012 | 3:35 pm
#79
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,645
What I noticed is that this regime snuck in most of the detrimental changes. Not only did they fail to communicate them clearly, but they produced materials suggesting improvements when really what they were doing was trashing the 1K program.
My prediction for 2013 is more of the same. They will continue to degrade the value of being 1K until it's definitely worth absolutely nothing. They will continue to produce marketing and PR materials that suggest otherwise in deceptive ways. And, they'll do a lot of stuff, secretly, behind the scenes, to get the results they want without announcing anything.
My prediction for 2013 is more of the same. They will continue to degrade the value of being 1K until it's definitely worth absolutely nothing. They will continue to produce marketing and PR materials that suggest otherwise in deceptive ways. And, they'll do a lot of stuff, secretly, behind the scenes, to get the results they want without announcing anything.
Oct 6, 2012 | 6:36 am
#80
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: JZRO
Posts: 9,175
In 2013 and throughout the Second Decade of the First Century of the Third Millennium, UA will continue to follow the industry trend to move away from the failed concept that loyalty can be measured by any means other than spend. Thus, more perks will become purchasable. And those who spend the most money will get them. "Butt in seat" will become an antiquated notion of a bygone era. Eventually, we'll wonder why it ever mattered.
I realize the foregoing prospect is anathema to many hereon, but it is the shape of things to come, like it or not.
RNE, channeling Barry Goldwater in paraphrase: "In your heart you know I'm right."
I realize the foregoing prospect is anathema to many hereon, but it is the shape of things to come, like it or not.
RNE, channeling Barry Goldwater in paraphrase: "In your heart you know I'm right."
Oct 6, 2012 | 7:40 am
#81
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Programs: UA-1mm, 1/31/26 last day as 1k since 2009, Marriott-LT Platinum, Hertz-Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,367
l would expect there to be a trickle of changes for the good news so as to make it appear they are constantly improving benefits. At the same time look for the bad news to be packaged together (miles increase for award chart, fees increase, etc).
Oct 6, 2012 | 7:47 am
#82
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL AC*E50
Posts: 23,584
Oct 6, 2012 | 10:49 am
#83
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, UA Gold/MM, HH Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, IHG Diamond/Ambassador, Hyatt Explor
Posts: 2,172
Oct 6, 2012 | 11:54 am
#84
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 364
+1 on removing GPU restrictions.
+1 on allowing rollover GPUs.
Those two things would be great.
+1 on zero probability of this happening....
+1 on allowing rollover GPUs.
Those two things would be great.
+1 on zero probability of this happening....
Oct 6, 2012 | 11:59 am
#85
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Virginia, USA
Posts: 4,707
Rollover PQMs (with a cap)
Oct 6, 2012 | 12:17 pm
#86
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: 1P, AA EXP, SPG Gold
Posts: 1,491
I tend to agree with this. So many changes over the past year or so. Sure there are things we could wish for, but my guess is that mgmt will simply maintain the status quo and see if people continue to defect even if the ops side improves from its lows over the summer.
Oct 6, 2012 | 12:27 pm
#87
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 11,703
I think 2013 will be a year to catch up and let things settle. It is obvious the company is in chaos and they can't handle any big changes.
The move to a revenue based system is just a matter of time. I think the system already tracks revenue so they might just be waiting for the first one (of the majors) to pull the trigger. Of course, it gets complicated with alliances and partners. (Frankly, the WN program is so confusing now, I just don't deal with it any more.)
The general trend for FFPs are not good. SkyMiles is terrible. US will ruin AAdvantage. So, MileagePlus probably does not have to get better to compete.
The move to a revenue based system is just a matter of time. I think the system already tracks revenue so they might just be waiting for the first one (of the majors) to pull the trigger. Of course, it gets complicated with alliances and partners. (Frankly, the WN program is so confusing now, I just don't deal with it any more.)
The general trend for FFPs are not good. SkyMiles is terrible. US will ruin AAdvantage. So, MileagePlus probably does not have to get better to compete.
Oct 6, 2012 | 12:43 pm
#88
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton GLD, Marriott Plat, NEXUS/GE
Posts: 2,872
The move to a revenue based system is just a matter of time. I think the system already tracks revenue so they might just be waiting for the first one (of the majors) to pull the trigger. Of course, it gets complicated with alliances and partners. (Frankly, the WN program is so confusing now, I just don't deal with it any more.)
Oct 6, 2012 | 1:07 pm
#89
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SFO and OAK
Programs: FAF, Hyatt <>, SPG PLT
Posts: 2,240
Revenue-based means the end of price discrimination between last minute business travelers and award travelers. While it might look great on paper ("We're rewarding our largest spenders."), it doesn't seem realistic to set award prices at such stratospheric levels that hardly anyone can fill seats that actually would have gone empty.
1) Status determination changes from mileage flown to revenue spend. No changes are made to RDM earning and spending
2) Status is determined as it is today. No change. RDM earning on flights is no longer based on miles flown but rather solely on dollars spent (this is kind of how the hotel programs work)
3) Status and RDM earning for flights go to revenue based
Many other possibilities in between
Nov 4, 2012 | 11:11 am
#90
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: IAH, HOU
Programs: UA Silver, AA Plat, SPG Platinum, Hyatt Plat, HH Gold, Former CO Presidential Plat (for a day!)
Posts: 217
This is the only reason I haven't decided whether I want to MR to re-qual as 1K or stay as a lowly Platinum