American introduces more elite incentives and bennies. Will UA respond... this time?
Apr 24, 2013, 12:02 pm
#91
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA1MM*GL/1K, AA, BnVy PlatL, HH Silver,
Posts: 681
UA had tier bonuses in the early 90s. When you hit 35K you received 10,000 miles. Reach 45K, get another 10,000. Can't recall what the cap on that was but it didn't stay around too long--maybe ending around 93-94--and I only recall benefiting from that one year. I joined MP in 1992. They also had reduced mileage awards when two persons traveled together.
Apr 24, 2013, 12:17 pm
#92
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Dubai / NYC
Programs: EK-IO, UA-1K2MM, ETIHAD-GOLD, SPG-PLAT LIFETIME, JUMEIRAH SERIUS GOLD
Posts: 5,220
IMO it's United goal to thin the ranks of Elites. It has nothing to do with over entitled or any other such non sense. UA seems to feel they have to many Elites that are not high value customers. Their actions of the past year seem to indicate I'm right. If this is the case I don't think we can expect anything extra to either prop up EQM's.
however, threshold bonuses are a nice way of rewarding people for reaching certain milestones & it costs UA almost nothing. It's ridiculous that they give us no incentives to fly with UA at all any longer. Forget Elite benefits, etc. I do believe there are to many faux elites & if UA wants to thin the ranks that's fine w me. However, FF programs were originally and still mainly a way to get free tickets as a reward for loyalty. Keeping it to this most basic idea has worked well for the airlines since the 80's & threshold bonuses can't hurt UA's bottom line, won't make someone an Elite faster, and is a great marketing plan. It's to bad UA has no marketing people any longer to think of these things
Those Tier bonuses capped at either 90 or 100K RDM's. I forget which but im sure they still had them till at least 1997 (maybe 98)
On top of those extra 100K RDM's we were also able to return extra 500 mile upgrade certs which most 1Ks got tons of. 1 returned 500 mile cert equalled 500 RDM's & I used to return 20 at a time. Between the tier bonuses and the E-500's that was a free first class tkt to Asia without using any RDM's earned thru flying. A GREAT BONUS AND THE REASON I JOINED MP IN 1992
however, threshold bonuses are a nice way of rewarding people for reaching certain milestones & it costs UA almost nothing. It's ridiculous that they give us no incentives to fly with UA at all any longer. Forget Elite benefits, etc. I do believe there are to many faux elites & if UA wants to thin the ranks that's fine w me. However, FF programs were originally and still mainly a way to get free tickets as a reward for loyalty. Keeping it to this most basic idea has worked well for the airlines since the 80's & threshold bonuses can't hurt UA's bottom line, won't make someone an Elite faster, and is a great marketing plan. It's to bad UA has no marketing people any longer to think of these things
UA had tier bonuses in the early 90s. When you hit 35K you received 10,000 miles. Reach 45K, get another 10,000. Can't recall what the cap on that was but it didn't stay around too long--maybe ending around 93-94--and I only recall benefiting from that one year. I joined MP in 1992. They also had reduced mileage awards when two persons traveled together.
On top of those extra 100K RDM's we were also able to return extra 500 mile upgrade certs which most 1Ks got tons of. 1 returned 500 mile cert equalled 500 RDM's & I used to return 20 at a time. Between the tier bonuses and the E-500's that was a free first class tkt to Asia without using any RDM's earned thru flying. A GREAT BONUS AND THE REASON I JOINED MP IN 1992
Last edited by iluv2fly; Apr 24, 2013 at 3:28 pm Reason: merge
Apr 24, 2013, 12:26 pm
#93
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,820
IMO it's United goal to thin the ranks of Elites. It has nothing to do with over entitled or any other such non sense. UA seems to feel they have to many Elites that are not high value customers. Their actions of the past year seem to indicate I'm right. If this is the case I don't think we can expect anything extra to either prop up EQM's.
however, threshold bonuses are a nice way of rewarding people for reaching certain milestones & it costs UA almost nothing. It's ridiculous that they give us no incentives to fly with UA at all any longer. Forget Elite benefits, etc. I do believe there are to many faux elites & if UA wants to thin the ranks that's fine w me. However, FF programs were originally and still mainly a way to get free tickets as a reward for loyalty. Keeping it to this most basic idea has worked well for the airlines since the 80's & threshold bonuses can't hurt UA's bottom line, won't make someone an Elite faster, and is a great marketing plan. It's to bad UA has no marketing people any longer to think of these things
however, threshold bonuses are a nice way of rewarding people for reaching certain milestones & it costs UA almost nothing. It's ridiculous that they give us no incentives to fly with UA at all any longer. Forget Elite benefits, etc. I do believe there are to many faux elites & if UA wants to thin the ranks that's fine w me. However, FF programs were originally and still mainly a way to get free tickets as a reward for loyalty. Keeping it to this most basic idea has worked well for the airlines since the 80's & threshold bonuses can't hurt UA's bottom line, won't make someone an Elite faster, and is a great marketing plan. It's to bad UA has no marketing people any longer to think of these things
Apr 24, 2013, 12:32 pm
#94
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 681
Apr 24, 2013, 12:34 pm
#95
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
In the case of Seoul, yes. I ran a second set of dates in September and the difference is $17 instead of $10-20 from SFO. If you'd like to post some other comparisons, feel free to do so.
Last edited by tom911; Apr 24, 2013 at 1:04 pm
Apr 24, 2013, 1:08 pm
#96
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Nashville, TN
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium.;UA 1.5MM; UA Lifetime Gold (whoppee); DL Plat
Posts: 2,124
UA will match it in reverse. Reach the first level and UA will deduct 10,000 points from your account and make you pay for all checked bags. Those lucky enough to get to the last step will get charged twice as much for change fees, get to board last, and will have all the miles taken out of his/her account.
Get ready for the press release at 5PM on Friday.
Get ready for the press release at 5PM on Friday.
Apr 24, 2013, 2:33 pm
#98
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,645
Apr 24, 2013, 2:38 pm
#99
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Former 1k, Lifetime UA Gold, Starwood Gold; Avis Preferred; Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,732
Sorry if this was covered, but does this promotion also apply to flights booked on US Airways...or not until they fully integrate.
Apr 24, 2013, 2:43 pm
#100
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: SIN
Programs: UA 1K MM, SQ PPS, CX Silver, Accor Platinum, Marriott Gold, SPG Silver
Posts: 679
Apr 24, 2013, 2:46 pm
#101
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: UA -GS 4.5 MM, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 116
[QUOTE=chinatraderjmr;20645956]IMO it's United goal to thin the ranks of Elites. It has nothing to do with over entitled or any other such non sense. UA seems to feel they have to many Elites that are not high value customers. Their actions of the past year seem to indicate I'm right. If this is the case I don't think we can expect anything extra to either prop up EQM's.
I have a solution for thinning the Elite ranks. Stop calling people with UA credit cards Elite. Premier check-in and security lines are huge because everyone is premier even if they fly once a year. At EWR most days it faster to go through the non-Premier line. Something has gone terribly wrong.
I have a solution for thinning the Elite ranks. Stop calling people with UA credit cards Elite. Premier check-in and security lines are huge because everyone is premier even if they fly once a year. At EWR most days it faster to go through the non-Premier line. Something has gone terribly wrong.
Apr 24, 2013, 3:01 pm
#102
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: WAS, LAX
Programs: AS 100K
Posts: 1,330
United probably won't respond. They seem to think that people will fly them for their route network, no matter if they offer the best elite program or not, best service or not, or best FFP.
CO was never much interested in doing promos unlike their former partner NW, which was always utilizing their FFP to pull in customers.
CO was never much interested in doing promos unlike their former partner NW, which was always utilizing their FFP to pull in customers.
Apr 24, 2013, 3:03 pm
#103
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,617
I have a solution for thinning the Elite ranks. Stop calling people with UA credit cards Elite. Premier check-in and security lines are huge because everyone is premier even if they fly once a year. At EWR most days it faster to go through the non-Premier line. Something has gone terribly wrong.
Apr 24, 2013, 3:07 pm
#104
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: CLE
Programs: UA 1K MM, DL Plat
Posts: 982
There are a LOT of people who fly 25K but not 50K in a given year. While they might be loyal to ensure they at least get to 25K, I wouldn't be surprised if many are less "committed" after hitting that threshold (e.g. less willing to take a connection, or fly at an inconvenient time, or pay a small premium) because 50K is too far off.
There's only a small number of people -- mostly hanging out on FT -- that are willing to fly needless miles to make status. If your flying pattern is going to get you close to the threshold, this is incentive to book AA. And then, they hope, that you'll stay... which is likely to happen in a lot of cases.
Compared to UA where there's nothing at 25k that you can't get with a credit card, and little or nothing at 50k that you can't get with a slightly more expensive credit card, or ToD-type incremental buy-ups day-of.
I really HOPE that UA is seeing financial benefit from the "Premier Access" buy-ups, because god knows they've gutted any kind of loyalty mentality < 50k/year. My own WIFE does her business travel on WN now, because she has no incentive to fly UA when she's not traveling with me.
