American introduces more elite incentives and bennies. Will UA respond... this time?
Apr 24, 2013, 3:16 pm
#106
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,419
No . . . the programs won't be merged until after the two airlines receive approval for their merger from DOT, DOJ, and perhaps others, and then integrate the two FF programs. Unlikely to happen before sometime in 2014.
Apr 24, 2013, 3:28 pm
#107
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: East Coast
Programs: UA Lifetime Gold, AA Lifetime Platinum, Delta PM, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,522
I think we're a bit OT here, but for your scenario, you can choose these other Star options
OZ : JFK-ICN (soon to be new OZ First Suites)
UA : EWR-NRT-ICN
NH : JFK-NRT-ICN (new 77W)
CA : JFK-PEK-ICN/GMP (new 77W)
And that's on top of all the NorthAmerican-ICN flights offered by UA, AC, and OZ. Every single option listed here have true flat bed on the TPAC segment. I'm sure one of those would be more attractive than 6am out of NYC.
OZ : JFK-ICN (soon to be new OZ First Suites)
UA : EWR-NRT-ICN
NH : JFK-NRT-ICN (new 77W)
CA : JFK-PEK-ICN/GMP (new 77W)
And that's on top of all the NorthAmerican-ICN flights offered by UA, AC, and OZ. Every single option listed here have true flat bed on the TPAC segment. I'm sure one of those would be more attractive than 6am out of NYC.
Apr 24, 2013, 3:35 pm
#108
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: UA, Starwood, Priority Club, Hertz, Starbucks Gold Card
Posts: 3,953
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...
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...
One way to look at this, AA is still doing things the old way (from a marketing perspective) by rewarding loyalty based on miles flown. A new school of thought, first adopted by WN and now DL, is to add $ spend to the loyalty equation. Which one is the right way to go? Smisek has demonstrated that he is no trailblazer in anything, so I personally don't expect to see any significant response from MP until we have some time to digest DL's switch to their new program rules next year.
Apr 24, 2013, 3:35 pm
#109
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: East Coast
Programs: UA Lifetime Gold, AA Lifetime Platinum, Delta PM, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,522
Apr 24, 2013, 3:38 pm
#110
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: YVR SFO
Programs: UA G
Posts: 4,866
More like "Man...how I wish American cared about Asia."
LAX-NRT and LAX-PVG as the only West Coast routes to Asia tells me they're not serious about West Coast customers. UA over AA any day of the week.
Cool, it's good to know that I'm lazy. I, too, enjoy looking at route maps instead of nicely tabulated information 
LAX-NRT and LAX-PVG as the only West Coast routes to Asia tells me they're not serious about West Coast customers. UA over AA any day of the week.
Apr 24, 2013, 3:50 pm
#111
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,603
Apr 24, 2013, 4:01 pm
#112
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SEA & RDM
Programs: UA - 1MM, DL Diamond, AS MVP75, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 8,041
Apr 24, 2013, 4:03 pm
#113
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: YVR SFO
Programs: UA G
Posts: 4,866
Apr 24, 2013, 4:22 pm
#114
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA Plat, Copa Pres. Plat, Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Diamond, SPG LT Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 769
I think this might miss the whole point of AA's move. I strongly doubt they launched this as a strategic lure for HVFs. This is marketing. You create a perceived low-barrier to get something nice in return. You build a habit. "Well gee... I made 25k, but now my Boss wants me to fly to Sao Paulo, and if I go on vacation with my wife in October, I'll hit 40k and get this bonus!"
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.
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.
It's a way to make sure people stay loyal to AA when they have a flight to take, because now the next threshold isn't as far off as it used to be.
Apr 24, 2013, 6:47 pm
#115
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
Are you familiar with qualifying with points instead of miles at AA? If you're a high revenue flyer in paid F, you'll make EXP much quicker with that route than with miles.
Apr 24, 2013, 10:37 pm
#116
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: UA, Starwood, Priority Club, Hertz, Starbucks Gold Card
Posts: 3,953
If this is intended to be some sort of newsflash, then I'll add, for those people who might not be aware, that UA and DL have similar systems for awarding full-Y and F paying customers, and they've had them for years.But seriously, my point in the previous post is strictly focused on the current promotion incentivizing frequent flyers based on flown miles. As many of us PMUA people were immediately reminded of Elite Choice, there is little new about this promotion. I'm not saying that old means bad and that only the new can be good, but when speculating what UA's response might be, I believe that Smisek, in his lack-of-a-clear-vision style of managing this airline, would follow a different leader, DL, which will begin their $ spend (okay, I was lazy with my words -- actual $ spend) requirement next year.
Apr 25, 2013, 1:23 am
#117
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Programs: UA-1k, 1mm, Marriott-LT Platinum, Hertz-Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,355
UA will answer this and offer an elite choice almost certainly IMO. What that ends up being is anyone's guess. However i can see them offering meager tokens such as 10k RDM's at 75k level or sponsor a premier associate at the 1k level etc.
I wouldn't count on the flood of SWU's that AA seems to shelling out. Overall we will be disappointed I'm sure, but I'm fairly certain they will entertain us with something.
I wouldn't count on the flood of SWU's that AA seems to shelling out. Overall we will be disappointed I'm sure, but I'm fairly certain they will entertain us with something.
Apr 25, 2013, 2:09 am
#118
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: US
Programs: AA/UA/DL
Posts: 2,773
Apr 25, 2013, 5:44 am
#119
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: SIN
Programs: UA 1K MM, SQ PPS, CX Silver, Accor Platinum, Marriott Gold, SPG Silver
Posts: 679
come to think of it, UA doesn't need to respond at all
UA already has 4 tiers of elite, with additional RPUs/GPUs every 25/50K past 100K (unlimited earning), and actual tangible benefits for high spenders (GS, not some fluffy Concierge Key)
The only difference between AA's new elite rewards and UA's existing program is the bonus offered at 40K.
UA already has 4 tiers of elite, with additional RPUs/GPUs every 25/50K past 100K (unlimited earning), and actual tangible benefits for high spenders (GS, not some fluffy Concierge Key)
The only difference between AA's new elite rewards and UA's existing program is the bonus offered at 40K.
1) 4-6 additional United GPUs (depending on whether I hit 250k total) and 10-12 additional RPUs (which are useless. Almost all of my trips are international, burning either a GPU or miles+copay, so domestically are clearable at booking).
2) Highest published status on either Delta or AA, ensuring I have more choice to play airlines off of each other in the future. I should note that I am also MSP based, so UA is not exactly the most convenient....
For the second year in a row, I will hit 1k in May, and will be faced with a decision. It's almost a bit offensive that UA only gives me 4 GPUs for the 2nd 100k miles vs 6 for the 1st. Seems like it should work in the opposite direction. Also, despite the rediculous miles, I am not GS, because by either buying W fares and using a GPU or by buying whatever fare, paying typically ~$500 and using 30k of my own miles, apparently I am just a Leech on the underbelly of United, not worthy of any additional status for 125-150k more BIS miles.
Some additional possibilities...
1) Blue rays of the complete collection of smi/j welcome videos.
2) A poster sized map of the route map.
3) No PNR autosplitting.
4) One free premium wine certificate for United Club* (* Entrance to united club not included).
5) One opportunity to awkwardly push your way through the premier line and board before paid First with the GS and military (actually helpful if you are one of the often 80-100+ in group 1 on a transpac).
Last edited by iluv2fly; Apr 25, 2013 at 6:38 am Reason: merge
Apr 25, 2013, 7:09 am
#120
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,172
UA will answer this and offer an elite choice almost certainly IMO. What that ends up being is anyone's guess. However i can see them offering meager tokens such as 10k RDM's at 75k level or sponsor a premier associate at the 1k level etc.
I wouldn't count on the flood of SWU's that AA seems to shelling out. Overall we will be disappointed I'm sure, but I'm fairly certain they will entertain us with something.
I wouldn't count on the flood of SWU's that AA seems to shelling out. Overall we will be disappointed I'm sure, but I'm fairly certain they will entertain us with something.