o mikros

I actually doubt this is the issue. I think it has far more to do with trying to target different groups.

In the US, United wants people who will spend money with them; they don't want to be giving benefits to MRers. However, they still want to woo international customers to fly with/credit to them, especially since they make money from pax on other airlines crediting to MP. The only way they can make that reasonable for those of us based outside the States (since our "domestic" travel is never on UA) is to waive the PQD requirement.

rankourabu

yay, another MR'er boogey man is responsible for the downfall of elite beneftis comment

I am going to believe for a minute, that allowing foreigners to avoid PQD is not just because Delta did the same.
UA is already a joke internationally when it comes to service and reputation. This would not sit well with any foreign elite, and with actual competition (which seems to be seriously lacking in the USA now) - they would lose quite a bit of intl pax.

Brituchenite

Very good point, gbryan84.

Fortunately, I do have a legitimate home in the UK, so mail would not be returned.


What about MP members who don't have credit cards? My daughters do not have credit cards, but they have MP accounts.

That definition is not feasible or appropriate.

And how could they do that if you don't fly on a United flight or a *A flight? What if I fly on AA or Delta to the UK? And use my UK passport to leave the US and enter the UK?

How can they check my travel records? Surely they don't have access to DHS records?

Of course, they could ask me to provide them with proof of travel via e-ticket receipts, etc. I suppose.

Renard

Equivalent on date of purchase/payment/charge. They know when X amount is charged to Y card and what its equivalent is in USD.

Clearly anyone who would do anything that would result in a 'return to sender' situation is foolish.

jugglesfire

Thanks for all the comments. Just changed my address (much easier than I thought as I already had by Finnish address in the system and just clicked the "make primary united address" button).

I guess I'll be waiting with the rest for my audit notice.

This all brings back to mind the 7 million kids that disappeared in 1987 when the IRS required SSN's for dependents on tax returns. Wonder if this whole thing will change the foreign/domestic split of MP members...

Brituchenite

Indeed.

but we all know the world is full of fools.......


I just checked my account and see that I have my UK address in there too.
Let us know how it goes for you. I hope you don't get an audit notice. I'm not going to change my address to Primary just yet. I want to see how things shake out.

I'm a 1MM and don't want to do anything that might mean my account is shut down. Although, in an audit, we are probably more likely to pass muster than someone who does not have a genuine home in another country. Plus, if United really wanted to, they could see that our foreign addresses were already in our account prior to the announcement of the change and we did not go in afterwards and add an overseas address just to circumvent the requirement.

dsquared37

That's easy to deal with. Bye bye credit card.

This is actually my concern with my legit address. I don't even know if I can get mail delivered here!

o mikros

Why does this matter? My point was that UA likes people flying other airlines to credit to UA. And perhaps they want to have an edge on the competition for when those foreign-based flyers are in the US.

My case, for example: expat based in Europe. I could never get the spend high enough because my "local" travel isn't on UA. However, when I go back to the US, I still have the incentive to fly UA to maintain my status. Otherwise, I would have become a kayaker, or switched to crediting to a different program altogether.

UAConcorde

Because UA wants the miles credit coming in from foreign flyers on other *A airlines.

Apparantly its a chunk of revenue too, so much that CA would manual rob you of miles even if you request miles to be credited to another FFP

gnaget

I currently have a Japanese address and use legacy Chase Platinum card with US PO Box address and have no problem. Prices are cited in USD since it sets the billing address as US when I am logged in.

I have noticed that the website started to direct you to the local site automatically whereas in the past if you entered .com then you went to the US site. Now .com has language and location options.

p.s. How does UA benefit if I credit my miles earnings from a partner flight? The partner airline has to pay for this like a merchant offering miles for a purchase? Interesting.

Xyzzy

f course not. I see no reason to worry about that, particularly with a Canadian address.

gnaget

I get Pre (even got it before having GE interview). Your mileage address doesn't matter for Pre.

Why wouldn't you get OLCI?? That has nothing to do with any address.

UAConcorde

Correct, theoretically OLCI only has to do with saved passport info

gnaget

I think on my last RTW it may have been a problem because I think the Lufthansa ticket somehow got Afghanistan (first in drop down menu) as my citizenship. I had SSSS on my BP too even though I have Precheck/GE and at that point had entered my US passport.

Rpcfly

I seriously doubt you're going to get audited. I change my address with UA at least 1-2 times a year depending where I am doing most of my work. . Last year it was the UK and the US. This year it's been Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur. I do have residences in each place and update my address change whenever I arrive. I had to call for my GS credentials this year as they'd been sent to KL and I was in Tokyo for a couple of months, then on to Europe and didn't want to trek back to KL to pick them up. I only wanted them because some of the Asian/European *A carriers get a little weird when you don't have your card with you.

It does seem very strange that the new $$ spending is for US based MP members but then again nothing that UA does any more surprises me