takeahike66

I believe it is worth it forthe following reasons.
1) IRROP, where you are placed at the head of the line for any opening or standby list.
2) Quick connection to the 1K line to determine what other routes are available and rebooking (no standing in line with all the other passengers)

If you do award travels with all those MP miles:
1)No fees for booking and changes, even make them less than 24 hours before flight.
2) more free baggages allowance
3) other people (family-their friends) you book with with your miles receive the same benefit, i.e., 1k status) for boarding, baggaes
4) For some reasons, my wife and kids get upgrade to F on SFO-HNL and back several times, on standard or saver awards tickets and but I never have. (this is just a side note, most likely this is because they are flying with 1K status.
5) Move availablility for selecting awards flight

Being 1k for the past 8 years, I just took it for granted about all the free stuffs, Never realized that lower status were paying these high fees (booking, change, cancelation, etc). My award trips only cost $2.50

You might get the same awards, benefits with reward at the PP level, but not the 1K services when you need it with an IRROF.

danM

If I were in your shoes I'd start looking at SDC as a way to start adding segments... You might be able to pull it off with minimal effort/cost.

Duke787

If you use ITA to route your flights it's pretty easy to double connect on a client's dime without it actually costing more in many cases, just have to do the research. Just put "ua ua+" in the routing codes it'll give you all the flights with at least 1 connection and any with 2 or more. It's more a time issue than a cost issue.

tomj888

Being a 1K for years now, both pre and post merger, I have realized that UA today is all about $$$$. In some way it makes sense. Airlines need to make money to stay afloat. My travels take me around the world. I'd say half of my average 120,000/ year are domestic. In that arena, the hard product is terrible. I've been lucky this year to hit the 787 a few times when it came back into service, and I really enjoyed the experience. For the most part, I've become a bulkhead and exit row guy. As a lifetime gold, I would have access to that regardless. I seldom use my GPU certs. As a matter of fact, I used one to upgrade LAX-IAH on a flat bed 757. What a waste, but better to use it then let them expire.
Internationally, I use my travels to get into global first. Compared to other star partners, it at least matches up with those airlines great C class, think ANA and SWISS. LH is getting better. But now LH really does NOT honor upgrade certs and I hear the days of 150% mileage credit are going the way of the dodo.
Bottom line. I'd miss 1K if I didn't have it. I"m glad that I do, but there is less and less value to trying to attain it. Thank God, my company pays for 40% of my travel.

Rae Song

Sitting at 94,000 miles. I am debating whether to spend about $400 and 15 hrs of my time for a mileage run in order to make 1k. Will travel 75k next year.

WineCountryUA

Will mean 6 GPUs and 2 RPUs and nearly 20K RDMs more next year.

While it would probably be $600 or $700 or so to purchased the PQMs without spending the 15 hours -- even that still seems like a good deal.

JVPhoto

I thought I was going to be sitting at about 77-80k EOY and was going to be content with Platinum...and then I ended up having another trip, closer but still said no. Now I'm set up to go on a last minute bff's birthday through SDQ which means I am going to end at 92k. I can't do a MR because the rest of my year is already booked/planned with major travel to Australia, California and Colorado.
So the purchased PQM is right on the available flights I have to purchase them from still in my itinerary and now I am VERY excited to be going 1K for 2014.

cbourl

Exactly - I love calling the 1K line and getting an agent almost instantly - and no change fees for fantastic saver awards availability booked recently for 155K miles and us$223.07 taxes ADL-SIN SQ C SIN-DEL SQ C DEL-ZRH LX C ZRH-TLV LX C TLV-ZRH LX C ZRH-MXP LX C MXP-BKK TG F BKK-SIN SQ C SIN-ADL SQ C Go United - I also LOVE THE FREE UPGRADES, the Globals and Regionals, the availability of upgradability from Australia -SFO/LAX and v.v , love PS seating in F reserved for 1Ks and above now its considered 2 class love the free exit rows in any class of service and very very importantly (at least to me) 3 bags @ 32 KG(70lbs) in ANY class or service on any United flight - helps me get all my shopping in NYC andSFO/LAX back to Australia easily !!!! Go United!!! No wonder they are consistently voted the best FF program worldwide! All we need now is an Aussie based Star Alliance carrier - Ansett was great but sabotaged by AU government to allow in pommie owned Virgin (see how that's changed!!!!!) and the then QF partly pommie owned to take more airspace I actually hate flying QF - recent C flights from SYD-ADL on an LX C/F ticket I paid for extra bag from SYD-ADL twice and still had to fight for an hour to get my baggage entitlement -that day SYD domestic NEXT GEN self checkin and baggage automatio nwas completely broken down so SYD domestic QF checkin even in C took 1.5 hours and Aussies call NEXT GEN world class! Go figure!!!!

mgcsinc

Block of text whoa!

Some of these items (quick agent pickup, bags, no award fees) are not 1K specific, and the ps reserved seats will very soon be irrelevant, so those things don't especially argue for pushing for 1K over plat. But yes, there are plenty of good reasons to do it.

sim510

I would also miss not being 1K! I've had that status for at least the last 5-6 years. I'm also a million miles, so my husband can also carry a 1K card, even though he barely earns enough of his own BIS miles to make premier!

I love the lounge access. International travel is about 70% (my own dime) of what I fly every year. Having access to those lounges with a *gold card (yes, I know, everyone who flies 50k gets access) is a real plus. I also enjoy the int'l 1st class lounges when I'm able to book award travel at saver levels.

The GPU's and RPU's are nice, but I have a very difficult time using GPUs on upgrades to Asia, so I end up using all of them before they expire, but on USA routes, including HNL once a year.

I will end this year at 105,000++ miles, so the 1K card will still be in mine and my husband's wallets for 2014.

wxalex

Hello,

I have reached Platinum with about 79,000 PQM for the year so far. I am trying to decide between trying for 1k or status matching to Frontier Summit and completing their challenge. Any opinions?

UA-NYC

Do you travel internationally?
Do you live in Denver?

More info needed

wxalex

I do travel internationally, but usually on the cheapest available because it is for work.

I do not live in DEN, I am in BNA. Frontier is usually cheapest from here.

vandrei

1K for the 6 GPUs and 2 more RPUs, if possible.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

I admittedly don't know much about the current incarnation of Frontier, but my impression is they're constantly trying to find a niche. Do people think Frontier is a strong airline that won't go belly up (and along with it, earned benefits)? Is it a potential take-over target? Is it a serious challenger to UA in Denver and can it stand up to UA on one side and WN on the other?