bseller

Jeff's won.

This didn't use to be the case prior to the (CO instituted) TODs at UA.

Dave

LaserSailor

The 1ks in my office fly in first via CPU 50-75% of time. Over four hours, it's 100%, by WFBF.

I think a 50% CPU rate domestic is reasonable for an airline. If it is 100%, then FC obviously is impacted.

People got used to 90% CPUs during the 2009 aftermath. That's over.

bmwe92fan

As someone who lives in Upstate NY like you I agree - not sure if I was based in ORD, IAD, DEN, SFO, or EWR if I'd feel the same way though LOL... Short term memory is a ..... - you become used to the new normal very quickly - and it's tough to change when it's in the wrong direction...

pdx1M

I tend to agree. For years the US carriers priced first class to not sell and then had to figure out what to do with the seats. The real change over the last few years had been sane pricing of first class via things like P and A fares. TODs remain a concern to the extent that they are not offered preferentially or at least equally to elites. But realistically airlines should be trying to sell first class and CPUs should be viewed as "give away anything that is left" at the end. I say this as a lifetime 1K.

What has made me view 1K as of marginal value is the overall lack of service or priority that seems to have attached to the status. Last week I arrived PDX and EVERY non priority tagged bag appeared on the baggage return before ANY priority tagged bag. Stupidity or passive aggressive - I don't know and don't really care. As an elite I just want the small perqs that recognize that status to be provided consistently.

JC5280

As a 1K, I am almost always in the #1-3 range, sometimes as low as #5 this year. My CPU percentage is around 50%. But I book about a week out and am on more expensive tickets at V/Q/U/E and above. It all comes down to $$$ for UA.

azzurro

True that I do my best to fly up front like many on FT but I still can't see myself longing to be on the ug list and not have cleared, although I am reading your post more literally than you mean it. Perhaps I am one of the few that like CPU over e500 certs, but I fly up front more often now then I did back then as 1K. I am at 69% CPU in 2014 out of 33 eligible segments, 50% CPU on 12 reasonable IRROPS re-bookings, flew F on 30 P fares or RPU/GPU segments (rarely have to play ug lottery as booked with R avail), and flew 9 RJ segments without F cabin. $12K in spend.

+1
The lack of equal pricing for TOD's to all passengers regardless of status is not right, but it is their choice to offer that way. Happy about it I am not. My guess is they feel that once you get used to flying upfront you will be willing to pay more for it. That is not the case for me. I will pay slightly more for P fares but will elect to sit in coach for most of their TOD offers at 1K.

Even with all the changes and devaluation to status I still see value in 1K even though it is less than in years past. If TOD's become more prevalent than they are currently to the point where few ug's clear at all, then that will force more passengers to modify behavior, either by attempting to buy more P fares or change allegiance, etc. Whether Jeff wins LT or not depends on the net LT revenue stream generated at the expense of loss of disillusioned (over-entitled) elites.

For myself, I have the flexibility to choose travel dates and times, thus I can elect to book a connecting flight with a greater chance of upgrade vs. a direct hub to hub with little chance. I always bring work to do so an extra segment is fine when I don't have to be someplace at an exact time. Then it becomes a choice of whether I want to spend more time traveling to be in F for free vs. sitting in coach. With a decent understanding of what flights I will not be upgraded on I look for P fares or accept at booking that I will likely be in Y. I understand that flexibility does not apply to everyone and I do wish they showed a sincere appreciation for customers that spend more, but...

PushingTin

I was 15th on an upgrade list for 4 open seats on a Thursday afternoon CVG-DEN flight.

CPUs are dead.

I paid the $79 fee for an upgrade on the last CVG-DEN flight home in December at purchase. I'm ending the work year a comfortably, screw Jeff and his illusory promises.

UA-NYC

Not over at AA :-:

tom911

It's definitely up for me. I dropped to a 10 year low of 87% at AA this year with no more domestic travel planned. Hope to get back past 90% next year.

jewels421

So, I just hit the 1K mark last week. Obviously, I know all the extra benefits listed on the website and the somewhat less tangible things like better CPU odds and chances of a good outcome during IRROPPs. Over the years, I've read on flyertalk about other unpublished or quasi-unpublished 1K benefits -- things like the yellow handle wraps or hotels when misconnecting due to weather. Is there anything else like that I should know now that I'm a 1K? Something I might not pick up from the website or the welcome package?

For what it's worth, I've ended up as the first-runner up on the upgrade list twice in the last two weeks (PDX-ORD, ORD-SFO) as a Platinum, so I expect that being 1K should help me somewhat with CPUs. I know to keep my expectations in check though...

Always Flyin

You paid the $79.00?

Sounds to me like you played right along with Jeff's game plan.

PushingTin

1K = GPUs. One person upgraded on the EWR-BOM flight tonight. GPU are about worthless when I see this 1-2 upgrades on 777s per flight.

LordTentacle

I was going to be 4000 miles short this year
But then I found a routing from ric->RSW.... via LAX... for an extra $6.54
(RIC->IAD->LAX->IAH->RSW)
Everything had R space in it so I burned a RPU and it has now cleared for the 3 upgradable segments

1K means GPU's meaning I don't have to fly Y on every personal flight i take ex Syd
I'd jump to AA in a second if they would fly to syd but their deal with QF pretty much eliminates that and so I stay firmly with UA

PushingTin

Normally I let it ride, but being the last flight of the year, I splurged. Like I said I was way out on a Thursday afternoon flight.

Upgrades, cpu are worthless, GPU not far behind. Jeff played me now, but if the doesn't ring next year, he'll know it's me.

UA-NYC

Int'l BF/GF upgrades prior to T-24 don't show on the upgraded list