The Consolidated "Is United 1K Status Worth It? - 2013/14 Edition
#481
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 4
Yet, I still fly enough confirmed revenue flights to earn 1K for 2015 even with buddy pass privileges/access.
#482
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: USA TX
Programs: United 1k, AA Plat, HH Diamond, Marriot Gold Elite, SPG Diamond
Posts: 42
Fun 1k story for you that's relevent to middle seats: On my Pacific flight before last (SEA-HKG) I didn't bother with GPU's because W fares were stupid-high and I wouldn't have gotten it anyway (turned out to be true on SFO-NRT last week). My wife was going with me, so I did something I have read about but not done before - bought the middle seat. W fares may have been stupid but deep discount economy was cheap as can be, which tells you a lot about the United strategy right there - find the ones who fly the most, and gouge them, everyone else they have to compete for.
On the way out we actually had a few empty middle seats - not many, but enough to make me wonder if I just wasted money. On the way back though, they boarded everyone, then started shoving all the standbys in. Completely full flight. Where do they all come from, I wonder? Who flies NRT-SFO at the last minute, when there are no weather or other airline delays/cancellations?
Anyway they came to my seat with the manifest, looked at me, and I grinned. Then they told me sorry, they were putting someone in that seat. Wrong! I had to produce the boarding pass and debate it with the check in crew. Ended up being the only open seat on the flight. E+ on an 11 hour 777 flight still sucks but at least I had some elbow room.
They sure pack them in now. I've noticed this on flights to Europe too - it's changed a lot in just the last two years. I need to find an airline my company allows (it's a large company) that's better for International flights because even 1k gets you very little with UA these days.
On the way out we actually had a few empty middle seats - not many, but enough to make me wonder if I just wasted money. On the way back though, they boarded everyone, then started shoving all the standbys in. Completely full flight. Where do they all come from, I wonder? Who flies NRT-SFO at the last minute, when there are no weather or other airline delays/cancellations?
Anyway they came to my seat with the manifest, looked at me, and I grinned. Then they told me sorry, they were putting someone in that seat. Wrong! I had to produce the boarding pass and debate it with the check in crew. Ended up being the only open seat on the flight. E+ on an 11 hour 777 flight still sucks but at least I had some elbow room.
They sure pack them in now. I've noticed this on flights to Europe too - it's changed a lot in just the last two years. I need to find an airline my company allows (it's a large company) that's better for International flights because even 1k gets you very little with UA these days.
#483
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 4
so I did something I have read about but not done before - bought the middle seat. W fares may have been stupid but deep discount economy was cheap as can be, which tells you a lot about the United strategy right there - find the ones who fly the most, and gouge them, everyone else they have to compete for.
EWR>NRT
W class fare with wait listed upgrade costs $4200 for 2 people
L class fare at $3000 for 3 seats. Using status, I can score a whole 3 seater row in E+.
Hmm...
#484
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: TPA
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 341
One downside, there's no guarantee the seats will be together. I read about a designation for two seats to be married, but not for 3. Eg pax too large for one seat or traveling with instrument.
Last edited by FTstudent; Dec 22, 2014 at 7:03 pm Reason: wordo
#485
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: DEN
Programs: UA MP Gold, 1MM, Global Entry
Posts: 470
It may indeed say that, but it doesn't say what to do if A)The officials at the station direct you to the back of the line anyway and B) Your fellow travelers try to murder you for cutting in line.
You didn't see it, so you don't know, but GE kiosks were down and the "computers" in general were slow for customs - the line was enormous. Including about 100 or so GE's. They eventually opened up a special line just for us, which turned out to be a suckers game because it was just one customs agent for all the GE's. I still think they did it to make the *other* line go faster, which it did. Believe me, no one in that situation is just walking past the horde to the front of the line, GE card held high
I believe you, I am sure I could have talked them into paying for it, and if you think being 1k in FC who has to pay quadruple prices for snacks is a good thing then I suppose you are a happy person in general
You didn't see it, so you don't know, but GE kiosks were down and the "computers" in general were slow for customs - the line was enormous. Including about 100 or so GE's. They eventually opened up a special line just for us, which turned out to be a suckers game because it was just one customs agent for all the GE's. I still think they did it to make the *other* line go faster, which it did. Believe me, no one in that situation is just walking past the horde to the front of the line, GE card held high
I believe you, I am sure I could have talked them into paying for it, and if you think being 1k in FC who has to pay quadruple prices for snacks is a good thing then I suppose you are a happy person in general
I don't believe in claiming DYKWIA (supposed) privileges while on board or at the gate, but when it comes to 120 mins in line at CBP, I may just well have had a quiet talk with the CBP agent about that privilege listed in print on their site. No, I would not have waived my card high and paraded to the front of the line, nor would I have worried if anyone else in line wanted to be angry with me for having this conversation. I took the time to be prepared with GE access, was prepared with a hand completed declaration form and am aware of their stated rules, so I would have politely and quietly asked them to honor them. If the other 100 GE's in line were not aware of how to handle the situation, that is not something I can teach them at that point in time. Who knows if the agent would have acquiesced, but it never hurts to ask politely, especially when the rule/guidance is in print.
And I will now carry this info in my carry-on in the event that I need to present it to a CBP officer who claims not to be familiar with this rule:
Do Global Entry benefits allow head-of-the-line privilege at U.S. airports where Global Entry kiosks are not available?
The head of the line privilege is only available at U.S. airports that have Global Entry kiosks. The head-of-the-line privilege is reserved for program members if the kiosks are out of service, if a member gets referred to a CBP officer, and at the exit points.
As for being happy about paying quadruple prices for snacks - if I don't have time to stock up at the airport, and I dislike the F meal enough to want to purchase something from Y, then yes I am happy it is available to me regardless of the price. (Given the price of F and the quality of meal served, all F passengers are already overpaying for it, unless they value the larger seat at that price, without ancillary benefits.) Price gauging is everywhere - what about paying $8+ for a beer at a bar or $14 for a mixed drink at a resort pool, or buy better wine at United Club when you can buy them for much less at a supermarket? If it means I get to hang with friends and catch up, then yes I am happy to buy overpriced drinks, just as much as I am happy to buy food on board if I dislike the quality of the free offering or just want to pick my battles with kids who dislike shrimp salads, lol. ...trying to find the positive in almost any situation.
#486
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 38
Mileage run worth it for 1K status?
I am a Platinum, 3251 miles away from 1K status. I can get there with a flight to Vancouver (I am in PHX) and back in one day for ~500. Got a couple friends in similar situations and they are going for it, however, I have a wrinkle that starting January I will be based in Munich, primarily traveling inside EU, with 2-3 trips back to US. So limited ability to use GPU and even more so on RPU. Any benefit I am missing that I should care about being based in MUC? Thanks for advice.
EDIT: Hmm, okay, didn't see this
EDIT: Hmm, okay, didn't see this
Last edited by rushnrockt; Dec 23, 2014 at 10:20 am
#487
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: NORWAY
Programs: UA Gold-1MM, SAS Diamond
Posts: 742
rushnrockt: I live in Norway and do my fair share of flying on Lufthansa within Europe.
For some strange reason I have been upgraded many times once I became 1K.
I have no idea why. Even on cheapo S class tickets.
Beats me, but I feel that LH recognizes United's 1K.
I'd go for it! ^
For some strange reason I have been upgraded many times once I became 1K.
I have no idea why. Even on cheapo S class tickets.
Beats me, but I feel that LH recognizes United's 1K.
I'd go for it! ^
#488
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: LAX,SNA,SAN
Programs: UA GS, Marriott LP, Hertz Gold
Posts: 861
Anyway they came to my seat with the manifest, looked at me, and I grinned. Then they told me sorry, they were putting someone in that seat. Wrong! I had to produce the boarding pass and debate it with the check in crew. Ended up being the only open seat on the flight. E+ on an 11 hour 777 flight still sucks but at least I had some elbow room.
#489
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Jersey Shore/YYZ
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 12,521
#490
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: USA TX
Programs: United 1k, AA Plat, HH Diamond, Marriot Gold Elite, SPG Diamond
Posts: 42
I suppose it's still possible to not have them guarantee seating together for all three, but when we're talking the middle seat in a row of three as long as they are free when you pick them it's hard to see why they'd be split. This is one area where I would definitely assert status and use the 1k/Premier line to help.
And yes, 3 of the regular discount. fares are cheaper than 2 W fares a lot of the time - in my case, much cheaper on that flight - and while it's no flat bed experience as everyone who's simply lucked in to a free middle seat knows it's a lot better than the alternative. Such as, for example, paying for a W fare, getting GPU standby anyway, not getting cleared, and then getting stuck in a full row anyway having paid much more for the privilege.
They may not 100% guarantee all 3 can stay together, but they can't take the seat either - it's paid space, it belongs somewhere on the plane. If you make sure you book the "extra" seat as the middle one it's not like they are going to try to put it in a free aisle or window - middle seats are always last to be filled.
So there's nowhere else for it to go but another middle seat and if one of those is open they can just stick the standby passenger there The only trouble I had was making sure the gate staff understood that I actually bought the seat. Once they got that straight I had no problem keeping them from sticking someone in it
#491
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Sacramento, CA
Programs: UA 1K; Hilton: Diamond;Kimpton: ?? ; Omni: Black; Avis: First; Hertz: Five Star
Posts: 656
I have, at least for another year, but just barely . Just got PQM100,000-100,362 for a trip today that, I might have skipped if were not for wanting to have 1K another year.
But I really made that decision earlier in the year and today was completion of that decision. This year I flew airlines other than my primary one more than I ever have.
For 2015, I am not sure what I am going to do. The new milage earning program is going to cut my award miles and I am thinking hard about just making platinum or gold on UA and using DL some this coming year.
One particular reason I am devaluing 1K status is that it is hard to use the GPU's (I have 2 unused ones right now). In 2014, miles have been a more valuable feature of my airline loyalty than my status. But this coming year I will earn less miles. So, as I look at 2015, I am thinking it may be time to quit being a loyal customer of one particular airline and start selecting flights more based on convenience and just paying for perks.
But I really made that decision earlier in the year and today was completion of that decision. This year I flew airlines other than my primary one more than I ever have.
For 2015, I am not sure what I am going to do. The new milage earning program is going to cut my award miles and I am thinking hard about just making platinum or gold on UA and using DL some this coming year.
One particular reason I am devaluing 1K status is that it is hard to use the GPU's (I have 2 unused ones right now). In 2014, miles have been a more valuable feature of my airline loyalty than my status. But this coming year I will earn less miles. So, as I look at 2015, I am thinking it may be time to quit being a loyal customer of one particular airline and start selecting flights more based on convenience and just paying for perks.
#492
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Panamá
Programs: AY+ Platsku, CM Silver, Frontier Elite 100K, Marriott Gold and LT Silver, IHG Diamond Ambassador.
Posts: 377
Thank you for the tip Ixian, I didn't knew that was possible!
So the way to buy an extra seat without a pax is to call an ask for that options? (extra seat, passenger to large for 1 seat, or passenger flying with instrument)
Or is possible to get in online?
So the way to buy an extra seat without a pax is to call an ask for that options? (extra seat, passenger to large for 1 seat, or passenger flying with instrument)
Or is possible to get in online?
#494
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,857
Closing this old thread and created http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...th-2015-a.html
WineCountryUA
UA coMderator
WineCountryUA
UA coMderator