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The Consolidated "Is United 1K Status Worth It? - 2013/14 Edition
Originally Posted by StingWest
(Post 18065032)
Me too! UA has been great to this 1K when things go wrong. One example of many:
Last May, flying on a Z fare SFO-CDG-SFO (via IAD). Woke up early in Paris to check flight status for the IAD flight back to the USA, and saw "flight cancelled" in red letters. After a moment or two in shock, followed by the realization that there were no later flights to IAD, I hopped on Skype and called the US 1K line (heart beating rapidly). Less than 5 minutes later, rebooked in C on Lufthansa to FRA and then on the non-stop in 747 F (a very nice experience!) to SFO. Got there earlier than I would have on the original flights. Thanks UA! (Also reinforced the need to always get up early to check on return flights to the USA, and also to carry my headset for Skype calls!) |
Originally Posted by bcj1949
(Post 20192103)
Does everyone think 1K still worth it after quite a year! Thanks
Is it as good as it could be? No Is it good enough? Depends on your options, where you fly and what you value. For me, it has become a harder decision but I've decided to get it another year. The MP program in general is betters that AA or DL my only real alternatives. AA seems to treat their elites while traveling better and DL has improved seats and expanded network with NW, however net net UA is still better for me -- but this wasn't even a race before but UA has lost much of the advantages it had before. |
Premier Accelerator Reward
As a million (plus 600000) miler, a long time CO Plat and a year and a half as a UA 1K, I find my status as a Plat depressing. On flights where I was regularly upgraded, I find that I am 5 to 12 on the list AFTER all of the upgrades. So I am interested in opinions as to whether it is worth spending about $2,300 to get about 25,000 Premier Accelerator Reward miles that can be used to elevate the status to 1K. I am a six month EWR-PBI commuter, with one or two annual trips abroad and a few long domestic flights. :confused:
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Search is always your friend for a hardy perennial topic like this http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ighlight=worth
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Same here--was CO Plat for many, many years and this has been a real shock. I did 1K last year to see if UG are any better %...I'm usually #1 or 2 on the list but when people buy up, I don't get it....my GPU's and RPU's clear better.....it all depends on whether FC is worth the extra 2500 or could you just purchase FC with the $2500 and be $ ahead...just do the math and see which is better.
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Premier Accelerator Reward
What I would suggest: assume for a moment 1k will not help you at all on free upgrades at the gate.
Do you get $2000 value from 6 global and 2 regional upgrades? Assume the 75% bump to 100% on bonus miles bump worth $250/$300 (on a base of nearly 100k flown miles) There is your break even. After that any gate freebie upgrades are just bonus. If you spend hoping to only get free UG you may be disappointed there and if you don't get value from instruments it is a double letdown |
My first response is no.... the less 1K's, the better MY chances are with upgrades :)
My real opinion is to try the buy-up if the upgrades are important for you. With all the status tier shuffling on Feb 1st, we really don't know how many 1K's are left and it will be difficult for you to know what your 1K upgrade chances WOULD have been if you drop a tier. It's an expensive test, but worth it if you value the space available upgrades and the Globals. DEN |
1k worth $2,500?
I've switched to DL due to a job relocation (south Florida) so I no longer have UA status (nor the accompanying upgrades). My wife and I are planning to go to Thailand later this year and DL upgrade-qualifying fares there are horrific. I can buy 1k status ( including the 6 upgrades) for $2,500 through a charity auction and am trying to figure out if its worth it. In addition to Thailand, I would fly UA 2-3x per year to the west coast but am thinking primarily of the value (and probability) of getting w fares upgraded from PBI-BKK later this year.
Any advice from you experts out there? Thanks a bunch. |
Withdrawn
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Might be a long shot, but take a look at what the full J fare to/from BKK is for you. If you have a UA Club card, you can take advantage of the two-for-one BF ticket deal (buy one J ticket, get 2nd free if there is Saver J space available). May be cheaper to buy one RT full J than two W-fare RT tickets + $2500.
Plus, you would then be confirmed in J vs playing the upgrade game. |
Originally Posted by nycguy
(Post 20430599)
I've switched to DL due to a job relocation (south Florida) so I no longer have UA status (nor the accompanying upgrades). My wife and I are planning to go to Thailand later this year and DL upgrade-qualifying fares there are horrific. I can buy 1k status ( including the 6 upgrades) for $2,500 through a charity auction and am trying to figure out if its worth it. In addition to Thailand, I would fly UA 2-3x per year to the west coast but am thinking primarily of the value (and probability) of getting w fares upgraded from PBI-BKK later this year.
Any advice from you experts out there? Thanks a bunch. |
Originally Posted by juniorsu
(Post 20430614)
GPUs are generally valued at $200-$250 each, so if you're doing this just for the GPUs, then no, I wouldn't think it's worth it.
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Originally Posted by Boogie711
(Post 20430683)
And in the interim - what auction is this and how can we bid on 1k status for $2500? I'm kind of serious...
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I would say its worth $2,500.
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If this is not a UA sanctioned auction I would be very leery about bidding. If it is someone selling their companion status the purchaser could be in for a BIG surprise at the airport. Not to mention the seller in big trouble.
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