Changes to MileagePlus Award and Upgrade Policies - Eff. 3-Feb-2014
Jan 8, 16, 4:42 pm - Wikipost
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Moderator Note: Please keep the wiki post limited to just the facts.
New UA Award/Upgrade Chart (vs. Current Chart) Changes took effect for travel booked starting February 3, 2014. See UA Insider's post linked here for more info about the date change. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22263212-post2366.html Awards with *A partners now cost more than similar awards flown only on UA metal.
See below for the round-trip increases on partner metal : US ✈ Southern South America: +10,000 J, +5,000 F US ✈ Europe: +40,000 J, +85,000 F US ✈ Northern/Central/Southern Africa: +40,000 J, +110,000 F US ✈ Middle East: +5,000 Y, +40,000 J, +130,000 F US ✈ Central Asia/India: +5,000 Y, +40,000 J, +120,000 F US ✈ South Asia: +15,000 Y, +40,000 J, +120,000 F US ✈ North Asia: +5,000 Y, +40,000 J, +100,000 F US ✈ Japan: +5,000 Y, +30,000 J, +85,000 F US ✈ Oceania: +30,000 J, +70,000 F US ✈ Australia/New Zealand: +25,000 J, +100,000 F RTW: +20,000 Y, +90,000 J, +100,000 F Changes to upgrade policy for intra-Asia and northern South America flights
Questions and Answers Q: If I book an award in January 2014 and then make changes in February or beyond (in routing, airline, origin, destination, etc), will it be repriced according to new mileage requirements, or will I keep the old pricing on that ticket?
Originally Posted by UA Insider
Our existing change process will apply. Changes to awards that require a change in date do not result in a change to the award price. Any other change will require an add/collect in miles and fees for changes or cancellations will still apply as per our existing policies.
Originally Posted by UA Insider
Changes that will not trigger a re-price for itineraries ticketed before February 3, 2014 include:
Q: Do these rates apply for tickets purchased after Feb 3 or for travel after Feb 3? That is,if one purchases a ticket now, to fly on Mar 15, will that be new or old pricing?
Originally Posted by UA Insider
The new award pricing takes effect for bookings made on or after Feb 3, 2014 for all future travel dates. If you purchased a ticket prior to then for travel on March 15, and no changes are made to the itinerary, the current pricing will apply.
Originally Posted by UA Insider
Updated handling for mixed UA-Partner United/partner award itineraries: As we shared with the initial announcement, the Star Alliance/Partner partner award pricing will apply to Business or First awards for itineraries that include at least one flight segment operated by a MileagePlus partner carrier in Business or First.
However, as a customer benefit we have made an exception for most itineraries which require connecting onto a MileagePlus/Star partner in First or Business for a short distance. Specifically, if a United/Copa award itinerary contains a connecting segment on a MileagePlus/Star partner that is wholly within one MileagePlus award region, then the United award price will apply.
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Nov 1, 13, 7:16 am
#226
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: UA 2MM Plat, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, and EVA Gold soon
Posts: 546
I was planning to bite the bullet and requailfy for 1K next year (for 2015) but with this,
I'm going to burn my miles for travel as much as possible........... UA just lost some extra revenue from me. Thanks UA for saving me $$
I'm going to burn my miles for travel as much as possible........... UA just lost some extra revenue from me. Thanks UA for saving me $$
Last edited by rerunree1; Nov 1, 13 at 7:52 am
Nov 1, 13, 7:16 am
#227
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 582
I was going to say I'm not surprised but I am, just because of how big the increase was. 40-100% devaluation!??!
I had always thought that airline programs wouldn't devalue as much as hotel programs would because of the basic mechanisms to earning miles (flying) doesn't inflate. It still takes just as many miles to fly from point A to point B. Even with the glut of credit card miles, it's limited to the US and it has to be a small percentage of total miles earned.
I had always thought that airline programs wouldn't devalue as much as hotel programs would because of the basic mechanisms to earning miles (flying) doesn't inflate. It still takes just as many miles to fly from point A to point B. Even with the glut of credit card miles, it's limited to the US and it has to be a small percentage of total miles earned.
Nov 1, 13, 7:16 am
#228
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: EWR
Programs: UA Gold, UA MM, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,328
Originally Posted by UA-NYC
Not sure if anyone has said this...it's a full frontal attack on the airline's best & most frequent customers. No other way to read it...they want to cut back our ease of upgrades & ability to redeem miles on superior *A carriers.
GMs & Silvers (no offense to the latter) probably aren't redeeming a lot for these global premium seats, and aren't looking for R space
GMs & Silvers (no offense to the latter) probably aren't redeeming a lot for these global premium seats, and aren't looking for R space
Nov 1, 13, 7:19 am
#230
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 116
Originally Posted by fly2nrt
OK. Virgin America it is! ^
Nov 1, 13, 7:20 am
#231
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NYC/ISP
Programs: UA-Plat, United Club
Posts: 486
Changes to MileagePlus Award and Upgrade Policies - Eff. Feb. 2014
Ugh, don't know if it's worth it to do an extra trip to 1k this year. Might join the burn miles and book cheapest (was thinking about this route earlier this year but gave UA another chance)... No changing my south Africa award to F next spring either i guess. Very sad
-dan
-dan
Nov 1, 13, 7:20 am
#232
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,103
Major bummer.
I haven't booked any 2014 travel yet. I'm gonna book my last flights for 2013 to push me over the 1K mark. And then think long and hard about using that 1K status for a match to DL or AA and ditching my Chase card.
I haven't booked any 2014 travel yet. I'm gonna book my last flights for 2013 to push me over the 1K mark. And then think long and hard about using that 1K status for a match to DL or AA and ditching my Chase card.
Nov 1, 13, 7:27 am
#233
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!
Posts: 26,062
At least @FakeUnitedJeff is on fire this morning 
.
.
Nov 1, 13, 7:31 am
#234
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K3MM
Posts: 193
This change is infuriating. I am in the process of trying to book a trip for 4 to South Africa next summer - there is currently zip available in C or F - and of course nothing on UA even on the TATL. I have economy booked on four different airlines with the hope of grabbing C/F as some seats may open up closer to the dates (past Feb 1 I am sure) - so if any seats open up, I am hosed on miles - the increases should be exempt if UA does not fly to that location - they also need to open more premium seats on international flights
This is insane
This is insane
Nov 1, 13, 7:32 am
#235
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Sunny SYDNEY!
Programs: UA Million Miler. (1.9M) Virgin Platinum. HH Diamond + SPG Gold
Posts: 32,318
The other double whammy here of course is that despite these often vast mile hikes in long haul, they recently quietly greatly changed the rules re MAXIMUM SEGMENTS possible, or the award is "illegal".
From OZ to Nth America it is now FOUR segments max each direction.
Think that is enough?
Try booking Sydney - Newfoundland as I did recently, and try and do that in 4 segments each way.
AC is stingy on Biz cabin space to places like that, and it took me MANY hours to do it and comply with the new (totally unpublished) alleged new rules.
NOW the new rules apply AND higher mile costs.
.
From OZ to Nth America it is now FOUR segments max each direction.
Think that is enough?
Try booking Sydney - Newfoundland as I did recently, and try and do that in 4 segments each way.
AC is stingy on Biz cabin space to places like that, and it took me MANY hours to do it and comply with the new (totally unpublished) alleged new rules.
NOW the new rules apply AND higher mile costs.
.
Nov 1, 13, 7:34 am
#236
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!
Posts: 26,062
Originally Posted by amolkold
If I want to fly in F to India, it will cost me 140,000 miles. ONE-WAY. Used to be 160K roundtrip. Unbelievable.
Exact award I wanted to make. Other award I wanted to make went up 33%.
Nov 1, 13, 7:34 am
#237
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
Join Date: Jun 2000
Programs: AS MVP Gold, Honors Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle, National Exec Elite
Posts: 35,278
Originally Posted by planeluvr
But what will the availability look like for the next several years?
I seldom have trouble (unless over Christmas or similar) finding saver domestic tix.
Originally Posted by Weez_1000
I completely agree but I'm totally perplexed by it. Surely, not everyone reaches 1k by doing mileage runs....
As I say, this inflationary reality is hardest on international front-cabin flyers who have been able to enjoy (as have I for domestic redemptions) accruing miles from sub-$200 coast-to-coast trips and spending on international F/J.
Nov 1, 13, 7:35 am
#238
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: ANC
Posts: 5,374
Wasn't it always 4 segments though? Every time I tried pricing an award with more than 4 segments one way on dot bomb it would split it into two awards.
Nov 1, 13, 7:35 am
#239
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 831
Originally Posted by USAF Flyboy:21706990
Absolutely brutal. Essentially it takes almost all the value out of overseas redemptions, especially combined with the significantly enhanced "availability" (i.e no availability) of C and F awards. What an absolute joke.
Well the only thing that talks as they say is dollars. Just cancelled my Chase card and rebooked two C flights to Europe on AA.
AA is next after the merger closes.
Well the only thing that talks as they say is dollars. Just cancelled my Chase card and rebooked two C flights to Europe on AA.
AA is next after the merger closes.
Nov 1, 13, 7:37 am
#240
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,234
Originally Posted by bse118
Major bummer.
I haven't booked any 2014 travel yet. I'm gonna book my last flights for 2013 to push me over the 1K mark. And then think long and hard about using that 1K status for a match to DL or AA and ditching my Chase card.
I haven't booked any 2014 travel yet. I'm gonna book my last flights for 2013 to push me over the 1K mark. And then think long and hard about using that 1K status for a match to DL or AA and ditching my Chase card.
. Just waiting to see how the AA/US merger plays out. I'm assuming either way a massive deval to AA program is next
Originally Posted by dcpdxtrans
The Mrs & I saw this coming. After not having used a redemption in years we've been redeeming int'l & now that we know 2/1 is d day I suspect we'll get our Dec 2014 int'l vacation plans set by then!
