Baze

And there you have it. The reason they probably did it. those 4 bags will generate a lot of revenue when spread out amongst all the elites that got their non-status partner their free bag allowance and won't anymore. It's all about ancillary revenue now.

KenInEscazu

I'm not reading it that way, but perhaps I'm missing something. Here's a quote from this page on UA's web site:
It has always been a nice feature that my kettle daughter could come visit me in Costa Rica or Colombia and receive my status benefits on award tickets purchased with my miles, whether or not she was traveling with me. From what I'm reading here, I assume that I'm interpreting this wrong, but that's no great surprise. UA's enhancement descriptions have been clear as mud since the merger.

I am planning to buy her 2015 visit with my miles while I still have status, and she will bring me lots of American goodies to enhance my stash of products unavailable or over-priced down here. Even though I go there once/month, 3 x 70 still isn't enough to buy everything I really want to bring home.

manneca

I really don't see what this gains them. It p*sses off everyone who sees it as yet another cut, whether they ever check 3 bags or not and whether their status is platinum or above. I really can't imagine that it will bring in that much more revenue. The cost/benefit to UA seems off to me, unless of course, they just want to drive the customers who fly them the most away.

Baze

The key item is on the same reservation. Lots of people buy one ticket and get their companion an award, these are on separate reservations so not allowed to carry over the benefit. Wasn't allowed before in this situation but was often given anyways.

astroflyer

Exactly! This is frequently how I structure my travel...pay for my ticket and use mils for a companion. It was nice of them to get some benefits automatically. I hope they at least are good about giving them E+...otherwise that's really annoying.

MojaveFlyer

Wow, I hadn't noticed this one. It could be a real biggie for me. I'm used to using miles for my son and buying my own tix, but this could mean 1) getting stuck in the generic security line instead of expedited (we never both get Pre on the same flight) and 2) seat selection hassles. In the old days when the award did not carry my status I could often get him changed to an E+ seat, but this involved calling an agent and I would be not a bit surprised if this is no longer granted. I wonder if you can even buy E+ on an award ticket?

To me, this is a non-trivial slap in the face. It feels just mean.

Going back to a previous comment I made in this thread, yes, since the end of summer the minority of my segments have been UA, I'm not a happy camper.

KenInEscazu

Got it. Thanks for clearing that up. This isn't something currently affecting me, but it is rather irritating that I can't buy tickets for friends/family with my miles and let them enjoy my hard earned benefits. Kettles who get the treatment of 1K always appreciate it more than we do, thus it was even that much more enjoyable for me to give my perks than use them myself.

One more affirmation for now being dedicated to my EXP status at AA and whatever Copa introduces. There are so many now that I have lost count.

While I understand the need to make the airline more profitable, I don't understand the need to make so many FFers dislike them so much in the process. It seems that a MUCH more gradual approach could have been used for this and many other of the changes of late.

Jet'Dillo

It has helped on "certain Int'l destinations". Mrs. Jet'Dillo and I took a month-long trip to NZ in 2013. She's a textile artist and knows everything about how to turn a sheep into a sweater. We came back with literally "3 bags full" of fleece which weighed in at 29, 31.4 and 30.6 Kg respectively.

(I remember those numbers like I remember the crestfallen face on the NZ check-in agent as he weighed the bags and we scooted under the 32Kg limit on each of them).

That said, I've only used the 3-bag limit on big trips like that.

Col Ronson

Losing the benefit sucks sure but how many people actually check (3) 70lb bags, especially seldom-fliers such as golds. Hey at least you still get two bags per person on one PNR. The 70lbs is still generous and better than comparable FF programs worldwide. I just think its hilarious people are losing their [minds] over this small change. UA still lets all your pax on your PNR share your allowance so if you travel with someone else you still get 4 overweight bags on UA.

on AA i only get 2 50lb bags so meh im not complaining. and it seems the allowance stays for the most popular intl destinations as well (most likely asia). Many internal airline studies show that the majority of people only check one bag anyways and most self-proclaimed pro frequent fliers never check a bag. 1Ks and GS people here can attest to just traveling with a carry-on at all times.

bigwings8

Right so it seems like the benefits to UA are quite small. So really this just upsets people who used the perk once or twice a year, like moving away from home, to/from college, or to a place for a few months.

Definitely saw this coming though. Just started flying close to 100k miles a year and am at about .2MM. Before these changes, 1MM might have been worth it.

But golds already board with MP explorer card holders. Now only 2 bags at 70lbs.

Soon we'll see free SDC go, close-in award fees will go up, 2 bags @ 70 will become 2 bags @ 50. 7-8 years from now when I'd make 1MM, there would be no gold perks left.

UA gold: The new UA silver.

Time to really think about AA ExPlat. At least award miles there are still flight distance-based. The whole revenue based mileage earning really takes the fun out of flying (if there were any left).

raehl311

Does your status carry over to tickets you book with award miles on AA?

If so, that may be my new airline.

coolcoil

It only carries over if you are on the same itinerary. I took the family on vacation on AA this year. They were on miles and I was on a paid PNR. I was able to get them MCE (AA's E+) by calling in. The agent told me I could do this only as long as I was flying the same itinerary with them.

For all of you who wonder who cares about 3 X 70: I do. Like KenInEscazu, I use it when I am coming home to Colomibia on almost all itineraries. I am moving to AA, and 2015 will be my last year as PLT/1K. Ciao, as we say in Colombia.

bigwings8

What is AA's baggage limit for gold, plat, EXplat for US domestic itineraries? I've had trouble finding it.

MrOCTeckels

Starting in April it's 1 bag for gold, 2 bags for platinum, and 3 bags for executive platinum. 50 lbs per bag.

https://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/e...fits-chart.jsp

bigwings8

That page doesn't actually say 50 lbs does it? (That's why I was confused.)