FlyerTalk Forums - 2015 MileagePlus Program Updates Announced (Master/Consolidated Thread)

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so are there ANY positive changes at all ?

Unless you count the status-inherit to be dilutive to 'real' elites, no.

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Originally Posted by swm61230 (Post 23865293)

Well yes there are many positives with all the announcements that united has made the last few weeks.

1. They are cutting benifits for the frequent traveler so in turn higher profits for shareholders.

2. They are driving away elites from flying UA so in turn less spent on elite benifits which results in higher profits for shareholders.

3. They are charging more for current benifits to elites so in turn higher profits for shareholders.

4. They will have less flyers so they can make all their planes smaller and fly less frequently. Huge savings in labor and fuel expenses and payments for aircraft. All which will result in the highest profit ever made by any airline in the history of aviation. Shareholders have the biggest party ever with all the money they are making.

5. SMI/J is labeled and praised as the smartest business man that the world could ever see and every corporation pays him billions to do the same for their company.

Sounds great. Look at all those positives.

Shareholders do not garner any profits unless the stock price increases due to these changes and the shareholders sell their shares. I don't know if UA pays dividends to shareholders as I am not one.

gosh, I read all of this cut crap and it makes me physically sick to my stomach!

Everyday it's something else....Friendly...Friendly!!!

They really want me to go to AA...

(I would not be so paranoid if United wasn't out to get me)

The only thing that you can assume with this bunch is that somehow they will screw you.

Overall horrible changes. :(
Though I just renewed my GE so I'm good with that. And I never flew Copa.

more #FlyerFriendly changes :td:

partner earnings

:-: When will they announce changes to partner earnings for 2015?

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Originally Posted by amartin1979 (Post 23866285)

:-: When will they announce changes to partner earnings for 2015?

or the no-stopovers for award tickets?

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Originally Posted by MBS MillionMiler (Post 23865588)

Does it even matter? Who's getting upgraded via the list anymore anyway? I've had 2 CPUs in 2014...And that includes most travel to LAS, MCO and PHL...Not even much hub-hub travel.

I'd like them to fix RPUs properly. I apply a RPU that doesn't clear then you get into the standard "cpu" line (based on status/fare class) they say it preserves status but my recent experience says that's not likely.

Fix the bugs like this that hurt the traveller but I guess that's too much to expect.

value proposition isn't there

The mileage plus value proposition isn't there for me anymore. They make it more difficult to attain status while slashing benefits at the same time. I'm numb to all the cuts and devaluations at this point.

Here's summary of upcoming United Changes

DD's posted a great summary today of upcoming changes by airline. Here's UA's:

"United:

United has also already announced that they are matching Delta’s move to no longer award miles based on flight distance as of 03/15.
Additionally:

-Gold elites will have their baggage allowance cut from 3 to 2 bags.

-Presidential Plus cardholders will lose their Avis President’s Club status as of 01/01/16.

-Club cardholders will lose their Avis First status as of 01/01/16.
(Both of those cardholders will get Hertz President’s Circle status).

-United 1K members will no longer get free Global Entry

-United premiers will have to pay a co-pay plus miles to get upgraded from JFK to Los Angeles or San Francisco.

-As of 03/01/15 United will match American’s policy and will also no longer check luggage through to non-Star Alliance airlines if the connecting travel is on another ticket.

-And a huge one, award passengers will no longer inherit the status of the account where they were booked from as of 04/15/15.
As a 1K when I book someone using my miles they get 3 free bags, free economy plus access, free 1K checkin, premier security, 1K boarding, free lounge access, and they are eligible for complimentary advance upgrades.
The trick for free upgrades is to make sure you only book 1 award passenger per itinerary. Booking one-way awards helped as well.
This all worked even if I wasn’t flying.
That will all be going away.

When we flew to Los Angeles in July the whole family was upgraded for free on coach saver award tickets. That’s not going to happen again under this new policy.

Of course if you are traveling on the same itinerary as other people they will continue to inherit some benefits like free baggage. But upgrades on awards won’t happen whether the elite member is flying with the other member or not.

Not pretty. What other changes did I miss?"

My thoughts: United just keeps chipping away at things, and I'm in great fear that they'll follow up on Delta's new "no stopovers on awards" change! Aside from that the 3 down to 2 checked bags doesn't bother me, as I figure folks rarely check 3 bags.

Copa benefits decreasing

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Originally Posted by 787fan (Post 23865051)

so are there ANY positive changes at all ?

Ha. Good one.

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Originally Posted by amartin1979 (Post 23866285)

:-: When will they announce changes to partner earnings for 2015?

No doubt within 24 hours of when Delta announces theirs! :( :td:

Tim

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Originally Posted by TimInSF (Post 23867449)

No doubt within 24 hours of when Delta announces theirs! :( :td:

Tim

And with Copa going down to 50%/70% earnings, I expect other partners to be severly gutted as well.