UA Insider

Hi everyone,

Today MileagePlus is announcing that Copa Airlines will launch its own loyalty program in July 2015, and some MileagePlus benefits on Copa Airlines flights will change starting July 1, 2015.

Copa will remain a MileagePlus partner and Star Alliance member, and members’ current award miles balance, Premier status and Premier qualifying activity in MileagePlus will not be affected. Please visit united.com/copaupdates for more details and information.

-UA Insider

Xyzzy

This part of the Cpa annoucement is rather disappointing:I realize I missed two important items in the Cpa announcement:

SJOFlyer

This is what I was waiting for... I already said Good bye United and now can say goodbye MileagePlus..

Looking forward to Copa's FF program

CALMSP

ouch, this most certainly will make changes to how people fly. No more complimentary upgrades is a huge downside. I could care less about the free bag on a 7hour 737 flight to EZE or other deep South American destinations.

Billiken

Another reduction in benefits.

KenInEscazu

I haven't read the details yet, but it's about time!

https://www.copaair.com/sites/cc/en/...oprograma.aspx

edcho

UA Insider annouced it a few hours ago...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ip-update.html

Woofdog123

Once continental changed their miles accrual system, I was worried that the way copa had to contribute to pay for customer miles earned would change as well - don't know if this is the case, but it certainly may not be coincidental that this is happening when it is.

for certain travelers, this is terrible news with no upside - almost anyone who used assorted co/cm routes in latin america and out of pty specifically (IAH and EWR for me on co, LAS /MIA on CM) might find themselves losing overall status and upgrades on both airlines.

Wonder what criteria copa will apply for seat upgrades when the program starts and no one, in theory, has any status at all? July 1 is awkward since it won't allow many ff's to get normal status they would in a calendar year.

KenInEscazu

Copa says that they will recognize regular Copa flyers who currently hold status with M+, so those of us who already use Copa a lot will probably have a good status level to begin with. For those who do not, you'll have 18 months in the kick-off phase to earn it.

From Copa's web site:

"MileagePlus will continue to be Copa Airlines’ loyalty program until the end of June 2015. On July 2015, members of the new Copa Airlines loyalty program will begin earning miles toward qualification for preferred status. We will review previous travel on Copa with MileagePlus for initial preferred status recognition. Members will be able to move up in status in the new program as they fly using their new frequent flyer number."

And...

"Your trips on Copa Airlines will count toward qualifying for preferred status in the program as of July 2015.

For the status earned from flights on Copa Airlines in the first half of 2015, Copa will evaluate your activity and offer an appropriate status.

Since the new program will begin mid-year in 2015, Copa Airlines will extend the period for qualifying for preferred status until December 2016, i.e., you will have 18 months from the launch of the program to retain and enhance your initial status placement.

As you achieve new status thresholds, your new status and associated benefits will be applied immediately."

Only the heavy UA flyers who occasionally use CM will lose on this deal, as I see it. Not saying that's OK, but certainly they had to make a decision where to draw the line, and this makes sense to me when I put myself in their shoes.

mherdeg

Wow, I think this is the first time I've seen a forum moderator edit a UA Insider post to narrow the scope of the conversation. I hope the FlyerTalk/UA contributor relationship is not getting strained.

SJOFlyer

Ken, as always thanks for the update. I also hope they will give out miles from their codeshare with KLM, that will make it round for me with this new change...

Long overdue that Copa rolled with their own FF program.

wpr8e

It pretty clear that COPA gave United MP the heave ho because COPA wants to regain control of their passengers given their success and size. I'm sure COPA was tired of giving benefits to United passengers but unable to differentiate between their own passengers and United flyers.

Logical evolution of COPA's continued success (all due to CO's original involvement in the carrier)

Woofdog123

I think some of copa's latin american customers may lose, particularly those who used a mix of cm/co routes through PTY - not only do you lose premier upgrades on one of the two airlines, but all accumulated MM accrual may cease to be relevant if they go with the CM program. (though copa may decide to integrate past CM flights into any MM program they have - I certainly hope so).

I certainly do understand that from CM's viewpoint, they may have had no alternative. Unfortunately I don't expect KLM to have a miles share arrangment with CM due to being members of different coalition FF programs. Maybe there is precedent otherwise? (edit- or maybe i am wrong)

PTY-CDG/AMS-somewhere else would let me replace one of my primary UA flight needs (pty-ewr-somewhere in europe)

Hopefully copa will consider co-branding a credit card with a US-based bank, since at present they only co-brand with latin american banks. Perhaps the disconnect from M+ will lead to this.

atcanobbio

if copa is coming up with their own FFP, i'm guessing they'll come up with their own award chart. if so, since UA/Copa customers currently share MP and have miles in their account, will Copa allow these customers to switch their mile balance to the new Copa FFP?

SJOFlyer

I hope Copa to be very forward with what their FF program is going to be, since they compete directly with Avianca I am expecting a similar program (which is very customer friendly).

With this change I don't see Copa staying much longer in the Star Alliance, in fact this is the perfect timing for SkyTeam to welcome Copa again as they are lacking a partner in Latam market, and it also makes sense due to the codeshares with KLM and AF, also why would they stay in the same alliance as their competitors?

I would expect that when the time comes July 2015 they ask the MP members what program they will choose, and if someone chooses CM over UA then all miles will transfer to ones new account over at CM. This has to be done very carefully and hopefully CM sees this as an opportunity to make their FF program attractive.

What if we add a FAQ on the Wiki with question we have about this split, and Ken can relate this to Copa's VP of their frequent flyer office?