Feb 6, 2015, 3:38 am
Last edit by: mkr
THIS IS A THREAD FOR WHICH ALL MP MEMBERS WILL BE ABLE TO RESPOND ...THANKS.
The goal of the survey is to benefit all of us.
This thread is to ask ALL MileagePlus members who read the MileagePlus Forum to please respond to this
short 3 question survey. It will only take a few minutes..
PLEASE PM YOUR MP FTer FRIENDS TO ASK THEM TO ALSO POST IN THIS SURVEY....THANKS.
This thread is to ask ALL MileagePlus members who read the MileagePlus Forum to please respond to this
short 3 question survey. It will only take a few minutes..
PLEASE PM YOUR MP FTer FRIENDS TO ASK THEM TO ALSO POST IN THIS SURVEY....THANKS.
The 3 questions are in Post #1
WIKI UPDATED FEBRUARY 24 (already over 160 posts)
PLEASE READ THIS WIKI AND POST #1 BEFORE RESPONDING TO THIS SURVEY. THANKS.
WE NEED YOUR INPUT....PLEASE TAKE PART.
IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE WHO HAS ALREADY RESPONDED, KINDLY CHECK YOUR POST TO MAKE SURE YOUR REASONS FOR SEEKING THE STATUS LEVEL YOU ARE SEEKING ARE CLEAR IN QUESTION #3. KINDLY CONSIDER EDITING, IF NEEDED. THIS IS TO HELP IN GATHERING OF DATA FOR THE SURVEY, TO BENEFIT US ALL. THANK YOU.
The data will be compiled and posted in this WIKI after approximately each 100 respondants during the year to keep it simple for someone (me) who has trouble figuring out where Boarding Line 1 is
DATA WILL BE UPDATED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WIKI
UA monitors these threads. They will not release their statistics on MP membership changes, so let us work together to compile our own data.
PURPOSE OF SURVEY
The aim is to get a very large number of data points in the coming weeks/months to see percentages of those who are planning on dropping, maintaining, or increasing in status through their 2015 earnings activity for 2016 status in MP because of many reasons.
The survey asks persons to state their individual reasons for their 2015 plans for attaining a certain status level for 2016. The survey will determine in a objective, structured, measurable and efficient way, what are persons' experiences in flying on UA in light of various changes in the MileagePlus program or other UA flying experiences that have affected the amount of flying they plan to do on UA in 2015. This MAY affect their planned Premier status. Kindly PM your UA FTer friends to ask them to post in this survey. Thanks.
YOU MAY NOT YET KNOW YOUR SPECIFIC PLANS FOR 2015, ie, number flights within the USA or number of TATL flights you plan to take, etc., but please at least post your general plans...like, "I am Platinum but plan to reduce to Gold for 2016." OR, "I am Gold and plan to keep Gold status." Post the minimum status you know you will likely achieve, even if that may just be GM. Then expound on how you plan to do that and your reasons for seeking or not seeking a certain status level.
Later in the year when you have a better idea of your travel plans, you can come back and post again in this thread, referring back to your original post, so your second post will make it clear that you are not a new person responding.... (AN EXAMPLE FUTURE POST: A POST ON APRIL 10: "I posted on Feb. 10 [QUOTE POST] now I am amending my post... (1)I was Gold on Feb. 10 and estimated I would reach 1K status for 2016. (2) I now realize I will only reach Platinum through the following planned flying on UA....XX TATL flights, XX Domestic (3) I no longer plan to reach 1K, as my travel on UA will be cut and I will not reach the required PQMs for 1K. I am shifting XX% flying to AA and doing a status match. 1K on UA is not valuable to me anymore BECAUSE....state reasons,compared to other airlines.")
(There is another thread to ask persons if their status decreased, stayed the same, or increased from 2014-2015. Please also respond to that survey.) Thanks. [Survey] From 2014-15 Did your MP Status Increase, Decrease, or remain the same? The data from that survey will be compiled and reported in that thread.
PLEASE READ POST #1 before responding to this present survey for 2015. Thank you.
Since the PQD requirements have increased in 2015 for earning 2016 Premier Status for all Premier levels
($3,000/$6,000/$9,000/$12,000)
AND since the requirements for earning Reward Mileage is changing on March 1, 2015, this a survey of ALL FTers who belong to MileagePlus about plans for achieving 2016 status throughout 2015.
There has been speculation in this Forum that increases in PQDs for earning 2016 status and the changes in earning Reward miles beginning March 1 may significantly reduce those seeking particular Premier status for 2016. Many other reasons have also been cited in other threads in this Forum for persons reducing their flying on UA in favor of other carriers.
The goal of the survey is to also see if any trends become evident in regards to persons reducing, keeping, or increasing their status in MileagePlus over the course of the next few weeks/months....as well as to see if any trends emerge for reasons given,
It will take just a few minutes for you to respond. THANKS AGAIN FOR TAKING PART.
Statistics will be updated occasionally during the year in this WIKI when a significant number of persons respond to the survey.
Please read Post #1 before responding to this survey. Thank you.
FIRST DATA REPORT FEB. 17
It is very early in the year and not all persons have their specific travel plans for the year. There are many 1Ks who fly enough each year that they already know they will make the requirements and several already have several trips booked, so they have been able to respond to the survey.
I am asking persons to estimate the status they will attain, as some have done, based upon a general idea of the travel they will likely have. People can come back later in the year to amend their plans in this thread when they have a better idea.
Some persons are very clear in their reasons why they will attain certain status. Some persons are making statements like..." I will make somewhere between Gold and Platinum."
When persons make vague statements like that, I take the conservative measure and project the lower status. When I can take some time to see if any trends emerge for reasons, I will update that information. Several have made statements alluding to the increased PQDs and RDM changes, but I noticed no real trend emerging in the early life of this survey.
I do wish persons would go back to their posts to edit and give some clearer reasons for why they are keeping, dropping, or increasing status. That will be more helpful for the survey results to see if any identifiable trends are emerging.
Some persons would not commit to any particular status for 2016, so I did not count them. I am going to clarify in the instructions for the thread to see if persons will commit to the lowest status they likely will achieve in MP for 2016. If you post in the future, please commit to the lowest status you will likely have in MP.
DATA
SO...for the first 100 respondants reported in this survey, here is the breakdown:3 GS, 52 1k, 13P, 24G, 6S, 2GM.
33/100 report they plan a drop in status from 2015-2016. 62 report they plan to maintain status. 5 report they plan to increase status.
All 3 GS feel they will keep it.
35 1Ks report they will maintain 1K. 5 1Ks report they will drop to Platinum.
11 1Ks report they will drop to Gold or below
(several will maintain Gold through MM status) 1 1K aims for GS
3 Platinums report they will retain Platinum.
9 Platinums report they plan to drop to Gold.
(several will maintain G through MM...I will report later)
1 Platinum reports increasing to 1K
18 Golds report they will retain Gold ( several are MM...I will report this later)
4 Golds report they will drop to Silver. 1 Gold will drop to GM
1 Gold will increase to 1K
3 Silvers will retain Silver, 3 will drop to GM
1GM will aim for Silver, 1 for Gold
PLEASE READ POST #1 BEFORE RESPONDING TO THIS SURVEY. THANKS.
[2015] Version: Survey of plans you have in 2015 for earning 2016 Premier status.
Mar 4, 2015, 1:12 pm
#181
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 8
(1) What is your MP Status on UA right now?
1K
(2) What are your plans for earning certain MP Premier status for 2016 AND how will you achieve that status?
Keep 1K
(3) What are your reasons for seeking or not seeking certain Premier Status in 2015 for 2016 with UA?
0.4M BIS to reach 1M... 4 more years... then I will reconsider which airline to be loyal to.
1K
(2) What are your plans for earning certain MP Premier status for 2016 AND how will you achieve that status?
Keep 1K
(3) What are your reasons for seeking or not seeking certain Premier Status in 2015 for 2016 with UA?
0.4M BIS to reach 1M... 4 more years... then I will reconsider which airline to be loyal to.
Mar 7, 2015, 5:55 pm
#182
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: TX
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1k; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 84
(1) What is your MP Status on UA right now?
1K
(2) What are your plans for earning certain MP Premier status for 2016 AND how will you achieve that status?
I will probably drop to kettle class. I am currently doing an EXP challenge on AA and do not plan to travel on UA unless absolutely necessary. I even got an AA credit card (after resisting UA credit card offers for years).
(3) What are your reasons for seeking or not seeking certain Premier Status in 2015 for 2016 with UA?
(a). My biggest complaint is that UA is using more and more CRJ/ERJs for the airports I frequent. I found them slow, extremely uncomfortable, and noisy. I often work on the plane, and it is difficult to do so on these small planes.
(b). Upgrade rates are very low. Last year my batting average is <25%.
(c). Increasing PQD requirement while mileage earned will be way down. I am required to buy lowest available fares, and roughly 50% of the travel are TATL or TPAC. The new RDM earning scheme will yield much lower miles. Even though I can make the new PQD requirement (with a little bit of effort), I figure why bother since I'm not earning that many miles.
1K
(2) What are your plans for earning certain MP Premier status for 2016 AND how will you achieve that status?
I will probably drop to kettle class. I am currently doing an EXP challenge on AA and do not plan to travel on UA unless absolutely necessary. I even got an AA credit card (after resisting UA credit card offers for years).
(3) What are your reasons for seeking or not seeking certain Premier Status in 2015 for 2016 with UA?
(a). My biggest complaint is that UA is using more and more CRJ/ERJs for the airports I frequent. I found them slow, extremely uncomfortable, and noisy. I often work on the plane, and it is difficult to do so on these small planes.
(b). Upgrade rates are very low. Last year my batting average is <25%.
(c). Increasing PQD requirement while mileage earned will be way down. I am required to buy lowest available fares, and roughly 50% of the travel are TATL or TPAC. The new RDM earning scheme will yield much lower miles. Even though I can make the new PQD requirement (with a little bit of effort), I figure why bother since I'm not earning that many miles.
Mar 7, 2015, 8:37 pm
#183
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 5,825
Double your sign up bonus, all AA miles when combined.
Good luck with your transition, please report back.
Mar 8, 2015, 5:34 am
#184
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
(1) What is your MP Status on UA right now?
1K (Have been for all past six years as an active MP member)
(2) What are your plans for earning certain MP Premier status for 2016 AND how will you achieve that status?
At the moment have reached PremierGold for 2016, thus hold STARGold status when flying next year. I may go for PremierPlatinum for comp award changes, E+ seating, 2 RPUs and five drink vouchers if an uber low MR fare emerges before the end of the year. Have no other plans to fly UA or STAR partners on revenue flights in the immediate future...all current revenue flights are booked on OW partners where I intend to re-qualify for AA ExecPlat for the fourth year in a row.
(3) What are your reasons for seeking or not seeking certain Premier Status in 2015 for 2016 with UA?
I see little value in the MP program after this final round of changes. I pay for all my flights and although residing outside the US means I do not require meeting the Spend criteria (got my PremierGold after spending $1,324), my RDM earnings will become negligible and not cost-effective for the type of premium awards I generally redeem. (We have no access to a UA/MP credit card so can't earn mega-sign up or other bonuses to pump up my RDMs.) My Lifetime mileage will be about 700K at the end of this year, so I am too far from MM status. I can't really afford to pay for W fares, and with restricted advance R availability, don't want to pay to play lottery on the chance I can use a GPU.
Until AA announces similar changes to those made by UA and DL, I find that program and that airline much more to my liking. I have seldom missed a CPU on AA (while am at about 20% with UA over the past several years) and can do international SWUs on any fare...my success rate is close to 100%...plus receive eight a year vs six with UA. Expect the AA program to change, but since I'm at the end of my manic travel life, those changes will be marginal for me.
Since I started actively participating in FF programs in the early 1980s I've enjoyed the best these programs have had to offer, and the uber generous benefits in years long gone. Change is inevitable but this last round has been brutal. As a Canadian resident, my primary programs were Aeroplan and CP+ but the last round of changes at AC have been just as brutal, and the steady erosion of benefits as an AC SuperElite commended a shift to MP earlier this decade as my primary STAR program.
1K (Have been for all past six years as an active MP member)
(2) What are your plans for earning certain MP Premier status for 2016 AND how will you achieve that status?
At the moment have reached PremierGold for 2016, thus hold STARGold status when flying next year. I may go for PremierPlatinum for comp award changes, E+ seating, 2 RPUs and five drink vouchers if an uber low MR fare emerges before the end of the year. Have no other plans to fly UA or STAR partners on revenue flights in the immediate future...all current revenue flights are booked on OW partners where I intend to re-qualify for AA ExecPlat for the fourth year in a row.
(3) What are your reasons for seeking or not seeking certain Premier Status in 2015 for 2016 with UA?
I see little value in the MP program after this final round of changes. I pay for all my flights and although residing outside the US means I do not require meeting the Spend criteria (got my PremierGold after spending $1,324), my RDM earnings will become negligible and not cost-effective for the type of premium awards I generally redeem. (We have no access to a UA/MP credit card so can't earn mega-sign up or other bonuses to pump up my RDMs.) My Lifetime mileage will be about 700K at the end of this year, so I am too far from MM status. I can't really afford to pay for W fares, and with restricted advance R availability, don't want to pay to play lottery on the chance I can use a GPU.
Until AA announces similar changes to those made by UA and DL, I find that program and that airline much more to my liking. I have seldom missed a CPU on AA (while am at about 20% with UA over the past several years) and can do international SWUs on any fare...my success rate is close to 100%...plus receive eight a year vs six with UA. Expect the AA program to change, but since I'm at the end of my manic travel life, those changes will be marginal for me.
Since I started actively participating in FF programs in the early 1980s I've enjoyed the best these programs have had to offer, and the uber generous benefits in years long gone. Change is inevitable but this last round has been brutal. As a Canadian resident, my primary programs were Aeroplan and CP+ but the last round of changes at AC have been just as brutal, and the steady erosion of benefits as an AC SuperElite commended a shift to MP earlier this decade as my primary STAR program.
Mar 8, 2015, 6:56 pm
#185
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Rapid City South Dakota
Programs: UA 1K, ICH Platinum Ambassador, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 105
1. 1k in 2015 after several years as a Plat.
2. dropping to Platinum in 2016 with travel already booked and the Chase waiver. I fly for leisure only, all on my dime. I met the PQD for 1K last year, barely but no way can I justify a spend of $12,000
3. MP has worked for my needs for the last 10 years, but with the changes making 1k is just no worth the spend.
2. dropping to Platinum in 2016 with travel already booked and the Chase waiver. I fly for leisure only, all on my dime. I met the PQD for 1K last year, barely but no way can I justify a spend of $12,000
3. MP has worked for my needs for the last 10 years, but with the changes making 1k is just no worth the spend.
Mar 11, 2015, 3:23 pm
#186
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 107
(1) What is your MP Status on UA right now?
Platinum (MM/Star Alliance Gold)
(2) What are your plans for earning certain MP Premier status for 2016 AND how will you achieve that status?
I have already flown 39K for 2015 and based on the new mileage award - I will no longer be flying United unless it truly works for me. I live in the DC metro area and have started flying Southwest and AA.
(3) What are your reasons for seeking or not seeking certain Premier Status in 2015 for 2016 with UA?
Based on their new policy, I am choosing to speak with my dollars. As a Platinum and having flown 39K for 2015 and only receiving one upgrade, it was not worth it to me to maintain the relationship. Having 2.3M miles in my account I will fly UA to maintain the account and burn off the miles but I will no longer be loyal as I have been.
Platinum (MM/Star Alliance Gold)
(2) What are your plans for earning certain MP Premier status for 2016 AND how will you achieve that status?
I have already flown 39K for 2015 and based on the new mileage award - I will no longer be flying United unless it truly works for me. I live in the DC metro area and have started flying Southwest and AA.
(3) What are your reasons for seeking or not seeking certain Premier Status in 2015 for 2016 with UA?
Based on their new policy, I am choosing to speak with my dollars. As a Platinum and having flown 39K for 2015 and only receiving one upgrade, it was not worth it to me to maintain the relationship. Having 2.3M miles in my account I will fly UA to maintain the account and burn off the miles but I will no longer be loyal as I have been.
Mar 11, 2015, 3:45 pm
#187
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ORD
Programs: UAL Premier Gold, National Emerald Executive, Marriott Gold
Posts: 7
Hi all. Difficult to answer comprehensively since it's as yet unclear how my international travel will pan out this year. But...
(1) What is your MP Status on UA right now?
Gold
(2) What are your plans for earning certain MP Premier status for 2016 AND how will you achieve that status?
It is not clear when I look at my travel last year (69K on United alone) and attempt to extrapolate whether it would yield Gold status in 2015. (I don't really have the same grasp as most Flyertalk members when it comes to calculating miles, PQMs, etc.) I'm just guessing that making Gold this year is going to be tremendously difficult. For personal travel in the US that I pay for, United is often much more expensive than AA or Delta out of Chicago (let's say to Seattle or San Antonio or Washington DC). So I'm having to make difficult choices this year: if it doesn't look like I'll be able to make Gold even after travelling 50K plus miles, then there is less incentive to choose United on personal trips. My guess is that I'll have one or two professional trips to Afghanistan this year and maybe one more to eastern Europe or Central Asia. And like I say, if those miles exceed 50K but don't get me Gold, I'll start asking for AA instead of UA.
(3) What are your reasons for seeking or not seeking certain Premier Status in 2015 for 2016 with UA?
I'd love to stay Gold. The access to lounges in Europe is a huge benefit. But UA has now made it so difficult to keep my status that I have to re-examine what I used to take for granted.
(1) What is your MP Status on UA right now?
Gold
(2) What are your plans for earning certain MP Premier status for 2016 AND how will you achieve that status?
It is not clear when I look at my travel last year (69K on United alone) and attempt to extrapolate whether it would yield Gold status in 2015. (I don't really have the same grasp as most Flyertalk members when it comes to calculating miles, PQMs, etc.) I'm just guessing that making Gold this year is going to be tremendously difficult. For personal travel in the US that I pay for, United is often much more expensive than AA or Delta out of Chicago (let's say to Seattle or San Antonio or Washington DC). So I'm having to make difficult choices this year: if it doesn't look like I'll be able to make Gold even after travelling 50K plus miles, then there is less incentive to choose United on personal trips. My guess is that I'll have one or two professional trips to Afghanistan this year and maybe one more to eastern Europe or Central Asia. And like I say, if those miles exceed 50K but don't get me Gold, I'll start asking for AA instead of UA.
(3) What are your reasons for seeking or not seeking certain Premier Status in 2015 for 2016 with UA?
I'd love to stay Gold. The access to lounges in Europe is a huge benefit. But UA has now made it so difficult to keep my status that I have to re-examine what I used to take for granted.
May 2, 2015, 1:42 pm
#188
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Port Jefferson, NY 11777
Programs: UA million miler
Posts: 26
Platinum
I am currently Platinum.
At the beginning of the year I had anticipated reaching only Gold because of the higher spend requirements. Now, though, it's looking like I'll hit Platinum again because of unexpected family and work travel.
At the beginning of the year I had anticipated reaching only Gold because of the higher spend requirements. Now, though, it's looking like I'll hit Platinum again because of unexpected family and work travel.
May 2, 2015, 2:34 pm
#189
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: San Jose, CA, USA
Posts: 175
1. Currently Platinum
2. I will drop to Gold. Will stay at Gold due to 1MM.
3. Past status built on Asia travel. Switching entirely to OW (CX and JL) due to better fares, better service, and ability to credit to AA. As MP no longer rewards loyalty (earning AND redeeming), I only fly UA when I get the cheapest flight on Kayak for domestic travel.
2. I will drop to Gold. Will stay at Gold due to 1MM.
3. Past status built on Asia travel. Switching entirely to OW (CX and JL) due to better fares, better service, and ability to credit to AA. As MP no longer rewards loyalty (earning AND redeeming), I only fly UA when I get the cheapest flight on Kayak for domestic travel.
May 2, 2015, 2:40 pm
#190
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 553
(1) Gold this year
(2) It'd be nice to make Gold again, but a lot of my travel has been on OW. So I'll probably end up only Silver if any status on UA for 2016.
(3) I'd like to stay Gold, but a lot of my work travel is on OW -- can't justify the cost or less convenient routings I'd have to take if I tried to use UA for where I go. A lot of my personal travel is on UA but not enough trips this year to make Gold alone on that. PQD makes it even more difficult.
(2) It'd be nice to make Gold again, but a lot of my travel has been on OW. So I'll probably end up only Silver if any status on UA for 2016.
(3) I'd like to stay Gold, but a lot of my work travel is on OW -- can't justify the cost or less convenient routings I'd have to take if I tried to use UA for where I go. A lot of my personal travel is on UA but not enough trips this year to make Gold alone on that. PQD makes it even more difficult.
May 3, 2015, 1:28 pm
#191
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: United 1K
Posts: 360
1. 1K (Currently at 57k PQM/$5,800 PQD)
2. 1K, but if I don’t think I can make PQD, status match to AA, making sure I hit Ex-Plat for 2016, and drop UA. 2 more international trips in addition to planned domestic.
3.
Stay if I think I will make PQD minimum: (Why I would stay)
- International Route
- 747 upper deck
- Lufthansa upgrades
- *A
- New *A lounge at LAX Tom Bradley (Yes, it is that awesome of a lounge).
- UA seems to be improving (But often 1 step forward, 1 – 2 steps back)
- Very concerned about future AA transition.
Why I would leave:
- $12k PQD might be just out of reach
- Poor Upgrade rates (have little faith in getting upgrade) Feel like I need to buy Cheap P tickets to assure first class and get PQD, making me wonder why I am bothering with UA.
- Better upgrades on AA
- Bad coffee
- Bad wine
- Down gauge of Mileage Plus/Elite Program
- Slim line seats (hope to never experience)
- Little/no confidence in Smisek
2. 1K, but if I don’t think I can make PQD, status match to AA, making sure I hit Ex-Plat for 2016, and drop UA. 2 more international trips in addition to planned domestic.
3.
Stay if I think I will make PQD minimum: (Why I would stay)
- International Route
- 747 upper deck
- Lufthansa upgrades
- *A
- New *A lounge at LAX Tom Bradley (Yes, it is that awesome of a lounge).
- UA seems to be improving (But often 1 step forward, 1 – 2 steps back)
- Very concerned about future AA transition.
Why I would leave:
- $12k PQD might be just out of reach
- Poor Upgrade rates (have little faith in getting upgrade) Feel like I need to buy Cheap P tickets to assure first class and get PQD, making me wonder why I am bothering with UA.
- Better upgrades on AA
- Bad coffee
- Bad wine
- Down gauge of Mileage Plus/Elite Program
- Slim line seats (hope to never experience)
- Little/no confidence in Smisek
Last edited by mkrecek; May 3, 2015 at 1:30 pm Reason: Clarification
Jun 6, 2015, 5:08 am
#194
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Monterey
Programs: UA1K, 1MM
Posts: 3
(1) What is your MP Status on UA right now?
1K
(2) What are your plans for earning certain MP Premier status for 2016 AND how will you achieve that status?
Combined business, vacation and pure mileage runs will get me 100K-125K (1K status) miles by November/December time-frame. (currently 39K due to workload and inability to travel) Most travel is across Pacific. Major departure airport SFO makes UA most convenient. Staging of 747s (currently) at SFO also factor in staying with UA (upper deck hard to beat)
(3) What are your reasons for seeking or not seeking certain Premier Status in 2015 for 2016 with UA?
Continued fine-tuning of Mileage Plus and upgrade rules as well as significant loss of benefits since merger have certainly caused me to consider other airline options (AA has on several occasions provided complimentary equivalent status). On the other hand local and connecting UA service reps provide much better personal assistance (when your flight gets delayed or cancelled I'm taken care of pretty well) thsn my experience with AA or DELTA.
1K
(2) What are your plans for earning certain MP Premier status for 2016 AND how will you achieve that status?
Combined business, vacation and pure mileage runs will get me 100K-125K (1K status) miles by November/December time-frame. (currently 39K due to workload and inability to travel) Most travel is across Pacific. Major departure airport SFO makes UA most convenient. Staging of 747s (currently) at SFO also factor in staying with UA (upper deck hard to beat)
(3) What are your reasons for seeking or not seeking certain Premier Status in 2015 for 2016 with UA?
Continued fine-tuning of Mileage Plus and upgrade rules as well as significant loss of benefits since merger have certainly caused me to consider other airline options (AA has on several occasions provided complimentary equivalent status). On the other hand local and connecting UA service reps provide much better personal assistance (when your flight gets delayed or cancelled I'm taken care of pretty well) thsn my experience with AA or DELTA.
Jun 6, 2015, 1:55 pm
#195
Moderator: Mileage Run, United Airlines; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: The City/Honolulu
Programs: UA 3MM; Hyatt Glob*****; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,473
1K 2MM
I have lifetime Platinum as a 2MM (until UA reneges on that). I do not plan to give UA any more money than required to get me where I want to go.
The value of being a 1K has decreased to the point of a title in name only, which is rarely, if ever, recognized. My reasons for not seeking 1K for 2016:
I have to say, it is like getting out of a toxic relationship. Life is good.
- TODs to non-status members instead of those with status.
- GPUs are difficult to use with elusive R space (halfway through the year and I still have 8).
- RDMs not based on miles flown plus status bonus.
- No additional RDMs for Premium Fares.
- Outrageous mileage award amounts for using superior *A carriers.
- 1% RDM earning difference between Platinum and 1K.
I have to say, it is like getting out of a toxic relationship. Life is good.