Mar 12, 2015, 5:52 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Initial announcement thread - 2015 MileagePlus Change - RDMs Will Be Calculated by Spend, Not Distance
Update 2019 -- includes all partner flights on 016 ticket
for non-016 ticket , see Earning Status (PQP) on non-016 Tickets and Partner Metal
Spend-based mileage (RDM) earning for all UA metal flights effective March 1, 2015.
Redeemable Miles (RDM) changes highlights:
Multipliers based on Premier status: & (breakeven CPM)
For example, a 1K would earn 1100 miles for a $100 ticket while a Silver would earn 700 miles for the same ticket.
Note that for itineraries which span the March 1 changeover date, the existing scheme will apply to any segment departing prior to March 1 , the new scheme will apply to the segments departing March 1 or after.
Appears no extra mileage for using a Chase MP card than the standard card mileage earning
As there is a maximum number of miles per ticket earned - this disincentives purchasing any ticket (excluding government taxes and fees) over the following:
A way to avoid this is booking one-ways if the fare rules permit.
Premier Qualifying Miles (PQM) are not affected by this change.
Announcement Sitewww.mileageplusupdates.com
There is a tool on the site that allow you to enter how much you spent on a ticket along your premier status in order to calculate how many miles you will earn under the new system. The tool is aware of the miles per ticket limit.
There is a FAQ here: http://mileageplusupdates.com/faq.html
Relevant UA Insider posts:
Post 57: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/23008349-post57.html
Answered Questions:
Class of service bonuses have been discontinued under the new system. There is already an adjustment for 1K over general members.
For tickets that will earn award miles based on ticket price, the class-of-service bonus and Premier bonus will be included in the number of award miles you earn per dollar. Basically COS has been removed.
E-mail received by GS lists 1K and GS together.
Unanswered Questions:
Unknown, but the FAQ indicates that all UA and UAx flights issued by ANY airline would be subjected to the new earning rates. There are exceptions (group tickets, bulk tickets, etc) like "Specialty Tickets" as mentioned below.
It is mentioned in the FAQ: If applicable, Premier bonus award miles will be based on a member’s Premier status and the lower of the distance flown or miles awarded, per the chart above. Basically the bonus miles will be awarded but based on the lower number (i.e. distance flown for higher fares or the % based on fare). A 1K passenger purchasing F-fare from EWR-SFO would get only a 2565 mile bonus while a N-fare would get (50% of 2565) 1283 mile bonus. Still unclear what are the percentage bonus of each premier level but assume that it is the same (100% GS/1K, 75% Plat, 50% Gold, 25% Silver).
Specialty Tickets:
Update 2019 -- includes all partner flights on 016 ticket
for non-016 ticket , see Earning Status (PQP) on non-016 Tickets and Partner Metal
Spend-based mileage (RDM) earning for all UA metal flights effective March 1, 2015.
Redeemable Miles (RDM) changes highlights:
- Miles earned will now be based on the ticket price instead of the number of miles flown
- Ticket price is defined as base fare plus carrier-imposed surcharges (PQD)
- Class of service bonuses have been discontinued (e.g. X% more on A fares).
- There is a limit of 75,000 miles earned per ticket (see below for spending limits by status)
Multipliers based on Premier status: & (breakeven CPM)
- x5 General Members -- (20 cpm)
- x7 Silver -- (17.86 cpm)
- x8 Gold -- (18.75 cpm)
- x9 Plat -- (19.44 cpm)
- x11 1K/GS -- (18.18 cpm)
For example, a 1K would earn 1100 miles for a $100 ticket while a Silver would earn 700 miles for the same ticket.
Note that for itineraries which span the March 1 changeover date, the existing scheme will apply to any segment departing prior to March 1 , the new scheme will apply to the segments departing March 1 or after.
Appears no extra mileage for using a Chase MP card than the standard card mileage earning
As there is a maximum number of miles per ticket earned - this disincentives purchasing any ticket (excluding government taxes and fees) over the following:
- $6818.18 for 1K/GS
- $8333.33 for Platinum
- $9375.00 for Gold
- $10714.28 for Silver
- $15000.00 for General Members
A way to avoid this is booking one-ways if the fare rules permit.
Premier Qualifying Miles (PQM) are not affected by this change.
Announcement Sitewww.mileageplusupdates.com
There is a tool on the site that allow you to enter how much you spent on a ticket along your premier status in order to calculate how many miles you will earn under the new system. The tool is aware of the miles per ticket limit.
There is a FAQ here: http://mileageplusupdates.com/faq.html
Relevant UA Insider posts:
Post 57: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/23008349-post57.html
Hi everyone,
Today we’re announcing changes to how MileagePlus members will earn award miles in 2015. We’ve posted complete details and a FAQ on united.com, but I wanted to share an excerpt of the key points with you directly:
As of March 1, 2015, the award miles you earn on most United and United Express tickets will be based on your ticket price (that is, base fare plus carrier-imposed surcharges) and your MileagePlus status, instead of the distance you travel. The new criteria for earning award miles will look like this:
<portion removed for brevity>
The changes to earning award miles will apply to all MileagePlus members worldwide, and will be based on status at the time of flight on or after March 1, 2015. These changes will not affect the qualification requirements for 2015 Premier status. PQM and PQS will still be based on the number of paid flight miles traveled and the fare purchased. And where applicable, PQD will still be determined by the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges.
As mentioned above, there are more details and a FAQ posted online, and over the next few days we’ll be communicating this information to our members.
Today we’re announcing changes to how MileagePlus members will earn award miles in 2015. We’ve posted complete details and a FAQ on united.com, but I wanted to share an excerpt of the key points with you directly:
As of March 1, 2015, the award miles you earn on most United and United Express tickets will be based on your ticket price (that is, base fare plus carrier-imposed surcharges) and your MileagePlus status, instead of the distance you travel. The new criteria for earning award miles will look like this:
<portion removed for brevity>
The changes to earning award miles will apply to all MileagePlus members worldwide, and will be based on status at the time of flight on or after March 1, 2015. These changes will not affect the qualification requirements for 2015 Premier status. PQM and PQS will still be based on the number of paid flight miles traveled and the fare purchased. And where applicable, PQD will still be determined by the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges.
As mentioned above, there are more details and a FAQ posted online, and over the next few days we’ll be communicating this information to our members.
Unanswered Questions:
It is mentioned in the FAQ: If applicable, Premier bonus award miles will be based on a member’s Premier status and the lower of the distance flown or miles awarded, per the chart above. Basically the bonus miles will be awarded but based on the lower number (i.e. distance flown for higher fares or the % based on fare). A 1K passenger purchasing F-fare from EWR-SFO would get only a 2565 mile bonus while a N-fare would get (50% of 2565) 1283 mile bonus. Still unclear what are the percentage bonus of each premier level but assume that it is the same (100% GS/1K, 75% Plat, 50% Gold, 25% Silver).
Specialty Tickets:
Specialty tickets that earn award miles in the current program (including, but not limited to consolidator/bulk, group, tour and other tickets where the fare paid is not disclosed on the ticket) will earn award miles based on a percentage of the distance flown and the purchased fare class as of March 1, 2015. Please refer to the chart below for details.
Eligible fare classes
Flight operated by United and United Express
150% - J, C, D, Z, P, F, A
100% - Y, B, M
75% - E, U, H, Q, V, W
50% - S, T, L, K, G, N
Eligible fare classes
Flight operated by United and United Express
150% - J, C, D, Z, P, F, A
100% - Y, B, M
75% - E, U, H, Q, V, W
50% - S, T, L, K, G, N
RDM earnings for UA tickets / UA operated flights - based on spend (PQD, now PQPs)
Mar 10, 2015, 3:29 pm
#197
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 5
Violins, please: Why a rip-off? I guess it depends upon your perspective. I've been a loyal United customer since 1986 and have accrued over 1.2m miles, many on business class fares where my employer allowed. I've been 1K about 7 of those years and have made best effort to funnel as much (at least >2/3) of my flights to United even in lean travel years. I felt that my relationship with United over the years was truly a partnership and investment (sucker). For many years the Mileage Plus program had allowed be to accrue enough miles to take an annual vacation, initially with SO, and now with my wife and three children. I also was upgraded at least 1/3 or 1/4 of flights. This all seems to have ground to a halt in the last few years with massive award mileage inflation, and especially after the Continental merger. Now I can rarely find award seats for my family and almost never am upgraded. And now with the March 1 changes I'm accruing fewer miles. I can see why 1K's and business class passengers like the new changes (I'm at an early stage startup company now so we buy economy seats - for now). But for those of us with a long history with United, who have seen what an effective mileage program can be like, this is a ripoff. These new changes will not encourage me to purchase more expensive tickets - I'll just start buying cheaper tickets on other airlines and as Often1 says keep the pile of cash and use that to buy my own vacation tickets. Not sure if that's what United intended here. I am in the service (B2B and consumer) business myself so I know how important it is to retain loyal customers. I would have thought that United would consider that before chiseling benefits from Million Milers. End violins.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Mar 10, 2015 at 4:06 pm Reason: discuss the issues, not the posters
Mar 10, 2015, 3:40 pm
#198
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,029
I don't think anyone is apologizing for UA, they're just telling you it is what it is.
Mar 10, 2015, 3:43 pm
#199
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,480
UA has been pretty up front about disclosing its new mileage earning scheme. Many of us don't like the scheme one bit. But the term "rip off" - and the attendant suggestion of deceptive conduct - does not seem warranted.
Nor does one need to be a UA apologist to concede, somewhat reluctantly, that earning 10,000 miles on a $277 ticket (as I did earlier this year SFO-JFK) really was too good to last forever.
Mar 10, 2015, 3:43 pm
#200
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
Tom in Dublin, Ireland
Mar 10, 2015, 3:45 pm
#201
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: IAD
Programs: UA Gold + 1MM; HHonors Gold; Marriott Plat
Posts: 747
Violins, please: Why a rip-off? I guess it depends upon your perspective. I've been a loyal United customer since 1986 and have accrued over 1.2m miles, many on business class fares where my employer allowed. I've been 1K about 7 of those years and have made best effort to funnel as much (at least >2/3) of my flights to United even in lean travel years. I felt that my relationship with United over the years was truly a partnership and investment (sucker). ...
I recently flew IAD-LAS on two one-way tix. One was priced at over $600 and the other at around $200. Under the old model, I earned the same # of miles for each leg (yippie). Under the new model, I would have earned almost much more on the $600 ticket and much less on the cheaper one. Logical to me.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Mar 10, 2015 at 4:09 pm Reason: updated quote to reflect mod edit
Mar 10, 2015, 4:40 pm
#202
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Violins, please: Why a rip-off? I guess it depends upon your perspective. I've been a loyal United customer since 1986 and have accrued over 1.2m miles, many on business class fares where my employer allowed. I've been 1K about 7 of those years and have made best effort to funnel as much (at least >2/3) of my flights to United even in lean travel years. I felt that my relationship with United over the years was truly a partnership and investment (sucker). For many years the Mileage Plus program had allowed be to accrue enough miles to take an annual vacation, initially with SO, and now with my wife and three children. I also was upgraded at least 1/3 or 1/4 of flights. This all seems to have ground to a halt in the last few years with massive award mileage inflation, and especially after the Continental merger. Now I can rarely find award seats for my family and almost never am upgraded. And now with the March 1 changes I'm accruing fewer miles. I can see why 1K's and business class passengers like the new changes (I'm at an early stage startup company now so we buy economy seats - for now). But for those of us with a long history with United, who have seen what an effective mileage program can be like, this is a ripoff. These new changes will not encourage me to purchase more expensive tickets - I'll just start buying cheaper tickets on other airlines and as Often1 says keep the pile of cash and use that to buy my own vacation tickets. Not sure if that's what United intended here. I am in the service (B2B and consumer) business myself so I know how important it is to retain loyal customers. I would have thought that United would consider that before chiseling benefits from Million Milers. End violins.
2. Stop with the sCO stuff. The new program has zippo to do with the merger (although you can see the same stuff from NW people at DL and US people with what they are getting at AA). This has nothing to do with the merger and, if it did, that's way in the past.
3. What you spent in the past was for services which you've already got and perks from which you personally benefited, e.g., free family vacations (your employer paid for the tickets).
4. That life is over. It's not just over at UA, its's over at AA and DL as well. So, how do you earn? You spend $. The notion that you got the same # of miles for a $200 ticket as a $2K ticket was never viable and now it's less viable.
Mar 10, 2015, 4:48 pm
#203
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Philadelphia, LAX, Paris
Programs: UA 1K/2MM, SPG/Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Lifetime HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 3,331
1. It's not a partnership. UA is running a business and you apparently fly for an employer who runs another business. All you have with UA is a business relationship.
2. Stop with the sCO stuff. The new program has zippo to do with the merger (although you can see the same stuff from NW people at DL and US people with what they are getting at AA). This has nothing to do with the merger and, if it did, that's way in the past.
3. What you spent in the past was for services which you've already got and perks from which you personally benefited, e.g., free family vacations (your employer paid for the tickets).
4. That life is over. It's not just over at UA, its's over at AA and DL as well. So, how do you earn? You spend $. The notion that you got the same # of miles for a $200 ticket as a $2K ticket was never viable and now it's less viable.
2. Stop with the sCO stuff. The new program has zippo to do with the merger (although you can see the same stuff from NW people at DL and US people with what they are getting at AA). This has nothing to do with the merger and, if it did, that's way in the past.
3. What you spent in the past was for services which you've already got and perks from which you personally benefited, e.g., free family vacations (your employer paid for the tickets).
4. That life is over. It's not just over at UA, its's over at AA and DL as well. So, how do you earn? You spend $. The notion that you got the same # of miles for a $200 ticket as a $2K ticket was never viable and now it's less viable.
This thread is so long because so many people kept on insisting in living in the past!
This is the way it is today with UA, so either stay and adapt, or leave. Simple as that!
Mar 10, 2015, 4:55 pm
#204
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: JZRO
Posts: 9,169
1. It's not a partnership. UA is running a business and you apparently fly for an employer who runs another business. All you have with UA is a business relationship.
2. Stop with the sCO stuff. The new program has zippo to do with the merger (although you can see the same stuff from NW people at DL and US people with what they are getting at AA). This has nothing to do with the merger and, if it did, that's way in the past.
3. What you spent in the past was for services which you've already got and perks from which you personally benefited, e.g., free family vacations (your employer paid for the tickets).
4. That life is over. It's not just over at UA, its's over at AA and DL as well. So, how do you earn? You spend $. The notion that you got the same # of miles for a $200 ticket as a $2K ticket was never viable and now it's less viable.
2. Stop with the sCO stuff. The new program has zippo to do with the merger (although you can see the same stuff from NW people at DL and US people with what they are getting at AA). This has nothing to do with the merger and, if it did, that's way in the past.
3. What you spent in the past was for services which you've already got and perks from which you personally benefited, e.g., free family vacations (your employer paid for the tickets).
4. That life is over. It's not just over at UA, its's over at AA and DL as well. So, how do you earn? You spend $. The notion that you got the same # of miles for a $200 ticket as a $2K ticket was never viable and now it's less viable.
Special citation for tough love.
RNE, congratulating you.
Mar 10, 2015, 6:51 pm
#205
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 5
Disagree with your assessment on the merger. This is what happens when there is too much consolidation in an industry. Companies become too big to listen to their customers. And prices go up. The same will happen in telecoms if T-Mobile is swallowed up by AT&T or Verizon. The beauty of our free market economy is that when big companies take eyes off the ball, upstarts swoop in with a better proposition. I see United as the Blackberry of 2007 - everyone gets a keyboard. Wait until the Apple of airlines emerges.
Mar 10, 2015, 8:02 pm
#206
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: PDX/HIO
Programs: AS MVPG; Hertz Pres; Tanquery Million Minier
Posts: 375
The same will happen in telecoms if T-Mobile is swallowed up by AT&T or Verizon. The beauty of our free market economy is that when big companies take eyes off the ball, upstarts swoop in with a better proposition. I see United as the Blackberry of 2007 - everyone gets a keyboard. Wait until the Apple of airlines emerges.
To keep this slightly on-topic, consolidation (both mergers and fleet downsizing) means the airlines no longer need to offer rebates to fill their planes. The real test of this will come when a) reward miles become impossible to redeem at more than 1 cent per mile, and b) consumers dump their airline co-branded credit cards.
Mar 10, 2015, 9:59 pm
#207
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Dayton
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, National Emerald Exec
Posts: 240
This change happens regardless of any of the mergers, and it only makes sense. Sure if you were used to getting cheap fares and earning huge miles its the pits. But seriously ask yourself if that is what a business should be rewarding in its loyalty program? (Hint it sure isn't)
Like it or not revenue based earning is the way of the future for all the airlines, it so strongly rewards premium cabin purchases that you would be foolish to buy biz seats on an airline that doesn't base it on spend. Theoretically with two one way tickets a pax can bank 150,000 miles in a single trip. The last thing any airline wants is to see the people actually buying first class jumping ship because Delta offers them 1000% more miles on the same fare.
Besides that this change is huge for those of us who fly short distance/high segment flights. It doesn't make the 120 segments sting any less but at least my mileage balance is filling up substantially faster now vs the minimum segment (500) earning.
Mar 10, 2015, 10:09 pm
#208
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
Disagree with your disagreement...
This change happens regardless of any of the mergers, and it only makes sense. Sure if you were used to getting cheap fares and earning huge miles its the pits. But seriously ask yourself if that is what a business should be rewarding in its loyalty program? (Hint it sure isn't)
This change happens regardless of any of the mergers, and it only makes sense. Sure if you were used to getting cheap fares and earning huge miles its the pits. But seriously ask yourself if that is what a business should be rewarding in its loyalty program? (Hint it sure isn't)
Ultimately, if I were to design a loyalty program, I would want to reward those that spend the big $$ and keep them loyal vs. those that are buying the deep discount tickets.
Let me tell you... I was one of those people in the past that did a LOT of cheap travel and banked many hundreds of thousands of RDM's. I can tell you that I didn't deserve them, and certainly didn't deserve all the business class int'l tickets that I spent them on... UA certainly didn't make $$ from me during that time.... I don't see how they could have continued rewarding those behaviors.
Now, I feel that the ship has been righted.... and though that's going to pinch me on my personal travels, I can tell you that I do believe it's justified.... though I am a bit biased because my business travels will compensate those lost miles and more with all the last minute travel patterns. Even if everything changed and my business travel slowed or stopped, I will still believe that the changes are for the best, and besides, if I were to run this business, these are the decisions I would have made (though I would try to not so blatantly copy DL's changes).
Mar 10, 2015, 10:31 pm
#209
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Bangkok or San Francisco
Programs: United 1k, Marriott Lifetime PE, Former DL Gold, Former SQ Solitaire, HH Gold
Posts: 11,886
This change happens regardless of any of the mergers, and it only makes sense. Sure if you were used to getting cheap fares and earning huge miles its the pits. But seriously ask yourself if that is what a business should be rewarding in its loyalty program? (Hint it sure isn't)
I would like to hear someone try to justify that two travelers should be rewarded the exact same # of RDM's when one spent 0.3X$$ on a K class fare while the other paid X$$ for a M class fare on the same flight.
Ultimately, if I were to design a loyalty program, I would want to reward those that spend the big $$ and keep them loyal vs. those that are buying the deep discount tickets.
Ultimately, if I were to design a loyalty program, I would want to reward those that spend the big $$ and keep them loyal vs. those that are buying the deep discount tickets.
The logic is simple and unassailable.
Mar 10, 2015, 11:59 pm
#210
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: London; Bangkok; Las Vegas
Programs: AA Exec Plat; UA MM Gold; Marriott Lifetime Titanium; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,745
Both right. UA is in business to make money, not to put butts in seats. Certain customers earn them more profit than other customers. Those are the customers that they want to target with the highest incentives. That doesn't mean that they don't want the low budget, discount flyers. It means that they are not willing to spend as much money (in the form of RDMs) to keep the low paying customers as they are to keep the high paying customers.
The logic is simple and unassailable.
The logic is simple and unassailable.
Looking at the PRASM numbers, I am not the only one.