[Denied by UA Insider]: BIG changes to Million Miler program imminent
#1
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 3
[Denied by UA Insider]: BIG changes to Million Miler program imminent
Recently had a friend book 3 unnecessary transcons for December with overnight returns. When I asked him why, he said that he was ~10k short of 2 million miles and wanted to make it by the end of the year so that he could have Lifetime Plat before they changed the program. Evidently, a friend of his in Willis Tower keyed him into the following changes, and this is what he speculated was going to be happening sometime next year:
Seems like a pretty big devaluation to me
, but when looking at Delta and American's programs (see links below), it looks like United was offering more than them to begin with, and this change just brings UA in line with what Delta and American are currently offering.
Delta: http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...er-status.html
American: https://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/e...lion-miler.jsp
Created a new account here btw so that this "leak" can't be linked back to my MP account if this ends up being true.
Thoughts?
=================================
Postscript
"Hello everyone, original poster of the thread here replying through the moderators. Now that UA Insider has definitively denied this rumor, I thought that I should issue a prompt and sincere apology to all of you. Please understand that it was never my intent to fear-monger or mislead, but instead just to pass on a rumor that I had heard through a friend of a friend so that it could generate an academic discussion as to the future of the MileagePlus program. Most importantly, I think that this will serve as a good lesson to myself on jumping to conclusions when I hear or view other rumors posted on here in the future. Again, I want to re-iterate that I am positively elated UA Insider has denied this rumor (which would have eventually affected me personally as a member of MileagePlus), and I once again truly apologize for any hardship or unnecessary anger that this post may have caused to my fellow members of FlyerTalk or to the employees of United Airlines."
- All Million Miler tiers will move down one "notch." Example: 1 Million will now be Silver for life, 2 million=Gold, etc.
- There will no longer be a way to get GS for life. 4 million will be 1k for life, with no 5 million tier. However, certain "high-revenue" flyers will be eligible for lifetime GS by invitation.
- GPUs and RPUs will no longer be given to Lifetime 1Ks and Plats if they have not met the annual PQM quota for their respective lifetime status level in a given year. Example: Someone who is lifetime 1k will not receive any instruments if they only get 50k PQMs in the year, if they fly 75K PQMs they will receive 2 RPUs, and if they fly 100k+ PQMs only then will they receive 6 GPUs.
- People who made a certain lifetime status before the effective date of the change will be grandfathered.
- The companion status benefit will remain the same.
Seems like a pretty big devaluation to me

Delta: http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...er-status.html
American: https://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/e...lion-miler.jsp
Created a new account here btw so that this "leak" can't be linked back to my MP account if this ends up being true.
Thoughts?
=================================
Postscript
"Hello everyone, original poster of the thread here replying through the moderators. Now that UA Insider has definitively denied this rumor, I thought that I should issue a prompt and sincere apology to all of you. Please understand that it was never my intent to fear-monger or mislead, but instead just to pass on a rumor that I had heard through a friend of a friend so that it could generate an academic discussion as to the future of the MileagePlus program. Most importantly, I think that this will serve as a good lesson to myself on jumping to conclusions when I hear or view other rumors posted on here in the future. Again, I want to re-iterate that I am positively elated UA Insider has denied this rumor (which would have eventually affected me personally as a member of MileagePlus), and I once again truly apologize for any hardship or unnecessary anger that this post may have caused to my fellow members of FlyerTalk or to the employees of United Airlines."
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 3, 15 at 10:59 pm Reason: postscript

#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1K 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Ti, LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 54,638

#3
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: UA 1K; Marriott LT Titanium; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 672
Wow...seriously hope this isn't true. My only goal was to hit 1MM. But if it only silver...might have to reconsider

#4
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: New York NY
Programs: UA Gold, CO Plat, CO Million Miler
Posts: 2,573
Whew! I was sweating being downgraded to Silver from Lifetime Gold until I read that I will be grandfathered.

#5
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Since the BoSox and ChiSox won it, now it is the Cubs turn to take the Series. Go Cubs Go!
Posts: 3,685
Recently had a friend book 3 unnecessary transcons for December with overnight returns. When I asked him why, he said that he was ~10k short of 2 million miles and wanted to make it by the end of the year so that he could have Lifetime Plat before they changed the program. Evidently, a friend of his in Willis Tower keyed him into the following changes happening sometime next year:
Seems like a pretty big devaluation to me
, but when looking at Delta and American's programs (see links below), it looks like United was offering more than them to begin with, and this change just brings UA in line with what Delta and American are currently offering.
Delta: http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...er-status.html
American: https://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/e...lion-miler.jsp
Created a new account here btw so that this "leak" can't be linked back to my MP account if this ends up being true.
Thoughts?
- All Million Miler tiers will move down one "notch." Example: 1 Million will now be Silver for life, 2 million=Gold, etc.
- There will no longer be a way to get GS for life. 4 million will be 1k for life, with no 5 million tier. However, certain "high-revenue" flyers will be eligible for lifetime GS by invitation.
- GPUs and RPUs will no longer be given to Lifetime 1Ks and Plats if they have not met the annual PQM quota for their respective lifetime status level in a given year. Example: Someone who is lifetime 1k will not receive any instruments if they only get 50k PQMs in the year, if they fly 75K PQMs they will receive 2 RPUs, and if they fly 100k+ PQMs only then will they receive 6 GPUs.
- People who made a certain lifetime status before the effective date of the change will be grandfathered.
- The companion status benefit will remain the same.
Seems like a pretty big devaluation to me

Delta: http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...er-status.html
American: https://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/e...lion-miler.jsp
Created a new account here btw so that this "leak" can't be linked back to my MP account if this ends up being true.
Thoughts?
Last edited by chitownflyer; Dec 1, 15 at 8:13 pm

#6
Join Date: May 2005
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K/1.5MM, HHonors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz PC, National Emerald Executive
Posts: 422
Recently had a friend book 3 unnecessary transcons for December with overnight returns. When I asked him why, he said that he was ~10k short of 2 million miles and wanted to make it by the end of the year so that he could have Lifetime Plat before they changed the program. Evidently, a friend of his in Willis Tower keyed him into the following changes happening sometime next year:
Seems like a pretty big devaluation to me
, but when looking at Delta and American's programs (see links below), it looks like United was offering more than them to begin with, and this change just brings UA in line with what Delta and American are currently offering.
Delta: http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...er-status.html
American: https://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/e...lion-miler.jsp
Created a new account here btw so that this "leak" can't be linked back to my MP account if this ends up being true.
Thoughts?
- All Million Miler tiers will move down one "notch." Example: 1 Million will now be Silver for life, 2 million=Gold, etc.
- There will no longer be a way to get GS for life. 4 million will be 1k for life, with no 5 million tier. However, certain "high-revenue" flyers will be eligible for lifetime GS by invitation.
- GPUs and RPUs will no longer be given to Lifetime 1Ks and Plats if they have not met the annual PQM quota for their respective lifetime status level in a given year. Example: Someone who is lifetime 1k will not receive any instruments if they only get 50k PQMs in the year, if they fly 75K PQMs they will receive 2 RPUs, and if they fly 100k+ PQMs only then will they receive 6 GPUs.
- People who made a certain lifetime status before the effective date of the change will be grandfathered.
- The companion status benefit will remain the same.
Seems like a pretty big devaluation to me

Delta: http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...er-status.html
American: https://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/e...lion-miler.jsp
Created a new account here btw so that this "leak" can't be linked back to my MP account if this ends up being true.
Thoughts?

#7
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: DCA
Programs: UA LT 1K, AA EXP, Bonvoy LT Titan, Avis PC, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,587
One difference between UA and AA - that UA (and merged CO) is based on BIS only (and CO had earlier counted EQM). But AA for a very long time included Elite bonus miles and CC (basically all miles earned). So there are lots of AA LT Platinum that earned it for less than 2MM BIS. So an earlier AA Plat that earned a 100% bonus only needed 1MM for mid-term LT. And that is not counting CC.
You might have some AA LT Plat that have never flown AA.
You might have some AA LT Plat that have never flown AA.

#8
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Programs: Former 1KMM now free as UA Gold MM, former HH D, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 1,119

#9
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,863
This would be a great change; it would let me feel no guilt about abandoning UA after 750k lifetime miles.

#10
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Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 3
I should mention that I almost didn't post this because I would feel EXTRAORDINARILY BAD if anyone did any un-necessary flying to quickly make a certain MM tier and then this rumor ended up being untrue -- so I should mention a few caveats:
From what I've heard, I would not personally do any extra flying if I was close to a MM tier unless I was in a position where I would not be disappointed by having spent money on MRs without these changes occurring.
Still, ultimately felt like I was obligated to put it out there to see what everyone thought in the event that it was true...
- When he and his friend last talked, his friend said that these changes were being "considered" and were definitely NOT finalized. He is doing the Mileage Runs in December out of extreme caution and an abundance of free cash.
- Also, they were conceived under SMI/J, and evidently "all changes are being delayed and reconsidered" until Munoz takes the throne. So, we might not see this happen for awhile or at all.
From what I've heard, I would not personally do any extra flying if I was close to a MM tier unless I was in a position where I would not be disappointed by having spent money on MRs without these changes occurring.
Still, ultimately felt like I was obligated to put it out there to see what everyone thought in the event that it was true...
Last edited by RumorMill; Dec 1, 15 at 9:17 pm

#11
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: UA 1K; Marriott LT Titanium; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 672
I should mention that I almost didn't post this because I would feel EXTRAORDINARILY BAD if anyone did any un-necessary flying to quickly make a certain MM tier and then this rumor ended up being untrue -- so I should mention a few caveats:
From what I've heard, I would not personally do any extra flying if I was close to a MM tier unless I was in a position where I would not be disappointed by having spent money on MRs without these changes occurring.
Still, ultimately felt like I was obligated to put it out there to see what everyone thought in the event that it was true...
- When he and his friend last talked, his friend said that these changes were being "considered." He is doing the Mileage Runs in December out of extreme caution and an abundance of free cash.
- Also, they were conceived under SMI/J, and evidently "all changes are being delayed and reconsidered" until Munoz takes the throne. So, we might not see this happen for awhile or at all.
From what I've heard, I would not personally do any extra flying if I was close to a MM tier unless I was in a position where I would not be disappointed by having spent money on MRs without these changes occurring.
Still, ultimately felt like I was obligated to put it out there to see what everyone thought in the event that it was true...

#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 21,704
One difference between UA and AA - that UA (and merged CO) is based on BIS only (and CO had earlier counted EQM). But AA for a very long time included Elite bonus miles and CC (basically all miles earned). So there are lots of AA LT Platinum that earned it for less than 2MM BIS. So an earlier AA Plat that earned a 100% bonus only needed 1MM for mid-term LT. And that is not counting CC.
You might have some AA LT Plat that have never flown AA.
You might have some AA LT Plat that have never flown AA.

#13
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP, lowly UA 1K; Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold; National EC, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,205
Lifetime 2P is a complete joke. Anyone who flies 1M miles shouldn't get credit card perks.
I can understand axing the lifetime GS (or perhaps make it 5 or 6MM) and even the full allotment of SWUs but still brining everything down a rung is just crazy.
I can understand axing the lifetime GS (or perhaps make it 5 or 6MM) and even the full allotment of SWUs but still brining everything down a rung is just crazy.

#14
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: AA DULtArer
Posts: 5,522
b
Your premise that the program will be devalued again is a certainty.
MM status chasers are the most pitiful marks.

#15
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Bloomfield, NJ
Programs: UA Platinum, Million Miler, Marriott Ambassador, lifetime gold
Posts: 953
I"m not the last bit surprised by this. I expected it. I killed myself this past year getting MM fearing this would happen. I hope I stay grandfathered in.
I did MM strictly on my own person leisure travel, and $, so for me, its' a HUGE personal accomplishment.
I did MM strictly on my own person leisure travel, and $, so for me, its' a HUGE personal accomplishment.
Last edited by JerseyCityS; Dec 1, 15 at 9:54 pm
