Plane-is-home

I don't mind it, but be honest, this is the first step to a purely spent based system for status. I rarely agree with UA but I believe that would be a good thing.

StringerBellBivDeVoe

I agree it is going that way, but how is that a good thing? Isn't buying F/J fares effectively the same thing? Now they are making it so hard to ever score a CPU/RPU/CPU that buying F/J is the only way into F/J. And if that is the case, what would stop me from buying F/J on another airline?

Backing up because maybe I'm missing something - if you are someone that is routinely buying F/J anyway, why do you care about status?

PDewar

Good question... My only thought is perhaps this will push those people on the edge between Econ/Business to go ahead and buy the higher class in order to reach a status (whether it be their first time or trying to go one level higher).

escapefromphl

I assume the PQM fare bonus wont count towards MM, just the regular BIS miles?

Artpen100

Just because I fly a lot on purchased business doesn't mean I can't use GPUs. For example, I will frequently buy business going east TATL, then use miles and co-pay for the return when R is available (which it more frequently is). So I don't know that I will use upgrades any more than before, just do it differently. And I don't think a CPU is worth much at any level.

I don't know if this will increase the number of elites so much as continue to push it more to a dollars-based group than a miles-based group. Whether that is a good business move or not seems to me to depend on how the behavior of those groups might respond. Maybe the miles-based group is inelastic; I don't know. I suspect those looking to purchase business or first can move around among airlines fairly easily.

Of course, if they make even less R available, that could work into the equation, too. If retail prices stay high ($6K-$7K, e.g.), they don't discount much, and don't make R available at least on one leg so a GPU is not worth much, I don't know that I would have much reason for choosing UA. AF has definitely had less O space this year on my itineraries, and that has impacted my choices. BA seems to be easier to upgrade with avios on some dates I am looking at.

teeceedee

All else being equal, this will increase the number of elites.

I don't purchase premium cabins, so this won't (directly) affect me. But this is a reasonable change and I can get behind the logic.

UA_Flyer

I wonder if United has problem filling its premium cabins with paid customers.

If this move can generate more $ to United and provide higher level of benefits to those who purchase premium cabin fares, then it is good for all of those involved

Mimimum impact to me as a lifetime 1K member as it won't get me closer to 4MM-lifetime GS status. It is still BIS matters to me..

MrOCTeckels

Take a look at the LH earning tables... the PQM rates are increasing there too. Most importantly for me, LH P fares now earn 200%, instead of 100%.

SF1K

Thinking exactly the same here. I'm very excited about this as getting to 1K is getting more and more tiring each year (I think mostly because of me getting older and older each year - LOL!). I've been buying a lot of P and this will encourage me to that even more so. Unfortunately (for UA) it will also probably mean that I flyer less overall and some more $$ will go to AS and/or AS partners and I may actually be able to make MVP Gold instead of just MVP.

LaserSailor

The trend has nothing to do with OPM and is simply that more people are buying J over those trying to buy C and then climb up. True on all three legacies.

worldwidedreamer

From my perspective this change increasingly puts passengers into one of three buckets: 1k's & GS (decent CPU rate) + credit card holders & other elites (decent E+ rate) + everyone else (transactional customers).

Unless Economy Plus gets meal service and free drinks, I'll become a transactional customer.

As a credit card holder + Plat, this change encourages me to choose flights just based on fare along with applying for credit cards on VX and DL.

exerda

I dunno; my anecdotal experience this year has been that for the typical flight, only a handful of the pax show up as upgrades in F on domestic flights. I think UA is selling discounted F at rates many more pax are willing to pay--the losers being those business travelers who are precluded from buying F fares (and there are more of those than you'd realize).

That, and maybe TODs are still having an impact. But for a typical A320 flight, most of the year I've seen 2-3 pax listed as upgraded, and on a 739, 4-6 pax in the same category.


I would share that assumption.


I also think that operational issues have had something to do with that, not just getting older. I used to enjoy flying and wouldn't mind odd connections so long as I got to visit a new airport or try out a different plane; I used to upgrade a lot (instruments, miles, even CPUs), but now buy F much more often. And now, I want nonstops wherever I go, and want plenty of backups available for irrops, and when I do connect, I want a 2 hour connection. All because flying has become a chore.

cricketer

As others have said, all of this continues to point to the $ being what matters and that's it. The only impact to me is likely to be a few extra GPU's earned. And if I change jobs and stop flying, then I won't make 1K at all. I guess the other impact will be more 1K's, but there've been more and fewer in different years (for all I know) and life just keeps going on.

Richym99

Hard to believe some of the negativity so far to what should be seen as positive step. It's as if nothing that UA does, good or bad will be good enough for some on this board.

From my own perspective, this will certainly give me the incentive to buy up to business to retain my 1K status. This year, I took two trips from London to Rio via Houston and two mainland US to SIN trips, plus a London to Vegas trip. Fortunately, as an overseas member I don't have the PQD issue. Next year, a couple of trips to Brazil in business will take care of much of the travel, plus planned trips to New York and Florida. It will cost me slightly more overall, but in terms of time and pain, it will be worth it.

thebakaronis

So far I've found that only LH and LX are participating in the increased PQM program. Which is a bummer since AI and Air China aren't in it; they usually have cheaper Business Class fares. Am I missing any other partner?