Platinum the new silver
Feb 1, 2016, 3:32 pm
#16
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: gggrrrovvveee (ORD)
Programs: UA Pt, Marriott Ti, Hertz PC
Posts: 6,091
Pt does indeed have many nice benefits over Ag and Au. In addition to free award changes and redeposits, Group 1 and E+ companion limits are huge. I mentioned in another thread, but hoping my family's E+ assignments stick until our spring break trip in March. Otherwise, I will try to fall back to 2 in E+ and 2 in the E- row directly behind, if available.
Feb 1, 2016, 5:56 pm
#18
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: PDX
Programs: DL Plat, UA Plat 1MM, AS MVP, Hyatt Discoverist, Avis Presidents Club, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 3,938
Platinum may not be so useful for CPU -- my UG percentage as a Plat on PDX-SFO commutes last year was less than 10% -- but there are other benefits:
I get E+ every single time* and bring my whole family with me when they travel
Always board in group 1 and get overhead space at my seat
Very easy to use my miles and redeposit for free
* not when booking last minute
Go fly for a year as a silver and tell me you don't wish you were Platinum again; even if as Plats we're close but not close enough to the top of the UG list.
I get E+ every single time* and bring my whole family with me when they travel
Always board in group 1 and get overhead space at my seat
Very easy to use my miles and redeposit for free
* not when booking last minute
Go fly for a year as a silver and tell me you don't wish you were Platinum again; even if as Plats we're close but not close enough to the top of the UG list.
Feb 1, 2016, 6:10 pm
#19
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA Premier Gold, Starwood Gold, Plat AE, CO PP MC, Marriott Rewards Plat, Virgin Elevate Gold
Posts: 1,416
Wait, so if Platinum "now" is the new Silver, and I am currently a Silver "now" - whats the new thing for me?
Longtime loyal CO flyer.
Was a Silver Elite mostly (Gold some years / Bronze others)
Flying was unreal. My upgrades would happen about 70% for me. Most routes were LAX-JAX , LAX-IAH, and/or LAX-EWR
Those days are long gone.
I'll bet the Silver "now" isnt even the new Bronze is it?
Longtime loyal CO flyer.
Was a Silver Elite mostly (Gold some years / Bronze others)
Flying was unreal. My upgrades would happen about 70% for me. Most routes were LAX-JAX , LAX-IAH, and/or LAX-EWR
Those days are long gone.
I'll bet the Silver "now" isnt even the new Bronze is it?
Feb 1, 2016, 6:24 pm
#20
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1MM, MP 1K, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 462
My experience as a continuing Platinum -
GS & 1K free drink, then add free snack/food, then watched upgrade possibility fade away tomorrow(HDN-IAH) and then pushed back farther on boarding with families with small children boarding ahead. Can't wait to find my E+ aisle seat filled with someone who is sure I won't mind that E- middle in the back.
Add my United Club membership as a single female person who gets a limited number of guests versus someone with spouse and an unlimited number of children as guests. Welcome to 1960.
I am grateful for nonstops out of Denver to some small places but close to three hours on a CRJ 200 is not all that fab.
Sorry for the rant but I don't feel valued and half of my travel(all of the international) is on my dime.
GS & 1K free drink, then add free snack/food, then watched upgrade possibility fade away tomorrow(HDN-IAH) and then pushed back farther on boarding with families with small children boarding ahead. Can't wait to find my E+ aisle seat filled with someone who is sure I won't mind that E- middle in the back.
Add my United Club membership as a single female person who gets a limited number of guests versus someone with spouse and an unlimited number of children as guests. Welcome to 1960.
I am grateful for nonstops out of Denver to some small places but close to three hours on a CRJ 200 is not all that fab.
Sorry for the rant but I don't feel valued and half of my travel(all of the international) is on my dime.
Feb 1, 2016, 6:58 pm
#21
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: LAN, FNT, GRR, DTW
Programs: UA Plat
Posts: 346
Yeah that is the issue. I used an RPU for a HNL-LAS flight via SFO last week. Cleared HNL-SFO no issues (R was available at booking). Ended up #5 on the waitlist as a 1K with an instrument on the SFO-LAS flight, on a RJ700, on a Wednesday afternoon no less. It is a head scratcher sometimes.
Conversely, more of a head scratcher, today (a Monday), I was CPUed at the 3+ day mark on a LAS-IAH noonish flight. I don't get it sometimes.
Conversely, more of a head scratcher, today (a Monday), I was CPUed at the 3+ day mark on a LAS-IAH noonish flight. I don't get it sometimes.
Feb 1, 2016, 7:07 pm
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Posts: 10,909
Feb 1, 2016, 7:13 pm
#25
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Texas
Programs: UA 1K, AA Platinum, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 327
Feb 1, 2016, 7:16 pm
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Posts: 10,909
Feb 1, 2016, 7:54 pm
#28
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Platinum/LT Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 5,594
My Silver coworker, with whom I travel fairly often, is consistently in E- while I'm in the exit row. She doesn't even know what a free SDC is. Another Silver coworker was complaining about $75 change fees last week when we were at the airport.
It might be fair to say Plat=Gold, but Silver really is no better than general membership.
Feb 1, 2016, 7:55 pm
#29
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: San Francisco
Programs: 1K 2.2MM
Posts: 2,352
Feb 1, 2016, 10:52 pm
#30
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,455