Platinum the new silver
Feb 1, 2016, 10:56 pm
#31
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Verdi, NV, SFO & Olympic (aka Squaw )Valley.
Programs: Ikon Pass Full + AS Gold + Marriott Titanium + Hilton Gold. Recovering UA Plat. LT lounge AA+DL+UA
Posts: 3,823
If people feel status is not worth it, ultimately frequent fliers will become more transactional which will undermine margins.
Feb 2, 2016, 7:03 am
#32
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: ROC/NYC/MSP/LAX/HKG/SIN
Posts: 3,212
Feb 2, 2016, 10:00 am
#33
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: gggrrrovvveee (ORD)
Programs: UA Pt, Marriott Ti, Hertz PC
Posts: 6,091
Easier said than done, surprisingly. I flew with my family once. I was on a revenue ticket and family was on miles (back in the "good ol' days" when status was inherited on awards). I got upgraded at the 72 hour mark, so asked over the phone to be taken off the CPU list and put back in coach with my family. I got upgraded again a day later. Asked again, and put back again. I then got upgraded again at the 24 hour mark. At the airport, it took them about 10 minutes to figure out how to get me off the list for good.
Feb 2, 2016, 10:01 am
#34
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Platinum, DL Platinum, UA Gold, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 605
It is definitely flight specific.
As a platinum, I used 1 RPU to upgrade from HNL to Miami, via LAX and IAH about 2 weeks ago.
I definitely got my money's worth on that.
As someone else mentioned up-thread, I wish they would bring back the e500 certs.
As a platinum, I used 1 RPU to upgrade from HNL to Miami, via LAX and IAH about 2 weeks ago.
I definitely got my money's worth on that.
As someone else mentioned up-thread, I wish they would bring back the e500 certs.
Feb 2, 2016, 10:10 am
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: San Francisco/Tel Aviv/YYZ
Programs: CO 1K-MM
Posts: 10,762
I put almost zero value in the EUA process. I don't understand why anyone thinks that it matters if you live in a hub or not, you're always flying into or out of a hub on UA. If you are flying a mostly leisure route (EWR-FLL, MSY, etc) you're going to have a better shot than a hub-hub flight, or BOS-SFO.
I do value exit rows/E+, BG1, free award changes. Platinum is indeed more valuable to me than Silver.
I do value exit rows/E+, BG1, free award changes. Platinum is indeed more valuable to me than Silver.
Feb 2, 2016, 11:27 am
#36
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SEA
Programs: UA MP (1K, 1MM)
Posts: 268
Wait a minute ... you're getting CPUs to ROA? When did they start putting a non EMB-145 on that route? I fly SFO-ORD-ROA quite often and have never seen anything other than a single cabin RJ on the ORD-ROA route.
Feb 12, 2016, 7:29 pm
#37
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
I hate posts like this because they imply that the only perk of a status is CPUs.
There are at least half a dozen benefits that Platinum gets that Silver doesn't. Trust me, it's WAY better with you status than mine, OP.
There are at least half a dozen benefits that Platinum gets that Silver doesn't. Trust me, it's WAY better with you status than mine, OP.
Feb 12, 2016, 9:25 pm
#38
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,866
As a gold 0 upgrades for past 16 segments. Like 18 open seats on many flights 10 days before departure but very few upgraded.
Is Delta and American just as bad?
The upgrade should not be touted as a benefit since becomes more rare each year.
Is Delta and American just as bad?
The upgrade should not be touted as a benefit since becomes more rare each year.
Feb 12, 2016, 9:28 pm
#39
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Wouldn't matter. The reality is that the company is selling more seats up front. It isn't that you're being outdone by another person getting an upgrade; it is someone who paid for the seat. Doesn't matter how you dole out the upgrades when there is zero inventory to fill that way.
Feb 12, 2016, 11:29 pm
#40
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: OOL
Programs: VA Plat, QF LTS, UA MM, Hilton Diamond, Rydges Black, ,Le-Club Gold
Posts: 3,659
An airline who treats their elites worse than the rest, that's UA, let's hope Oscar has undersottd this and stops it
Feb 12, 2016, 11:40 pm
#41
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: None - previously UA
Posts: 4,864
It's the pricing that works against frequent travelers these days. They sell over half the front cabin on cheap P fares far in advance and then sell the business traveler more expensive economy fares. These P fares are basically TOD's in disguise, it's UA's tactic to extract more revenue from the leisure traveler. This won't stop until it makes financial sense for them to stop selling cheap P fares and TOD's. Literally until legions of 1K's abandon them - they don't care. If they can have it both ways they will. Hence the free food in economy for 1K's.
Fly an airline that values the $25k annual revenue or whatever you bring to the table or quit complaining.
Fly an airline that values the $25k annual revenue or whatever you bring to the table or quit complaining.
Feb 12, 2016, 11:44 pm
#42
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
I really don't think the P fares are going to "leisure travelers." What we typically call "leisure travelers" don't buy F - they shop based on price and buy the cheapest economy ticket available.
Feb 13, 2016, 12:01 am
#43
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: None - previously UA
Posts: 4,864
The P fare has basically created a market that didn't previously exist. My in-laws are retired lawyers and they were recently delighted when I pointed out they could buy P fares to S America for less than the total of economy & $500 cash portion of the upgrade fee. I.e. $1300 -$1500 each way.
Feb 13, 2016, 2:45 am
#44
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: San Diego
Programs: IHG Spire Amb, HH Diamond, DL Diamond and 1MM
Posts: 3,610
Are you Silver and like to fly RJ's up and down the west coast? Delta is your airline!
Feb 13, 2016, 9:56 am
#45
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
The P fare has basically created a market that didn't previously exist. My in-laws are retired lawyers and they were recently delighted when I pointed out they could buy P fares to S America for less than the total of economy & $500 cash portion of the upgrade fee. I.e. $1300 -$1500 each way.