What is your favorite former United benefit?
Feb 14, 2016, 9:11 pm
#32
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA 1K, Citi Prestige, AMEX Platinum, SPG Gold
Posts: 720
Aisle seats. I book much of my travel last-minute. It used to be that E+ was primarily reserved for elites, so you could almost always get a nice aisle seat even a week in advance. Now the E+ selling has gotten to the point that many of the days I want to travel there are no E+ aisle seats even three weeks out.
In my case, this is significantly depressing my United spend. There have been multiple trips I decided not to take because even though I'm willing to pay $1000/person to fly my family across the country, there are no decent seats together a week or two out. (Sometimes the exit rows are available, but that's no good with kids.) So instead of selling these aisle seats to a 1K on a relatively expensive fare, United getting an extra $120 on a $300 fare.
In my case, this is significantly depressing my United spend. There have been multiple trips I decided not to take because even though I'm willing to pay $1000/person to fly my family across the country, there are no decent seats together a week or two out. (Sometimes the exit rows are available, but that's no good with kids.) So instead of selling these aisle seats to a 1K on a relatively expensive fare, United getting an extra $120 on a $300 fare.
Feb 14, 2016, 9:48 pm
#34
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: ROC/NYC/MSP/LAX/HKG/SIN
Posts: 3,214
I cannot tell you you how much this p*sses me off, no class,too embarrassed to print what they serve first and business class customers,a wine list that is short summary of what new and old world wines are. ...just in case you are an idiot
Vintage Smisek....project quality
Vintage Smisek....project quality
I don't care what the printed on the menu anymore.
LT GLD was absolutely hosed.
Feb 15, 2016, 7:10 am
#38
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,115
If you take the United Connection software, 1K rooms and no change fee upfares on international tickets, you have to take some of these gems too from the same era before getting too nostalgic:
- If redeeming partner awards, even if in premium cabins, only economy domestic travel to the "gateway" city.
- No Star Alliance awards
- No 1K Systemwide upgrades, or, only on C/Y fares only, and only confirmable 24 hours in advance (Yes, I still have some of these physical certificates in a file, which obviously went unused
.)
- Fees on all award changes/redeposits
- SFH
- Having to sign a release in person whenever redeeming miles for another person. (And even then, having it still cause problems.).
- Ditto for buying a ticket for someone else with your credit card
- No E+ seating
- No pass-by (i.e. First Class) boarding lanes
- Roundtrip coast to coast flights that were always, ALWAYS, $1800 in coach if they had no Satuday night stay, no matter how far booked in advance, and this is in the late 90s!
Adding to the plus list though:
- Sweetspot upgrade certificates (one year only)
- Starbucks
- Failing to collect paper upgrade certificates, either intentionally or unintentionally
- Voraciously tearing apart my quarterly mileage statements in the mail searching for 500 mile certificates ... Ok maybe this is a negative, but it sure got me excited!
- The United Special Services desk that would keep things like credit vouchers on file for me to use for future exchanges
- No change fee Shuttle tickets / Free 1K upgrades on Shuttle flights
But all in all, things still aren't as bad today as people like to make them out to be.
- If redeeming partner awards, even if in premium cabins, only economy domestic travel to the "gateway" city.
- No Star Alliance awards
- No 1K Systemwide upgrades, or, only on C/Y fares only, and only confirmable 24 hours in advance (Yes, I still have some of these physical certificates in a file, which obviously went unused
.)- Fees on all award changes/redeposits
- SFH
- Having to sign a release in person whenever redeeming miles for another person. (And even then, having it still cause problems.).
- Ditto for buying a ticket for someone else with your credit card
- No E+ seating
- No pass-by (i.e. First Class) boarding lanes
- Roundtrip coast to coast flights that were always, ALWAYS, $1800 in coach if they had no Satuday night stay, no matter how far booked in advance, and this is in the late 90s!
Adding to the plus list though:
- Sweetspot upgrade certificates (one year only)
- Starbucks
- Failing to collect paper upgrade certificates, either intentionally or unintentionally
- Voraciously tearing apart my quarterly mileage statements in the mail searching for 500 mile certificates ... Ok maybe this is a negative, but it sure got me excited!
- The United Special Services desk that would keep things like credit vouchers on file for me to use for future exchanges
- No change fee Shuttle tickets / Free 1K upgrades on Shuttle flights
But all in all, things still aren't as bad today as people like to make them out to be.
Feb 15, 2016, 7:17 am
#39
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DAY
Programs: UA 1K 1MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Amex MR; Chase UR; Hertz PC; Global Entry
Posts: 10,159
Not sure it really qualifies as a "benefit", but I really miss the transparent upgrade system as compared to the CPU black box today.
Otherwise, just the overall value of being 1K...when United "had my back" with irrops and all the experiential value provided...when premier actually meant something.
Otherwise, just the overall value of being 1K...when United "had my back" with irrops and all the experiential value provided...when premier actually meant something.
Feb 15, 2016, 8:01 am
#40
In memoriam
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: IAD, BOS, PVD
Programs: UA, US, AS, Marriott, Radisson, Hilton
Posts: 7,203
Lot of great though generally saddening memories.
For me UC and the 1K rooms were huge; the former
because it offered effective and honest searches,
even suggesting itineraries on other airlines; the
latter, well, I didn't buy a RCC membership while
they existed. As I needed peace and quiet more than
unlimited McCormick's whiskey, I particularly
enjoyed rooms in MSY and STL and was pleasantly
surprised to find one at SMF.
Thinking on HeadInClouds's counter-list -
- If redeeming partner awards, even if in premium cabins,
only economy domestic travel to the "gateway" city.
- No Star Alliance awards
These were drawbacks, but one could generally get
where one wanted in reasonable comfort anyway,
with some fancy footwork.
- No 1K Systemwide upgrades, or, only on C/Y fares only,
and only confirmable 24 hours in advance (Yes, I still
have some of these physical certificates in a file,
which obviously went unused .)
This is not that different from the current situaion
or what it's evolving into. But there was as I recall
a day when SWUs were redeemable on all fares; then
they changed the rules, result being a big mutiny,
remedied with some kind of promotion ostensibly
triggered by a tennis tournament or something like that.
- Fees on all award changes/redeposits
Always exemptable/reversible for 1Ks.
- SFH
Granted, but again, if one thought fast, not a
big deal - I think I was stranded for more than
a few hours only once.
- Having to sign a release in person whenever redeeming
miles for another person. (And even then, having it
still cause problems.).
- Ditto for buying a ticket for someone else with your
credit card
True O king. But there were city ticket offices
then which mitigated that pain.
- No E+ seating
Didn't need it, generally. When I became 1K I was told
"you'll never have to sit in coach again, if you don't
want to," this not referring to unlimited expenditures,
of which I was/am not capable.
- No pass-by (i.e. First Class) boarding lanes
But first class boarding, and the lice so-called
were not so aggressive before the checked bag fees.
- Roundtrip coast to coast flights that were always,
ALWAYS, $1800 in coach if they had no Satuday night
stay, no matter how far booked in advance, and this
is in the late 90s!
Huh. I generally paid under 400. United Connection
helped a lot here.
@harryhv - is Annie gone? Last year she told me she
wanted to work until she was 80. Please don't tell
me something terrible happened. Or that she turned
80 (impossible; she's not that much older than I am).
For me UC and the 1K rooms were huge; the former
because it offered effective and honest searches,
even suggesting itineraries on other airlines; the
latter, well, I didn't buy a RCC membership while
they existed. As I needed peace and quiet more than
unlimited McCormick's whiskey, I particularly
enjoyed rooms in MSY and STL and was pleasantly
surprised to find one at SMF.
Thinking on HeadInClouds's counter-list -
- If redeeming partner awards, even if in premium cabins,
only economy domestic travel to the "gateway" city.
- No Star Alliance awards
These were drawbacks, but one could generally get
where one wanted in reasonable comfort anyway,
with some fancy footwork.
- No 1K Systemwide upgrades, or, only on C/Y fares only,
and only confirmable 24 hours in advance (Yes, I still
have some of these physical certificates in a file,
which obviously went unused .)
This is not that different from the current situaion
or what it's evolving into. But there was as I recall
a day when SWUs were redeemable on all fares; then
they changed the rules, result being a big mutiny,
remedied with some kind of promotion ostensibly
triggered by a tennis tournament or something like that.
- Fees on all award changes/redeposits
Always exemptable/reversible for 1Ks.
- SFH
Granted, but again, if one thought fast, not a
big deal - I think I was stranded for more than
a few hours only once.
- Having to sign a release in person whenever redeeming
miles for another person. (And even then, having it
still cause problems.).
- Ditto for buying a ticket for someone else with your
credit card
True O king. But there were city ticket offices
then which mitigated that pain.
- No E+ seating
Didn't need it, generally. When I became 1K I was told
"you'll never have to sit in coach again, if you don't
want to," this not referring to unlimited expenditures,
of which I was/am not capable.
- No pass-by (i.e. First Class) boarding lanes
But first class boarding, and the lice so-called
were not so aggressive before the checked bag fees.
- Roundtrip coast to coast flights that were always,
ALWAYS, $1800 in coach if they had no Satuday night
stay, no matter how far booked in advance, and this
is in the late 90s!
Huh. I generally paid under 400. United Connection
helped a lot here.
@harryhv - is Annie gone? Last year she told me she
wanted to work until she was 80. Please don't tell
me something terrible happened. Or that she turned
80 (impossible; she's not that much older than I am).
Feb 15, 2016, 8:55 am
#44
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,115
- No 1K Systemwide upgrades, or, only on C/Y fares only,
and only confirmable 24 hours in advance (Yes, I still
have some of these physical certificates in a file,
which obviously went unused .)
This is not that different from the current situaion
or what it's evolving into. But there was as I recall
a day when SWUs were redeemable on all fares; then
they changed the rules, result being a big mutiny,
remedied with some kind of promotion ostensibly
triggered by a tennis tournament or something like that.
and only confirmable 24 hours in advance (Yes, I still
have some of these physical certificates in a file,
which obviously went unused .)
This is not that different from the current situaion
or what it's evolving into. But there was as I recall
a day when SWUs were redeemable on all fares; then
they changed the rules, result being a big mutiny,
remedied with some kind of promotion ostensibly
triggered by a tennis tournament or something like that.
A couple other benefits that exist in my very distant memory, but without many specifics - others may recall better:
- There were "tiered bonus miles" triggered during the year. I don't remember the mechanics exactly, but once you hit X premier miles in a year, you got a bonus of like 20,000 miles, etc.
- I also recall a benefit that was a "2 for" mileage redemption tickets. i.e. there was a price for 1 person, and then a discounted price if you were a party of two.