CMK10

I qualified for Silver in 2015 by adding in one last round trip to end the year. In 2016 I ended up barely flying United and when I did, it was on really cheap tickets. I made peace with myself in July or so that I'd be going back to no status and now that it's 2017 and it's confirmed, I'm still okay with it. AA and DL are way better for my needs living in the Southeast and I don't enjoy flying United all that much.

sfsouthbay

I am a 2MM lifetime Plat, and a 1K. I barely made it for 2017 with maybe $100 over the $12k required. I travel in economy for both business and pleasure, and my PQDs are about 50-50 split between the two. This year I am starting not to care already (I realize we're only in January). Like many of you said already, the GPUs are basically useless (I used them on domestic flights), they put 1K in boarding group 1 with everyone else (here in SFO sometimes the group 1 lines are super long), and no one seems to care that you're 1K anymore.

The reality is, UA is focusing on business travelers who travel in J/C or F. The rest of us who have shown loyalty really no longer matter.

So I'll get Group 1 boarding for now with Lifetime Plat.

Lastly, I am about 850K to 3MM. I've thought about making it there and then stop. But as they continue to take away benefits, I am not as sure whether I'd even want that. Or just do lots of MRs in the next year or two or four to get myself there without PQDs and call it quits.

mdspadeccom

I was faced with this decision around Thanksgiving. I would end up 2016 with $9,486 PDQs and 90,211 PQMs without a mileage run in December. I've been 1K for many years (enabled by moderate business travel) and I am about 80,000 BIS short of 2MM. Since we've pretty much been buying cheap business fares for flights longer than 3 or 4 hours since retirement, it wasn't so obvious that another year of 1K was actually worth doing something in December. I decided to go ahead with a mileage run to make 1K for 2 reasons: 1) spouse would also become 1K because of my 1MM status; 2) better telephone support for 1Ks and better IROPS handling.

If you need about that many PQMs and PQDs to achieve the next status level, my favorite mileage run is a RT on a .ps flight from SFO to EWR. There are lots of flights and you can usually find one at just the right price to make the PQD goal with little wasted. You can do the RT is one day, getting a good nap on the lie-flat seat and reading a good book. (I do wish, however, that UAL would credit the PQMs and PQDs if one just let a ticket expire unused. Better for UAL because they don't have to deliver the service and better for me because I don't have to take the extra trip.)

jasonvr

Is it too early to give up on 2017? Thinking of just moving everything over to WN.... I never get upgrades anyways, so is it any different? Oh, yeah, I can get some free live TV on WN

Mike Jacoubowsky

"Is it too early to give up on 2017" you ask? Yes, been thinking about that. I think, I believe, that I can "stabilize" at *G but not positive. Financially the next couple of years could be very... challenging. So on the one hand you have a need to cut back on expenses, while on the other it's like geez, I'm 60, almost 61, how much time do I have to enjoy an "active" style of travel?

This is a bit different from the OP's original topic (recognizing that *I'm* the OP...), since I'm talking not about elite status but how much flying in general. The connection, I believe, is that elite status gives us a goal or target. It becomes a motivation. We create a plan to hit that goal.

sfsouthbay

What I've been doing at this time is once I actually hit 1K I stop flying UA. I then give the rest of my domestic business to WN, and I've been hitting A-List for the last two years and things look good. If WN had more direct flights I actually might fly them more - the problem with WN is that if one flight delays it's a chain reaction.

JNelson113

I am in the exact same situation as you. 2MM, made 1K the last 15 years. In 2016 i realized that I would have to spend an extra $5K+ to get it so gave up. I'm hoping that platinum isn't too much of a downgrade.

Would love to get to 3MM but I fear they will move the goal posts before I can.

sfsouthbay

Totally hear you. If I had to spend more than I do personally I will give up and keep my lifetime Plat. The point of MRs these days is simply for lifetime status.

Mike Jacoubowsky

Texted to my son while standing in BG1 for the last time-So yes, a few regrets, and BG2 will be a constant reminder. It may not be consequential, but it will definitely remind me of my new place in the world. :-)

gold23

I've chased Platinum for a few years, and considered chasing 1k when I had the PQD locked up by early fall and could see how I could get there... Decided against it.

When I travel across the pond, I'm either in paid J or use mileage instruments with appropriate fares to get there. So GPUs might help me slightly. BUT....I search out the best equipment, the best fares, most convenient timing... My annual spend is generally $15-30k across all airlines, and being a little more unfettered to one allows me to comfortably book what best works for me...

Lurker1999

UA gifted me Platinum for 2016 but I flew them only once. I'm dropping down to dirt with just the benefits from the PPlus card (for as long as I keep that at least). I've found that taking a combination of airlines out of BOS and just buying what I need per flight is cheaper and more convenient than going on mileage runs to maintain UA status. On my last AA flight the seatback on-demand movies were free, for example. I managed to have a more comfortable experience on AA for less than UA wanted to charge me.

PQD was the deciding factor between 2015/2016 since if UA wants me to spend that much I'd rather spread that amount around to get an overall better travel experience.