Jun 29, 2017, 10:49 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Award redemption changes coming Nov. 1, 2017
http://mileageplusupdates.com/ (Thanks @joelfreak for providing link.) *NEW* November 1, 2017 award chart
TPG has some tables showing changes to redemption costs.
https://thepointsguy.com/2017/06/uni...eryday-awards/
http://mileageplusupdates.com/ (Thanks @joelfreak for providing link.)
- Standard awards being replaced by "EveryDay Award" -- variable pricing
- Some increases in longer haul international premium cabin saver awards (Generally 10% or less if any at all)
- Some decreases on shorter non-stop partner saver flights outside the US
- No changes for North America saver economy
- No-show award redeposit fee $125 -- for everyone, no elite exemption.
- Round the World awards are gone
- No changes in UA/UX/Copa or *A mileage upgrades
TPG has some tables showing changes to redemption costs.
https://thepointsguy.com/2017/06/uni...eryday-awards/
What if I need to change my existing Standard Award on or after November 1, 2017?
Any changes will require a ticket reissue and new pricing and additional fees may apply.
Any changes will require a ticket reissue and new pricing and additional fees may apply.
UA MP award changes 1 Nov 2017 (Everyday award/dynamic price, No RTW, No Show fee,..)
Jun 29, 2017, 11:01 am
#16
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: USA
Posts: 23
http://mileageplusupdates.com/images...ward-Chart.pdf
Jun 29, 2017, 11:04 am
#17
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Meh. If you cannot be bothered to cancel by scheduled departure time then you pay a penalty. Of all the new fees to add in this seems like one that is far better than the alternatives. DL locks you out at T-72 hours, right? And that's a full forfeit, not even a fee to redeposit IIRC.
Jun 29, 2017, 11:08 am
#18
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,954
Jun 29, 2017, 11:13 am
#21
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA 1K & 2MM, Bonvoy Titanium & LTP, HH Gold, Accor Silver, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 2,350
I feel like I'm missing something - I don't see how the fee for cancelling after departure is brutal. Not sure why you would be cancelling after scheduled departure unless you were gaming the system somehow?
What's killing me is the loss of the 40K TG F experience HKG-BKK-SYD. That was a steal (which is perhaps why it's changing).
As others have said, while I never want devaluation, this is not shocking. It's going to be more painful in the long run as I expect the end game will get us a lot closer to a fixed $ value of a miile against ticket prices.
Apart from what I earn from flying, everything else today is an Amex point or a Chase UR point. Best way I know to keep my options open with minimal effort.
What's killing me is the loss of the 40K TG F experience HKG-BKK-SYD. That was a steal (which is perhaps why it's changing).
As others have said, while I never want devaluation, this is not shocking. It's going to be more painful in the long run as I expect the end game will get us a lot closer to a fixed $ value of a miile against ticket prices.
Apart from what I earn from flying, everything else today is an Amex point or a Chase UR point. Best way I know to keep my options open with minimal effort.
Jun 29, 2017, 11:15 am
#22
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: YVR SFO
Programs: UA G
Posts: 4,866
Also, $125 redeposit fee if you do not cancel an award by departure time. Applies to ALL members, including elites.
https://twitter.com/WandrMe/status/880469913399439361
https://twitter.com/WandrMe/status/880469913399439361
Jun 29, 2017, 11:17 am
#23
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Stuff got more expensive. That happens every now and then. Most of the changes on the more common awards are small. US-EU C goes from 57.5 to 60K. US to deep S. America went from 55 to 60k. I'm not going to cry over that sort of change.
Jun 29, 2017, 11:18 am
#24
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: DL PM, OZ Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 130
According to the chart the Mainland Saver Economy is still 10k/12.5k, however the new Everyday Economy (the old standard award) can now be up to 32.5k.
http://mileageplusupdates.com/images...ward-Chart.pdf
http://mileageplusupdates.com/images...ward-Chart.pdf
Jun 29, 2017, 11:24 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
Somehow I doubt Kirby forgot about them taking that approach at AA after introducing their multiple award tiers for standard awards.
I expect to see saver awards dry up and a big increase in standard awards at variable pricing (oh hey look your standard award is only 15k miles that's lower than the 25k we used to charge for that standard award - just don't remember that we used to have saver availability on this route)
Jun 29, 2017, 11:36 am
#26
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Saver Award availability recently has increased by over 11 percentage points.
US didn't go 3-tier on awards like AA did. UA didn't cut off all award changes inside 72 hours like DL did. Yes, it raised some award rates. It also cut some, including on partners.
I get that everyone has a personal "sweet spot" that they like to redeem for. Mine used to be the double OJ + stopover for many cities on a trip. That's harder now, particularly across zones. But the program is far from worthless and, even with these changes, not materially worth less in most of the likely redemption scenarios I can think of.
Jun 29, 2017, 11:47 am
#28
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,448
I feel like I'm missing something - I don't see how the fee for cancelling after departure is brutal. Not sure why you would be cancelling after scheduled departure unless you were gaming the system somehow?
What's killing me is the loss of the 40K TG F experience HKG-BKK-SYD. That was a steal (which is perhaps why it's changing).
As others have said, while I never want devaluation, this is not shocking. It's going to be more painful in the long run as I expect the end game will get us a lot closer to a fixed $ value of a miile against ticket prices.
What's killing me is the loss of the 40K TG F experience HKG-BKK-SYD. That was a steal (which is perhaps why it's changing).
As others have said, while I never want devaluation, this is not shocking. It's going to be more painful in the long run as I expect the end game will get us a lot closer to a fixed $ value of a miile against ticket prices.
This could have been much worse in light of what DL has done recently.
Jun 29, 2017, 11:48 am
#29
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Silver, AA, WN, DL
Posts: 4,091
This is the most troubling thing I see. This is the first step to dynamic pricing and the AA/DL model of no Saver availability ever and highly dynamic price levels for everything else.
Everything else while frustrating is fine, this to me though is a big red flag. It also devalues standard awards which do provide some value especially when trying to book 1 cash ticket (paid by work or other) and 1 award and you need to be on the same flights.
Get ready for Everyday Awards
We’re introducing Everyday Awards, an award with pricing that will vary from flight to flight. Everyday Awards will replace Standard Awards for all award travel booked on or after November 1, 2017.
Everything else while frustrating is fine, this to me though is a big red flag. It also devalues standard awards which do provide some value especially when trying to book 1 cash ticket (paid by work or other) and 1 award and you need to be on the same flights.
Get ready for Everyday Awards
We’re introducing Everyday Awards, an award with pricing that will vary from flight to flight. Everyday Awards will replace Standard Awards for all award travel booked on or after November 1, 2017.
Jun 29, 2017, 11:55 am
#30
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: BART Platinum, AA Plat Pro
Posts: 1,158
Presumably what they meant to say is that availability increased by over 11 percent. It's a pretty meaningless statistic though since we have no idea how they're calculating it, what the baseline is, whether they're accounting for seasonality, etc. etc.