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, 4:05 pm
#76
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: Mileage Plus Global Services 2MM
Posts: 1,200
I'm always tickled by these devaluation posts and all the hand-wringing that goes along with them. Trust me I understand that it costs more miles today than it did yesterday and effective November 1, is going to cost us even more. The other reality is back in the day, the only miles that I was ever able to accumulate where my bis miles. Today, I get Miles when I wake up and brush my teeth in the morning. Of course miles are worth less today, because frankly they are far easier to earn. Do I like paying more for my coffee in the morning? Of course not. But if I'm earning 3 times more take-home pay that I was two years ago I'm not sure that I should be all that upset. And before anybody accuses me of being a United apologist, go back and look at my prior posts!
Jun 29, 2017, 4:07 pm
#77
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: CoUniHound 1K 1MM, AA EXP 2MM, DL Plat, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 1,625
Dynamic pricing isn't always negative. Sometimes it's nice to have a "semi-saver" award available. Everyone wants a saver award, but if it's not available, there's no other good option (pretty much the story at AA right now). No one wants to pay full price. Dynamic pricing allows for award prices that fall in-between.
Jun 29, 2017, 4:13 pm
#78
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: (near) Cambridge, MA
Programs: US GP (used to be *G, now,what)
Posts: 1,777
This of course assumes UA maintains decent saver availability instead of following the DL/AA model of limited or non-existent saver availability after introducing their own tiered standard awards.
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)
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, 4:50 pm
#80
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Intermountain West
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 12,079
Is the new $125 no-show fee in addition to the standard redeposit fees?
See https://thepointsguy.com/2016/08/uni...rds-october-6/
See https://thepointsguy.com/2016/08/uni...rds-october-6/
Jun 29, 2017, 4:55 pm
#81
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: UA 1K MM, HHonors Diamond,PC, Marriott Rewards Gold
Posts: 1,117
And at 50k - the new price - it is far from unreasonable. The "shock" of a 25% increase can be tempered by the fact that it isn't actually that many miles.
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.
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, 5:32 pm
#82
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BUR / LAX
Programs: UA MM/Gold; WN A-list; HH something depending; Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,548
Exactly. This is like the massive devaluation; the UA rep said something like "well, we haven't raised the mile amount for each ticket in forever, and it is more expensive." Of course, the costs to earn the miles HAD been going up with ticket prices, so it didn't make much sense to me. You're right about how flyers earn their UA miles now from spend, but as was mentioned up-thread now miles are given away so freely via credit cards that there is inflationary pressure. And, they've carefully controlled our use of miles/awards by controlling the inventory, so they aren't giving away more seats than they want to afford.
Jun 29, 2017, 5:35 pm
#83
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Japan
Posts: 5,577
Point is that we earn much less miles than we used to and now they are increasing the redemption
levels. Just like the fare increase by introducing BE. Sure, most Y awards stay the same but you
are welcomed to a 10 abreast flight.
I love how UA spins everything like we should be thankful for all the changes.
levels. Just like the fare increase by introducing BE. Sure, most Y awards stay the same but you
are welcomed to a 10 abreast flight.
I love how UA spins everything like we should be thankful for all the changes.
Jun 29, 2017, 5:57 pm
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,017
looks fair to me. Very modest increases and much better than the dynamic pricing nonsense from Delta. Honestly, since we are now earning a lot more for our tickets it is just fair to raise redemption as well. Love it that they give us so much advance warning.
Jun 29, 2017, 5:59 pm
#85
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,589
Point is that we earn much less miles than we used to and now they are increasing the redemption
levels. Just like the fare increase by introducing BE. Sure, most Y awards stay the same but you
are welcomed to a 10 abreast flight.
I love how UA spins everything like we should be thankful for all the changes.
levels. Just like the fare increase by introducing BE. Sure, most Y awards stay the same but you
are welcomed to a 10 abreast flight.
I love how UA spins everything like we should be thankful for all the changes.
Also, one thing I read after I got the email. the award charts are still posted and the dynamic pricing is only down. The award chart is the highest price it can be. So you may not get a saver award, but you may get a few thousand off the price.
Jun 29, 2017, 6:01 pm
#86
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,838
I usually never travel on business. Last year my bosses wanted to see me in the office a lot. That meant a lot of short UAX trips with expensive fare. Combine that with the spend-based RDM promo last year and I am pretty sure I earned a lot more miles than with the old mileage-based system. And with the CSR I also get 3X UR points = 3X UA miles for a large portion of my spend.
Not that I am happy when prices go up. Who would be.
If UA eventually ties the award cost fully to the cost of the ticket, they had better remember that I would rather get 2 cents cash back than a UA mile worth 2 cents.
Jun 29, 2017, 6:02 pm
#87
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
As an economy-class flyer, I'm not unhappy about this. The <800mi intra-EU flights for 8k might interest me. The only J award I might have been interested in was the 30k South Asia to Australia, so it's a shame to see that go. But as devals go, I'm not crying over this one.
Jun 29, 2017, 6:02 pm
#88
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,750
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.
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.
At 65K on this makes the AS 70K CX or 75K JL US-Asia a downright bargain.
Jun 29, 2017, 6:27 pm
#89
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Yes.
I'd love to see the stats on points earned via flying versus co-brand activities. I'd bet the latter has a very strong showing.
Correct. With the premise that changes will happen every 12-18ish months - something we should expect from programs - this is not all that big a deal IMO.
They will still book into the X fare bucket so no reason to think they'll become HBO fares. They are not such today.
I'd love to see the stats on points earned via flying versus co-brand activities. I'd bet the latter has a very strong showing.
Correct. With the premise that changes will happen every 12-18ish months - something we should expect from programs - this is not all that big a deal IMO.
They will still book into the X fare bucket so no reason to think they'll become HBO fares. They are not such today.
Jun 29, 2017, 6:47 pm
#90
Join Date: Dec 2015
Programs: UA Silver, AA Gold
Posts: 221
Exactly my thoughts. The moment either this happens or they start restricting saver inventory (like AA), then I move all my spend from MP card to a 2% cash back card.