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, 6:54 pm
#91
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,098
Can someone please explain how not canceling an award ticket before departure time is "gaming the system" in a way that could benefit the ticket holder? I am not able to figure out what benefit there could be to intentionally doing this.
Jun 29, 2017, 7:44 pm
#94
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Denver, CO - for now..
Programs: UA - Silver and dropping...
Posts: 80
Same institutional investors
Of course this is happening. Delta, AA and United all share the same major institutional shareholders and investors. When the big three copy each other's crappy policies which add to the bottom line; I'm no longer surprised.
Jun 29, 2017, 7:53 pm
#95
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Charlotte
Programs: UA 1k, Marriott LT Titanium, '20 Ambassador
Posts: 150
That cannot possibly true – I'm pretty sure UA just doesn't understand numbers. An 11 percentage point increase would imply that saver award availability went from, say, 9% of seats to 20% of seats (i.e., more than doubled in that example). Even if it were 0% initially, I doubt that 11% of seats are available for saver awards on the average flight.
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.
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.
Jun 29, 2017, 8:04 pm
#96
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
Yes. This one is not even in the same ballpark as what was done in Feb. 2014.
The award booking changes implemented last October also worked a much worse devaluation.
This is really quite minor in comparison to those.
ETA: I just got the e-mail from UA announcing these changes. I found it to be fairly factual and neutral, i.e., not full of happy talk nonsense. I appreciate that they will still be publishing award charts and that they're giving us four months notice of the changes. Huge contrast with the shenanigans DL has been pulling lately.
The award booking changes implemented last October also worked a much worse devaluation.
This is really quite minor in comparison to those.
ETA: I just got the e-mail from UA announcing these changes. I found it to be fairly factual and neutral, i.e., not full of happy talk nonsense. I appreciate that they will still be publishing award charts and that they're giving us four months notice of the changes. Huge contrast with the shenanigans DL has been pulling lately.
Last edited by Kacee; Jun 29, 2017 at 8:18 pm
Jun 29, 2017, 8:33 pm
#97
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: Million Miler, 1K - Basically spend a lot of time on planes
Posts: 2,202
Personally, whatever the reason, I think the $125 is fair. You are potentially costing the airline money if you hold a seat that is then unavailable to be sold.
Prior to today's announcement, I assumed that a mileage ticket that you didn't show up for forfeited the reservation and miles. I was surprised to hear that you could actually cancel and refund after the fact.
Jun 29, 2017, 9:14 pm
#100
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,395
Jun 29, 2017, 9:40 pm
#101
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Tokyo
Programs: SPG LT Plat ANA Plat
Posts: 596
That cannot possibly true – I'm pretty sure UA just doesn't understand numbers. An 11 percentage point increase would imply that saver award availability went from, say, 9% of seats to 20% of seats (i.e., more than doubled in that example). Even if it were 0% initially, I doubt that 11% of seats are available for saver awards on the average flight.
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.
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.
Jun 29, 2017, 10:06 pm
#102
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: None - previously UA
Posts: 4,864
Assuming otherwise would be foolish. The part of United's business that may be hurt the most are the credit cards. They are just not good everyday spend cards with this constant threat of devaluation hanging over them.
Jun 29, 2017, 10:13 pm
#103
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Programs: Frontier Gold, DL estranged 1MMer, Spirit VIP, CO/NW/UA/AA once gold/plat/comped gold now dust.
Posts: 38,151
They don't talk about it but I'm sure that part of the gameplan with the U.S. 3 is assuming they have more "leverage" to go to the government for a bailout if there's some black swan event. Just socialize costs like that if they come up and privatize profits in the meantime.
Jun 29, 2017, 10:22 pm
#104
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
Jun 29, 2017, 10:30 pm
#105
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Programs: Frontier Gold, DL estranged 1MMer, Spirit VIP, CO/NW/UA/AA once gold/plat/comped gold now dust.
Posts: 38,151
ETA: I just got the e-mail from UA announcing these changes. I found it to be fairly factual and neutral, i.e., not full of happy talk nonsense. I appreciate that they will still be publishing award charts and that they're giving us four months notice of the changes. Huge contrast with the shenanigans DL has been pulling lately.
I always redeem on free trips and am largely down to burning off a remaining small balance on UA. Will also occasionally do car-rent, iDine or survey deals for a small drip of miles. Not awarding much at all in flight miles on paid tickets has really caused my paid-ticket business for the whole US3 to drop.
Even though they're not awarding much in miles except from expensive paid tickets, I'd bet the inflationary pressure is still coming to a great degree from credit cards. That spigot is still open.
Am just glad I didn't go workaholic and save up a huge balance. I shudder to think what the availability/cost is like for some for some of the trips I took 11 or 12 years or so ago.