CCIE_Flyer

Having just spent about $800 for Plat over Gold, I'm a bit depressed reading this thread (in my mind Plat was still just shy of 1K, which I believe it was at one time). Do both members get the RPUs, at least?

I pretty routinely top the list of those who didn't upgrade, so Plat could actually be a nice benefit over the course of 2018 (not that I'm gaga over UA domestic F). But having read through all of this now, I confess to a bit of buyer's remorse...

WineCountryUA

MM companions do not get RPUs or GPUs unless they earn them on their own.

CCIE_Flyer

Well I reckon the United Continental Holdings shareholders got over on this one! Here's to hoping for a better CPU experience in 2018...

EmailKid

Ya, a devaluation or two (maybe three) ago

A couole or so years ago, I spent a year Plat. That got me to #1 on u/g list very often on non hub routes, but only actually sat up front half of those times. Cut back to Gold and rarely upgrade now - if this month's travel with ANA posts correctly should find out if I fare better as 1K again next year.

jsloan

The value of Platinum differs from person to person. My upgrade rate at Platinum was reasonable for the current landscape (around 40%, IIRC). 15 years ago, as a CO Platinum, my upgrade rate was close to 100%. Times change, and the fact that there are two tiers above Platinum (counting GS) doesn't help.

Having said that, there's no need for buyer's remorse; it's a sunk cost now. If you were routinely #1 on the list as a Gold, there's a decent chance that your upgrade frequency will go up enough to make up for $800 in buy-ups over the next year. Status is a relative thing; Platinum in COS flying off-peak might be a more valuable level than 1K in SFO flying M-Th (for CPUs, I'm not really kidding).

Go out, evaluate your experience, and if you're faced with a similar decision next December, you'll have personalized data to help make it.

8MiHi

Your remorse will diminish the first time you take a crowded flight and BG2 passengers have to place their carry-ons away from their seats. This will be doubly true when making a tight connection. Further, your companion will most likely express appreciation for being in BG1.
I did an analysis several years ago and determined that my satisfaction at being Platinum over Gold was worth up to $1000 for the years I expect a busy travel schedule (more than 1 trip per month). Flying out of EWR and annually traveling to HNL does add value over COS when valuing this status and I have gotten much more than that $1000 in actual value.

tstauck

Absolutely agree, used to be a CO Platinum 15 years ago and near 100% CPU. Now it's much less of course, but personally there's still good value. I do a lot of personal coast to coast travel on Saturdays, returning Tues and still get upgraded most of the time on Sat (LAX-ORD-BTV).

Was able to use my two RPU's on LAX-EWR or SFO-EWR p.s. routes and it was a great experience.

3ch0

JCrew7384

I am 5,000 PQM short of Gold, but have the PQD. I am a 5 year Platinum and this year just haven't had to fly. Sad that Platinum is nowhere in sight, I think BG1 is the best perk along with the 8 E+ seats, rarely get upgrades out of EWR.

Any suggestions on a cheap mileage run for 5000 PQM, or should I just suck it up and buy the premier accelerator miles...

CCIE_Flyer

Thanks very much for the encouraging words, all! Agreed - it's a sunk cost at this point. On the bright side, the offers I'm seeing for my final flights of the year are back up in the range of 1.5 - 2 times what I paid, so at least I have that satisfaction.

Yesterday flying ex-BOG, BG1 would've been nice (just because of the uncomfortable GB3+ crowding of the gate upon boarding BG1). Except I'm generally an exit row flier, and I keep my backpack underneath the seat in front of me, so it's not going to be a huge benefit.

(On the humorous side, my wife is very competitive, and can't wait for her new Plat luggage tags )

8MiHi

Accelerator Miles seem to have jumped up in price. Maybe you can find a good P fare.

CCIE_Flyer

The other day I got 14 cpm (for 6k miles) on an E fare. Not awesome, not horrendous.

mindrisa

I am 3,300 PQMs short of Platinum... Have an offer for 4,000 award miles and 4,000 PQMs for $540. Ends up being $0.135/PQM. I will be traveling significantly more next year than this year out of DEN with travel all over the US... Hubs and small airports. Thoughts?

CCIE_Flyer

There's plenty of pros/cons dialog to be found here, so I won't attempt to add to that. But I will say don't hold out for a better deal, if that's what you're thinking - I'd have loved to have gotten away with only spending $540!

mindrisa

That's the kind of advice I was looking for. Thanks! The only other option I could find was a full day mileage run starting at 6:00am and ending at 9:30pm and would have cost about $100 more.