PPM

I have been 1k for over 15 years and the deterioration in benefits, especially in the last 2-3 years makes it hardly worthwhile to consolidate travel on United. I will end this year with about 250,000 PQM (requalified 1K in July) and spending of over $35,000. Despite this (and being a 2MM flyer), I have multiple unused GPUs that I cannot use, and my RPUs are totally wasted--I never have them clear unless at the gate when no one else wants to pay the $29 to upgrade to first class.

I refuse to pay business class fares on international United flights anymore when I am unable to use the GPUs for my husband. Thus, many of my miles have accumulated from Star Alliance carriers and most of those fares have been in discounted business. In the last year I have flown paid business in LOT, Lufthansa, SWISS, SAS and Air Canada. (As well as Qatar to Indonesia). These are infinitely better business class products than United. I've written to the 1K desk several times indicating that the sheer inability to confirm GPUs when I have several days of flexibility has sent me to these other carriers. I know I am not alone in this. But United obviously values the quick discounted cash for non-elite upgraders over the sustained business from 1K members like me. If I could use GPUs as I could in the past for my traveling companions, I would have flown 300,000+ miles on United this year and given them at least $35,000 more in revenue. I shared this fact in a 1K letter only to get a return form letter thanking me for being a loyal 1K member.

However, I am older than most on this thread (likely) and cannot fly economy on an international flight any longer given the intensity of my international travel. The GPUs are huge for me, and when they are a "benefit that is not really a benefit", I have no loyalty given that I am Platinum for life with my 2MM status. I can board in Group 1, check free bags and sit in economy plus. The added benefit for 1Ks over platinum are really the GPUs and RPUs, and when they are worthless, so is the value of 1K.

JAaronT

If everything goes as planned, I'll wind up with 116,400 PQMs and 12,033 PQDs. If I went by what the website says, I'd end up with 11,999 PQDs but I'm pretty sure one is wrong because the receipt shows more and is in line with what I paid.

JVPhoto

End of 2013 was my first year as 1K and I eeked by with 100,765. The last flight was SYD-SFO on 12/20 but I was ready to do a MRY-LAX-MRY or something just in case my math was wrong. It was the first year I started tracking my miles and I didn't even think I would make it to 1K because the last bit of travel I had was my month in Australia.
Luckily in November a friend planned a last minute birthday trip that an F ticket EWR-SDQ-EWR is that gave me almost 5,000 PQMs to get me over the edge. Getting 1K and those GPUs really changed the course of my life for the next 2-3 years.

This year I am falling to Plat with 75,804 miles. My last earnings flights are in November with SFO-AKL-SFO and 2 intra NZ flights. If my two NZ flight calcs are off then I still have time to do a LAX run.

drewguy

Right - because it means you overpaid!

Instead of the goal being 100k PQM the goal now is 100k PQM for the smallest amount over $12000 you can manage (unless, of course, you're flying on OPM and/or pursuing GS).

jsloan

At $70K PQD on United metal, I’d think you’d be a shoo-in for GS, right? At which point you’d get GS instruments that clear into PN, the ability to open award space, and the ability to upgrade award tickets with GPUs.

lhrsfo

I was going to finish just over 100k but an emergency trip just added will leave me 11k over.

denver19

I think this is my 4th year of being 1K. I get all my miles on Denver-Hnl and Denver-OGG routes, often buy first on the red eye flying west bound, so that pumps up miles and spend. Long story short, I have 2 trips left, will finish with 101,000 miles and $14k in spend.

I guess I will be 1K next year, but I am doing more time on Hawaiian these days than I used to, so 2018 may be the last year.

tkc98110

well ok--0.0875% Xcess then. I doubt I'll EVER be that close again.

Boraxo

In past years when I've achieved 1K my EQM was always in the 100k-110k. Right on track this year with 105.7k and no additional UA travel plans. Some day I would love to hit GS but I never have enough spend on UA metal.

BWIflyerman

Projecting 109K PQM but only $9,820 PQD. Flying out of LAS means cheap tickets. No way I'm spending $2,200 of my money for GPUs/RPUs that don't clear. Condor is getting more of my J dollars.

kirkt

As of now with two more flights booked I will end up at 113,418 PQM and 17,903 PQD.
There is still a possibility for one or two more business trips this year.

cur

maybe you are moving in with your friend in australia or canada for a year or so?

SFHokie

I'm short by $7 PQDs right now, have plenty of PQMs though.

...fortunately there's one more trip scheduled for this year that'll cost more than $7 PQDs so I'm not entirely worried! It'll be my first time as 1K since 2011...

denuaflier

I have decided not to pursue 1K and am enjoying buying business class for whoever has best routes / price combination.

dc89

I hit 1K in September and am now at ~104k PQM and ~$16K PQD. One personal paid EWR-LAS this year for my high school reunion -- yes, I'm a native! -- but every other trip was paid by work, always in economy, often booked relatively last-minute, plus one 12.5k award ticket from SFO-GEG to hang out with my parents for the weekend.

A spate of EWR-SFO/SJC trips in April-May and EWR-ARN 3x over the summer (the "Spotify shuttle," I learned from eavesdropping in the Group 1 line) got me over the edge early as opposed to last year when I swooped into 1K during the last half of December. The flight where I hit 1K was also much more pleasant than last year as it did not incur a 30-hour delay at LHR. :-p

Cutting down on travel for Q4 with hopefully just two more work trips and Christmas on an award ticket. I'm moving to Europe next year and am interested to see how that changes my travel patterns... unfortunately I foresee a lot of economy flights between CPH-SFO. Seems like SAS/LH PE are the best way to tolerate that without closing out the year needing a spinal fusion. I had good luck with upgrades this year, but it seems like the flights to SFO are much harder to clear GPUs than Europe-NYC.