This is a great option and helpful feedback as well! Will look to do this, as she will have a few transcon trips for sure through March 2018. UA Gold I think is where the real benefits begin but I'll let the experts opine on that

Sage advice, and something I've come to know after interacting with a few fellow enthusiasts. For example, one friend hates Economy to the extent that he will pay $1,200 to fly premium economy (upgrade to J class due to his status) when the Economy flight would have cost him only $350. I don't know if I'd do that unless I was going for a mileage run or had a status in mind...

UA Silver on its own wouldn't be very valuable to us at all. Main attraction for us would be to attain a higher status like UA Gold where the benefits start making a bit more sense. Have had an easier time booking Star Alliance awards and since we're based in the Bay Area, thinking why not give our business to United / Alaska who are active in the Bay Area anyway.

Achieving UA Silver on its own will not help toward UA Gold status next year. UA doesn't offer rollover; everyone starts from 0 on January 1. So, your plan of getting the Explorer card and buying an E+ subscription -- or trying for a post-Jan 1 status match with Alaska -- probably make the most sense.

Ah gotcha, good to know that. Loving FT, so helpful!

Will look to contribute to the forums as best I can.

11,000 miles from Silver - is there any reasonable way to qualify?
 

I'm about 11,000 miles from Silver status. I'm wondering if there is any reasonably cost efficient way of getting 11,000 miles?

Or maybe Silver status isn't worth that much?

Thanks

- Dave

See https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...us-2018-a.html for ideas but you are looking at $500+ (probably more like $750) if you did some flying immediately and close to $1,500 just to buy the PQMs without flying.

What would you vlaueSilver for?
You could purchase an E+ access for less and that provides access at booking
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...plus-more.html
You could get a credit card for early boarding and free first bag
Upgrades are rare for Silver

also
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...rd-better.html

I thought the Silver status also got you a higher mileage multiplier, 5 times I think, on ticket purchase mileage.

Not sure I want to spend the $499 for Economy Plus subscription, but it might be worth it.

I have the credit card and that is where most of miles come from, although Hertz rentals helped also this year.

Yes, it does -- the wiki has a more detailed list of benefits.

The advantage of the subscription is access at booking vs Silver access at check-in.

If a Chase MP card, you get 1 bag and premier boarding.

Just a data point: This year, I have flown 17 segments on United that had a first class cabin (so all of the segments on ERJ145/CRJ200 etc are not included in the figure). Out of the 17 segments, I have received a CPU on 7/17 of them. Granted, I usually fly smaller routes that are operated by Skywest ERJ175, but I have received some mainline upgrades, and even an op-up from C to F on a domestic 763. Silver may be worth it if you're flying in and out of more regional airports that have ERJ175 or CRJ700 service (like I do).

I did the explorer card (which I've had for a while) plus E+ subscription for 2017, since I didn't fly a lot in 2016. Toward the end of this year I was close enough to Silver and had more travel planned for December so I ended up adjusting my flights to squeak over the line to Silver for 2018.

The differences are:
With silver:
you get E+ at T-24, so you have to check in right then to have a good chance of getting the seat you want (but my E+ subscription is good til march)
Better IRROPS handling
Premier security line (shorter line, regular TSA check) if you aren't precheck
7x multiplier for miles instead of 5x of general member
And not much else.

I've generally had very good luck at T-24 in getting E+ aisles with empty middles, and the price was the same, or maybe $100 less to go for silver, so I did that. I've also taken advantage of the IRROPS handling more than once during winter storms and it is definitely better than being a general member when there are people sleeping on the floor and big lines at the customer service desk.

I also started flying Alaska this year for my North/South travel up to the PNW, but started late in the year so I only made it halfway to MVP. Getting silver let me submit for a status match, so it's slightly better for me to do that than do Explorer and E+ subscription, but it's a close trade.

I've read through the thread and seek an up-to-date perspective on this. To wit, my Warren-Buffet-sized stash of FPQMs finally ran out this year, and on February 1, 2019, I'll lose Premier status. I plan to keep some benefits via...

• Chase MP Explorer card: $95
  • Waived Bag Fee
  • Group 2 Boarding
  • Better Award Bookings
• Economy Plus Subscription: $899
  • Subscriber and companion (global)

Am I missing anything?

Upgrades, as slim as that may be as Silver. Reduced close-in booking fee, and it appears they've fixed the workaround of booking a flight months out and then changing it. Reduced cancellation/change fee for awards. Better RDM earnings.

None of that seems terribly important.

• US-based premier desk and the ability to reach a knowledgeable agent within a minute of picking up the phone (usually)
• Much better IRROPS handling (which dovetails with the premier desk)
• Priority baggage handling
• Waived co-pay on domestic MUAs.

The IRROPS handling is worth all the PQDs you've funneled at United when everything goes FUBAR. For example, an airport ticket agent was able to change my flight to get a confirmed B-fare on a DCA-EWR leg when the eastern seaboard was all screwed due to storms. I was able to get a confirmed seat despite 12 people already on standby, none of whom made it on the flight.

On that same trip, I was taking an EWR--SFO second leg that I bought up to business (P) day of. When I landed in EWR, my original flight was 3 hours delayed and the app offered a change to an earlier flight (also delayed, but still leaving much earlier). When I clicked confirm, I learned the hard way that voluntary changes cause upgrades to disappear. I called the premier desk, who looped in a supervisor and the web support team, who were able to see my prior transactions and force me into P on the new flight. Good luck getting the global regular UA customer service line to even figure out what you're asking in that circumstance.

Baggage handling and MUA co-pay waivers are little perks, but not worth much.

+1. It's an often-overlooked benefit but huge when things happen. I missed an EWR-SFO (originally paid P) that was all my fault, and the premier desk rebooked me positive space (Z class) on the next available flight.

I guess the old saw goes something like this: "Silvers don't fly enough for that benefit to be worth the cost." Still, your point is well taken. I have not abandoned considering strategies to retain Silver status in 2019, but only if I can do so economically. Otherwise, it's "Bronze Premier" for me.