Last edit by: WineCountryUA
United Airlines Strengthens Commitment to Top Corporate Customers with Launch of United Corporate Preferred
New exclusive program provides multi-level benefits to airline's top business travelers
SAN DIEGO, Aug. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines today debuted United Corporate Preferred, the industry's newest corporate travel program designed to offer top travel benefits to the airline's most loyal business customers. United announced the new program this morning at the Global Business Traveler Association (GBTA) Convention in San Diego.
United Corporate Preferred is a new and exclusive benefits program that provides added perks for the airline's top corporate customers. A multi-level program, United Corporate Preferred offers escalating benefits at three levels, including United Corporate Preferred, United Corporate Preferred Plus and United Corporate Preferred Elite. Eligibility for the new program is determined by a corporation's contract status, revenue contribution and loyalty with United. Eligible corporate agreements include United corporate share agreements, United PassPlus and United Meetings.
"Every day thousands of road warriors are jetting off on United to work events and business meetings all over the world," said Jake Cefolia, United's senior vice president of Worldwide Sales. "We designed our United Corporate Preferred program with the customer's entire travel experience in mind, from booking to landing, to identify opportunities to show our appreciation to our loyal business customers with a program that offers extra perks and travel benefits."
Benefits offered to all United Corporate Preferred customers include:
• Preferred upgrades – tie-breaker preferences for upgrades.
• Preferred standby – prioritization when traveling on standby for a different flight and when waitlisting for a seat in a different cabin or booking class.
• Operational adjustment protection – protection during travel interruptions, as well as seat protection to retain the same or similar seat in the event of an aircraft swap.
• Preferred discounts and offers – eligibility to receive exclusive promotions offered by both United and its partners in the near future.
Customers in the airline's new United Corporate Preferred Elite level will also receive the following:
• Additional travel waiver flexibility – when United has a travel waiver in place, customers will receive additional flexibility to adjust their travel beyond restrictions in place on the standard waiver.
• Preferred boarding – later this year, customers will receive priority boarding in group two.
• Preferred seating – later this year, customers will have access to book designated standard economy seats closer to the front of the plane.
To receive these benefits, tickets must be flown on United or United Express flights, reservations must include the customer's corporate account number at the time of booking, and the travel must be for the corporate customer's business. Companies invited to participate in United Corporate Preferred will receive a tailored webpage with information on benefits eligible to their employees. For more information on the program, visit unitedcorporatepreferred.com.
New exclusive program provides multi-level benefits to airline's top business travelers
SAN DIEGO, Aug. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines today debuted United Corporate Preferred, the industry's newest corporate travel program designed to offer top travel benefits to the airline's most loyal business customers. United announced the new program this morning at the Global Business Traveler Association (GBTA) Convention in San Diego.
United Corporate Preferred is a new and exclusive benefits program that provides added perks for the airline's top corporate customers. A multi-level program, United Corporate Preferred offers escalating benefits at three levels, including United Corporate Preferred, United Corporate Preferred Plus and United Corporate Preferred Elite. Eligibility for the new program is determined by a corporation's contract status, revenue contribution and loyalty with United. Eligible corporate agreements include United corporate share agreements, United PassPlus and United Meetings.
"Every day thousands of road warriors are jetting off on United to work events and business meetings all over the world," said Jake Cefolia, United's senior vice president of Worldwide Sales. "We designed our United Corporate Preferred program with the customer's entire travel experience in mind, from booking to landing, to identify opportunities to show our appreciation to our loyal business customers with a program that offers extra perks and travel benefits."
Benefits offered to all United Corporate Preferred customers include:
• Preferred upgrades – tie-breaker preferences for upgrades.
• Preferred standby – prioritization when traveling on standby for a different flight and when waitlisting for a seat in a different cabin or booking class.
• Operational adjustment protection – protection during travel interruptions, as well as seat protection to retain the same or similar seat in the event of an aircraft swap.
• Preferred discounts and offers – eligibility to receive exclusive promotions offered by both United and its partners in the near future.
Customers in the airline's new United Corporate Preferred Elite level will also receive the following:
• Additional travel waiver flexibility – when United has a travel waiver in place, customers will receive additional flexibility to adjust their travel beyond restrictions in place on the standard waiver.
• Preferred boarding – later this year, customers will receive priority boarding in group two.
• Preferred seating – later this year, customers will have access to book designated standard economy seats closer to the front of the plane.
To receive these benefits, tickets must be flown on United or United Express flights, reservations must include the customer's corporate account number at the time of booking, and the travel must be for the corporate customer's business. Companies invited to participate in United Corporate Preferred will receive a tailored webpage with information on benefits eligible to their employees. For more information on the program, visit unitedcorporatepreferred.com.
What benefits do United Corporate Preferred travelers receive?
Specific benefits are listed below. Being a multi-level program, within each benefit in tie-breaker scenarios, United Corporate Preferred Elite travelers receive the highest priority, followed by United Corporate Preferred Plus and then United Corporate Preferred.
Specific benefits are listed below. Being a multi-level program, within each benefit in tie-breaker scenarios, United Corporate Preferred Elite travelers receive the highest priority, followed by United Corporate Preferred Plus and then United Corporate Preferred.
Refunds:
UA says
Refunds for preferred seating purchases are processed automatically after scheduled departure in the event of flight cancellation change, when travel is completed in a standard United Economy seat, or when travel is completed in a seat of equal or greater value through the purchase of a premium cabin seating offer.
In the event of a ticket refund or cancellation, preferred seating purchases will be automatically refunded.
...
If you decide to change your flight, your preferred seating purchase will be automatically refunded. If the ticket is partially used at the time of the change, only the value of unused preferred seating will be refunded.
...
If you decide to change your flight, your preferred seating purchase will be automatically refunded. If the ticket is partially used at the time of the change, only the value of unused preferred seating will be refunded.
MileagePlus Premier® members will receive access to preferred seating, where available, at no additional cost.
Preferred seat refunds (changed flights, upgraded, purchased E+, ...)
New Corporate Preferred (upgrade tiebreaker) / new 'preferred' seating section
#211
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No, it doesn't. They allow you to select any available seat. Would you expect United to kick someone else out of the seat they picked to give you the one you want? It's really the same thing - those seats are reserved for people who earned them, either through status or by paying.
#212
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What policy?
What is UA is do is what the industrial is doing and UA in general is more generous on free seats than many.
#213
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 315
No, it doesn't. They allow you to select any available seat. Would you expect United to kick someone else out of the seat they picked to give you the one you want? It's really the same thing - those seats are reserved for people who earned them, either through status or by paying.
And by your logic, where is the limit? One row that isn't "reserved"? Then they should just be honest and say seat assignments cost money with standard economy.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jul 29, 2022 at 1:50 pm Reason: Mod error
#214
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E+ for elites or a fee has been in place for decades
Preferred seating, free at check-in, since early 2018
Check the competition, you will see the same practices and many worst.
#215
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No. Varies by aircraft, but E+ ranges from about a quarter to almost half of economy section. You must be having recollections of another carrier maybe - or maybe experiencing one UA type with smaller E+ section (781) and one with a higher (some 739s). They were never “just a couple of rows”. Maybe a regional jet - yeah, that would be “just a couple of rows”.
#216
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,281
There's no way it's the same thing. First, people aren't paying, or those seats wouldn't still be the only ones still open. And second, half the cabin won't be filling up with people with status.
And by your logic, where is the limit? One row that isn't "reserved"? Then they should just be honest and say seat assignments cost money with standard economy.
And by your logic, where is the limit? One row that isn't "reserved"? Then they should just be honest and say seat assignments cost money with standard economy.
#217
Join Date: May 2009
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I don't have status on American, but fly them occasionally. Easily the front half of the economy cabin, at least on the workhorse A319/20, requires an added fee. Quite often all that's left is middle seats in the "free" seating section - I usually pass and take my chances at check in.
#218
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 132
I am not sure if anyone noticed that UA is charging additional fee for aisle and window seat on 737/320 in E- seats even when you are NOT booked with Basic Economy? This setup guaranteed that couples or families need to seat separately and adding chances for people asking to switch seat
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Aug 19, 2022 at 12:04 am Reason: Moved to subject thread
#219
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I am not sure if anyone noticed that UA is charging additional fee for aisle and window seat on 737/320 in E- seats even when you are NOT booked with Basic Economy? This setup guaranteed that couples or families need to seat separately and adding chances for people asking to switch seat
so pick your poison I guess - not have access to them at all, or pay for access available.
#220
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#221
Join Date: Dec 2009
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Does preferred seating become available for free at T-24 also for international flights for which you can't do OLCI (doc check needed)? I am eyeing an 767 which has just one middle seat in the back open for free. The rest are preferred or E+. Can I pick a preferred seat at T-24 and then go the airport for check in the next day?
#222
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 930
What's the Difference Between Preferred Seat and Economy Plus Seat?
Row 15 shows as a "Preferred Seat" with a black and white icon. It is right in front of the Exit Rows. While it appears to be in the E+ section it isn't called a E+ seat. What is the difference in that seat?
#223
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https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/tra...d-seating.html
#224
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At check-in, preferred seats are available to everyone at no charge.