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
#226
#228
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#229
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But you are right, MileagePlus™ General members, such as my wife, cannot move to empty Preferred seats
Of course, they still may get lucky and be assigned a better seat, depending on what is available. Especially if travelling on a different PNR with a Premier™. But don't count on it.
Last edited by SPN Lifer; Nov 17, 2023 at 5:10 pm
#230
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E+ = Free for Gold and higher at booking, free for Silver at OLCI, otherwise a fee
Preferred -- Free at booking for all UA elites and select UA corporate customers
Preferred -- Free at booking for all UA elites and select UA corporate customers
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Nov 17, 2023 at 8:31 am Reason: and select UA corporate customers
#231
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Example: flight within 24 hours
Compared to the return on the same PNR next week which does still want the fee (ie not something in the fare giving the preferred seats)
Last edited by Lux Flyer; Nov 17, 2023 at 8:16 am
#232
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#233
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Pretty sure preferred seats do open for everyone (non-BE?) at check in.
Example: flight within 24 hours [image redacted]
Compared to the return on the same PNR next week which does still want the fee (ie not something in the fare giving the preferred seats) [image redacted]
Example: flight within 24 hours [image redacted]
Compared to the return on the same PNR next week which does still want the fee (ie not something in the fare giving the preferred seats) [image redacted]
I have edited my Post # 229 accordingly, striking through the wrong information and underlining the added correction.
Last edited by SPN Lifer; Nov 17, 2023 at 5:16 pm
#234
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TATL Award economy seat “preferred”
When planing to book an award Saver seat in the Economy seat section of a United TATL flight, most seats are indicated as available with the “preferred” icon. What does that mean, a surcharge?
#235
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#236
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Beware, they are not PremiumEconomy or Economy Plus seats, which have more leg room. Preferred economy seats are just normal economy seats closer to the front of the plane. Some might pay for them to get off the plane faster than those in the same-pitch seats farther back. That is about the only benefit.
Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Feb 29, 2024 at 6:35 pm Reason: speling
#237
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I have had status for long enough I didn’t pay any attention to this. But lately I’ve had to book a few tickets for a no-status family member. What it feels like to me is basically a seat assignment charge—the few seats at the back of the plane are booked solid, leaving people with nothing but upcharge seats—either “preferred” or E+. Or go without a seat assignment until check-in. When they are charging >$20 for a “preferred” seat on a 90 minute domestic flight, it’s a bit insane. I can’t imagine what the charge is for a TATL.
#238
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The middle 1/3 of economy is the preferred seat area. These are standard economy seats, closer to the front, but not Economy Plus extra leg space. It is accessible by anyone for a modest fee (much less then E+) but the intent was to save seats for last minute booking preferred corporate customers who previous could end up in the back of the airplane with a middle seat even when booking a high fare. These preferred seats are available to anyone at check in for no fee (free).
The allocation is approx (varies a bit with the aircraft) 1/3 open economy, 1/3 preferred and 1/3 E+
The allocation is approx (varies a bit with the aircraft) 1/3 open economy, 1/3 preferred and 1/3 E+