Aug 13, 2018, 11:55 am
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
Aug 13, 2018, 3:59 pm
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,370
I'm a small fish travel-wise at the company, but even if I weren't, that's not how this works. Take a moment and read through the "what's the stupidest corporate travel policy at your company" thread. You'll see what I mean. I stand by my original statement -- at many companies, the people who are negotiating the travel contracts don't travel much, and they're certainly not going to take some kind of moralistic stand by saying "forget signing a contract with UA -- you're reserving too many seats for corporate customers, and you shouldn't."
Aug 13, 2018, 4:03 pm
#32
Join Date: May 2010
Location: TPA
Programs: All The Programs
Posts: 2,203
I'm a small fish travel-wise at the company, but even if I weren't, that's not how this works. Take a moment and read through the "what's the stupidest corporate travel policy at your company" thread. You'll see what I mean. I stand by my original statement -- at many companies, the people who are negotiating the travel contracts don't travel much, and they're certainly not going to take some kind of moralistic stand by saying "forget signing a contract with UA -- you're reserving too many seats for corporate customers, and you shouldn't."
The travel team is unlikely to take any action with an airline to impact your chances of sitting in 17A vs 30B. But it has nothing to do with how well they understand your pain.
Aug 13, 2018, 4:04 pm
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA Silver, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 21,530
d- It's actually kind of offensive/rubbing our nose in the fact that while 90% of our travel is directed at United, we aren't valuable enough ("Here's this thing we're rolling out to make other people's business travel easier than yours. You don't get it and have no meaningful way of getting it")
United also quietly launched a program for SMBs called Propel. I guess it's designed for companies who do not want to pre-pay for PassPlus.
Aug 13, 2018, 4:08 pm
#34
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K MM, Accor Plat, Htz PC, Natl ExEm, other random status
Posts: 2,876
They do it all the time with discounts, so I don't think they'll have any problem doing it, in part because I'm sure they'll be telling the companies every month where they are in terms of requalification, just like they do with the Premier tracker for individuals.
Aug 13, 2018, 4:17 pm
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
All I can think of is the indifference many FAs will have to where folks are sitting: "you are E+?" "you are preferred?" "you are group 5?" - "so? take your seat.".
Yeah, right. This is gonna go so well.
David
Yeah, right. This is gonna go so well.
David
Aug 13, 2018, 4:28 pm
#37
Join Date: May 2010
Location: TPA
Programs: All The Programs
Posts: 2,203
Aug 13, 2018, 4:50 pm
#38
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
Posts: 4,154
I also hope the self-service "corporate" tools are better than PerksPlus as far as visibility in to travel and qualification. The PerksPlus site is a desert of useful information, and qualification/spend information is best case 30+ days delayed. (e.g. right now the most recent information Is a space-station view of travel between June 1 and 30. I know we spent $8k in 'qualifying' revenue and had 12 'qualifying' tickets but that's essentially the extent of the visibility UA provides. July's statement will show up sometime after August 25th and if you click the "recent activity" link "There is no recent activity available for this account"
Aug 13, 2018, 5:04 pm
#39
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 31,985
Delta has been doing this for a while. No wonder UA is copying it. Nice to see it though, I am sure my company will be in the top bucket ... can't hurt.
Aug 13, 2018, 5:20 pm
#40
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Virtuoso Travel Agent, Commercial Pilot
Posts: 2,117
I feel like the messaging for the qualification is positioning this like Global Services, e.g. "we'll let you know what the finish line is for this year once you've crossed it, and it may not be in the same place next year"
I also hope the self-service "corporate" tools are better than PerksPlus as far as visibility in to travel and qualification.
I also hope the self-service "corporate" tools are better than PerksPlus as far as visibility in to travel and qualification.
Most corporate reporting would be provided by third parties--there are much better platforms out there for travel reporting than anything United would provide. For PassPlus accounts, they do provide some reporting via UATP, but it's pretty rudimentary.
Aug 13, 2018, 6:01 pm
#41
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: 6 year GS, now 2MM Jeff-ugee, *wood LTPlt, SkyPeso PLT
Posts: 6,526
Delta then rolled out EC, which those w/o status DON'T have access to. Delta when they did EC did not include the exit rows (unlike UA) as EC. So the result is that on DL (using the A319 as an e.g. since UA gave a seating chart), there are 3 rows of EC, and two "exit rows" which are called "preferred". Difference? You get the extra leg room, but not free food/snacks. DL then has an extra two rows of "preferred" E- seating after the exit rows, and an additional 13 rows of E-. UA? Well 7 rows of E+ (two of which are exit rows), 5 rows of "preferred" (all Y-) and then 8 rows Y-.
The impact on buyers is very different. Delta makes 13 rows available for seat selection w/o status, UA 8. And on DL, you can if you have access to "preferred" seats (via higher fare, or corporate account, or if you have status) snag the exit row. I don't see that UA will make the preferred seats available to those on higher fares, nor can you get an exit row.
Aug 13, 2018, 6:13 pm
#42
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,215
So as a small business of one, and half of my travel personal this program is not for me, however if I understand it correctly as a 1K I should not see any impact to me as I get E+ at reservation and am in BG1. Is my assessment correct? I think it is going to impact Silvers - right?
Aug 13, 2018, 6:17 pm
#43
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,108
Just got a promo from our corporate travel folks. UA is already one of our preferred carriers, but it's clear they are trying to steer us to UA more.
The thing I don't get (and which our corporate travel folks didn't clarify yet) is how, by the UA T&C, a trip qualifies or not; it requires:
We use one of the big corporate travel agencies to book. I assume whatever they book ends up with the "tour code," but I wonder if there's any way for me to book such travel on my own rather than paying the corporate travel agency their fee and going through them? We're allowed to use the corporate engine for personal travel, FWIW, but I hate paying extra for something I'm doing myself.
The thing I don't get (and which our corporate travel folks didn't clarify yet) is how, by the UA T&C, a trip qualifies or not; it requires:
Originally Posted by T&C of Corporate Offer
4. To earn the bonus, you must register for this offer prior to booking and completing a qualifying flight. A qualifying flight: (i) is booked using the xxxx tour code yyyyy (ii) is operated by United or United Express (offer is not valid on United-marketed codeshare flights operated by other carriers), and (iii) occurs during the travel period.
Aug 13, 2018, 6:25 pm
#44
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,395
Difference? You get the extra leg room, but not free food/snacks. DL then has an extra two rows of "preferred" E- seating after the exit rows, and an additional 13 rows of E-. UA? Well 7 rows of E+ (two of which are exit rows), 5 rows of "preferred" (all Y-) and then 8 rows Y-.
The impact on buyers is very different. Delta makes 13 rows available for seat selection w/o status, UA 8. And on DL, you can if you have access to "preferred" seats (via higher fare, or corporate account, or if you have status) snag the exit row. I don't see that UA will make the preferred seats available to those on higher fares, nor can you get an exit row.
The impact on buyers is very different. Delta makes 13 rows available for seat selection w/o status, UA 8. And on DL, you can if you have access to "preferred" seats (via higher fare, or corporate account, or if you have status) snag the exit row. I don't see that UA will make the preferred seats available to those on higher fares, nor can you get an exit row.
Aug 13, 2018, 6:46 pm
#45
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: NYC: UA 1K, DL Platinum, AAirpass, Avis PC
Posts: 4,599
As I tried to show with a concrete example, what DL has been doing, is different. Delta "blocked" certain seats as preferred, they were the exit/bulkhead and a few rows up front. These were for (a) elites, and (b) corporate accounts. There was/is no distinction between exit row and regular Y- in DL's preferred.
Delta then rolled out EC, which those w/o status DON'T have access to. Delta when they did EC did not include the exit rows (unlike UA) as EC. So the result is that on DL (using the A319 as an e.g. since UA gave a seating chart), there are 3 rows of EC, and two "exit rows" which are called "preferred". Difference? You get the extra leg room, but not free food/snacks. DL then has an extra two rows of "preferred" E- seating after the exit rows, and an additional 13 rows of E-. UA? Well 7 rows of E+ (two of which are exit rows), 5 rows of "preferred" (all Y-) and then 8 rows Y-.
The impact on buyers is very different. Delta makes 13 rows available for seat selection w/o status, UA 8. And on DL, you can if you have access to "preferred" seats (via higher fare, or corporate account, or if you have status) snag the exit row. I don't see that UA will make the preferred seats available to those on higher fares, nor can you get an exit row.
Delta then rolled out EC, which those w/o status DON'T have access to. Delta when they did EC did not include the exit rows (unlike UA) as EC. So the result is that on DL (using the A319 as an e.g. since UA gave a seating chart), there are 3 rows of EC, and two "exit rows" which are called "preferred". Difference? You get the extra leg room, but not free food/snacks. DL then has an extra two rows of "preferred" E- seating after the exit rows, and an additional 13 rows of E-. UA? Well 7 rows of E+ (two of which are exit rows), 5 rows of "preferred" (all Y-) and then 8 rows Y-.
The impact on buyers is very different. Delta makes 13 rows available for seat selection w/o status, UA 8. And on DL, you can if you have access to "preferred" seats (via higher fare, or corporate account, or if you have status) snag the exit row. I don't see that UA will make the preferred seats available to those on higher fares, nor can you get an exit row.
From a neutral (profit only) perspective i don't think anyone here has a case one is better than the other. You could make the same argument having more E+ seats for elites would piss off a non elite corporate. Loads are so heavy it's hard even for those who have access to all the seats to find a great one close in.
Last edited by cerealmarketer; Aug 13, 2018 at 6:54 pm