AdmiralAdama

I started work a few years ago at a company that has a branch overseas.
Never really thought much about frequent flyer stuff until I happened to reach United Silver and, in a crazy (?) strike of divine luck, was pushed up from economy to first class due to them overbooking on a transatlantic flight.
It was incredible. I realized how much I dreaded being in Economy!
So from then on I was hooked. Of course I never got what i stumbled into in my beginners luck, but i really liked being tortured a little less.
I hit Platinum last year and this year, to reach it again, I have to take more and longer trips than I normally would.
Which is good because I love travelling.
But then I started sitting in United's long haul new and improved slimline 10 across torture chambers.
I realized I would do ANYTHING not to sit in there again.
And I started looking at alternatives -- ways to reach my Platinum status WITHOUT the United torture capsules.
And then I started realizing, why am I spending so much time, money, and thought to fly on an airline I DESPISE
So, I think I may just settle for the downgrade to Gold, and start flying more due to pleasure than due to a mad dash to keep the status I have.
Wisdom of experience?
Dunno.
What you guys think?

laxmillenial

Credit card waiver? Spend 25K on the credit card and you won't have to spend $$$ (just PQM) to reach Plat.

I always always always advise my friends/family. Travel should be something you enjoy; you shouldn't ever dread taking trips or feel like you "have" to, whether they be on United, American, Delta or whomever. Even when I don't hit my PQM for 1K and i'm close, I book a trip I truly would enjoy (for example, a weekend in Asia or a weekend in DC or a weekend in Calgary, Canada), even if it's a mileage run.

BullishGS

+1, also good luck on finding a better US airline loyalty program/ economy seating. They're pretty much all the same.

findark

I will say one thing -- unless you have a family to bump into E+, I don't think Plat is worth much of anything. There are obviously more subtleties, but the big jumps in value for a solo (or 2-pax) traveler are at Gold and 1K.

StuckinITH

One benefit of Platinum that I enjoyed before getting to 1K is Boarding Group 1. When UA messed my status match/challenge, my wife and I had to board an international long haul in Group 2 and it was much less relaxing than our previous experiences in Group 1. By that time, there was already some problems getting the luggage in the bins.

Kacee

If you despise flying UA, I would definitely suggest a change either in your travel patterns or your choice in airline. Life's too short.

spin88

The first part is probably true, all of the loyality programs are less rewarding today. Each has their good and bad sides. But as to "economy seating" Delta is far, far better at this point. They don't have a single plane with torture tube seating, not one. While United is going with the 10x 777 (seats that give 19.4" of width + a narrower aisle) and the 787 (seats that are 19.8") Delta is sticking with 9x on the 777 (seats that are 21.3" wide) and/or you get a A330 and soon a A330neo (seats that are 20.8" wide) or a 767 (seats that are 21.2" wide)> Delta's newest plane the A350 has both a PE section which is very nice and the Y seats are 20.3" wide, not great, but the quite and higher humidity and pressure of the plane IMHE make up for the loss of width. Had great flights on that plane.

And Delta is beinging on a lot of A321s, which are very confortable planes, much better than what UA is getting (lots of 7-narrow-7s with cruddy slimline seats and no IFE).

Lots to be unhappy with about DL, but the passanger hard product is at this point better and the gap is getting much wider as UA's fleet goes more and more narrow every day.

zymm

Technically you could do it by the credit card waiver plus travel on *A partners, but I don't really know what the point would be of having status on an airline you aren't flying

gpicur

Spin, I think your measurements are off...or maybe for Business Class. SeatGuru lists the UA 787 Econ at 17.3" & new UA 777 Econ Seats at 17" while Delta 777 Econ Seats are listed at 18.5".

greene

AdmiralAdama,
I would recommend you trying LH. You will still get UA miles and I think the LH experience is much better even in economy than UA.
You are also protected under EU260 flying TO Europe.
I am in academia so I only experienced LH Business (tranatlantic) once on an Award through UA miles. I so enjoyed that trip. MUC is a wonderful airport.
I would recommend trying to hold on to Silver Status, but you need not go for a further status as I think the benefits are marginal.
I think United has gone so downhill that you almost need status to have the experience United provided twenty years ago according to my father.
Good luck!

AdmiralAdama

i understood that seat width for united economy and economy plus 777 is 17.05 inches and width on the United 787 is 17.3 inches.
And it feels smaller.
On a full flight, it's sheer torture. Economy Plus doesn't help.

StuckinITH

With a branch overseas, the OP needs Gold so can access lounges while waiting for the flights.

Kacee

And economy plus. And additional checked bag. And free SDC. And *G status.

The jump from Silver to Gold is in many ways the most substantial and valuable.

StuckinITH

Yes, but for me the jump from Platinum to 1K is the one that is the most valuable money wise. The GPUs saved me thousands of $ when I could not find a P fare. OK, sometimes a little difficult to use as I never find R space at booking but most times I end up upgraded (and my wife too).

SFOrunner

Learning the intricacies of the airline industry, MileagePlus, and FlyerTalk allowed me get more out of being a 1K than most. I can attest that this holds true for all of the status levels, as I have have spent time at all of them for moderate amounts of time.

Example: Most United fliers with status probably know that they get complimentary upgrades, and that their chances of an upgrade increase as their status does. However, I would also argue that most United fliers (with status or otherwise) don't know what "R>0" means, or why it's important to the CPU game. Learning about this, using CablePick, and looking at flight loads via Expert Mode, and paying attention to aircraft type has helped me pick flights that increase my odds of a CPU.

Looking at 1K for example, I would wager that most 1K's don't exactly know how to use their GPU's, why purchasing a V-fare may improve their upgrade chances, and how to avoid getting put on the waitlist. Most recently I booked a return leg, ORD-SFO, where I had flexibility on my departure time. I noticed that the 7:10 AM flight, on a 757-200 had R1. I booked it, and immediately applied my RPU. Now I'm flying home in a lie-flat.

All that said, my point is this: through self-education, there are a lot of ways to maximize your Premier Status benefits with United. I'm not going to say that United doesn't have it's faults - but personally, I have gotten WAY more out of my 1K status because I've learned the rules and I am always looking for ways to maximize my benefits.

OP may already know everything there is to know...but I'd challenge them to continue to learn more about how the industry and loyalty programs work in order to give them a slight edge against the rest of the Elites.

- LRME