SFOrunner

I have to imagine that this is the exact behavior United was hoping for.

zombietooth

I flew yesterday with a software engineer who is in similar circumstances as you with different clients having different flight purchase criteria. He hasn't had one RPU or GPU clear in the last 3 years-talk about bad luck! He was sitting at 250K miles on UA, 150K on DL and 100K+ on AA so far this year. He, like you, hopes the new PlusPoints system will get him more upgrades but I am quite skeptical.

exerda

Depending on how far in advance one is able to book for work with that scenario, the STW aspect of P+ may be a good use, if a costly one in terms of points (and dollars with the need to upfare fo W to STW).

I haven't traveled for work this year, but last year, none of my RPU-supported flights cleared. I did a buy-up on one flight (a transcon redeye), but it was very frustrating to be traveling as a 1K and basically see myself 15-20 on the list when I'd waitlisted the upgrade months before travel.

ETA: Just reviewed my spreadsheet for the year... cheapest flight was IAD-SIN, 4cpm (no PP, booked in W; had there been PP, it would have been even lower). IAD-TPE in PP was 6cpm. IAD-LHR in PP is 9cpm. Most expensive have been IAD-PIT in fully-refundable C (36cpm), IAD-JAX in Y and Z (40cpm), IAD-BTV in D (50cpm). Most of my transcons, all booked in Z or higher, come in around 11-12cpm.

Aussienarelle

I too am fairly low down on the upgrade list for domestic flights. Also 1K. I have two RPUs doing the rinse and repeat cycles.

I am also more often than not #1 on the upgrade list on international flights and I tend to book my flights in advance. I have been able to use eight of my GPUs this year, just waiting on the ninth to come through for the end of Novrmber, but I have also been unsuccessful a few times. Although I do seem to have a better success rate as a 1K compared to others but I try to fly on "off" days to increase my liklihood of success as I have that flexibility as it is my money.

MysteryTour

Very few bargain domestic fares for me this year. I should end up at around 115,000 and $17k, Last year was around 126,000 and $16.6k.

iapetus

I was thinking of starting a thread just like this! I've been wondering whether 1Ks are being more stressed by the PQD or PQM requirement.

I assumed that PQD would be the problem for me. However, it's turning out to be the PQM that is posing a bigger challenge. When I return from this trip to Europe, I will be well over the $15K PQD requirement. The bulk of my PQM have been earned on Y TATL fares. I'm currently projected to fall 7K short on PQM ... and it would be a larger shortfall had I not upfared to P on an upcoming trip to SAT. But if I play that game one more time (there may be one more work trip), I should be able to just barely get over 100K PQMs.

Getting back to 1K is definitely worth it for me. I refuse to upgrade with miles + copay. And my GPUs do clear ... albeit not reliably. I only had the EWR-LAX portion clear on a recent trip to GVA. But my GPU did clear on the way here ... and I'm guardedly optimistic that I'll clear on the way home. So I value the GPUs pretty highly.

qfrodo

Been 1K since 2008, but no more after this year. Travel patterns changed quite a bit. (Read less flying). Also, since I primarily fly between the US and Brazil, I status matched to Azul Diamante and they can get me where I need to go. (and usually for a lower cost than UA) Since I normally buy business class, the GPUs went to friends and family, so they will suffer more. :-)

Billygreg

Been 1k for 17 years but it will be touch and go this year due to a health issue that will ground me a bit in Q4. Nevertheless with one more transcon I ought to be over both levels for 2020. Hard to imagine flying on UA without 1k status.

1P

My situation exactly, except that I probably won't make 2MM (still need another 110,000 miles) because of switching a lot of travel to DL whenever their biz fares are only half UA's. The PQD and unusable.GPUs were the clincher.

If UA's new business model is to drive away loyal flyers, they're succeeding.

tarheelnj

Will hit 100k PQM's this month.

I will finish the year barely over $15k PQD's, and that only because last March I went for (what appears to have been) a one-time PQD purchase offer of 1730 PQD's.

ChrisHaynesUSA

will finish the year at 141kmiles and 18.2k$
after my annual mileage run to Singapore once work got me close enough for the SIN run I book it only if it will get me over for the year.
under the old quals,... there were so many people with 1K status that is was no longer special.

Hopefully this separates out a few.

chavala

Just booked my last flight of the year.
109,391 PQM and $15,071 PQD

To me it's a game to get as close to the $15,000 mark as possible. Anything after that is just throwing money away IMO.

mh3265a

Will be well over 100k but barely make the $15K threshold this year. At least that's my current projection.

Rough estimation
PQMs: 127,000
PQDs: $15,100

carlitos

Well, the beauty of residing and working in a beautiful beach in Mexico, but also having a place in the Southern Part of the US where United hubs and where all my tickets are purchased for work to travel all over the world. So not a US Citizen, and just a Green Card holder with snowbird style type of living like Canadians in Florida. Good for 1K quality of life. I position myself to the hub on my dime, company pays for me to travel the world on their money, but I get to pick the airline all the time.

SFHokie

Ending the year in mid-December with $7606 in PQD and 103,565 in PQMs ... so I'll easily hit 1K next year no problem! Living overseas and not worrying about PQDs is wonderful at times Also managed to have 4/6 GPUs clear TPAC this year and another TPAC u/g using miles! Not a bad year for this United flyer.