View Poll Results: Will you switch frequent flyer programs / what will you switch to?
Stay with UA (or join UA - please post)
233
42.75%
Change to American Airlines
28
5.14%
Change to Delta Air Lines
44
8.07%
Change to Alaska Airlines
28
5.14%
Change to non-US Star Alliance (please post which program)
53
9.72%
Change to non-US Oneworld (please post which program)
10
1.83%
Change to non-US SkyTeam (please post which program)
2
0.37%
Split alliances / programs (please post which programs)
28
5.14%
Cease preference for any program
91
16.70%
Retain no preference for any program
28
5.14%
Voters: 545. You may not vote on this poll
2020 MP changes — Will you switch loyalty programs? What program will you switch to?
Oct 14, 2019 | 12:30 pm
#166
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,067
I am dumping UA. At some point the surly employees, tone deaf treatment and customer beatings have to create a situation where everyone says enough. I can't imagine that the demand for UA is so inelastic that people will take ANYTHING. But I saw the thread that said 40% of the UA fliers are still going to stick with UA. So maybe it is? I cannot fathom a person with little travel experience putting up with this though.
I was able to get my status reinstated at DL - back to Diamond for me. I am booking my required flights now (have to fly 3750 mqd and 3125 MQM). my current situation is MM on DL with only 380k on UA. Flying out of DEN I hate changing planes, but if I don't have time to change I can use F9 or NK. most of my domestic flights are short (< 2 hours) and the trips last a day or two at the most, so I won't miss the perks (the flights are direct if I use NK or F9).
For international I have to change airlines for the most part anyway so the DL stuff isn't a big deal then. If that doesn't work, I will just use Amex travel. they have great solutions for business or first class tickets. I suppose if the major airlines want to be a commodity we can treat them like that.
I was able to get my status reinstated at DL - back to Diamond for me. I am booking my required flights now (have to fly 3750 mqd and 3125 MQM). my current situation is MM on DL with only 380k on UA. Flying out of DEN I hate changing planes, but if I don't have time to change I can use F9 or NK. most of my domestic flights are short (< 2 hours) and the trips last a day or two at the most, so I won't miss the perks (the flights are direct if I use NK or F9).
For international I have to change airlines for the most part anyway so the DL stuff isn't a big deal then. If that doesn't work, I will just use Amex travel. they have great solutions for business or first class tickets. I suppose if the major airlines want to be a commodity we can treat them like that.
Oct 14, 2019 | 12:38 pm
#167
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,067
I suspect the answers to these questions will vary by each person's travel patterns and values. For me, I fly mostly domestically, I am based in DC (DCA or IAD), and I'm in it for the same day changes, the "free" E+ seats, and the possibility (remote as it is) for upgrades. I have been Gold for many years. I will not qualify for Gold under the new program; the spending requirements are too steep (not all "business" travel is for businesses with large travel budgets!). I suspect there are many like me, who have continued to fly UA primarily for those benefits and the need to re-qualify each year. UA is basically telling me that they do not value the business at my level to the extent they once did, and they they are OK with me taking my business elsewhere. I will certainly do that. The purpose of loyalty programs, from the carrier's point of view, is to create incentives to fly them as much as possible. These changes eliminate those incentives for me, and for many. So, I"m not even sure whether to do mileage runs to get to Gold for next year--is there really a point if i'm going to switch carriers anyway?
I wish UA the best - maybe this is genius. Maybe they will steal all the high value fliers from other airlines with this shrewd approach to handing out free benefits. Coming from a guy who did switch (1MM on DL) I can tell you the odds of that happening are remote. As loyal as everyone here is to UA (even though they continually kick us in the teeth) so are the other airline elites. A DL diamond or an AA EXP would no more switch than a UA 1k would, unless something dramatic happened to them too.
Oct 14, 2019 | 12:48 pm
#168
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,724
Bail or bother with Premier Gold qualification for 2021?
I've booked 3 P fares next year to requalify for Premier Gold, all 3 TATL. Two of them are SFO-LHR round-trip direct, which allows me to book separate flights to the destinations I really want to go to. Would have netted about $6000 PQD.
This was all before the big changes -- devaluation? -- announced last Friday.
I was going to book another flight in late August or September, another P fare to SFO-LHR if the sale fares held up.
But it wouldn't be enough for me to qualify for Premier Gold in 2021, because I wouldn't have enough PQFs, since I avoided connecting TATL routes whenever I could.
Of course I could pay a $4-5k fare to qualify but there's no way that makes any kind of sense.
If I booked AC flight, it would work out but a longer trip, even with a connection through YVR. That is assuming that you'd net a lot more PQPs flying non-016, non-UA flights on *A, especially with the P-fare bonus, unless UA changes those rules again at the last minute for people trying to plan a year out ahead.
*A Gold is useful but assuming I can always find TATL P fares under $2700, I guess I wouldn't need *A benefits on those flights.
Who knows what kind of changes they will make for 2021.
Many FTers have said they will be free agents. Too bad we can't have polls in threads to try to get an approximate quantification.
Some have suggested switching to AS but their partner network is weak for TATL and it seems like a lot of complaints about CX TPAC award availability too.
So bother to this one additional purchase for Premier Gold qualification or bail and try to get status-matched and use this late summer/early fall trip to start on qualifying with another program?
This was all before the big changes -- devaluation? -- announced last Friday.
I was going to book another flight in late August or September, another P fare to SFO-LHR if the sale fares held up.
But it wouldn't be enough for me to qualify for Premier Gold in 2021, because I wouldn't have enough PQFs, since I avoided connecting TATL routes whenever I could.
Of course I could pay a $4-5k fare to qualify but there's no way that makes any kind of sense.
If I booked AC flight, it would work out but a longer trip, even with a connection through YVR. That is assuming that you'd net a lot more PQPs flying non-016, non-UA flights on *A, especially with the P-fare bonus, unless UA changes those rules again at the last minute for people trying to plan a year out ahead.
*A Gold is useful but assuming I can always find TATL P fares under $2700, I guess I wouldn't need *A benefits on those flights.
Who knows what kind of changes they will make for 2021.
Many FTers have said they will be free agents. Too bad we can't have polls in threads to try to get an approximate quantification.
Some have suggested switching to AS but their partner network is weak for TATL and it seems like a lot of complaints about CX TPAC award availability too.
So bother to this one additional purchase for Premier Gold qualification or bail and try to get status-matched and use this late summer/early fall trip to start on qualifying with another program?
Oct 14, 2019 | 1:02 pm
#170
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Tx
Programs: AA, UA, WN
Posts: 812
Overall would your perception of gold benefits outweigh your cost (not just $)?
On a side note for this thread:
Sad state of affairs when United has folks even questioning striving for "gold". The incremental benefits in many cases do not drive additional business. I guess discretionary or incremental business is not a motivator for UA.
On a side note for this thread:
Sad state of affairs when United has folks even questioning striving for "gold". The incremental benefits in many cases do not drive additional business. I guess discretionary or incremental business is not a motivator for UA.
Oct 14, 2019 | 1:06 pm
#171
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: YYZ most of the time
Programs: AC SE100K MM, Princess Elite
Posts: 3,921
I'm not a good person to ask. I either travel on "P" discounted J tickets or latitude (Y/B) on flights where I know I can confirm the upgrade at time of booking.
Oct 14, 2019 | 1:12 pm
#172
Join Date: May 2016
Location: In btw SJC & SFO
Programs: Marriott Titanium & LTP, Hilton Diamond (Aspire card), Hyatt Globalist, UA Silver from Bonvoy
Posts: 516
No, it's not, but UA offers an inferior product to SE Asia, at a higher price.
This all goes to the point that "1K is not worth $24k." If you're getting GS level benefits that kind of spend (and higher) is justified, but not for 1K.
I've said it before, but it bears repeating . . . UA is a 6 that thinks it's a 10.
This all goes to the point that "1K is not worth $24k." If you're getting GS level benefits that kind of spend (and higher) is justified, but not for 1K.
I've said it before, but it bears repeating . . . UA is a 6 that thinks it's a 10.
Oct 14, 2019 | 1:17 pm
#173
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 102,617
I've booked 3 P fares next year to requalify for Premier Gold, all 3 TATL. Two of them are SFO-LHR round-trip direct, which allows me to book separate flights to the destinations I really want to go to. Would have netted about $6000 PQD.
This was all before the big changes -- devaluation? -- announced last Friday.
I was going to book another flight in late August or September, another P fare to SFO-LHR if the sale fares held up.
But it wouldn't be enough for me to qualify for Premier Gold in 2021, because I wouldn't have enough PQFs, since I avoided connecting TATL routes whenever I could.
Of course I could pay a $4-5k fare to qualify but there's no way that makes any kind of sense.
If I booked AC flight, it would work out but a longer trip, even with a connection through YVR. That is assuming that you'd net a lot more PQPs flying non-016, non-UA flights on *A, especially with the P-fare bonus, unless UA changes those rules again at the last minute for people trying to plan a year out ahead.
*A Gold is useful but assuming I can always find TATL P fares under $2700, I guess I wouldn't need *A benefits on those flights.
Who knows what kind of changes they will make for 2021.
Many FTers have said they will be free agents. Too bad we can't have polls in threads to try to get an approximate quantification.
Some have suggested switching to AS but their partner network is weak for TATL and it seems like a lot of complaints about CX TPAC award availability too.
So bother to this one additional purchase for Premier Gold qualification or bail and try to get status-matched and use this late summer/early fall trip to start on qualifying with another program?
This was all before the big changes -- devaluation? -- announced last Friday.
I was going to book another flight in late August or September, another P fare to SFO-LHR if the sale fares held up.
But it wouldn't be enough for me to qualify for Premier Gold in 2021, because I wouldn't have enough PQFs, since I avoided connecting TATL routes whenever I could.
Of course I could pay a $4-5k fare to qualify but there's no way that makes any kind of sense.
If I booked AC flight, it would work out but a longer trip, even with a connection through YVR. That is assuming that you'd net a lot more PQPs flying non-016, non-UA flights on *A, especially with the P-fare bonus, unless UA changes those rules again at the last minute for people trying to plan a year out ahead.
*A Gold is useful but assuming I can always find TATL P fares under $2700, I guess I wouldn't need *A benefits on those flights.
Who knows what kind of changes they will make for 2021.
Many FTers have said they will be free agents. Too bad we can't have polls in threads to try to get an approximate quantification.
Some have suggested switching to AS but their partner network is weak for TATL and it seems like a lot of complaints about CX TPAC award availability too.
So bother to this one additional purchase for Premier Gold qualification or bail and try to get status-matched and use this late summer/early fall trip to start on qualifying with another program?
It sounds like you don't need to decide yet about the potential fourth TATL RT for 2020 yet, although it could make sense to investigate fares and especially the spend credit that you would get for an AC itinerary.
Oct 14, 2019 | 1:22 pm
#174
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,724
The bother is generally to try qualifying for Premier Gold in 2021.
Routing through YVR would presumably yield enough PQPs to qualify for 2021.
But the best TATL P fares are to LHR, from which I’d have to connect to a flight on a separate ticket. In all likelihood, a late afternoon flight, arriving in the EU in the late afternoon other evening at the earliest.
Routing through YVR would presumably yield enough PQPs to qualify for 2021.
But the best TATL P fares are to LHR, from which I’d have to connect to a flight on a separate ticket. In all likelihood, a late afternoon flight, arriving in the EU in the late afternoon other evening at the earliest.
Oct 14, 2019 | 1:26 pm
#175
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,724
Not close at all, just under 250k.
AC or LH might work but literally jumping through hoops, inconvenient or longer routings, connections, etc.
Hence the bail or bother summary.
Oct 14, 2019 | 1:29 pm
#176
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Connecticut
Programs: UA GS, UA MM, Starwood Platinum
Posts: 60
"Blowing through the PQD requirement? Not a chance. Maybe for some, but I reckon for MANY, MANY current 1Ks, the $24K is way out of realistic reach.
I do maybe 12 to 14 TPAC RT/year, and have only ever been at >$24K spend once in the last 10 years. Normally hovers around $15K to $18K."
Interesting....my reaction is because I'm East Coast based, I hadn't considered West Coast. Its really easy to spend $6-9K R/T to BKK, ICN, MNL, with the higher values occurring if I fly back to the US from ICN. Still have not quite figured out why thats the case with ICN specifically.
I do maybe 12 to 14 TPAC RT/year, and have only ever been at >$24K spend once in the last 10 years. Normally hovers around $15K to $18K."
Interesting....my reaction is because I'm East Coast based, I hadn't considered West Coast. Its really easy to spend $6-9K R/T to BKK, ICN, MNL, with the higher values occurring if I fly back to the US from ICN. Still have not quite figured out why thats the case with ICN specifically.
Last edited by Slouchman; Oct 14, 2019 at 1:32 pm Reason: Add quote for relevance
Oct 14, 2019 | 1:49 pm
#177
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP; UA 1MM & PP; Marriott AMB; Hyatt Globalist; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 62,353
Agree completely. The daytime US departure burns two full workdays vs. only one for a late night departure. That's about 50% of the reason I have five CX TPACs this year (the other 50% being price, schedule, and product quality).
Oct 14, 2019 | 1:58 pm
#178
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 2MM
Posts: 7,871
"Blowing through the PQD requirement? Not a chance. Maybe for some, but I reckon for MANY, MANY current 1Ks, the $24K is way out of realistic reach.
I do maybe 12 to 14 TPAC RT/year, and have only ever been at >$24K spend once in the last 10 years. Normally hovers around $15K to $18K."
Interesting....my reaction is because I'm East Coast based, I hadn't considered West Coast. Its really easy to spend $6-9K R/T to BKK, ICN, MNL, with the higher values occurring if I fly back to the US from ICN. Still have not quite figured out why thats the case with ICN specifically.
I do maybe 12 to 14 TPAC RT/year, and have only ever been at >$24K spend once in the last 10 years. Normally hovers around $15K to $18K."
Interesting....my reaction is because I'm East Coast based, I hadn't considered West Coast. Its really easy to spend $6-9K R/T to BKK, ICN, MNL, with the higher values occurring if I fly back to the US from ICN. Still have not quite figured out why thats the case with ICN specifically.
I'm East Coast too, EWR to be specific.
But I shop around to get the best deal, and luckily for me, it's PEK not BKK (et al) that I need to get to.
I've done some fancy finagling to get the best deals so I can sit in J by driving to ZFV to catch a train back to EWR, or drive to BDL to catch a plane back to EWR.
Always been loyal to United though.
Probably averaged about 150000 miles and $16000 for the last ten+ years.
With this new change to the MP program, I am booking away from United for the first time in a VERY long time.
Scored two RT tickets in J from New York to Beijing for $1806 each.
I used to pay similar for a W fare and the GPU gamble with United. Once the GPUs ran out, it was only the P fares I could afford at about $3200 RT in J.
Failing that it was E+.