econ

Having access to XN inventory (Economy award bucket for MP credit card holders & elites) has been helpful for me, even with booking *A partner awards in J, if I can't find availability on a partner flight all the way to/from my home airport and I need a domestic connection. (I've kind of given up trying to find I/IN on the domestic flight, but usually am able to find XN)

As for the Chase MP card, I've had the Explorer card in the past, but I found little use for it as a 1K and I wouldn't see much use for it going forward. Only reason I would get it again is for a sign-up bonus, and from what little I've seen with dynamic pricing, the bonus would have to be close to 100k miles before I'd even consider it.

jfidler

I don't have any status on UA. I just logged in and the message I get for some flights is:

"Exclusively available to you as a MileagePlus Chase Cardmember". So in my case, I guess there is a benefit in that I get access to these flights..? (Assuming I want to fly UA, which sometimes is the best option schedule-wise.)

danielflyer

The MP Club Card was helpful as a Silver for lounge access and waiving close-in award ticket fees. I never used it for a PQD waiver and will drop the card this year. The CSR is a good alternative but I honestly prefer to the Amex Platinum for the following benefits:

1. Centurion Lounge access (10x better than United lounges)
2. Periodic transfer promotions (recently 40% to BA and 35% to Flying Blue)
3. 5x points on airfare

CIT85

I have kept the UA MP Select card for years for the 5000 EQM, although I have not needed the extra EQM to qualify for 1K for the past several years. This card now offers no value to me so I will cancel when AF is due. My go to card used to be SPG AMEX, now WOH Visa. WOH Visa offers 2 elite night credit for every $5K spend, making qualification for WOH Globalist very easy now. WOH Globalist qualification is my #1 priority from CC spend.

I may add CSR for the travel benefits, especially flight delays, delayed baggage, rental insurance and medical emergency coverage.

notquiteaff

I am not sure that is accurate. My letter is silent about the 5k RDM, but says: “you’ll continue to enjoy the other benefits of your card, including...” (referring to Chase.com/united for a full list of benefits), and then it spends two pages outlining the changes (caused by the PQP scheme). I would think that if they were going to drop the 5K RDM, they would have to mention that in the Changes section.

(not that the 5K RDM are a sufficient reason for me to keep the card after the award charts elimination...)

Blacknj

So if one was to cancel the card in January would they lost the spend waiver earned in the previous year? Basically would I lose my status that would be set to expire in Jan 2021?

zombietooth

Well, in a letter supposedly designed to make you feel good about keeping the card, you would think that they would list the specific positives that remain.

The most comical thing is the 500 PQP for 12K spend benefit. Man, that is weakest motivation to use a card that I've ever seen in my life. So, if you use your card for all 24K of the spend that you'll need to requal as a 1K, you'll get a 1,000 PQP. Wow, hold me back!

It was a mistake for UA to announce the dynamic pricing scheme before they changed the requal requirements because now, everyone knows that the miles will soon be worth less than a penny and can bail for better cards that earn more and have more flexibility with no illusions that keeping the card might help them requal for status.

Nonetheless, when I call to cancel her card today, I'll find out if they still offer the RDM.

whipwhitaker

Is there any downside to just switching the MP Club card to a Travel Bank card instead of nuking it? The Travel Bank card has no annual fee and your credit won't get hit like it does when you close an account.

findark

No. Closing accounts also has a negligible impact on your credit score, but as long as you remember to charge the card from time to time (to avoid an involuntary inactivity closure) the sock drawer is just fine.

whipwhitaker

...and that’s exactly where my new Travel Bank card will go once this bill cycle is over and the miles posted to the account.

uastarflyer

Good point. If zombietooth can post back after he/she calls that would be helpful as well. My Select renews in Jan Or Feb so I will keep it until then. Same with Club card until May or so. But moving the spending elsewhere.

John Portland

Dynamic pricing has driven me to use the Alaska card. Delta, and now United, have devalued the awards to the point where there is no reason to book their flights, save their award miles, or keep their credit cards. Since airlines made a fair amount of money from the award credit cards, they might have wanted to keep some incentive for customers. No, the 25% off on cabin purchases, highlighted at the start of the recent letter, is not going to do it.

zombietooth

By the way, when I called to cancel, all the agent could do was read the script of current benefits. When I asked her about the 5,000 award miles annual gift, she told me that she couldn't see it in her list of benefits. She was willing to get a supervisor to talk to me, but I was just going to cancel anyway, no matter what they said, so I didn't pursue if further.

They did ask me a bunch of questions as to why I was canceling, including such questions as, "Do you still intend to fly on United?", etc. So it seems that they are gathering data to analyze the profiles of those who are leaving.

milepig

I suspect they’re glad to be rid of those legacy cards.

STS-134

Fun stuff. I wonder to what extent Chase is sharing the responses to these questions with UA.