telemark27

Similar experience to you AugustusM, and do a combo of International and Domestic. It's easy to pile on to GS, but overall, couldn't be more pleased with the things I do care about. IRROPS and upgrades, particularly toward the end of the year where I eased up and tried to use up the bazillion GPU's (points now) based on Premium Economy bookings for international flights to TLV, NRT, etc.

In almost all instances over four trips in Nov/Dec (each four segments since I'm BOS based), all were either upgraded at T-72 or I was able to call and force them through. Even better were the IRROPS on some very difficult connections and GS held flights for me / took me via MB to the tarmac. The best benefit candidly is the regular ability to get on earlier flights through EWR. I often can't book the 1-hour tight connections on overnight flights that land at 5 am (or late ones at 5 pm). Often they land early and with a combination of Global Entry/GS, I can still connect from terminal B in EWR back to C in about 15 mins. I call United regularly when I land and they'll push me into first. The GS team at Narita would actually hold a seat before I even left.

Final data point for a few observations a week back. Mercedes transfer has not gone away. Doesn't do much for me candidly, but my wife and i had tight connections with a boatload of ski and overweight bags from JAC to DEN - she was going to BOS (GS as mm benefit) and I was going back to SFO. We were both within 50 mins when we landed and DEN GS picked us up, dropped me off first since I had 5 mins less, then dropped her off further down the tarmac. I didn't care so much about bags as we were going home and was certain they wouldn't make it. Sure enough all of them made it....

Lastly, the BOS GS team are generally great, esp for a non-hub, and I'll keep giving them my business. Perhaps I just have a different perspective, but boy do we GS complain a lot!!

stevenshev

CPU? Then no.

manstein58

To be clear- Agent was wrong?

wxguy

There could have been other, higher status people on the list, and the list was "stuck." In that case, you see > 3 open seats, but nothing can be done unless/until the others ahead are cleared.

getagb

If CPU then agent is correct

If PlusPoints then agent should clear you if J>2 and nobody is ahead of you on the list. Some agents will go above and beyond and clear several people who are ahead of you, and you, but they aren’t required to do this. So you may want to HUCA once or twice.

manstein58

Thanks. HUACA worked

physioprof

Well, yesterday I called GS line for other business and the agent when answering the phone stated that they are a "supervisor". So after I finished the other business, I asked them whether only one one-way ticket that is part of a de facto "round trip" could be subject to an exception. He stated that since the rule is "one exception per reservation", it doesn't matter whether a one-way ticket is part of a de facto "round trip", and both one-way tickets could be subject to exceptions.

It's very annoying that there isn't any clarity or consistent messaging on this...

greenpau

I had a supervisor today. Happily did an exception for each PNR with two one ways for my upcoming EU trip. Technically two one ways aren’t considered a round trip under the CoC, no matter how you do it, and the revenue management rules are set up this way. She confirmed the “one exception per PNR, one segment” guidance. She also said there have been so many complaints about this, and encouraged me again to write in.

PBIFLL

I wrote in yet again as this is making me reconsider trips and routing.

Parikh1234

Does anyone know how PQD > PQP is going to work. We kinda knew 40-60k was the right range for GS in the past but now that PQP takes into account other spend, do we think the threshold will be 50-70k PQP?

Also how do we see BIS miles? It doesnt show the right base miles anymore. For example EWR - ORD adds 719 lifetime miles but its only 345 base miles?

P.S. I have a challenge to get back to GS for $18k of spend. Is that $18k of PQP or PQD?

WineCountryUA

In the past PQDs could include partner flights (if on 016 ticket stock) and it is believed here UA backed out the non-UA operated portion. I see no reason to believe that would change with PQPs. The only other major addition is cash upgrades and that might move the bar a tiny amount.

BIS only matters for Lifetime status and UA tracks it for you. You can capture your yearend number from UA and then manually track -- UA still shows flight miles in a couple of places -- their online timetable, mobile flight search, ... or use www.gcmap.com for a decent estimate

Also see
How is everyone tracking lifetime miles with new system?
How are "lifetime miles" calculated for MileagePlus?

spartacusmcfly

Interesting topic. As a newly minted GS, I'm starting to form some views:

Tremendous Value
1. Saver award to J upgrade. Wow! Love this benefit. It also creates a healthy habit of using miles (depreciating asset) and plus points (perishable asset) so they don't accumulate.
2. Push upgrade at T-72. Wow! Love this one as well. Eliminates all the 'TOD-offer' drama.
3. Create IN & XN. This has become very valuable given dynamic award pricing.
4. IRROPS. Due to mainly flying long-haul flights, I don't get stung by IRRPOS that often. That said, when it happens, it's amazing what GS will do. About 10 years ago, I flirted with GS for a few years. Was on holiday with the family in Taiwan when a typhoon hit. The UA flight was canceled three straight days. They ended up putting four of us on Eva J when our original tickets were in Y. Amazing...
5. VIP Lounges. Many probably don't care, but I value this. The LHR space is nice and quiet. The HKG space is also pleasant and has no shower line, not to mention fresh grapefruit juice with no added sugar!

Limited Value
6. GS Check-in Counter. Given how TSA pre and Clear have evolved, this has very little benefit. In fact, I avoid it, because I feel obligated to chat with the GS agent before being waved through and that burns time. I'd rather they close all these and redeploy these funds.
7. Email address - It's nice that they respond relatively quickly. That said, UA on twitter is just as quick & easy for non-GS related tasks.
8. CPUs - I don't really fly any CPU eligible routes. It's either TPAC, TATL, or TCON. If UA doesn't fly there non-stop, I'm flying someone else. SFO-DTW, hello Delta. SFO-FLL, hello JetBlue. So CPUs aren't a big deal. I may be unique here.
9. Waitlist priority for instruments - I only use my instruments for leisure, and only when PZ/PN is available, so WL never comes into play. Again, I may be unique here.
10. Pre-boarding. I find being 1st a pain. I'm perfectly happy boarding at the end of pre-boarding. This way, strollers, GS, 1K are all out of the way. Crawling over folks is difficult for everyone involved.
11. Tarmac transfers. I just don't transfer that often given the 'non-stop only' creed I subscribe to.
12. Arrival lounges. The Priority Pass lounge network is so robust, this is of little value.

Flat out Liability
13. GS Phone Line - Despise it. Agents are great, but number of times I'm placed on hold is unbearable. As a two-decade 1K, I was placed on hold 2 out of 100 calls. As GS, I hold on 20/100 calls. What's worse is they force-route to the GS desk. The GS desk is small relative to the 1K desk, so any moderate IRROP across the network results in hold-time, whereas the 1K desk has the scale to absorb IRROPs. I even pulled my phone number to avoid the auto-routing, but that creates other issues, so now I just deal with it.

To me, the strength of the program is its variety of benefits. Every GS probably has their favorite 3-5 benefits and that's hard to accomplish for a company that serves such a global and diverse customer base. I applaud UA on the program and am happy and proud to be part of it!

UAflyer93

I was informed the T-72h forced instrument conversion now only applies if traveling with the GS whose accounts the PlusPoints are coming out of. Even as a GS, I cannot have my upgrade pushed through since the PlusPoints came from a different GS member’s account.

The agent confirmed that this change came about during the introduction of PlusPoints. He went on to read off a list of other changes, including the “one exception” per record locator policy.

villox

Now that’s just petty.

PanAmWT

I just had two cases in the last 2 weeks where T-72 forcing did not have the GS account holder traveling.