This is exactly my view. If this change is enforced my travel on United is no longer mandatory. So i will play the field.

I really like Mileage Plus as a HS. Last thing I want is to be seen as circumventing rules & kicked out. So I'm gonna suck it up & pay Everyday for half of my flights.

Im 20k short of a million. Been GS for 5 or 6 years
now. I only fly domestic routes.

I think that’s been the policy for at least a year now. Got lucky with our 2019 summer vacations where savers were available without conversion.

Yes, previously it was overly generous - for up to like 8 people, IIRC. But now, it's overly restricted by cutting it down to 1 pax.
More so, as I had instances where I would go ahead for work, then to be joined by family flying in on their own.
MM GS spouse with two kids would not help either, even if spouse had the miles in her own account.

the GS+1 has been the policy for a bit--its all these other stealth devaluations that are killing me.

When I flip through the 'mystatus' page, its the least descriptive I've found it in years.

Stuff like you'll get your first choice meal is now 'When traveling in a premium cabin, our flight attendants will do their best to honor your first meal choice. "

I can't find anything on the perk around rebooking when a flight is cancelled. in past years, it was pretty specific. I don't see it all now

suck it up? I certainly plan on complaining first.

I have not received any new Pluspoints into my account for 2020. Should these already be posted?

I didn't fly that much in 2019, no need since I have lifetime GS. But in the past I have received 6 GPUs at the start of each year. Has there been any change in GS automatically getting the GPU/PP as part of requalification, regardless of whether you met the 1K requirements?

Lifetime benefits have posted as late as the 2nd or 3rd week of January.
Have not seen any reports of any Lifetime benefits have yet posted this year.

Thanks for that information. Seems strange to do it late, given that they know early on that the benefits continue...

They are probably waiting until it is clear none of the Lifetime MMers have otherwise earned the benefits -- and it can take up to a week for non-UA Dec 31 flights to clear the system. And handling piecemeal can lead to errors.

I see there is a benefit of a special GS check in at various airports, including LHR... I check in online, what is the value of this benefit? What about on an International to Domestic connection, at EWR? Skip the TSA PreCheck line?

Thank you!

At the domestic locations you are either escorted or exit from the GS lounge to the head of the PreCheck lane. There is also dedicated staff to check and priority tag your bags. This is definitely one of my favorite benefits, no more getting to the airport far too early.

I am lifetime GS and also have more than 100K PQM in 2019. I have not received the 1K (6 GPU) Plus Points yet.

GS benefits for non-US citizens
 

Entering my 3rd consecutive year as GS. For the benefit of others here are my observations on real life benefits. They are based on my travel habits as a non-US citizen without Global Entry..




REAL BENEFITS I ACTUALLY USE

1) Award Travel

There are some complex discussions in this forum about benefits you can extract if you call GS hotline. Perhaps I have something to learn here, but in the past few years I have benefited by getting instant PN confirmed upgrades for my wife by purchasing economy with cash and using GPUs (now Plus Points). No issues other than I think United could obviously be more generous with PN inventory




2) LHR lounge

I've never seen anyone write about this here, but as somebody who does LHR to EWR or SFO a couple of times a year, it's a real benefit that's not published

.the former Global First (now Global Services) lounge is the BEST airport lounge I use anywhere.. silent, just a handful of customers and pretty much 1:1 staff to customer ratio, great food and premium beverages it surpasses even Singapore 1st lounges. Always a pleasure to fly from LHR as GS




3. They treat you quite well

I say "quite well" because it depends where in the world you are. Reality check: GS does a pretty good job at being consistent globally but it is not a truly Global Service. US hubs, LHR, Tokyo and HKG give you the sense that they are taking special care and seeking your feedback more so than other parts of the world. I call out LHR again here as in my experience they are the best for GS, even better than US hubs. They are much more subtle and precise in every detail of customer care







4) Flying into US hubs

I don't live in the US but I've always benefited from getting personal help at EWR and SFO for going through security. As I am not a US citizen and don't have Global Entry, GS enables me to skip the queue and go straight to the front of the regular security queue. This is a benefit I use on every trip to US








BENEFITS I DON'T USE

Tarmac transfer has to be called out here. I've never experienced it or perhaps I am just too sensible in organizing my flight schedule. However, I call it out because United used it prominently in their marketing of GS, but as of 2020 they have dropped it




BENEFITS MISSING

So you are GS.. by definition their most valuable customer, but even if you buy a First Class ticket on domestic there is no automatic lounge access unless you buy a United Club membership or have the right credit card. And if you are not a US citizen like me, your only choice is to buy a United Club membership which is outrageous as you have already spent thousands. If GS is truely an unpublished invite only club, United need to wake up and offer GS "free" not as a discounted membership.




CONCLUSION

Anyway, I hope above is of some help to GS who are not US based, and also a reality check for those who are new to GS

This to me is likely a dealbreaker if it sticks. Plus it feels arbitrary, unnecessary and weird. All I do are domestic one way full fare F tickets. Between cities that DL and AA fly nonstop while UA does not. The ability to bring my spouse along on these flights, which are connecting by definition because I chose UA, are by far the main benefit that keeps me on UA. Strip this away and there really is much less point to the whole thing, esp at 3MM and 1K lifetime.