Lol, TOD upgrades are the way to stick it to them ...

As for mileage runs - it's less significant but perhaps replaced with flight runs, as 54 segments with $18k spend is somewhat doable for me. Need to look for EWR-IAD-xxx-IAD-EWR cheap flights to get more segments.

I agree with those that say mileage runs are alive and well on partner flights! It is the perfect situation honestly for those who have very flexible work schedules; buy cheap partner business flights internationally and earn PQP to requalify, and enjoy 1k benefits domestically. For flights without cheap partner business, buy United eco/premium eco and hope for the upgrade :P

Although honestly with the coronavirus situation I likely won't earn enough this year to re-qualify unless United does something new (like the double PQP suggestion earlier for Asia flights once the corovid-19 situation goes away).

I flew PHX-SFO today. When they called the 1K to board, there were literally about 20-25 people. Incredible how many 1Ks there are. I wonder if the $24,000 spend next year will thin the herd...

It will. I think 100,000 1Ks will be cut by 20,000. However, I also project 10,000 new 1Ks (short-haul, high volume, high ticket value, ie EWR-BOS-EWR) entering the ranks.

So net reduciton of 10% + plus whatever impact the Virus has...

I just took my first 2020 LHR-SFO flight with UA. I looked at mystatus after the outward leg and for that I will accrue 132 out of 18000/24000, 1 out of 54. I knew I did not have a snowball's chance in hell of requalifying for 1K but this really rammed it home looking at it there. I was going to cut back this year anyway so I am not really fussed. I will plod towards "lifetime" platinum organically. It is strangely liberating. :)

you paid only about $200 to fly LHR-SFO??

There are sub $500 RT fares, of which ~50% are taxes, between those city pairs. So it's roughly right.

K fares are your friend.

Fortunately UA is not the only airline who provides flights for those prices, both inside and outside *A.

Welcome to the future, flying is so cheap it's nearly free :)

Copy that.

Roundtrip TATL fare shown below (on legacy carriers no less; not DY):


Price 8.00
Carrier-imposed international surcharge 130.00
US international transportation tax 37.20
UK international/domestic Airport Passenger Service Charge 24.43
Airport Passenger Service Charge 15.69
Security service charge 13.01
US INS user fee 7.00
US customs user fee 5.77
USA passenger civil aviation security service fee 5.60
USA passenger facility charge 4.50
US APHIS fee 3.96

Price (per passenger) 255.16

Number of passengers 1

Not to mention UG space wide open!

Somewhere out in some image space is an analogous receipt from Wired Magazine's Found: Artifacts of the Future which had a bridge crossing toll receipt that, too, was principally composed of taxes...Can't find it right now.

David

Except the example posted the airfare is $138 and taxes / fees are $117. Looking at $8 item only is wrong..

I'm not focused on simply the airfare - the number of separate taxes and fees is a bit ridiculous.

David

Still a bit funny to be buying something that is fully 45% taxes, I would say.