Hit 1K (again) = Why shouldn't I become a COVID free agent?
 

With my last trip I hit the lowered qualification requirements to "earn" 1K for the 6th-ish or 7th-ish year in a row (given the status extension I'm not sure this was a meaningful landmark anyway, but c'est la vie) -- and have realized that the milestones for +points after initial qualification remain unchanged. I'm not sure I have enough travel left in this year for that to be a realistic goal (probably around $8k minimum, probably up to as much as $15k dependent on both how I book a Brazil ticket and how a few domestic projects shake out)

• As it stands I have 600+ +points that are likely to expire before I (/wife/trusted friends) have a use for them so more +points isn't really a game with an outcome I care about
• 1K isn't getting me anything in terms of onboard service (and if I get another bag of those pretzels attempting to pass as a "snack" I might finally lose it) -- the priority boarding is nice, and free bags are covered by the fares purchased anyway
• My UC membership is essentially useless given my home club being closed and the hub clubs that are open are universally inconvenient relative to my arriving and departing gates (e.g. ORD C7 to F12, C9 to C29, E9 to B21, IAD all high-C, D, and A gates)
• Most of the agents I know at my home airport and club have disappeared so the social aspect is gone.
• My recent discovery of the illusory nature of UA's mask policy in airports has made me suspicious about other aspects of their COVID safety program [but of course, I have no information on other airlines]

I'm hoping someone can talk me off of the ledge -- or push me over. Given that I've sworn off DL "free agency" really means AA. Assuming I'm purchasing fares that cover the baggage and the priority boarding is there some reason I'm missing that makes playing the field (as it is) for the rest of the year a stupid idea?

Million mile goals?

But if upgrades aren’t an issue—sounds like you might be paying for F. If that’s the case, then I too would buy on price/convenience.

I’ve had 2 trips since COVID, and I agree that most of the ancillary 1K benefits are insignificant right now. If it weren’t for me personally within 100K of 2MM, and still trying to hit the new, lower I’d be free agent-ing it too.

The thing that always confuses me about posts like this is - why are you getting status on United in the first place? I would normally assume that it's because UA offers a better schedule, better service, cheaper fares, your status benefits make UA a better value, or some combination of the above. Hitting a status milestone doesn't really change any of that.

So no, I don't think there is a "special reason" to stick with UA, but also I would assume a UA elite had reasons for picking the carrier in the first place.

MM is a loose goal...A lot (nearly all) of my pre-merger CO flying got credited to WorldPerks so I'm significantly further away from 1MM (which isn't a terribly appealing goal in and of itself) than I would be -- I think I'm at 0.65MM since 2012 (most of my travel is medium-short domestic so it's slow climb)

UA by default from when CLE was a CO hub (and also when CO was in SkyTeam and WorldPerks was my first FQTV program thanks to grandparents served by a NW-only airport) -- since then I've kept with UA for the personal relationships with agents (largely decimated), having a club in my home airport (currently unavailable, see also previous point), and the gameification of the elite ladder and resulting perks (largely off the table) and trust the airline generally will do what it says/say what it will do (shaken at the moment), and of course having a vibrant schedule from my home airport (it's in the toilet right now, but what airline isn't)

I feel like I've hit the last level in the "game" that is UA elite status...or rather the next level is sufficiently far away and of low enough perceived value to not be worth aiming for, so the ties I'm aware of binding me to UA are feeling a lot looser

Feeling much the same this year. 1K is easily within reach but I've decided against making any extra effort. PZ=0 is the same now as always on my routes, so I continue to just buy P or Z. 1K doesn't add much. But there's one other big change that has significantly tempted my free agency -- even as a SFO captive, the non-stop flights I have valued for many years no longer exist, and who knows if/when they will return. Until that's the case, even Gold would be enough. Fare, equipment, and schedule will rule my choices after that.

IMO now is definitely a good time to free agent, with status rolled over through 2021 and free changes across carriers. I've been flying (in rough order) WN, DL, AS, and AA (with first three preferred due to seat blocking/empty middles guaranteed). AA has particularly low F fares right now (and good upgrade availability on the t-cons). DL IMO has best overall product, particularly when you count the SkyClubs, AVOD, and friendly service. UA offers me nothing, with high fares, PZ consistently zeroed, and no seat blocking. Will likely walk away from 360 PP expired unused (and zero regrets / good riddance).

So it sounds like you have to fly a few trips anyway. If that's the case, pick the one that you feel is the best for yourself...

But then...
Don't stress over the status now.

1K or even UA status in general are not what they used to be. Drastically increase in qualification requirement with minimal return. If you can't use any upgrades, it's moot.

1. If you want to keep yourself to be in *A, fly *A partners.
2. If you don't need to achieve MM, don't stress on it.

I quit the status chasing game on UA starting 2019. Much happier than ever. :)

1K free agent here:

I fly WN now when possible. They status matched me to A list, I get more frequent departures, similar pitch and with no middle seats, everyone is in first class. Also, the differences in employee morale really show. DL is also getting a share of my business.

​​​​​​When do I fly UA? Only when no OAL serves the route (after all, I'm still technically hubbed in at ORD). Also, I bought some $180 R/T fares ORD-SFO that I intend to upgrade.

Thinking about the near future of air travel.. I really to have wonder as to , if its even worth switching to other airlines for to gain status.
Seeing how the benefits are long gone from what was before.. what good would it do me.. to start at a mid level status level with another airline.. knowing full well in my case that my usual travel
patterns are not coming back anytime soon (international 95% of my travel).
At least even if other benefits have decreased (AA) .. at least I know, when I need something , calling in to the EXP line ..my call is answered very quickly and the problem is solved.

When travel resumes worldwide, will having access to the Oneworld network be of use to you? If so, now might be a good time to pick up an AA status. I had a few years where I was mid/high-tier on both A3 and AA and it was nice to shop awards across a ton of possibilities.

If it's just AA vs UA domestic, then it doesn't seem worth the switch.

Exception being if some other carriers has some key nonstops for you that UA doesn't...

Sorry, but I can't help but stop here ... you just, hang out with gate agents? UC agents? Ticketing agents? I'm lost.

Speaking for myself, over time for example some of the club agents and I have come to recognise each other. It can be nice to see a familiar face while travelling.

When you get to know the agents a little bit, they also share more about what's going on in the company, with the computer systems, etc. To me at least, that is sort of interesting.

In more normal times I see some of the agents both at my home airport and ORD more often than my actual coworkers -- so it's nice to see the same people, how are the family/kids/pets, any good trips, how's the wife liking the new job, etc. A lot in the UCs just due to the nature of workloads but also random encounters on concourses, at dead gates, ticket counters... It's nice to be an individual on both sides of the table rather than just cogs in a giant anonymous machine.

Not like 4 hours over a drink in a bar social but more than I'd get flying any other airline -- at least until I got a lot of miles under my belt

How strong is the anti-Delta resolve? Because they are doing some nice things with MQM rollover into next year if you can get Silver that make it easy to then get Gold and the potentially useful Sky Team Elite+ status though the end of 2022

I inherited my mother's strong will and/or stubbornness. I swore I'd never fly Delta again on August 23, 2004 (sometime between 2:01 and 10:21PM Eastern time if you want to get specific). I won't say "never=never" -- a sufficient amount of wooing or obtaining monopoly status could always change things -- but...I'd say it's a pretty strong resolve; I've gone far enough out of my way to avoid DL thus far that I don't see myself changing. I feel like OW status would be potentially more useful than ST, based on where I go and where I see myself going, but to be honest that is a pure gut feeling, and I think the true utility of either is relatively limited as a mostly domestic bird (not by choice)