Sacfitz

I don't expect UA to continue to rollover my status, but I do hope the 2x PQP will be extended throughout the year or at least Q3 of this year as any flights I may be able to take are limited still.

Doppy

That's why I would suggest a soft landing or Q1 2022 challenge to retain status. If you're still not traveling a year from now, then you probably aren't a HVF that United needs to worry about. (Assuming COVID is under control by the end of the year, which seems likely for developed countries at least.)

True, but people make various decisions based on the programs - flying UA vs AA, upgrading to a higher fare class, etc. If the airlines didn't think the programs changed behavior, they wouldn't have them.

WineCountryUA

UA already recognizes those who have flown this year, they are the only ones that can earn new PlusPoints -- that is a significant benefit. Messing further with the upgrade prorirty is just going to make a complex system much complex -- more prone to misunderstanding, confusion and potentially errors.

Unless UA wants to abandon its past elites and release them to the free market, a bad idea and no one in their right mind would suggest that route, UA needs a way to have those elites remain connected to UA. Such as extending status (but not providing new PlusPoints if they have not flown).

An issue is what about the extended PlusPoints, should they be extended again. This is a tricky area balancing the benefits for those that have flown recently and the adhesion of those you have not flown. One comprise could be is to extend those older PlusPoints a bit but not a full year. Say April 2022? Enough to retain the preCOVID crowd but not so much to discourage those that did fly and did earn new PlusPoints

Remember UA's goal is to get as many elites as possible back in the air on UA metal. This means finding the right comprise -- but if disappointing 1 flyer who has flown in 2021 but getting back 5 who did not, that choice is clear.

So agree those who have flown should be recognized and PlusPoints seems to be a reasonable way to handle without adding new complexities.

TomMM

Where would those elites go? Free agency, start anew in a different program? And what if AA\DL doesn't extend status? People leave will UA for 'greener pastures' as will AA/DL elites. Lose some and gain some. From my experience on FT, the majority of the "I am leaving UA.." crowd never leaves or returns because the other pasture wasn't that much greener.

kevflyer

I think a safe play for many, assuming no UA extension (or won't wait for announcement), is to match away and fly as little as possible this year, then next year match back to UA (however, 1K status isn't usually granted via a status match)

jsloan

This x1000. There's simply no way UA could do this properly.

Match with what?

You might be able to get DL to match you based on 2019 travel (but, why, if you're flying 'as little as possible'?). But UA isn't going to match you based upon your matched DL status. To get a status match, you normally have to show a log of qualifying flights, not just "I have this status."

kevflyer

Using DL as example, you'd still need to fly the required MQM/MQS+MQD within 3 months to retain Medallion status (not talking their elevated challenge because that's separate). So yeah you cant just match to DL in say December, don't fly at all, and then ask UA to match you back in January. That won't work 100%. What I meant was one could match to DL, fly what's required to retain Medallion status beyond the 3 months, then next year you can ask UA to match (so yes you will have a log of qualifying flights, and yes, it says they won't match statuses granted via promotional offer, but I know that's a YMMV thing)

exp

Do the recent high traffic volume for spring break make it less likely UA and the other US3 airlines will extend status again?

Is it realistic to expect that people can qualify only with domestic flights?

kevflyer

Personally I don't think so with low business travel and cheap domestic ticket prices. And with international travel heavy reduced / nonexistent for some destinations due to travel restrictions some just can't go where they need / want to go, another debate debate is should international elites be treated differently this year.

drewguy

Right, and elite qualification has usually meant benefits for the *following* year (yes, if you are a new flier or flying more you may acquire or increase status in-year). As things stand now, only people flying/qualifying in 2021 will get at least this benefit. It's really *only* CPUs that seem directly affected this year through last year's extension, and might be next year through another extension. Meanwhile, anyone flying this year as an elite has gotten a massively increased benefit through easier CPUs from reduced elite competition for those seats.

As to extending plus points further, seems similar to me. If you earned more you have more to spend. And most people haven't been spending them this year because of easy CPUs and no international travel. So any requalifier this year would have additional plus points next year, assuming they didn't already use them and get the benefit.

SFO 1K

One argument UA could put forth in your example is the 1K who earned it has 280 PP to use to secure valued upgrades ahead of the "via extension" 1K. Certainly I have a bunch of PP but spent $3000 this quarter on premium cabin fares and as a result am very close to earning 1K for 2022 (and another 280 PP).

mfirst

Wine -
While what you say is true - if they are using PP as the "reward" or "incentive" for actual flying (or spending $$$) vs extending benefits then that really does not help much - especially those elites who want to use them.... Specifically, I know that some people have gotten good use of their PP - but I find that when I try to use them, it might bump me from 8th to 6th on an upgrade lists and hence it is rare that they are usable for upgrades vs the complementary upgrades......in other words, the more you need or want to use them, the less likely they are to be useful....although I am just speaking for domestic as I have not done any international travel.....

-m

n8-the-gr8

United has clearly shown some willingness to balance both sides of this. Obviously those who flew last year (and do so this year) will get PlusPoints. I did zero revenue flying last year and still received a new batch of PlusPoints this year (on top of my extended expiration PlusPoints from last year) as a (it would seem not universal) GS bonus.

I imagine within United right now there is a chorus within MP advocating that it's better to extend status again and capture as much flying from former elites as possible on United over the next year as individual travel behavior and business travel timelines will vary widely. On the flipside a separate set will be advocating that this year will be a test of new go-forward loyalty near-term and given that travel frequency and loyalty over the next 2 years will likely vary significantly from previous business-driven trends, you'd rather this new set show you where loyalty is driven to understand how to adapt the program to that customer base. The biases of the executives, and how cogent either sides' arguments are will likely drive the decision (or should I say this behavior within Delta will drive it as any decision there is likely to be copied by UA ).

rankourabu

Not if most OPM flying continues to be grounded, especially international.

WineCountryUA

Does not appear this was an universal GS gesture and certain not for 1Ks -- so of limited impact to this discussion, although you benefited. GS is a level where money talks and all else is a not issue. Earned status has primarily been the focus of this discussion.

This overused cliche is mostly a FT invention. Yes UA looks at it competitors, but during the past year UA has acted first many times ( and other times AA or DL) and much the shine has worn off DL due their lagging inflight service