Retiring in 5 Years: 600K Miles on UA Go for 1M Miles?
May 13, 2021, 11:34 am
#31
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,442
I don't understand why you are even asking this question.
You have a job that requires travel and apparently you have been satisfied with UA's service to the tune of 600,000 BIS miles.
You are going to be traveling for the next 5 years. What are your airline lifetime status alternatives? Are you going to switch to DL or AA??
The only reason for switching would be (in my eyes) a transfer to a fortress hub of another airline. Otherwise, why not just keep flying with the airline you appear to be satisfied with.
Or...to put it another way.
Why keep flying with an airline if you don't like them? Would getting their MM benefit outweigh all the other negative experiences you would experience with them for the rest of your travel life??
You have a job that requires travel and apparently you have been satisfied with UA's service to the tune of 600,000 BIS miles.
You are going to be traveling for the next 5 years. What are your airline lifetime status alternatives? Are you going to switch to DL or AA??
The only reason for switching would be (in my eyes) a transfer to a fortress hub of another airline. Otherwise, why not just keep flying with the airline you appear to be satisfied with.
Or...to put it another way.
Why keep flying with an airline if you don't like them? Would getting their MM benefit outweigh all the other negative experiences you would experience with them for the rest of your travel life??
May 13, 2021, 11:58 am
#32
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: SQ, QF, UA, CO, DL
Posts: 2,886
I don't understand why you are even asking this question.
You have a job that requires travel and apparently you have been satisfied with UA's service to the tune of 600,000 BIS miles.
You are going to be traveling for the next 5 years. What are your airline lifetime status alternatives? Are you going to switch to DL or AA??
The only reason for switching would be (in my eyes) a transfer to a fortress hub of another airline. Otherwise, why not just keep flying with the airline you appear to be satisfied with.
Or...to put it another way.
Why keep flying with an airline if you don't like them? Would getting their MM benefit outweigh all the other negative experiences you would experience with them for the rest of your travel life??
You have a job that requires travel and apparently you have been satisfied with UA's service to the tune of 600,000 BIS miles.
You are going to be traveling for the next 5 years. What are your airline lifetime status alternatives? Are you going to switch to DL or AA??
The only reason for switching would be (in my eyes) a transfer to a fortress hub of another airline. Otherwise, why not just keep flying with the airline you appear to be satisfied with.
Or...to put it another way.
Why keep flying with an airline if you don't like them? Would getting their MM benefit outweigh all the other negative experiences you would experience with them for the rest of your travel life??
May 13, 2021, 3:52 pm
#33
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,442
Your post is my point exactly.
Unless he is massively dissatisfied with UA or he has moved to a fortress hub of another airline, there is very little sense in switching frequent flyer programs at this time.
May 13, 2021, 4:44 pm
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,412
If the original statements ("1K a few times, Gold a lot") are accurate, it appears that the OP has been flying a variety of *A airlines, in which case there is a distinction between changing frequent flyer program and chasing Million Miler status by flying UA where possible.
May 13, 2021, 6:31 pm
#35
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,442
So I've flown UA over the years and unto 600M. About 5 years before retiring so can get to 1M miles if I book all business travel through them.
I can guarantee I'll be doing 400K miles in the next 5 years due to my job which requires extensive overseas travel even with the affects of COVID.
Thoughts on whether its worth getting to 1M miles?
I'll be flying with my wife in retirement. I've been 1K a few times but mainly Gold so I understand what the perks are.
I can guarantee I'll be doing 400K miles in the next 5 years due to my job which requires extensive overseas travel even with the affects of COVID.
Thoughts on whether its worth getting to 1M miles?
I'll be flying with my wife in retirement. I've been 1K a few times but mainly Gold so I understand what the perks are.
This is a false dichotomy, though.
If the original statements ("1K a few times, Gold a lot") are accurate, it appears that the OP has been flying a variety of *A airlines, in which case there is a distinction between changing frequent flyer program and chasing Million Miler status by flying UA where possible.
If the original statements ("1K a few times, Gold a lot") are accurate, it appears that the OP has been flying a variety of *A airlines, in which case there is a distinction between changing frequent flyer program and chasing Million Miler status by flying UA where possible.
So whether in the past he flew LH or UA, the only miles that counted were UA ones (and that is assuming he was on UA metal). If he changes FFPs he abandons his attempt at gaining MM status on UA.
His question was whether it was worth it to go for it. My answer was yes unless you are in a situation where UA does not suit your purposes for travel. As long as you are happy with UA as a FF program and airline, there is now no logical reason to leave if one of the things you want is lifetime status on an airline.
May 13, 2021, 7:58 pm
#36
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,412
Although by switching to other *A FFPs, he will in essence be obviating any chance of obtaining MM status since to obtain it he has to be flying on UA metal (UA Express).
So whether in the past he flew LH or UA, the only miles that counted were UA ones (and that is assuming he was on UA metal). If he changes FFPs he abandons his attempt at gaining MM status on UA.
So whether in the past he flew LH or UA, the only miles that counted were UA ones (and that is assuming he was on UA metal). If he changes FFPs he abandons his attempt at gaining MM status on UA.
May 13, 2021, 8:16 pm
#37
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 1,581
I am in the exact same position of the OP, but on the other side of the "retirement" part. I got MM some years ago, before retirement, but at a time when I was cutting down business travel significantly to have more family time. Now I'm retired. Other than in Covid years, I fly a fair amount, mostly domestic, looking for more international when my wife retires shortly.
I find the "lifetime" (we'll see) Gold to be useful enough to keep me flying UA - the miles are not worth much any longer unless you're spending OPM for upper class pricey tix. I am extremely happy to get E+ exit row seats at booking - I relish the leg room. I like the early boarding so I don't have to fight for bin space. My wife gets value from the spousal/partner benefit - we don't always fly together and it's much nicer if she can get a good seat too. If my son travels with us, we can put him on the same PNR and get a good seat as well. Free bags are nice, and the 75 lb bag limit is worth a bunch as we often travel with a bunch of hiking / outdoor gear.
I don't fly enough these day to get higher than Silver if I didn't have MM, and I'd not have most of those benefits. So for me, the lifetime benefit once I stopped flying all the time was worth a lot. I'm based in BOS, and most of domestic destinations are western US, and UA is as good a carrier as any. For international, I'm usually flying *A (LH typically) and I do appreciate the international lounge access.
Back before I got MM I did do some mileage runs here and there, and was typically Gold or higher. But I was usually tempted to fly UA because, as an elite, I got better service, and the miles used to be worth something, so there was no real stretch for concentrating my flying on UA. All in all, MM was a good deal for me, particularly in retirement.
I find the "lifetime" (we'll see) Gold to be useful enough to keep me flying UA - the miles are not worth much any longer unless you're spending OPM for upper class pricey tix. I am extremely happy to get E+ exit row seats at booking - I relish the leg room. I like the early boarding so I don't have to fight for bin space. My wife gets value from the spousal/partner benefit - we don't always fly together and it's much nicer if she can get a good seat too. If my son travels with us, we can put him on the same PNR and get a good seat as well. Free bags are nice, and the 75 lb bag limit is worth a bunch as we often travel with a bunch of hiking / outdoor gear.
I don't fly enough these day to get higher than Silver if I didn't have MM, and I'd not have most of those benefits. So for me, the lifetime benefit once I stopped flying all the time was worth a lot. I'm based in BOS, and most of domestic destinations are western US, and UA is as good a carrier as any. For international, I'm usually flying *A (LH typically) and I do appreciate the international lounge access.
Back before I got MM I did do some mileage runs here and there, and was typically Gold or higher. But I was usually tempted to fly UA because, as an elite, I got better service, and the miles used to be worth something, so there was no real stretch for concentrating my flying on UA. All in all, MM was a good deal for me, particularly in retirement.