UA Points programs
 

Hi All
Now that UA points are impossible to use for upgrades (upgrades are $ based is my read)-what programs are best for using points (besides magazines, eating or retail)-I am thinking the “Points Guy” but appreciate more experienced advice.
Thank you.

It is still possible to upgrade with points & miles. Probably more difficult to do on popular routes during peak leisure travel (summer, holidays). Flexibility helps

Have no idea what a "Points Guy" program is :confused: guessing some blog membership - but if that has more value to you than possible upgrades on *A flights or wifi passes/UC club membership, then go for that

If the points you're referring to are UA Mileage Plus award miles, they're far from useless. Why not book flights with them? If the points you're referring to are Plus Points awarded to those with Platinum status or above, then they are only good for upgrades. They are not a currency and have no value to exchange for "magazines, eating, or retail" or anything similar.

Well miles never expire, so even a small buildup over time can give you access to saver award flights.

If nothing else you can choose the option at checkout to pay with money + miles and get a minimum value of 1 cent per mile. Not the best bang for your miles but certainly better (in my view) than magazines or using them for snacks on a flight.

I've used points for free international flights, CA to Europe, every year for the past 20 years.

In saying that our future is first class flying. Too old for economy. Early 60's.

best use is intercontinental business-class awards. Not easy to find, but you can e.g. find BOS-LHR for 60k miles quite often.

Well I will indeed search for that deal but that has to be as rare as hen's teeth! I am looking at 100K miles on a SFO-CLE business class, and that "business class" is really not saying much on that route. Seriously, I am looking at SFO-BOS stopping over and doing some business and visit friends and would then love to burn some miles with that kind of deal for a run to LHR. I will indeed check it out thanks.

Saver awards are much more plentiful across the water than they are domestically. From the east coast to Europe or the west coast to north Asia, it's often possible to find space if you're flexible with dates.

The reason is simple: they're better able to sell the domestic F, because it's not as expensive. So while you would think that they'd be more inclined to give away their cheaper product (SFO-CLE), the actual fact of the matter is that they'd rather give away the more expensive product (BOS-LHR) because it's less likely to be sold.

Ahhh, have you seen some of the domestic prices lately. That CLE ticket for example has been going at $1300 RT COACH! I flown to LHR RT from SFO in coach for that price in past years. I know that was then and this is now......

Yes, I have, but I stand by my statement. :) They're still able to sell domestic F more easily than they are international J, because both the price differential and cabins are smaller.

The key being "in past years", and thus not relevant.

My point was that domestic pricing is getting pretty crazy, I think you would have to be living in a cave note to see this. The price differential between Domestic F and International J ON SOME ROUTES may not be as great as in previous years. I didn't even look at what F was on that ticket given the $1300 coach fare, I can't / won't buy it. However, as jsloan stated, the cabin size is generally much smaller hence less potential supply of domestic F seats (again on some routes).

If nothing else, full-fare First on a domestic sector is usually substantially less than a D fare on any Polaris-marketed route, so it is fairly trivially cheaper from a RASM perspective.