If I'm reading correctly, this is an argument that benefits haven't been diluted, i.e. because +P can still clear into open PZ, they still hold their worth. And if I am reading that correctly — hope I'm not coming in too hot here — meh. You are the immaculate informed consumer when it comes to specifics, but on the general point, I can't help but think this is like boiling a frog (guess who's the frog), and the larger moral is being missed.

The point of all this griping is that upgrades have gradually but significantly become more difficult to use. And now that they are, the instruments aren't worth as much. In the past, if you did a bit of searching and had a few days' flexibility, you could usually find open upgrade space, and if you simply couldn't flex on schedule, waitlisting with top status panned out a reasonably high percentage of the time. Now if you waitlist, you're dead. You might even be tenth "dead" out of twenty. And if you do shift your dates/destinations to make it work, you have to go >500mi away from your intended origin/destination, move your flights by multiple weeks, or maybe both. This has been a slow diminution of benefits, but it is a definite one, and by now a meaningful one.

Bottom line: we've already hit or passed the point at which status is not worth stretching for, excepting rare cases. If they hike the requirements (which I do expect they'll do, as they tried before the pandemic), those cases are going to be even more rare.

That’s certainly not what I’m saying; I’m saying they have been devalued, and I consistently recommend against spending extra on UA in order to reach 1K unless you can have the same level of flexibility that I do. But I’m also saying that I still haven’t had to waitlist, and if I were in the position where I had to waitlist, 1K would lose a substantial amount of value. As a 1MM flyer, I have a nice fallback if I need it (again, not everyone is so lucky).

I recently reevaluated my airline choice — something I recommend people do regularly — and UA remains the best for me for now. AA has more nonstop options from Austin, and I could likely make EXP with their new system pretty easily, but the SWU benefit appears to be at least as tough to use as PlusPoints are and their international route network isn’t as useful to me personally. DL is similar, except that the last I heard, you couldn’t even do your own research to see which flights had upgrade space.

Well then, here's to not missing the forest for the trees.

I can't say I'm done evaluating until UA and AA announce, but I don't expect to see anything that would make me reach to hit status non-organically.

Bingo. I’ve taken LAX-LHR once or twice per year since 2012 (excluding the last 2 years). I always fly out on a Wed or Thur. This is the first time I’ve ever not cleared the outbound, and I’ve only missed the inbound once. And, I’ve always been on a W fare — usually clearing at least 5 days in advance, This time I’m on an A fare, above all but GS and those on GS instruments, as well as 1K’s on O fares. I was the only 1K who boarded early, after about 5 GS’s. I will pay for J when it’s reasonable. At 7K+, it wasn’t reasonable. For this type of experience, there is no point in spending extra just to earn 1K and the PP that come with it, that (for me, at least) fail more often than they clear — with no option to fork over 3X the amount to “skip the waitlist.” I may as well book the cheapest J fare with the best route on any airline. The higher UA raises the bar, the more distasteful re-qualifying becomes, and the greater the likelihood that I will become a free agent.

Still waitlisted for my Tuesday return, of course. In the past, PZ has always been available at booking when I returned on Tuesday.

Just finished my MM on September 19th. I'm gonna be happy with *Gold for life (I'm in my early 50s). I have been dreading when the requirements would increase back to the schema that was introduced after the traditional miles flown was abandoned. Also I don't think I will even attempt to reach 2MM.

I cannot remember the last time it did not clear. I think my June MAD-IAD flight cleared a week out. My July LAX-SYD flight cleared at booking and my SYD-SFO flight also cleared at booking. My SFO-SAN and SAN-SFO in January had cleared soon after booking.

I am interested in my LAX-SYD flight in December and whether it will clear. It is actually the first time I have not booked a Tuesday/Wednesday flight as the day I am flying was $600 cheaper than Tuesday or Wednesday.

My SAN-xxx domestic flights are not important for the upgrade. Being in SAN just gives me more PQFs.

Edit: IAD-MAD in May cleared about a month after booking.

They should hopefully make this change soon as 2023 plans are already being made. Even with limited flying, the current PQD/PQP levels made sense for me to put significant spend on my UA credit cards. If they raise them significantly I may look at other opportunities.

I havent digested all of the details since it does not apply to me, but it looks like Delta made some major changes to their FF program which doesn't appear to make people happy - sounds like it involves a substantial associated cc spend - which for many (like myself who travel for work) would be a huge problem since ticket purchase is often paid for via a corporate account.....not to focus on DL (since this is a UA forum) - but have there been any rumors about changes to the MP program to thin the herd in a similar way....looking forward, for me, going back to the old $ spend for status will probably be hard enough for me (and probably others)......but I am concerned about a trend evolving in which status was given away, extended, granted to a lot - and now the pendulum is swinging in the other direction to make it harder?

then again - considering all of the gripes about PP, etc - does it even matter anymore?
(or maybe tightening things up and making status harder will allow for more perks?)

Unfortunately in the last year or two UA has been VERY slow to announce . . hope they are better this year.

you may be correct - and I am sure someone will fill in the details - but remember, I think this new revenue based status model was fairly new to UA before COVID hit and they are probably still needing real and useful data to see how it evolves

The CC spend doesn't have to be on airline tickets.

$25k on an AmEx (not to mention $250k) is not a trivial amount for some of us

After I saw the above post, to me it's a definite YES to the original question of United will follow and raise PDQ requirements to qualify for Premier status. Watch for the 2024 goals to be close to (or likely higher than) the original 2021 targets. Also, don't be surprised if the Starter Bonus gifts are only given to Platinum and 1K members (early February after the 2023 status are updated) since Delta is only giving a head start to their Platinums and Diamonds. So unless American is going to buck Delta's trend, airline status (with the BIg 3 US players) in 2024 will really be the elite (AKA big spenders). Finally, I anticipate United will be the last (of the 3) to announce their 2024 program.

The positive out of all this will be come February 2024, the upgrade lists will sure be a lot shorter!

I'm so happy to have reached my MM last month. Be happy with lifetime *Gold. I'm OUT of this rat race!

Lifetime Gold?
... sure if they dial everything back big time..... but from what everyone is saying - what perks to you want/get from Gold other than INT lounge access and, well all the perks of gold?

I feel like UA's original PQP requirements were already very challenging to meet. I can't see them going beyond that. Nonetheless, it will be virtually impossible for me to requalify for 1K. Even Platinum might be a stretch beyond 2024. But we'll see. I'm at nearly 700k lifetime miles in my late 30s, so I'm committed to pushing through to the bitter end (which is hopefully not far into my 40s) to hit MM status.