If you fly Air Canada on their ticket stock, then my understanding is that you'd be getting (200% x 2 x miles) / 5 for your PQP. So assuming your Europe <-> LAX flights are 5,000 miles each way, that would get you about 3,333 PQPs. Not as bad as 2,500 PQP if you flew on United flights/tickets, though you'd still need to increase your travel frequency to meet the 24,000 PQP requirement.

Note that Air Canada seems to be only partner to reward 200% on Z and P fares. Other TATL partners like Lufthansa, SWISS, SAS, etc. only offer 150% or 100%.

AC P fare is definitely a sweet spot

Though I'm afraid like all good things, UA will *fix* that shortly :rolleyes:

But here's the question:

What makes your $12,500 more important than the person spending $12,500 flying between Chicago and Pittsburgh (or wherever) for $500 per trip? You were receiving 1K status while this other hypothetical person was getting Premier Silver status for the same spend.

Upgrade was requested in the app and waitlisted about 7 days before the flight. Cleared into PZ at check in and all flights have since posted but points were never deducted.

Late Christmas gift from UA before they kick me to the curb next year?

You only occupy seats on two itineraries, spend $24k, and the seats are available (vs a $24k customer who gets there on 6 itineraries) to sell to other customers.

I said it before and will repeat it. We know all the programs copy each other so let’s assume the other big two in the US go to full $$ based status.

it will be interesting to see what happens to revenue for people who had been giving $60k a year to United to get 1k etc benefits. Will they split $60k three ways to get top tier benefits (upgrades!) on some three instead of just one?

the airllines’ goal here are always driving incremental revenue. I wonder whether they’ll be able to do that once they make it two $12k tickets to 1K in January for some fliers.

Lot of folks on here are suggesting that some types of fliers money is greener than others. It’s not and never has been. Surprised it took this long.

AA is allowing qualification from EQD alone as a promotion for 2020. You had to register by Dec 30. It's an 'alternative way' to qualify for status. So you could still qualify with EQD+EQM/EQS.
I emailed DL and they said no plans to go spend only (that was early November).

I believe that DL has recently put a lot of effort building up their relationship with Amex, (for example, you can make gold status on Amex spend only) so it will likely be a little while before they change to a revenue-heavy program. I mean, they already need 125K miles for top status, and the RDMs (SkyPesos) are worth even less than United Miles.

But it's still probably only a matter of time before everyone goes to a revenue-based system.

As a general rule, United only copies the bad things and not the good things.

So what's the point? The $18k hub-based 1K who's being downgraded to Plat could ask same question . . . what's so "special" about 1K based at outstation who is retaining 1K because he/she flies two extra connecting segments on each ticket?

IMO it's not about being "special" (your word) it's about whether UA is effectively firing profitable long-term customers. They are, and that is pretty much always a mistake.

To continue that thought:

...because gaining those lost customers back when the economy isn't so rosy will not be that easy.

(Of course, by them it will be another exec's problem, but "Who cares? I got MY bonus & golden parachute!")

My example is for a hub-based passenger (ORD) making 25 R/Ts to PIT and not making it past Silver despite $12.5K in spend. Maybe UA no longer wants to risk losing that passenger and decided to do something about it.

And I never understood how Platinum equates to “fired” (your word).

What if UA were to allow both ways to qualify (PQM/S + PQD as well as PQP only) like AA is allowing for some of their members this year?