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Upgrade Co-Pay Changed your Travel Frequency?

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Upgrade Co-Pay Changed your Travel Frequency?

 
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Old Aug 16, 2010, 2:34 pm
  #1  
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Upgrade Co-Pay Changed your Travel Frequency?

In my case, it's led to reduced international travel this year.

Usually by this time in the year, I'm sitting at around 30K BIS. YTD I've got a whopping 8K BIS (granted I've got a TPAC and TATL coming up before the end of the year, but still unlikely to meet average mileage over the last few years ).

I just can't rationalize paying those darned co-pays to upgrade and reluctant to subject myself to cattle class on long hauls. While I understand UA's reasoning, I think something is out of whack when the co-pays are more than the ticket itself.

Just wondering if anyone else has seen their travel affected by the co-pays.
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Old Aug 16, 2010, 2:38 pm
  #2  
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Can't say as the copay has even been a consideration, but that's the advantage of SWUs...
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Old Aug 16, 2010, 2:38 pm
  #3  
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Nope, but I've survived each and every one of my Y flights - even SYD-SFO and HKG-LAX (back in the day) - and I got to have the great experiences when I was there so the mildly cramped experience of Y travel for a longhaul isn't such a big deal to me. It definitely isn't enough to give up travel opportunities.
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Old Aug 16, 2010, 2:45 pm
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But if you can get the dirt cheap fares (K) vs a M/H fare it can actually work out cheaper.

While I haven't done a mileage upgrade I think it is a big ^ to be able to upgrade any fare class now.

Of course if you are only getting M/H fares then it certainly is a
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Old Aug 16, 2010, 3:29 pm
  #5  
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Originally Posted by stanj
In my case, it's led to reduced international travel this year.

Usually by this time in the year, I'm sitting at around 30K BIS. YTD I've got a whopping 8K BIS (granted I've got a TPAC and TATL coming up before the end of the year, but still unlikely to meet average mileage over the last few years ).

I just can't rationalize paying those darned co-pays to upgrade and reluctant to subject myself to cattle class on long hauls. While I understand UA's reasoning, I think something is out of whack when the co-pays are more than the ticket itself.

Just wondering if anyone else has seen their travel affected by the co-pays.
As a business traveler my customer's needs dictate the where and when of my travel, the availability of a premium class seat is not the determinant of where I need to be.

Are you saying you have just stopped traveling, or you're taking another carrier due to the co-pays?
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Old Aug 16, 2010, 3:52 pm
  #6  
 
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It hasn't for me.

Never used miles to upgrade (and don't plan to now that it has copay on top of miles). When in Y, I usually try SWU, but I'm OK with staying in E+.
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Old Aug 16, 2010, 4:03 pm
  #7  
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Originally Posted by danville 1K
Are you saying you have just stopped traveling, or you're taking another carrier due to the co-pays?
I haven't switched to another carrier and haven't stopped traveling entirely. Just don't seem to have the same gusto for taking int'l trips this year once I weigh the cost of the co-pay.

Obviously, it doesn't affect 1Ks as much. I think the consensus always was that it would hit us 1P's the hardest.

I dunno, maybe I just got too used to a good thing and need an attitude adjustment.
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Old Aug 16, 2010, 4:22 pm
  #8  
 
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I think the co-pays are great adding more flexibility and options if you use miles to upgrade.

Do you normally buy H fares? I don't get your statement that the co-pay is more than the ticket - that would not be the case on an H+ fare.

Of course, I would never use miles anyways, because SWU's are better, but overall, for those who use miles I think the co-pay is a good thing.
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