Looks like we are going into a 4 tier system
 

It looks like the keyword here is "may". If you fly 75k per year it will benefit you as you will get regional upgrades. However, everyone else will be screwed, 1k get less( see above), 1P (50k-74,999) get screwed with upgrades, and it is the start to make Premier even worth less and less. Not sure if I like the changes as a 1P, but if I fly 75k next year I guess I would be.

Yup, this multi-year 1K Newyorker is already looking.
And just in case the United mouthpieces do not know why all the wrath:

-no UDU on PS flights
-no SWU use on fares below W
-no more 2CR1s for every 10K flown

I'm afraid this last "enhancement" may be it for me. AA, if you're reading this, feel free to call.

What about the CR-1's for being a million-miler?

Beware of YBM ups!
 

As always I'm sad to see the 8CR1s go away but one thing to note that was not mentioned (and hopefully never will be) was CO's ludicrous instant upgrade policy for Y/B (and M for plats) which have effectively slashed upgrade rates, even for PPlats (CO's GSs) and are marketed to non-elites for "tens of dollars."

So I just hit 1K for the first time yesterday (on segments). I will hit 120 segments by year's end, but the new system seems to be a downgrade. :(

bye bye UA
 

Lurker, but I had to open an account to post my disappointment.
I make 1k each year by 100eqs, but I'm always between 100 and 120. Without assurance of DEQS 2011 I'm going elsewhere. I feel like I fly a lot... 100 segments is a lot of time in and out of airports, and a big cost, and I deserve 1k status. I've been very loyal to UA until now, 90%+ of my flights are UA
What airlines / programs should I look into for 2011?

There is at least ONE positive aspect, in my view.

Qualification for 1K is remaining at 100,000 EQM's, rather than being dropped to CO's 75,000 for highest tier.

Aloha

Like every other 1K flyer I do not like the changes. :mad: But rather than moan here we need a concerted effort to let our displeasure be known via United's "official" channels:

http://www.facebook.com/unitedairlines

http://twitter.com/unitedairlines

And of course 1KVoice...

I was afraid prior to the announement that CR1s were on the chopping block, at least they still kept it. Judging by the amount of SWUs being traded or "sold" this past year, United probably took note of the abundance of upgrade instruments not being used for the intended purpose. So 1Ks, it looks like you are now being kinda forced to use SWUs as CR1s.

This is definitely what I'm looking at. And here I was annoyed that a job change might force me to go dAArk--now I'm looking forward to the opportunity. Additionally, the eVIPs are a lot more flexible than SWUs for international flights as they work for all fare classes. Smooth one, UA/CO...
(also, I imagine some california flyers are going to be displeased that their confirmed Hawaii upgrades are going to be harder to come by without a co-pay or burning SWUs...)

Also, yeah, way to send out an email first United...

Worst thing in all of this is the SWU being deposited when you hit 1K. So when you hit 100,000 EQM, you get 6 SWU and 2 CR-1s right then. I'd prefer the SWU to still post at the start of the year.

Even worse
 

As a 1K who flies pretty evenly throughout the year, I receive 2 CR1s per quarter now.

It looks like now we won't receive our next 'refresh' of regionals until we hit 75k next year -- so I will be 3 quarters without any addition CR1's. OUCH.

This would have been an easy bone to throw us. It would have shown good faith in combining the BEST of both programs. Instead, they gave 1K's the finger. Nice job.

Or that it moved up to 125k a la Delta.

It's sad that we need to be excited about something just staying the same. I'm not saying I don't agree with you, but it's still pathetic.

Wasn't commenting on the EQS vs EQM valuation. Just the fact that accruing 75K EQMs gives an additional benefit.

For those elites like you who are EQS heavy, perhaps the 1P+ enhanced UG priority should be awarded based on 90 EQS vs the 6 EQS needed for 1P.

i don't follow? how so? udu still applies? cr1's can still be used? hawaii flights from cali are so easy to upgrade i don't know why anyone would burn a swu. my 2p friends always clear those routes on udu

surprised there is less than 20 comments on UA facebook page.

I am looking at ending the year with 90K EQMs. With these rules it is unclear whether having 1K status will mean anything going forward :(

If you're in a market where AA has a decent presence, I'd suggest taking a hard look at them. This recent change just made AA look more appealing to me as a 1K, and given that ORD is my home base, it would be awfully easy to switch all of my business and personal spend over to AA. Right now the only thing keeping me with UA is E+. If that goes away, all of my years of loyalty to UA is gone.

Since UDU, the value of CR-1s have gone down for me somewhat. But if I lived in NYC, they would be still very valuable. So perhaps the new UA is not that interested in NYC folks with the new change just announced.

I will see what other changes they introduce before making my mind to just drop my allegiance, but I recently flew WN and honestly I prefer to have internet even on a short flight rather than ability to sit in a wider seat and get cheap alcohol.

And no Mr Smisek, we don't like what we see so far:td:

As someone who qualifies via EQS, this is extremely disappointing. I can do 100 EQS/yr, but 120/yr is just too much.

I need to figure out if I want to bother re-qualifying for 1K this year or if I should just forget the whole thing now. I think it is highly unlikely that I would bother to do 120 EQS next year.

There is no mention of them, but if I were a betting man, I'd say they're toast. :( :( :td:

Dave

disaster
 

What a shame that United has done this to their elites.

The dAArkside is looking better and better.

wwbgd.

I am really ticked about this news. I qualify for 1K every year on segments. Now, I have to do 20% more flying on United to achieve the same status? While the people who qualify on miles stay the same? That is major BS!!!

So when can we use CR-1s and SWU on CO-operated flights?

epic fail.

Oh well, its all in the name of revenue enhancement.

CR-1s are earned for 10K BIS today. In the future they will be earned for 25K EQM. There are lots of ways to get EQMs.

I think UA should have awarded 6 CR-1s at 75K EQM.

I suspect the 75K EQMs premier exectuive will be coded as a "0P".

Did anyone else notice that the 6 SWUs now come when you get 100K EQMs, instead of in January? That means that the SWUs now expire sooner.

Overall a de-valuation for 100K to 149K flyers, and a dilution due to the new 0P tier.

But it could have been much worse.

But it doesn't mean we don't get to gripe about it. Isn't that what Flyertalk is for? Where's my compensation?!?! ;)

As of today, no.

FT 1st, then 1Kvoice and FB (and perhaps Twitter).

Anyone want to guess how quickly this thread gets to 1K = 1000 posts?

I'll speak up in the minority that says I am not too upset about this. My #1 complaint is that I book a lot of travel <2 weeks where CR1's are generally useless anyway. Often times, either I either get a UDU or I am sitting in the very back...E+ is becoming the least available option anymore which is most troubling. There still isn't any way to prevent a last minute 1K booking a YBME fare class from riding a middle seat in the back of the bus. I've abandoned some opportunities for last minute INTL travel this year over this when it was obvious upgrades had little chance to clear, ultimately more trouble and expense than it was worth.

Also, has anyone stopped to think that with fewer CR1's in circulation, the effectiveness of the UDU program might improve? Somewhat rhetorical question as you really can't measure this easily with all of the other changes in play, also I have no idea how many CR1's were redeemed in 2010 vs. 2011 and beyond.

Correct, that's why I said WHEN :D

For the record, the new SWUs on CO cannot be used on K/G fares also which is definitely above W on UA...So we CO Elites got the fat finger as well...

Hopefully, they will balance this with some "good news" for UA 1Ks. Otherwise, a lot of domestic traveling 1Ks will likely stop flying UA at 75,001 miles.

This is basically the new UA/CO trying to appease to their existing OnePass Platinum members (75k EQM).

1K's again get screwed (for now). :(

Once the merger completes, hopefully they will make the upgrade priority for 1K's above Platinum. @:-)

For 1Ks who don't fly 150K EQMs a year, 4 CR1s will be taken away, if UA continues the current capacity control of NF/NC space.
There will be also devaluation of the MM lifetime 1P status if they don't fly 75K EQMs a year.

Did anyone else not get the email?

Hilarious... never mind... just got it seconds ago.

And put me in the camp about the displeasure with the CR1 changes. Segment earners have got to feel completely disowned.

Email announcement finally arrived.

Just a heads up -- with CO SWUs they hit your account as soon as you cross the milestone but they're hard coded to expire at the end of the following elite year.

So in for example if I hit 100k on CO in March of 2010 my SUWs are good until Feb of 2012.

The same is true for AA.

Hopefully they do this going forward with UA.Still no word on E+, still no word on upgrades for "tens of dollars" with YBM ups...we're not out of the woods yet.

So now UA 1Ks should be ahead of CO Plats on CO metal, right?

Still haven't gotten the email either.:td:

If that's the case, then I'm okay with the change (though it should be 1/31 to coincide with the end of status). If they hit and they have a 12 month expiration... uhhh no.