Getting 1K on Segments definately takes a toll on you with spending time in the airports, dealing with delays with hub traffic trying to get home. I've flown every week this year expect for a handful. I fly 2 segments on Monday, and 2 segments on Thursday, always through Chicago, and always a regional jet 170/145/700/200 where only half the time i can even fit my carry on in the overhead. I will reach 152 segments this week, and none of my flights are over 500 miles. I have to fly 20 segments to get the CR-1s each quarter. My flights are usually between $300 and $500 a week, but now my time and money will be worth less than someone who gets their 1K based on Miles with only a few long flights. Doesn't quite seem fair.

UA makes a LOT of money on those $6K business class seats they sell on intl flights. Thats why they give you 150% EQM, and it adds up EQM fast. It's all revenue. They spend a lot less making the same revenue on intl flights VS domestics.

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I just booked my last international flight of the year with a W fare to gamble on upgrade using SWU. More CR-1s and SWU's than I can use. Still, I don't think UA is going get a lot of my business next year. Probably my last as a 1K. Just don't see how my loyalty is paying off.:td::td:



"UA makes a LOT of money on those $6K business class seats they sell on intl flights. Thats why they give you 150% EQM, and it adds up EQM fast. It's all revenue. They spend a lot less making the same revenue on intl flights VS domestics."

That makes sense....give them free drinks so they can help put out the fire.

Agreed. If I could be EXP on AA next year, I'd jump ship in a heartbeat.

I only just got to this thread. But, like so many others, I was really offended by United's email that clearly told me my benefits were being reduced while claiming they were being enhanced. I felt steamed, like they were clearly trying to pull a fast one on us. I finally got to FT, and found that the opening to this thread has United PR asserting that "the elite program updates benefit you."

What is UA thinking here????? They've managed to annoy the hell out of all but a small handful of their most loyal customers. I don't want to give up E+. But I'm more open now than I've been in a long time.

As a domestic 1K, I MAY benefit
 

As a domestic 1K in MEM, I fly at least 4 segments per trip and rack up over 100 (but less than 120) EQS/year.

The benefit for me will be that this will be the impetus to give DL a try and be able to fly 75K EQMs, more direct flights to/from MEM, fewer RJs (especially the CO EMB 145s, which I hate). The end result could be more time with my kids and less wear and tear on my a$$.

I stuck for two years with UA after moving from Denver and made it to .5MM. I am now ready to give up on MM status as it appears that another 7-8 years of effort could be for naught. The MM benefit could be wiped away completely.

My UA spend is in the $20K neighborhood so, they really don't want me anyway. They really would rather have a once a year flier with a $300 rt and a $50 upgrade to F. That way, they get an extra $50!

So, I will look around and see what happens. We still have another two months in 2010. I might "enhance" my UA spend by increasing it from $20K to $0. I wanted you all to be the first to know.

No offense but I don't think you are that important where everyone wonders what you are thinking.

What about those that live in SF and LA? We are talking about 3 of the biggest cities in the country.

Odds are that a typical business person might buy that $6K business class seat maybe once or twice a year at most - I venture to guess that the vast majority of international travelers buy economy fares in the $1500-$2000 range but fly much less frequently than a typical domestic segment 1K.

Which would you prefer: I give you a $1000 once or $10/day for a year?

Look at WN as the success model.... high frequency short hops with modest fares have a much better revenue yield than infrequent long hauls.

Doesn't it make better sense to reward your really, really frequent flyers instead of penalize them with a 20% increase in status qualification?

No, if you fly NONSTOP out of SFO/LAX to JFK. UDU works with no instruments via IAD.

Come on, you need the extra 20 segments, go via IAD :)

THAT is hilarious. I too will be looking to "enhance" my United business spending next year. I wonder if SMI/J will enjoy his stock price being "enhanced" when earnings struggle to maintain the inflated current stock price.

I honestly haven't read this whole thread, so my apologies if the following has already been mentioned:

It was this time last year, actually, that United nearly did away with Confirmed Regionals all together. It was 11/17/09 when they 'reversed' their plans to eliminate them totally when UDU started.

So... while my pattern of flying will require more EQM to achieve the same 8 I got this year, I guess I have to be a little thankful they're still there. I love using those on ps flights.

Agreed. They must have known the firestorm of ill will they were generating.

I was really upset a couple of months ago as a career change was going to probably not mean making 1K status in 2011 for 2012 (already secured for 2011). Now it doesn't look like it will matter too much. I haven't used SWUs on an international flight in a long time, as W fares are crazy. I have used CR1s, and SWUs from SFO-HNL and some PS. I was going to fly 10K per quarter just on MRs in 2011 to earn the CR1s, but now I won't have to worry about doing that.

If UA decides to make the new MM just be *silver then I'll be really upset - as I'm at 1.5 million miles and that would be a real slap in the face for sticking with UA through all the difficult years. At that point I would no longer have any loyalty to United.

Via IAD is a almost a unupgradeable route.