If I read correctly, the new (presumably 4 tier) program would match USAIrways' in terms of EQM and EQS...not that parity with US is anything to be proud of necessarily.

As 1P, probably my personal top benefits are *G lounge access, free E+, RDM bonuses, and baggage allowance (the last one mainly for vacations w/ family). UDU is great but given how often I seem to be on CR2 and ERJ, not sure how much it matters... seems I'm on mainline mostly for international where UDU isn't a player anyway.

Wonder if in addition to scoping out AA, should look at other *A programs to credit? Past my bedtime but will have to look around a bit tomorrow. Who knows if nothing else changes for the worse, may stay with UA but it's as good a time as any to shop around I suppose.

You'd might actually do better on PS op-ups than via IAD.

For those that say that the only people who make 1K on segments, and they are all the expensive hard way, here are (2) current threads, the 1st, has people posting their EQM and EQS: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...est-miles.html Most of them don't have enough miles to get 1P plus (the 75k)

Then the "how much did you spend" thread, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...010-spend.html shows for some, a more cross sectional view, although the stats aren't in there for everyone.

Like I said, It all depends on where you fly from and to. Cities without LCC service (or nearby) it can be very expensive via segment. Cities with either a LCC, or an LCC at a nearby airport, it can be done very cheaply.

Remember, as part of this "improvement", you got the option to fly on either UA or CO going forward, you got UDU recently (a la CO), you got 1P+ for those that hit 75k, but not 100k, you got extra instruments for the true road warrior at over 150k, and you lost instruments for a subset of the population that is not at the top tier, as well as a different timing of those instruments.

The sky has NOT fallen. For the 1K and 1P that are not using their CR1 because their UDU's are clearing, the loss isn't so bad, as the CR1's go farther. For PS, one can always go via IAD, and use no certs to UG.

I'm not dAAring AAnyone to go fly the competition, but I am going to bookmark this thread, and look back in 6 months time to see who is still posting here that said they were leaving.

Remember, the grass is always greener, until you switch, then the honeymoon is over. FF programs are competitive. Whatever airline is giving out more that the others, will most likely either a) reduce those benefits, b) charge more for them, or c) be matched in some way by the other carriers.

E+ is the only real game changer. Without it, all those (domestic flyers) that are leaving are going to go to a carrier that a) may not serve your markets so well, b) doesn't have E+ either and c) doesn't have a far superior product or FF plan than UA (one can argue individual benefits, but no one in the US has a far superior product of the network carriers.)

I'm not saying it is great news for you all, but no one kidnapped your baby here, they are reasonably small changes that don't put UA at a disadvantage to the other alliances. YMMV, and the individual choice is yours. I think those that claim "loyalty" and are going to run, need to look up what loyalty is. Loyalty isn't self serving behavior, it is fidelity/faithfulness. Frequency or membership in an affinity program by itself is not what loyalty is. I'm not saying that anyone in particular isn't loyal, but perhaps those that claim loyalty and are threatening to jump ship should use a more accurate term, such as "frequent/primary/preferential" instead, as they are more accurate words. A dog is loyal when you don't give him a treat, he still gives you the love. I am loyal to the Cubs, yet they continue to disappoint (Sox are cheaper, they may have a better season, yet the truly loyal don't do a status match, they remain loyal. The "fair weather fan", he, jumps ship to the winning side...that is NOT loyalty.) That is the embodiment of the word, not "You didn't reward me better than the others may do, so I am not with you." That to me, has very little in common with what loyalty is. Not that the word matters...but when people write letters stating years of loyalty...you take away my e+ and I will call you very bad names that I only alluded to so far..."

They used to be called "affinity" programs...that is a better description than "loyalty" given what I have seen here today.

And "loyalty" by it's origin isn't a 2 way street, it is from "legal" (your loyal servant=your lawful servant)

Flame on!

By the way, I do sympathize, but not to the extent of the over-reactors. I sympathize in moderation as I see benefits of the merger that seem to be overlooked by many today (forest/trees)...life is a trade off, and each person makes their own decisions, be they based on true loyalty, or self serving behavior.

SFO-IAD in either direction is showing 60% or better cleared for 1Ks per www.udustats.com

BTW, I do sympathize the employees' benefits got cut but not to extent of
the over-reactors.
I wish when UA cuts more employees' benefits, you will stand out and speak for your company.
Employees do have a choice to switch job as we can change our loyalty.

Been sippin' on the ol' SMI/J COol-Aid?

+20 CO's rule is not friendly at all. A lot of us spend a lot of time away from home. When momma goes with me a couple times a year, the trade off is that we get to sit up front, together.

As a CO Plat, the grass is not greener at DL Plat unless you dont care about SWU and award ticket at low level (either J or Y).
speaking from a perspective of a CO PM and DL PM. my upgrade % is similar in both DL and CO. but i do try to avoid the tough route on both DL and CO. it does help.

i will reach 100K status miles on CO for 4 SWUs with no fare class restriction, and i am looking up some W fare on UA on the route I need, it is not the cheapest, but still reasonable. as long as I can use the SWU cheaply, i am reasonably happy because DL SWUs is useless for me.

Got the mileage program email from CO but nothing from United where I am a Premier Exec.

So far it does not look anything out of the ordinary but remains to be seen how this changes.

So this is what they call "brand loyalty." Thanks for the memories United.:td:

I think in the terms you are defining, anyone who is "loyal" to an airline is just foolish. I am the airlines fair weather fan as much as they are my fair weather fan. It is actually much wiser to be a cherry picker or bandwagon'r in the FF game. I have a choice every time I fly. Why wouldn't I make that choice based on my best travel experience: from booking, to check in, to boarding, to in flight service, to bag claim. Period.

I am not really very emotional about it.
Do I wish they would improve or maintain the MP program as it was? Yes. Do I hope they keep E+? Yes.
Will this be a far less preferred/enjoyable/best in class program once Continental is done making "enhancements"? Yes.

Reality is the writing is on the wall, and this is the beginning of the end of the best affinity program in the skies. None Pass by any other name is still the same. *Go ahead and record me as one who is prophet of doom- I hope I am wrong. I'll gladly be wrong if they keep the 1K benefits at least where they are now (they won't).*

BTW, I agree E+ is the game changer. Also agree re: being a Cub's fan. GO CUBBIES! But alas, probably will NOT renew my season tix this year. Too hard to get to games from DEN.:(

As you are 1p, your upgrade priority will be downgrade to the 4th.

I'm in

I would prefer the $1000 once if say $800 of it was profit, vs the $10 a day for a year, if only $2 of it was profit. I would also prefer the $1000 once if I thought that there was demand to backfill the other 364 days with other people willing to pay the $10..that way I get the best of both worlds.

Remember this article: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-1...tml?cmpid=yhoo states "One of Peter Philipp Wingsoe’s employees at a Los Angeles marketing firm recently waited five days for a business-class ticket on a United Airlines jet home from Beijing because planes were so packed" and "Profit for the Asia-Pacific airline industry probably will be $5.2 billion this year, more than double an earlier forecast of $2.2 billion, IATA said in September." In just (2) months they have doubled their profit expectations.

Also you state "Look at WN as the success model.... high frequency short hops with modest fares have a much better revenue yield than infrequent long hauls." Last I saw, WN's advantage came not from higher yield (it has been lower than UA's for the majority of the past few decades) but from a lower cost. In a vacuum, without low cost competition, short flight=higher yield, but short flights also=higher costs...distribution costs are fixed (divide them over shorter distances and the costs go up/mile), taxi costs and climb costs are fixed (although longer flights climb higher) and the same logic applied. Labor costs are higher, per mile...so yes, yields are usually higher on shorter flights, but so to are costs...in an industry where costs have over time exceeded income, reducing costs is as valuable (longer flights) as increasing revenue. I am sure the yield on ORD-PIA for local ticket is insane. I doubt many people buy is that way though, most short haul flights are part of a connection with a longer segment, thus bringing the overall yield down.

Pigx, "BTW, I do sympathize the employees' benefits got cut but not to extent of
the over-reactors.
I wish when UA cuts more employees' benefits, you will stand out and speak for your company.
Employees do have a choice to switch job as we can change our loyalty."

True..I sympathize with them too, but I know that I still have a good job that I like, even with reduced benefits. Most of us don't quit and go apply at AA (or even dream of asking them to match out seniority in the move.) Some do over-react (employees) and I agree with you...put it in perspective...the alternatives really aren't that much better.

ExCrew "Been sippin' on the ol' SMI/J COol-Aid?" nope been on www.iam141.org and I don't drink anyone's cool aid. I take a deep breath, step back, and evaluate everything based on known facts and realistic possibilities. He hasn't done anything for me yet, except continued in the way of his predecessor. Sure he put on a nice road show dog/pony performance, but he did that to most of you all as well.

count me in^ AA goes everywhere out of Denver I need to be.