2011 Mileage Plus and OnePass elite program developments
Dec 13, 2010 | 1:41 pm
#1306
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: UA1KMM SPGPLAT
Posts: 480
Isn't this one of the main point of mergers to increase size and market share thereby increasing pricing power over your customers? This can be done by actively raising prices or reducing benefits that have a cost to provide. This is what UA will do and it should be a surprise to nobody.
I could never understand the cheerleading for this merger from people here on FT, it was never going to make the MP program better or even UA as an airline better from a customer's perspective. Mergers are about increasing the bottom line by decreasing competition and consumer choice. Has there ever been a merger that truly benefited the consumer long term? My prediction is that in a year's time SWU's will be severely restricted by fare class, there will be fewer SWU's given out, E+ will be history, routes will be rationalized, planes will be jammed, prices will go up, but boy oh boy we can say we fly the world's largest airline and they have a cool new paint job.
We should all be thanking our lucky stars that AA is still managing to operate as a stand alone enterprise. Once they merge with someone and shrink their program UA will have no incentive to compete on the basis of a mileage program and will probably create some Delta like program that everyone will hate.
I could never understand the cheerleading for this merger from people here on FT, it was never going to make the MP program better or even UA as an airline better from a customer's perspective. Mergers are about increasing the bottom line by decreasing competition and consumer choice. Has there ever been a merger that truly benefited the consumer long term? My prediction is that in a year's time SWU's will be severely restricted by fare class, there will be fewer SWU's given out, E+ will be history, routes will be rationalized, planes will be jammed, prices will go up, but boy oh boy we can say we fly the world's largest airline and they have a cool new paint job.
We should all be thanking our lucky stars that AA is still managing to operate as a stand alone enterprise. Once they merge with someone and shrink their program UA will have no incentive to compete on the basis of a mileage program and will probably create some Delta like program that everyone will hate.
Thousands agree, thousands disagree, but thousands can also come together to try to stir the ship along a course that they view as more favorable to them, by chanting, "MP + OneP = MP!!", to build a ground swell for E+ and the current SWU, CR1, EQM/EQS 1K qualification rules to stay. In other words, we should request that they keep the better of the two FF programs, which is MP, by far. There is no need to "align" anything, and please spare us the "enhancements". The OneP members have one year to get used to flying more to make top elite in the new UA, but the perks, if they stay as they are under MP, will be much better than those they got as top OneP elites. Seems fair to me.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Dec 13, 2010 at 1:52 pm Reason: merge
Dec 13, 2010 | 6:54 pm
#1307
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: YVR SFO
Programs: UA G
Posts: 4,868
I'm about 5k miles short of 75k this year. To confirm, there is no reason to make a run for 75k because that milestone doesn't appear until 2011, right?
Dec 13, 2010 | 6:55 pm
#1308
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northeast Kansas | Colorado Native
Programs: Amex Gold/Plat, UA *G, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat Marriott LT Gold, NEXUS, TSA Disparager Unobtanium
Posts: 22,651
Dec 13, 2010 | 9:48 pm
#1309
Join Date: Oct 2006
Programs: UA1K
Posts: 105
EQSs required for status
When did United change the # of EQSs required 2P, 1P, and 1K. I never paid much attention because I have always qualified with miles. The new requirements are for this year? Thanks.
Dec 13, 2010 | 9:52 pm
#1310
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 73,142
There has been no change yet -- it is 30, 60 & 100 respectively in 2010 for 2011 status. It will change to 30, 60 & 120 in 2011 for 2012 status.
Dec 13, 2010 | 9:58 pm
#1312
Join Date: Oct 2006
Programs: UA1K
Posts: 105
I'm confused. You say it's 30, 60, & 120 now and will change to 30, 60, 120 for next year. Those are the same amount. Where is the change?
Dec 13, 2010 | 10:03 pm
#1313
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 73,142
Dec 14, 2010 | 12:02 am
#1314
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: UK/Australia
Programs: UA2MM, QF Platinum, VA Platinum, BAC Bronze, Volare Executive Club
Posts: 2,742
Anyone remember Al "Chainsaw" Dunlap?
That ended in tears too.
That ended in tears too.
Dec 14, 2010 | 11:07 am
#1315
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: United Premier 1K 1MM; AA Plat Pro; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Platinum; Avis President's Club
Posts: 2,614
CR1 Compromise from UACO
I didn't see this posted elsewhere within this thread but since the first announcement about the Mileage Plus program changes I see that UA has compromised and will allow current 1Ks to earn 2 CR-1s for every quarter they hit 10K BIS plus 2 more when you hit 75K. Things will change in 2012 but I think this is a good faith gesture from UA.
I still think allowing SWUs on CO flights would be a huge benefit for 2011...
From: http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6867,53656,00.html
1K members: During 2011, if you are a 1K member based on 2010 activity, you will still be eligible to earn two Regional Upgrades per quarter as you did before. In addition, under the new program changes announced on Nov. 17, you will also receive two more Regional Upgrades when you reach 75,000 EQM/90 EQS and two at every 25,000 EQM/30EQS after that. The quarterly earning process will end on December 31, 2011, and then the new rules will be in effect for 2012.
I still think allowing SWUs on CO flights would be a huge benefit for 2011...
From: http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6867,53656,00.html
1K members: During 2011, if you are a 1K member based on 2010 activity, you will still be eligible to earn two Regional Upgrades per quarter as you did before. In addition, under the new program changes announced on Nov. 17, you will also receive two more Regional Upgrades when you reach 75,000 EQM/90 EQS and two at every 25,000 EQM/30EQS after that. The quarterly earning process will end on December 31, 2011, and then the new rules will be in effect for 2012.
Dec 14, 2010 | 7:12 pm
#1316
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: UA1KMM SPGPLAT
Posts: 480
I didn't see this posted elsewhere within this thread but since the first announcement about the Mileage Plus program changes I see that UA has compromised and will allow current 1Ks to earn 2 CR-1s for every quarter they hit 10K BIS plus 2 more when you hit 75K. Things will change in 2012 but I think this is a good faith gesture from UA.
I still think allowing SWUs on CO flights would be a huge benefit for 2011...
From: http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6867,53656,00.html
1K members: During 2011, if you are a 1K member based on 2010 activity, you will still be eligible to earn two Regional Upgrades per quarter as you did before. In addition, under the new program changes announced on Nov. 17, you will also receive two more Regional Upgrades when you reach 75,000 EQM/90 EQS and two at every 25,000 EQM/30EQS after that. The quarterly earning process will end on December 31, 2011, and then the new rules will be in effect for 2012.
I still think allowing SWUs on CO flights would be a huge benefit for 2011...
From: http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6867,53656,00.html
1K members: During 2011, if you are a 1K member based on 2010 activity, you will still be eligible to earn two Regional Upgrades per quarter as you did before. In addition, under the new program changes announced on Nov. 17, you will also receive two more Regional Upgrades when you reach 75,000 EQM/90 EQS and two at every 25,000 EQM/30EQS after that. The quarterly earning process will end on December 31, 2011, and then the new rules will be in effect for 2012.
Dec 14, 2010 | 7:26 pm
#1317
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: SJC, SFO, YYC
Programs: AA-EXP, AA-0.41MM, UA-Gold, Ex UA-1K (2006 thru 2015), PMUA-0.95MM, COUA-1.5MM-lite, AF-Silver
Posts: 13,436
It seems that a number of recent posts have accused UA of shutting down upgrades as though upgrades are a primary right of some sort. [...] However, I see no evidence that they are or ever were a priority that came above selling the seat for revenue. [...] If UA thought they could sell the seats, they never allocate them for free upgrades - quite honestly that would be poor business for any airline.
Upgrades are a defined benefit of UA as a reward for extraordinary loyalty. If UA expects that there will be unused SWUs then it should award fewer in order to set expectations and allow elites (who can) to take their business elsewhere.
Sorry if I missed this, but I didn't read all 33 pages.
If I fly as a UA 1K on CO Metal, do the miles I earn count toward CR1's? I know that all EQMs and EQS's will be combined at the end of the year, but I couldn't find this detail. I have about 10K BIS miles coming up in January, on CO, where I'm using my MP#. Will they count toward my earning CR1's?
Thanks
Steve
If I fly as a UA 1K on CO Metal, do the miles I earn count toward CR1's? I know that all EQMs and EQS's will be combined at the end of the year, but I couldn't find this detail. I have about 10K BIS miles coming up in January, on CO, where I'm using my MP#. Will they count toward my earning CR1's?
Thanks
Steve
http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6867,53656,00.html
1K members: During 2011, if you are a 1K member based on 2010 activity, you will still be eligible to earn two Regional Upgrades per quarter as you did before. In addition, under the new program changes announced on Nov. 17, you will also receive two more Regional Upgrades when you reach 75,000 EQM/90 EQS and two at every 25,000 EQM/30EQS after that. The quarterly earning process will end on December 31, 2011, and then the new rules will be in effect for 2012.
This "compromise" by UA makes no sense. While it is positive to see UA react to all the negative feedback on the new CR1 earning rules by extending the old rules for 1 year, this one year extension is a short term form of appeasement -- rather than a long term solution that addresses the concerns about diluting longstanding 1K benefits.
- reducing travel on non-*A metal in favor of *A metal
- obtaining a credit card that earns UA RDMs
- diverting discretionary income toward paying for upgrades (e.g. buying RDMs with award accelerator, and using the RDMs to upgrade)
- switching from p.s. to non p.s.
- etc.
Last edited by mre5765; Dec 14, 2010 at 7:32 pm
Dec 16, 2010 | 12:42 am
#1318
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA LT 1K/DL Plat/Hilton LT ♦/Hyatt Carbonado/Wyndham ♦/Marriott PE .
Posts: 5,743
Isn't this one of the main point of mergers to increase size and market share thereby increasing pricing power over your customers? This can be done by actively raising prices or reducing benefits that have a cost to provide. This is what UA will do and it should be a surprise to nobody.
I could never understand the cheerleading for this merger from people here on FT, it was never going to make the MP program better or even UA as an airline better from a customer's perspective. Mergers are about increasing the bottom line by decreasing competition and consumer choice. Has there ever been a merger that truly benefited the consumer long term? My prediction is that in a year's time SWU's will be severely restricted by fare class, there will be fewer SWU's given out, E+ will be history, routes will be rationalized, planes will be jammed, prices will go up, but boy oh boy we can say we fly the world's largest airline and they have a cool new paint job.
We should all be thanking our lucky stars that AA is still managing to operate as a stand alone enterprise. Once they merge with someone and shrink their program UA will have no incentive to compete on the basis of a mileage program and will probably create some Delta like program that everyone will hate.
I could never understand the cheerleading for this merger from people here on FT, it was never going to make the MP program better or even UA as an airline better from a customer's perspective. Mergers are about increasing the bottom line by decreasing competition and consumer choice. Has there ever been a merger that truly benefited the consumer long term? My prediction is that in a year's time SWU's will be severely restricted by fare class, there will be fewer SWU's given out, E+ will be history, routes will be rationalized, planes will be jammed, prices will go up, but boy oh boy we can say we fly the world's largest airline and they have a cool new paint job.
We should all be thanking our lucky stars that AA is still managing to operate as a stand alone enterprise. Once they merge with someone and shrink their program UA will have no incentive to compete on the basis of a mileage program and will probably create some Delta like program that everyone will hate.
Just read your post today and your analysis is brilliant in its simplicity and brevity, and deadly accurate I fear.
I would bet money that, within a year or two, SWUs will only be useable on higher fare buckets and/or they will reduce the amount they give out while simultaneously pushing for more Z-fare sales or buy-ups.
Jan 2, 2011 | 10:11 pm
#1319
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: UA Life Gold, 1.4MM
Posts: 185
mre5765 says: "He is flying in January 2011. Thus the 10K BIS on CO metal credited to UA will count toward earning CR1s; it will count as at least 10K EQM toward the 75K EQM needed to get 2 CR1s under the new system which does start on January 1, 2011, even as the old system is allowed to continue for one year. http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6867,53656,00.html"
I can't find an explicit statement on .bomb that explicitly says CO BIS count toward quarterly CR1s in 2011 -- any clue where this might be?
I can't find an explicit statement on .bomb that explicitly says CO BIS count toward quarterly CR1s in 2011 -- any clue where this might be?
Jan 2, 2011 | 10:48 pm
#1320
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 73,142
mre5765 says: "He is flying in January 2011. Thus the 10K BIS on CO metal credited to UA will count toward earning CR1s; it will count as at least 10K EQM toward the 75K EQM needed to get 2 CR1s under the new system which does start on January 1, 2011, even as the old system is allowed to continue for one year. http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6867,53656,00.html"
I can't find an explicit statement on .bomb that explicitly says CO BIS count toward quarterly CR1s in 2011 -- any clue where this might be?
I can't find an explicit statement on .bomb that explicitly says CO BIS count toward quarterly CR1s in 2011 -- any clue where this might be?
During 2011, if you are a 1K member based on 2010 activity, you will still be eligible to earn two Regional Upgrades per quarter as you did before.
As for the 75K EQM threshold for CR1s, there does not be any restriction on how the EQMs are earned, UC, CO, any *A, credit cards, ....