dropping elite levels

I have started to shift some flying to UA and I was comped PremEx. I am wondering if I dont requalify fro PremEx next year do I just get dropped down one elite level, as is the case with AA, or do I just lose status alltogether?

Also as a side question...
If I am flying from say BOS-YVR on UA and AC in Y do I get lounge access, is that considered "international"?

It has generally been the case that UA has dropped members one level per year, however, the last year or two there have been drops reported of at least two levels.



At UA, lounge access is up the whim of the agent. I've been denied access to the First Class lounge at IAD when connecting to a First Class (on a three cabin aircraft) domestic flight that was part of a full First Class fare international ticket, despite holding three *A Gold cards (including UA's).

Believe the later posters, it is international.

This policy has been updated and there are a number of threads out there on the subject - Canada is considered International for RCC access. I took a trip to YUL in January and had no problem using the IAD RCC, as well as the MLL on the return

Enjoy your trip.

I've been to Calgary twice in past 10 days and had no problem gaining access to RCC in DEN. Unfortunately, the Maple Leaf lounge is closed in Calgary. So its plastic chairs and Tim Horton's in the gate area instead.

In February 2003 I dropped from 1K all down to regular member in one step (I now got comped to Premier Exectuive again by UA's ZRH office) - it seems (reading reports here on FT) that in february 2004 some former Premier Executivs were only downgraded one step to Premier.

last year that policiy changed to our advantage again. Yes, regarding lounge-access, Canada is regarded international again by UA! See this email from UA

I want to thank the community for good information and entertaining reading. This is my first post on FT.

I do most of my flying to and around Asia. Due to SARS last year, my travelling to Asia was curtailed. I ended the year with 24,850 miles, but UA only bumped me down to Premier, from Exec.

I just returned from Manila, and now have 26,000 miles. I called UA today, and asked to be reinstated to Exec, given my track record thus far. The customer service rep transferred me to her supervisor, and she granted my request with no fuss. Even thanked me for my business.

I probably would not have asked for the advance bump up, if I hadn't gotten the idea from FT. Thanks!

Gruezi (swiss german) = welcome as an activ poster here on FlyerTalk and congratulations for the bumped status!

I don't know if they've changed it this year, but in 2002 (after 9/11) my wife and I flew fewer than 25,000 miles that year, and in 2003 -- DESPITE HAVING BOTH BEEN 1K'S in 2001 and 2002 -- they dropped us both to GENERAL MEMBERS. And for me, I had been Premier or higher for 20+ years in a row at that point. Imagine our disappointment in receiving blue cards in the mail.

After several calls and letters, we were told that the "Premier Emeritus" program had been dropped, and we finally found an understanding person at the 1KVoice email address who gave us both PremEx status for 2002 (which we in turned requalified for.

And UA wonders why they can't do a better job of building passenger loyalty I was so angry I considered never flying them again, and actually now that I've hit 1M miles and PremEx for life, have starting frequenting AA to up my Gold status.