1K before it is time
Aug 2, 2006 | 3:37 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Anywhere and Everywhere
Programs: UA 1K MM, Hilton Diamond, Costco
Posts: 622
1K before it is time
Question:
Will UA allow me to become 1K before I reach the 100K EQM?
Situation is...I have all my travel booked for the rest of the year on *A and will be crediting them to MP. I can show that I have paid for the tickets, all except about 15K which is for business.
I am a LH Sen. Lately, I have been building up my MP account instead.
I ask this, since I hear about FFP comping each other's status. If I show how much I fly and that I will reach 1K by the end of the year, WILL UA BESTOW UPON ME THE HOLY GRAIL?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Should I write to UA and ask for the 1k status, like it would be as comping from LH Sen?
Will UA allow me to become 1K before I reach the 100K EQM?
Situation is...I have all my travel booked for the rest of the year on *A and will be crediting them to MP. I can show that I have paid for the tickets, all except about 15K which is for business.
I am a LH Sen. Lately, I have been building up my MP account instead.
I ask this, since I hear about FFP comping each other's status. If I show how much I fly and that I will reach 1K by the end of the year, WILL UA BESTOW UPON ME THE HOLY GRAIL?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Should I write to UA and ask for the 1k status, like it would be as comping from LH Sen?
Last edited by muc2asia; Aug 2, 2006 at 3:53 pm
Aug 2, 2006 | 3:44 pm
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Anywhere and Everywhere
Programs: UA 1K MM, Hilton Diamond, Costco
Posts: 622
?????
Aug 2, 2006 | 3:50 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Ani Ichibanya
Programs: WWMFD
Posts: 6,292
Unlikely.
Aug 2, 2006 | 4:24 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Pre-9/11 America
Posts: 5,115
Chances seem slim. You could always cancel your open itins. But even more, UA is famously stingly in status matching other carriers top tiers. IIRC, the process is lengthy, involving a committee review with a strong "no" bias (try a search to read others' accounts of this). This being so for people who have demonstrated already flying around 100K miles, I would say that other ways of entry are even harder.
However, late last Fall before the double EQM promo, UA comped some MP members 1K, though the criteria for doing so remained largely a matter of speculation. But of course, I wouldn't bet on being one of the lucky few.
However, late last Fall before the double EQM promo, UA comped some MP members 1K, though the criteria for doing so remained largely a matter of speculation. But of course, I wouldn't bet on being one of the lucky few.
Aug 2, 2006 | 4:53 pm
#5
Senior Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA Plat/2MM [23-yr. 1K, now emeritus] clawing way back to WN-A List; MR LT Titanium; HY Whateverist.
Posts: 12,458
I agree that it will be difficult to expect UA to comp you to 1K based on your LH Sen. status for the prime reasons that UA is unwilling to comp to 1K and unwilling to match status on other Star Alliance carriers. However, as was noted by ButIsItArt, occassionally UA has accelerated the status of some travellers where UA's computers showed that they were traveling at a high rate over a limited period of time -- also, wer weiss?? It's a mystery whether or not you would get an early bestowal. I would predict not, but it could be a surprise.
Aug 2, 2006 | 5:11 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott AMB
Posts: 135
The other thing I would think would make it harder is that you say that you have it all booked on *A. What percentage of that is UA? If that is not that high, then it doesn't benefit UA at all to comp you to 1K, as that revenue is going to other carriers (unless it is transatlantic on LH, then it is split 50-50 with UA, or so I have been told).
Aug 2, 2006 | 7:04 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Tucson - Seattle
Programs: UA 1K; Marriott, AA,
Posts: 2,476
My reaction is why you?....(not meant to be personal)....I dropped back to 1p this year and have to regain 1K by earning 100,000 miles. I have about 80K so far this year and have all but a few of what is needed booked. I will get to the 1K well before the end of the year.
If they were to "pre-qualify" you...why not me and the many others just like me. I think you will probably have to do the BIS like the rest of us.
If they were to "pre-qualify" you...why not me and the many others just like me. I think you will probably have to do the BIS like the rest of us.
Aug 2, 2006 | 7:29 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kirkland, WA
Programs: AS 75K,UA Gold 1.6MM, Hilton Dia, Marriott LT Plat, Hyatt Glb, Natl Exec, Hertz 5*
Posts: 3,657
Some people have reported getting "advanced" 1P and 2P. I havent heard anyone doing it for 1K but it only happens if you have enough UA flights already ticketed and you have a large enough percentage of the EQM already. I am going to try it when I am at about 85K EQM and have 15K+ EQM booked and see what happens. I have a very consistent track record so it should look good on paper...
Aug 2, 2006 | 7:46 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 20,405
I'm sure once you hit 100,000 EQMs in your MP account, UA will be happy to grant you 1K status. 
UA virtually never comps 1K, and I'm pretty confident I can speak on behalf of other 1Ks...we're quite glad they don't hand this out like candy a la double EQM promos up the ying yang.
UA virtually never comps 1K, and I'm pretty confident I can speak on behalf of other 1Ks...we're quite glad they don't hand this out like candy a la double EQM promos up the ying yang.
Aug 2, 2006 | 8:11 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TW/California
Programs: UA MM, SPG LT Plat,
Posts: 238
why do you want to be 1K? it seems like you would be 1P really soon, and the only difference between the two, if you were to be comp the higher status, would be earning 4 CR1s (if 10K BIS a quarter), and earlier 500-miles clearing time. And if most of your flights are on other *A airlines, and not UA, you wouldn't be earning the CR1s anyway.
Aug 2, 2006 | 8:29 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: FLL, MEL, SIN, WAS
Programs: SQ, UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 13,420
It is very easy, as one M+ supervisor told me, M+ is a frequent flyer program. It is not a frequent purchase program.
Having purchase the tickets does not automatically mean you will fly. If UA grants you because tickets have been told, then anyone could purchase fully refundable tickets and ask for 1K status.
Having purchase the tickets does not automatically mean you will fly. If UA grants you because tickets have been told, then anyone could purchase fully refundable tickets and ask for 1K status.
Aug 2, 2006 | 8:37 pm
#12
Join Date: May 2004
Location: OAK
Programs: UA Gold MM / AS MVP Gold
Posts: 2,504
if you are able to get comped for 1K, please let us know, however 
Aug 2, 2006 | 8:53 pm
#13
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kirkland, WA
Programs: AS 75K,UA Gold 1.6MM, Hilton Dia, Marriott LT Plat, Hyatt Glb, Natl Exec, Hertz 5*
Posts: 3,657
Originally Posted by UA_Flyer
It is very easy, as one M+ supervisor told me, M+ is a frequent flyer program. It is not a frequent purchase program.
- Offer a purchased card to give you instant 1K status
- Offer a credit card that gives you EQMs in various ways including united.com purchases
- Sell EQMs
- Allow you to convert credit card choices from purchases into EQMs
??
Its about $$$ for them, not miles...
Aug 2, 2006 | 9:05 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 20,405
Originally Posted by dmodemd
Then how come they
- Offer a purchased card to give you instant 1K status
- Offer a credit card that gives you EQMs in various ways including united.com purchases
- Sell EQMs
- Allow you to convert credit card choices from purchases into EQMs
??
Its about $$$ for them, not miles...
- Offer a purchased card to give you instant 1K status
- Offer a credit card that gives you EQMs in various ways including united.com purchases
- Sell EQMs
- Allow you to convert credit card choices from purchases into EQMs
??
Its about $$$ for them, not miles...
Aug 2, 2006 | 9:26 pm
#15
Join Date: Sep 2004
Programs: UA UGS/1K
Posts: 119
Do you work for a large company that has a corporate travel agent? If so, see if they will ask for you.
I've flow 120K miles on UA this year, so I'm a bonafide 1K, however, I've flow only once from SFO->Miami on American, but have platinum status
I've flow 120K miles on UA this year, so I'm a bonafide 1K, however, I've flow only once from SFO->Miami on American, but have platinum status