Not looking forward to E- (just a rant!)
 

I am currently a 1P but I only flew 15k miles last year. I've got a business trip a week from today - I have a feeling the automatic sweeps are going to take away my exit seat and put me in the back of the bus this weekend :(.

I've got nothing to trade in CC for 3P and I don't have any other trips booked at this time for a challenge. This will be the first time I've had E- in many years :).

You might be right, but I think you stand a reasonable shot of being able to keep your seat... if not, you can always pay the relatively cheap buy-up fee for E+ on this flight. Are you going to be flying about the same miles on UA again this year? If I were going to have 15k in flown miles I would certainly consider buying E+ access for the year...

There's always the buy-up...

d'oh, I forgot about that... Yeah, might bite the bullet. It's always unknown how much I'll end up flying... sometimes 15k miles, sometimes 80k.

My wife and I do have an award ticket for Thailand in September... Might buy myself up to E+ then buy her up before the flight if I don't hit 2P by then.

I thought that if you bought the annual E+ access that you could bring one passenger with you in E+ so there's be no reason to buy her up before the flight. If that's the case (and I'm sure others can confirm), you might want to go ahead and buy E+ access now to ensure you won't be in E- for your upcoming flights.

ok.. I thought I had heard that buying in was for you only, unlike premier access prior.

Funny, it won't let me buy up now since I'm still a 1P... I'll have to buy it Saturday.

There is also Economy Plus Access Premier® Fast Track which lets you be a 2P at just 15K miles. OP said he flew 15K miles last year, so he could have done that. Perhaps United will let him he a 2P this year in exchange for a retroactive "Fast Track" payment.

Another option, interesting. Thank you.

For $799 ?? :eek:

Not worth it, IMHO, when E+ access can be had for $299. Is that 25% bonus (and the e500s) really worth the difference? I guess if the OP plans to fly a ton.

LAX

E+ access is $349 now

Thanks for the correction! I guess UA is really trying to milk the E+ cow.

LAX

I can confirm E+ access works just like elite status for seating. Bought it for Mrs. PVDProf, and I can see E+ seats and position GM Master PVDProf next to her in E+ in her account, or in my account with her M+ number in the PNR.

It takes a couple days after purchasing E+ Access for it to show up on the site, or you can call right away for seats (or, at least the 1P line helped me get them into E+ seats using the Mrs.' access).

I'm curious to hear whether or not it sweeps, so please let us know. Good luck!:)