How do you folks feel about GS members?
Jan 8, 2009, 10:50 pm
#91
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 12,351
As a newly minted GS, I am not expecting anything more than when I am a 1K.
Based on my readings of the posts in this forum, I feel the GS benefits are just slightly marginal than 1K's. My upgrade from Y to F/C for C to F have been cleared almost 99% of the time when I was a 1K. GS and 1K board together, and I don't travel on awards tickets to enjoy the upgrades.
Based on my readings of the posts in this forum, I feel the GS benefits are just slightly marginal than 1K's. My upgrade from Y to F/C for C to F have been cleared almost 99% of the time when I was a 1K. GS and 1K board together, and I don't travel on awards tickets to enjoy the upgrades.
Jan 8, 2009, 11:22 pm
#92
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: USA
Programs: SQ PPS SOLITAIRE, AA ,HHONOR GOLD, BONVOY GOLD, IHG PLAT
Posts: 2,041
Compared to other GS members, my spend is probably on the low side - about $40-$45K.
Jan 8, 2009, 11:29 pm
#93
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: 1 Million Miles UA, joined MP 1982
Posts: 54
GS is a way for United to reward spending but by keeping the $ level a mystery they can control the number and the benefit. I believe they will keep 1K what it is -- 100,000 EQM and GS will vary by year and by route.
Jan 8, 2009, 11:49 pm
#94
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: USA
Programs: SQ PPS SOLITAIRE, AA ,HHONOR GOLD, BONVOY GOLD, IHG PLAT
Posts: 2,041
With the economy the way it is, I wouldn't be surprised if UA relaxes their minimum GS threshold for 2009/2010.
Jan 8, 2009, 11:56 pm
#95
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K MM, Marriott Life Plat, various others of little note
Posts: 2,763
As a newly minted GS, I am not expecting anything more than when I am a 1K.
Based on my readings of the posts in this forum, I feel the GS benefits are just slightly marginal than 1K's. My upgrade from Y to F/C for C to F have been cleared almost 99% of the time when I was a 1K. GS and 1K board together, and I don't travel on awards tickets to enjoy the upgrades.
Based on my readings of the posts in this forum, I feel the GS benefits are just slightly marginal than 1K's. My upgrade from Y to F/C for C to F have been cleared almost 99% of the time when I was a 1K. GS and 1K board together, and I don't travel on awards tickets to enjoy the upgrades.
I thought for upgrade priority (once you're under 24 hours or airport control or whatever) that the rules are status, fare, time added to DM list. I don't think Y fare types are ahead of 1Ks for upgrades. Perhaps I'm wrong . . .
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Jan 9, 2009 at 10:46 am Reason: consecutive posts merged
Jan 9, 2009, 12:07 am
#96
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA GS 1MM, CM PP
Posts: 689
But truthfully, I'm mainly stuck by corporate contract.
For how pissy you seem, I am amazed you even try to get 1K / year on UA.
Jan 9, 2009, 2:02 am
#98
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: London; Bangkok; Las Vegas
Programs: AA Exec Plat; UA MM Gold; Marriott Lifetime Titanium; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,745
Don't forget routing and timetables. For example, nonstops ORD-Asia...can't beat United. Then again, UA should probably recognize that advantage and not have to reward so many asia pax with GS. When the new C/F product finally goes in, it'll be comparable. (I'd argue a step up on competition if only we could get the surly/incompetent FAs out.)
UA's route structure to Asia isn't all that strong out of ORD (and even less so out of IAD). There are alternatives.
New C/F competitive? Leaving out the flight attendant issues, the bad food issues, the cheap wine issues, the absence of most in-flight amenities issues, and the absence of ground handling issues, it doesn't sound like you have been in SQ or CX's new first class (or SQ's new business). Those seats make even UA's new F/C seats look pretty lame.
But truthfully, I'm mainly stuck by corporate contract.
For how pissy you seem, I am amazed you even try to get 1K / year on UA.
I make 1K because Mileage Plus offers certain benefits over other programs. As a 1K, I also get regional and systemwide upgrades (I haven't used a 500-mile upgrade in five years). Sometimes, due to clients' corporate contracts, I have to fly United. I also use my upgrades and miles for family/friends/colleagues.
But I put the bare minimum into Mileage Plus each year to make 1K. Most of my miles go into British Midland (I love the one-way awards, cash and miles awards, and 6.25 miles for each mile flown in F after I have requalified each year). I also love using one of my other Star Gold cards to get into the Red Carpet Clubs on domestic itineraries without having to have a membership.
In short, I take as much as I can get from United and ensure I give them as little business and money as I can.
I do whatever I can to avoid UA. A month or two ago, I had to fly from IAD to ZRH on a paid F ticket. I could have taken the non-stop flight on UA. Nope. I flew on a regional jet to JFK and flew Swiss Air over.
You would think UA would notice that most of my miles into Mileage Plus are flown on other Star carriers, generally in paid F, on routes that UA also flies. They don't. United doesn't care.
Jan 9, 2009, 2:06 am
#99
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: London; Bangkok; Las Vegas
Programs: AA Exec Plat; UA MM Gold; Marriott Lifetime Titanium; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,745
Once it goes to airport control and the departure management list, it's: 1) status; 2) fare paid (only divided between YB fares and all other economy fares); and then 3) time on the DM list.
Jan 9, 2009, 3:30 am
#100
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: UK/Australia
Programs: BAEC Silver, UA2MM, QF Platinum, VA Platinum., Volare Executive Club
Posts: 2,512
Depends on where you are flying, I suppose. I fly ANA from IAD or ORD to NRT and then onto where I really need to go (usually Saigon, Bangkok, or Singapore, so I couldn't fly UA non-stop even if I wanted to). From the West Coast, I fly SQ through SEL, NRT, or HKG.
UA's route structure to Asia isn't all that strong out of ORD (and even less so out of IAD). There are alternatives.
New C/F competitive? Leaving out the flight attendant issues, the bad food issues, the cheap wine issues, the absence of most in-flight amenities issues, and the absence of ground handling issues, it doesn't sound like you have been in SQ or CX's new first class (or SQ's new business). Those seats make even UA's new F/C seats look pretty lame.
I'm with you
Bingo. So whether they gave you GS or not, you'd continue to fly UA.
Voice of truth and reason is "pissy"? Ok. I'm pissy at UA. They deserve it.
I make 1K because Mileage Plus offers certain benefits over other programs. As a 1K, I also get regional and systemwide upgrades (I haven't used a 500-mile upgrade in five years). Sometimes, due to clients' corporate contracts, I have to fly United. I also use my upgrades and miles for family/friends/colleagues.
But I put the bare minimum into Mileage Plus each year to make 1K. Most of my miles go into British Midland (I love the one-way awards, cash and miles awards, and 6.25 miles for each mile flown in F after I have requalified each year). I also love using one of my other Star Gold cards to get into the Red Carpet Clubs on domestic itineraries without having to have a membership.
In short, I take as much as I can get from United and ensure I give them as little business and money as I can.
I do whatever I can to avoid UA. A month or two ago, I had to fly from IAD to ZRH on a paid F ticket. I could have taken the non-stop flight on UA. Nope. I flew on a regional jet to JFK and flew Swiss Air over.
You would think UA would notice that most of my miles into Mileage Plus are flown on other Star carriers, generally in paid F, on routes that UA also flies. They don't. United doesn't care.
UA's route structure to Asia isn't all that strong out of ORD (and even less so out of IAD). There are alternatives.
New C/F competitive? Leaving out the flight attendant issues, the bad food issues, the cheap wine issues, the absence of most in-flight amenities issues, and the absence of ground handling issues, it doesn't sound like you have been in SQ or CX's new first class (or SQ's new business). Those seats make even UA's new F/C seats look pretty lame.
I'm with you
Bingo. So whether they gave you GS or not, you'd continue to fly UA.
Voice of truth and reason is "pissy"? Ok. I'm pissy at UA. They deserve it.
I make 1K because Mileage Plus offers certain benefits over other programs. As a 1K, I also get regional and systemwide upgrades (I haven't used a 500-mile upgrade in five years). Sometimes, due to clients' corporate contracts, I have to fly United. I also use my upgrades and miles for family/friends/colleagues.
But I put the bare minimum into Mileage Plus each year to make 1K. Most of my miles go into British Midland (I love the one-way awards, cash and miles awards, and 6.25 miles for each mile flown in F after I have requalified each year). I also love using one of my other Star Gold cards to get into the Red Carpet Clubs on domestic itineraries without having to have a membership.
In short, I take as much as I can get from United and ensure I give them as little business and money as I can.
I do whatever I can to avoid UA. A month or two ago, I had to fly from IAD to ZRH on a paid F ticket. I could have taken the non-stop flight on UA. Nope. I flew on a regional jet to JFK and flew Swiss Air over.
You would think UA would notice that most of my miles into Mileage Plus are flown on other Star carriers, generally in paid F, on routes that UA also flies. They don't. United doesn't care.
I imagine next year they may not be GS, given the state of the economy. One can always hope.
Jan 9, 2009, 7:22 am
#101
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: IAD-DCA
Programs: Won Kay
Posts: 1,324
The answer to that question is: YES.
I fly ~250,000 revenue mile a year. Year in and year out for over 15-years.
I have been a 1K, every year, for a long time--well over a decade. I was a 1K when UA offered NO international upgrade certificates and you had to fly 100,000 actual butt-in-seat miles to make 1K. No (or hardly any) exceptions.
There were dedicated 1K rooms. Agents bent rules (almost until they snapped in two). You were really taken care of when irregular operations occurred. UA earned my loyalty and I gave it to them. Then they came up with segment upgrades, which were just cream on top. Then systemwides. Wow.
Then they came up with Global Services and it all went downhill.
I didn't get it. I complained.
By July of the first year after they instituted Global Services, I had already flown over 140,000 revenue miles on United Airlines, almost all of which were on international flights: well over 15,000 were in paid first class flights and over 65,000 were in paid business class. "Don't call us; we'll call you," is what I received in response to my detailed letter to customer service.
My reaction was to tell United to go commit a sex act with itself. [Let's see if that gets by the censors (I mean "moderators") here.]
Since then, virtually all of my international flying (which is over 90% of my flying) is on any carrier other than United. When I fly United, it's because I upgrade or because my client has a corporate contract with United and I have to fly United. I put just enough miles on United each year to make 1K, and put 10,000 BIS each quarter to earn CR1s for my domestic flights, but that's it.
It's the best thing that ever happened to me. I now fly SQ (who, unlike United, has made me a PPS member for the past five years), ANA, Lufthansa, and Swiss. With the declines in service and amenities at United, it is wonderful. So, thank you United.
What do I think of GS? For what they spend, it is pathetic how little United gives them.
I think it is shortsighted of United. 80% of my travel spend is discretionary. I can fly who I want, but because UA irked me so badly, I'll fly anybody OTHER than United because I am so irked. And I tell everyone who will listen how much I hate United.
I would guess that 75% or more of GS members are locked in by corporate contracts and couldn't fly anyone else even if they wanted to. So why bother to give them GS? They are not going anywhere.
For the GS members, I am sorry. I am sorry that you haven't figured out a way to fly where you need to go for a lot less money, or at least the same amount, and receive far more in return (N.B., look at foreign airlines). If you are stuck on United due to domestic flying, look to the domestic alternatives. United is certainly no better than any of the others and you are wasting your money on United, even if it is money not coming out of your own pocket.
GS may have been great in theory. Implementation, like just about everything else on United, leaves a lot to be desired.
I fly ~250,000 revenue mile a year. Year in and year out for over 15-years.
I have been a 1K, every year, for a long time--well over a decade. I was a 1K when UA offered NO international upgrade certificates and you had to fly 100,000 actual butt-in-seat miles to make 1K. No (or hardly any) exceptions.
There were dedicated 1K rooms. Agents bent rules (almost until they snapped in two). You were really taken care of when irregular operations occurred. UA earned my loyalty and I gave it to them. Then they came up with segment upgrades, which were just cream on top. Then systemwides. Wow.
Then they came up with Global Services and it all went downhill.
I didn't get it. I complained.
By July of the first year after they instituted Global Services, I had already flown over 140,000 revenue miles on United Airlines, almost all of which were on international flights: well over 15,000 were in paid first class flights and over 65,000 were in paid business class. "Don't call us; we'll call you," is what I received in response to my detailed letter to customer service.
My reaction was to tell United to go commit a sex act with itself. [Let's see if that gets by the censors (I mean "moderators") here.]
Since then, virtually all of my international flying (which is over 90% of my flying) is on any carrier other than United. When I fly United, it's because I upgrade or because my client has a corporate contract with United and I have to fly United. I put just enough miles on United each year to make 1K, and put 10,000 BIS each quarter to earn CR1s for my domestic flights, but that's it.
It's the best thing that ever happened to me. I now fly SQ (who, unlike United, has made me a PPS member for the past five years), ANA, Lufthansa, and Swiss. With the declines in service and amenities at United, it is wonderful. So, thank you United.
What do I think of GS? For what they spend, it is pathetic how little United gives them.
I think it is shortsighted of United. 80% of my travel spend is discretionary. I can fly who I want, but because UA irked me so badly, I'll fly anybody OTHER than United because I am so irked. And I tell everyone who will listen how much I hate United.
I would guess that 75% or more of GS members are locked in by corporate contracts and couldn't fly anyone else even if they wanted to. So why bother to give them GS? They are not going anywhere.
For the GS members, I am sorry. I am sorry that you haven't figured out a way to fly where you need to go for a lot less money, or at least the same amount, and receive far more in return (N.B., look at foreign airlines). If you are stuck on United due to domestic flying, look to the domestic alternatives. United is certainly no better than any of the others and you are wasting your money on United, even if it is money not coming out of your own pocket.
GS may have been great in theory. Implementation, like just about everything else on United, leaves a lot to be desired.
Great post. I have never had the pleasure of flying paid F or C - even though I've been 1K for a few years now, mostly due to my gov't job with lots of overseas travel. I like what I get for being a 1K, but truth be told, if I was actually going to pay to fly in F (or C for that matter), I'd probably take your route.
Call me crazy, but if I was paying for an International F ticket, I would expect the FAs to treat me as if they were my personal servant. From what I have read on these boards, it's anything but. Indeed, it's almost like the FAs can't be bothered providing the most basic services. And I'm going to pay upwards of $10K for that? Not me.
Jan 9, 2009, 9:16 am
#102
Join Date: May 2005
Location: CLE, SIN
Programs: UA 1MM, MR Plat Elite
Posts: 520
How about a web page that showed your likelihood of making GS?
FB
Jan 9, 2009, 10:41 am
#103
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Lovely Tahoe City
Programs: UA 1mm Gold. Former 1K and GS.
Posts: 951
MY GS status get's me exactly what I'd expect: Travel from A to B without anxiety, angst, hassles, etc. UA's done everything I expected of them this year and more. They've got me on every flight I wanted, when I wanted and remarkably, very few delays at all.
And I'm not a UA cheerleader. I've flown the other airlines often cited on this board and they all have their own associated drawbacks, even SQ.
Jan 9, 2009, 10:41 am
#104
Join Date: May 2006
Location: IAD
Programs: UA 1MM *G (recovered GS), SPG Nothing, Hilton Nothing, AA Nothing
Posts: 896
Wirelessly posted (RIM BlackBerry 8700c: BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.190 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)
Today UX DFW-IAD. Number one red carpet hanger boards first, gets to 1A on an E170, says loudly on phone, "still GS, baby, but now I'm back to buying coach tickets."
My laugh for the week.
Have a nice weekend and travel safe everyone,
-C
Today UX DFW-IAD. Number one red carpet hanger boards first, gets to 1A on an E170, says loudly on phone, "still GS, baby, but now I'm back to buying coach tickets."
My laugh for the week.
Have a nice weekend and travel safe everyone,
-C
Jan 9, 2009, 11:38 am
#105
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K MM, Marriott Life Plat, various others of little note
Posts: 2,763
Oh, yeah, I remember that now. I learned that same lesson the same way. Now I time it and if it looks like the rummagers are about to be free I let somebody pass me.