Suggestions on getting comp early?
 

My girlfriend just started flying UA this year and has already booked 26,000 miles worth of tickets for Jan & Feb (for work related travel). She will probably make 1K this year with the amount of traveling she is doing, but currently she has no status.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can get her comped early? Sometimes I take her to the airport and she has to stand in the normal line for check-in and having been a 1K or PremEx for a while, it does take getting use to waiting with her in that line.

I also want to give her some of my paper 500 mile certs but know that without any status there is no chance for her to use them.

She had written a letter to UA but they declined. Any suggestions or should she just wait?

[This message has been edited by bagold (edited 01-16-2001).]

Does your girlfriend have status with another airline? AA or Delta for example? If she does, she can always fax in her statement to UA and ask them to comp her to a comparable level.

Unfortunately she doesn't have status with any other airline. She started flying at the end of last year and didn't have enough miles to make any level.

You might try talking to someone in your local city, e.g. airport, city ticket office, or local sales office. The CTO or ATO should be able to direct you to a local sales rep for UA. I'm not sure what they will do, but it would not harm you to ask. Also you could give her sme of your 500 mile upgrade certs, and have her try to use these. It might only work 30% of the time or less, but some upgrades are better than no upgrades. Those who ask are the one's who often get something. Case and point, I was just in DSM, delayed overnight due to weather, and got two confirmed one-class one-segment north America upgrades. Those that did not ask got nothing, zero, etc. Before I was elite, I could still upgrade occasionally just by happening to ask the right person.

This is a longshot, and somewhat along the lines of jetsetter's advice, but if she is flying that much over a relatively short period she might, unbeknownst to her, be flying on negotiated fares. If that is the case, then her corporate travel department might be able to step in and request status for her.

After 26K by Feb she will be AHEAD of most 1Ks already that year, myself included. THAT is the time for a follow up letter methinks, when they can "see the colour of her money" so to speak right there in her account.

She'll then get a 1P comp. pretty readily, (she'll be 2P automatically) but of course they NEVER comp. 1K under these "I'm asking nicely" situations.

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~ Glen ~

Last year I had 26k miles by Feb. 6. I was already 1K, but I know what you mean.

You should write or call Mileage Plus and ask to see if they will give her some special consideration. But I doubt they'll comp to 1K; you'll prolly get 1P.

Then again, the trend lately has been to devalue the level, and hey it looks like UA will do anything for a buck these days. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/tongue.gif

Comp to 1K has a 0% success rate. But if her employer has an account with UA, maybe the travel department can swing a comp to 1P or 2P (not that it does you any good).

I should hit 2P on Feb 2. 1P probably mid year, and 1K, haven't figure out that yet. But I guess if I have to resort to a mileage run this year, at least I'll have my 6 SWUs to make the run more enjoyable.

What do US 1Ks usually get first? Their W-2s or the 1K kit?

[This message has been edited by seawolf (edited 01-16-2001).]

If your girlfiend works for a larger Company then I'd contact their travel Department and/or the external Travel Agency that they use, to see about a status comp. I finally got through to the right people at my Company and have received news that a Comp. to equivalent status on AA is available (not sure I'll take it) and that UA upgrade certificates are now being made available to me via the UA sales rep.

Thanks for all the help. I just sent a message off to the corporate travel department (yeah, we work in the same company) and I will see what they say. We do have a large contract with UA so maybe they will comp her? Fingers crossed!

It worked! My corporate department managed to get my gf a 1P status. It took about 3 weeks but that is great. She would have made 2P by the end of this month and then 1P in the next few months (and maybe even 1K?). At least now, if I am trying to get her upgraded at the airport, there is a better chance.

Thanks for all the advices!

Cool. Good to hear that some sense prevails at UA!

Bagold-and now you can give her as many certs as you want to, and she can use them on her own. Have a GREAT trip!