Unhappy with lack of bonuses
 

I have stuck with US through thick and thin (and there has been a lot of the thin: plastic cups in F, filthy planes, RJs everywhere, removal of F from E170's, shrinking the F cabin on the 757's, ...). What is really starting to grate on me is the complete lack of bonuses for nearly a year.

No, I am not so unrealistic to expect the returns of insane bonuses like GOM, CMH triple, or the 6C bonus that was supposed to post once on your first flight and instead posted on every segment until the promo ended.

I am talking about the normal bonuses that airlines run like double miles systemwide, or 20K miles for 3 RT's within a certain period, or even a few lousy bonus miles for flying a specific city pair.

It seems that other than giving away status to infrequent flyers who manage to squeeze in 6K or 12K or whatever in a quarter, there have been NO bonuses on US lately. And if you believe the naysayers from America West, it ain't getting any better.

If they eliminate the CP carryover and free club at 150K tier miles, combined with the complete lack of bonus opportunities, will probably lead me to defect to UA after 21 years flying US.

I am interested in what others think, particularly those that have experience with UA's bonus opportunities. I know they do not offer unlimited F upgrades to preferred members, I also know their club membership is better as it allows access to US clubs whereas US charges extra for that bennie.

Under normal conditions I would get be resigned to saything "that is life in the real world". Giving few bonuses and of those that are offered are highly restricted to booking on the web site or booking AND traveling within a certain time period (like the bonuses earlier this year).

HOWEVER, they promised at the beinging of the year that there would be a lot of bonuses to celebrate the 20th anniversery. That is what gets my blood boiling. I wish I still had that communication.

My other concern is that they will not keep the drop only 1 level policy (inconsistent as it was) and not offer challenges to those of us who do drop next year.

Gardener,

This one added 20,000 miles to my requalification bottom line this year. In addition to the on-line booking bonuses and double tier miles between DC and select cities. So I guess it is better than a poke in the eye. . .but remember lavish bonuses aren't an entitlement of being a dividend miles member!

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS WITH 20,000 MILES TOWARD PREFERRED STATUS
Dividend Miles invites you to celebrate its 20th anniversary with up to 20,000 miles toward your Preferred status. With each US Airways ticket purchased and flown at usairways.com now through February 16, 2005, you earn more BONUS MILES - 2,000 BONUS MILES for your 1st purchase; 3,000 for your 2nd; 4,000 for your 3rd; 5,000 for your 4th and 6,000 for your 5th purchase - up to 20,000 BONUS MILES total. Register once before your first departure at http://www.usairways.com/dm/6855 Plus, stay tuned ... US Airways will continue thanking customers throughout 2005 with offers, giveaways and much more. Thank you for continuing to choose US Airways.

But once again that disqualifies all of us who must book throught a corporate site or agent.

We have choice of airlines and the trips we take too. They are eliminating a possible source of extra money from an entire set of customers. Furthermore, these are business (ie higher yield) tickets and not leisure tickets.

I book my $900 ticket with the corporate site but my $200 ticket on usairways.com. Not hard to figure out which they would rather have me book but they incent for the other.

I also am required to book through a corporate website.

And no, I don't think bonuses are an entitlement. But neither is any one airline entitled to my business. And if another offers a better total package, well then, I might just switch.

Maybe now that the summer travel season is over we'll see some bonuses.

That is exactly what I was thinking. I think (hope) that bonuses will return if not in Sept then Oct as the heavy travel period is coming to a close.

Wanna bet? Mark Kuhns, the gentleman responsible for the award winning web site and the new and vastly improved web site that we have all been promised for over two years is now responsible for marketing and the DM program.

Based on his track record I would not count on ever seeing another promotion from US until the program is transfered to Tempe.

Bummer!
 

Bummer!

I live for promotions. In the past, as I'm sure many other have, I've booked trips just for the promotions so I can rack up those miles. Sometimes, I'll come up with an excuse as to why I need to fly to Florida, just so I can play promotion fun.

Let's hope they choose to offer more promos as the summer comes to a close. I think everyone will benefit from them in the long run.

GH