bossku69

I've been flying US for years, and even remember them offering F upgrades at the gate a few years back... my little silver status got me a few upgrades on the CLT-LAX flights then.

However, I've been noticing that more and more F booked 4 days prior to departure. I highly doubt these seats were all purchased, but more likely people who are normally silver/gold are now plat/cp. Mostly because I will check before I go to bed and when I wake up, the three seats that were available a few hours ago are now gone.

Personally for me, I just reached CP thanks to double miles earlier this year and the double miles to select cities going on now. Without that I would of reached probably just to the plat mark this year.

That being said, I'm wondering the feelings of older CP's and plat's who normally get upgrades are now not because of these promos. I'm kind of curious to see how things turn out later this month after the h/s/j promo ends and how many are bumped to CP.

ArizonaGuy

They're likely running promos both to increase sales and because the number of customers at the higher elite levels are still down.

I might be annoyed but also remember that for domestic upgrades, the tie break between two people at the same preferred level is whichever passenger has flown more PQM's YTD.

So if you're a CP thanks to the H/S/J but you've only flown 60K miles thus far (recognizing even that may be inflated due to DPQM promo), a CP on her way to requalifying the normal way with 90K thus far will be upgraded first.

Of course in the same example where you've made CP via H/S/J with only 60K thus far you're going to get upgraded over a CP earned the normal way last year but who has perhaps only 25K this year. That's the rub. US is rewarding the person spending dollars now versus someone who possibly spent significantly more - but not since last year.

Being bumped up a single level doesn't bother me too much since many of us have done it. At least among FT'ers, we're all in the same order as before if everyone moved up one. And for anyone who managed to bump up two levels, let alone three (or four - I seriously wonder if anyone did/will), I salute them. Getting 8 H/S/J's takes serious effort, getting 12 or 16 is practically impossible without significant cash outlay that I'd think getting 75K or 100K PQM's would be cheaper and faster.

TAWS

The way I see it, the influx of new plat/CP doesn't matter because they won't be flying as much as the people who earn elite status the normal way.

itsme110

There are two problem for CPs, and I mean loyal frequent flyers. The upgrade problem for me is caused by mileage upgrades. Miles have gotten so easy to accumlate, especially through the bargain basement, continual, buy, rent, share, steal, program..........and the credit card programs, that F is often gone before the seven day window. I fly pvr-phx at least a couple of times a month, and I am starting to miss upgrades. I used to have F all to myself, while coach was totally sold out. But now that miles are getting cheaper and cheaper, people are using reward tickets and mileage upgrades, and F is gone a lot sooner.
The other problem, which really annoys me as a BIS frequent flyer, is the fact that silver is almost automatic for anyone. The last trial silver program allowed people to earn silver by just buying a ticket. As a side note, many people were buying tickets and throwing them away to get their silver status. Then they were buying miles and using their silver status to get the 25% bonus, and throwing the ticket away. Others were using the free silver status for what it was.........free silver status. These people are now flying.......and good for the airline. they are generating business. When I go to book however, I am finding extreme pressure on the exit rows, which I used to have no problem getting. Bottom line is that the BIS CPs are getting double squeezed. I wouldn´t mind not getting the exit rows, if I were getting the upgrades, but I´m often missing out on both. Two years ago when I was gold, I was doing just as good or better on exit rows and upgrades than I am now.
It is however U.S. airways program, and they really don´t care about my business. They will do whatever they can to buy my loyalty at the best price that they can. When the day comes that I feel I can do better taking my business elsewhere, I will do that. It will be very interesting to see what the UA/CO merger will look like for frequent fliers..........but that will be for another thread

bossku69

I agree with you on both. Personally, I think they should allow exit row booking similar to upgrades. CP can choose anytime, Plat is 30 days, Gold 10 and Silver 5... or something like that. I just booked a PHL-LAX flight and all F was gone on both flights out that day, 4 days before departure... just so happened my CP kicked in that day so I missed the CP window.

The night before there was 4 available on one flight and 3 on another... I've never seen that before until the last few months.

Personally, if I had been a CP for years and how things are now I would consider switching. If UA/CO offered the same deal with upgrades as US and would match status with CP, I'm sure a lot would be switching over.

itsme110

totally agree with your idea on preferred seating. if there are fewer upgrades......that will become the plum. i´d keep the time frames more in favor of cp and plat, and let golds go on line at 4 days and silvers at 3 to get preferred seating.

vincentvan

I haven't noticed any difference in my upgrades this year, though that could change, I'm 60 for 60 in UG's this year. As mentioned earlier in this thread, I believe that many folks who participate in the promos to get status do not fly enough to compete with those of us who fly constantly.

PA Pilot

I've often heard that airlines won't status match to their highest elite status (ie CP, 1K, etc). So it would make sense to me that the CP level be one that is "Protected" and can only be earned by flying the qualifying miles/segments.

This would keep only the true loyalist to battle it out for F seats at the 7 day window. To me this would be good for business and the loyal US flyer.

itsme110

As I said, I think it is more the reward tickets and mileage upgrades that are filling up F. I fly my main route on a 737-300 with 8 F seats. The other day I got on and there was a mom dad and two kids in 4 of the seats and a couple in the other. I got the the 7th and there was a ´missed connection oversold´ as the 8th. Six of the 8 seats were gone at my window, and I didn´t get the upgrade until 4 days before the flight.

bossku69

Yeah, that is true. I did notice that back in July/August as well (from the double mile promo earlier). I've called US a few times, even 5 days before flight because they had 2 or 3 open F seats but would not upgrade because they were "revenue" seats.

On a recent flight, the guy sitting next to me told me twice this year hes noticed that gold and silver are in F while he didn't get the upgrades as a CP. There is a list in the front of members and their status, but he said he finds it odd how a *G would get the upgrade over a CP...

I worked to CP because I have flight every 2 weeks from PHL-LAX or PHL-CLT-LAX and return and the F seats make a HUGE difference while trying to get work done.

dcpatti

I think the capacity contraction more than anything is what is making upgrades harder to come by. There are fewer flights than 18 months ago, and a lot of the flights have been downsized. So there's fewer F seats flying around out there in general. On a more positive note, some of the capacity is coming back. Haven't checked other routes but DCA-MCO had 2 a day swapped down to RJ's and at least one of them has come back to mainline, so that's a positive sign.

I really think this will all correct itself over time. Summer was brutal with a lot of award travelers in F on the transcon's but I did my part by taking up F or C space on AC and NZ, so it all comes out in the wash. As long as planes keep selling out, capacity will be added and it'll eventually find a nice balance.

uva185

I'm still at 100% for my upgrades this year however more and more seem to clear between 2-4 days out while in years past they cleared 5-7 days out. It makes me a bit nervous about getting the upgrade but as long as they clear I am happy.

Case in point, I just booked a redeye for PDX-CLT next Monday. It's showing F8 but no upgrade last night. I have confidence it will clear on Thursday.

jfunk138

My theory on what has killed the upgrades for Silvers and Golds from a few years ago: auto-upgrades.

In the Sabre days you had to do a manual process of applying e-upgrades to your reservation or calling at your window. For short flights in particular, I'd bet many non-FT frequent flyers never even bothered. There were probably alot of Silvers and Golds that didn't even realize they had status and never bothered with learning the upgrades system. Once the upgrades became fully automatic many flyers who never would have bothered are now taking up seats from the crazy FT crowd.

As much as we try to blame the promos, what's really killing upgrades for low level elites is that damn automatic upgrade gnome.

mrredskin

ok, why aren't you participating in the "steal" program, as well? it's available to you, too, ya know?

so you're pissed because you now have people around you in F, and that you still get in F but usually a day or two later?

So people get silver for 90 days. that trial is almost over for quite a few people. do you really think there is going to be that much of an elite surge on flights throughout the next year???

bossku69

This system has some major problems IMO. I was talking with someone in F a few weeks ago who complained that hes been sitting next to silvers who are on a transcon flight (LAX-PHL) and his friends whom are gold and plat did not get the upgrades. He said he asked and one guy told him that he would call before the 48 hour window and ask for the upgrade... sometimes having to call multiple times and said he's gotten the upgrades way before he's supposed to.

I've done this myself, but ONLY if there is a seat available in my time window, but I couldn't image being a silver and calling 72 hours in advance and asking for the upgrade, then receiving it while other golds are still on the "waiting list" as the revenue seats open up.