Is it worth buying up to Chairman? (Merged Threads)
Dec 6, 2013, 11:23 pm
#106
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: United 1K; AA Platinum
Posts: 326
Unless US ends the "Buy Up" program altogether. "Reciprocal benefits" (whatever that means) comes Jan. 7. This could mean equivalent (Exec. Plat) upgrades on AA, or just that we can use miles across both AA and US, or anything in between.
Dec 7, 2013, 10:16 am
#107
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: FSD
Programs: AA CK, DL SM, UA PS, HH Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium , Hyatt Globalist, Global Entry, CLEAR
Posts: 457
I hope you are right.
Dec 7, 2013, 10:25 am
#108
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: FSD
Programs: AA CK, DL SM, UA PS, HH Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium , Hyatt Globalist, Global Entry, CLEAR
Posts: 457
Prognostication:
US will discontinue the buy-up program prior to October 2014 to prevent "carryover" EXP benefits once the programs merge.
US will discontinue the buy-up program prior to October 2014 to prevent "carryover" EXP benefits once the programs merge.
Dec 9, 2013, 6:39 pm
#109
Join Date: May 2012
Location: BOS
Programs: US CP, DL PM
Posts: 127
I'm currently 6442 miles short for CP. Debating buying up to chairman and/or doing the club purchase to get the rest. Waited too long to get a decent mileage run in (kept thinking there'd be a DPQM promotion like last year).
I like the certs - have used mine in 2012 and 2013 already. I like being CP, but it does seem like a waste to throw down about 600$ (either in overpriced MR, buying up, club, or combination of three).
Does anyone know timing of the buy up? If not discontinued, do I have till may to be a high-end platinum and then can buy up based on last year? I just enjoy lower upgrade rate and no access to certs until then? But if I want to get the 5k PQM from the club to apply to this year's balance, gotta do that by Dec 31? Or even earlier to credit beforehand?
I like the certs - have used mine in 2012 and 2013 already. I like being CP, but it does seem like a waste to throw down about 600$ (either in overpriced MR, buying up, club, or combination of three).
Does anyone know timing of the buy up? If not discontinued, do I have till may to be a high-end platinum and then can buy up based on last year? I just enjoy lower upgrade rate and no access to certs until then? But if I want to get the 5k PQM from the club to apply to this year's balance, gotta do that by Dec 31? Or even earlier to credit beforehand?
Dec 9, 2013, 7:06 pm
#110
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: United 1K; AA Platinum
Posts: 326
I'm currently 6442 miles short for CP. Debating buying up to chairman and/or doing the club purchase to get the rest. Waited too long to get a decent mileage run in (kept thinking there'd be a DPQM promotion like last year).
I like the certs - have used mine in 2012 and 2013 already. I like being CP, but it does seem like a waste to throw down about 600$ (either in overpriced MR, buying up, club, or combination of three).
Does anyone know timing of the buy up? If not discontinued, do I have till may to be a high-end platinum and then can buy up based on last year? I just enjoy lower upgrade rate and no access to certs until then? But if I want to get the 5k PQM from the club to apply to this year's balance, gotta do that by Dec 31? Or even earlier to credit beforehand?
I like the certs - have used mine in 2012 and 2013 already. I like being CP, but it does seem like a waste to throw down about 600$ (either in overpriced MR, buying up, club, or combination of three).
Does anyone know timing of the buy up? If not discontinued, do I have till may to be a high-end platinum and then can buy up based on last year? I just enjoy lower upgrade rate and no access to certs until then? But if I want to get the 5k PQM from the club to apply to this year's balance, gotta do that by Dec 31? Or even earlier to credit beforehand?
Dec 9, 2013, 7:39 pm
#111
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: AA Executive Platinum; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,662
Heck, I have bought up from silver before! And was happy about it!
Dec 9, 2013, 9:21 pm
#112
Join Date: May 2012
Location: BOS
Programs: US CP, DL PM
Posts: 127
Does that mean that you value the additional benefit of being CP to be less than $600 annually? Right now I'm considering buying up from gold at a much more expensive $1500. The upgrade certs. seem to be pretty valuable in themselves, especially if one otherwise wouldn't fly transatlantic in Y (being 6'4", there's no way I would). The 100% mileage bonus and top of the domestic upgrade pecking order are significant improvements over Gold.
I also have 446k unspent RDMs that could rationally probably be liquidated for award tickets (I am not the best miles economist here) that could replace the CP benefits of the transatlantic upgrades and be used to prebook into first class on any tough routes.