dirkman

just curious how many of us cps have already re-qualified for 2009?

i'm in, again -- six years running -- with just 33 segments and 104,443 miles. i made it in september, a bit later than usual.

most of my flying this year has been to europe or asia, and class of service bonuses on singapore and virgin atlantic helped push me over the threshold -- i booked all those miles over to us airways. most of my domestic flying is now on united, where i made premier exec for the first time. ua's f product on transcons, while not spectacular, is a bit more comfortable than us's, and more convenient for me out of washington (via iad), and the y-up fares on ua have been far less expensive. i also have trips on american, continental and air france (booked over to co).

i'm ready to be wrong about this, but i'm betting our cp numbers are way down this year. some plats and golds, depending on our responses, may be better off saving their $$ on mileage runs because i'll bet their upgrade chances for 2009 will be even better.

happy flying (and requalifying).

Robertsonland

I requalified in August for CP...will finish the year with only 127K BIS miles though. Travel was down the last part of the year thanks to the economy. But it was nice to be home for a bit.

My upgrade percentage was way down this year even being a CP I was 38 of 61 for upgrades. I found most of the time by the time the 7 day window rolled around there were only 2/12 seats available on my flights (A319 and A320).

I had thought about jumping ship but the reversal of the bonus miles and minimums changed my mind for now.

Lance

IndyDavid

I left after 5 or so years as CP. Like Robertsonland, I had big problems with upgrades. In the fall, I had two separate West Coast trips... and not a single upgrade cleared on the long-hauls to or from LAX or SFO. I also missed the upgrade on a PHL-CDG flight.

If I'm going to fly in the back of the bus, I'll do it on an airline that doesn't make me buy a cup of water. The reversal of bonus miles and 500-mile minimum came too late for me. I jumped to CO Plat & I'm eager for them to join Star Alliance.

David

zeke320

Made CP again in November, am at 105k miles and 49 segments. Only one additional flight remaining for 2008 to Chicago on UA. Probably not all BIS miles as I frequently receive class of service bonus (international business and first transcons). Thinking about switch to UA in January but with reinstatement of bonus miles and 500 minimum I will probably enjoy the pain for another year.

coswellnc

I re-qualified for CP earlier this year finishing out the year with 140 Seg's and about 80,000 BIS miles. I status matched to Delta and have been flying them since Sept, but the recent reversal of the DM changes has got me thinking about coming back. I live in NC and US is just more convenient for me and if I get stuck in CLT due to weather or missed connections, I can always drive 4 hours and be home. I don't have that option from ATL or MEM if Delta or NW strands me in their hubs.

LMB01

I will requalify later this month. I am at 96k miles and have a trip to Europe on US later this month. I also qualified as Exec Plat on AA earlier this year due to several Asia trips.

Singleflyer

I am gone after 9 years as a CP and 20 + as a FF on US.

In Feb when they took away the 500 Min that was enough for me. Over $500.00 to fly 185 miles in a Saab and oly get 500 miles. I had been planning to reduce flying on US anyway because of my up-grades were about 50% from about 98%. It would burn me to sit in the back with a full fare Y and other get up-graded at 7 days on a cheap ticket purchased weeks before. Mine purchase within hours of the flight.

On my last flight with us in Aug (to make silver) my company paid over $900.00 one way MSP-CHS. I sat in the middle in the back and then asked to pay $2.00 for a diet coke. Pure BS

honeytoes

You missed the UG on a TA flight? How did you miss it? Was it that you could not use the useless TA UG certificate or what? (Sorry for being so dense...been a tough week here...)

uftc

117,558 BIS miles YTD.

102 segments.

Upgrade success PHL to PHX: 20%

Upgrade success on other routes: +/- 98%

PhxFlyGuy

I will qualify for CP again this year, but it will probably be my last. I will continue to use US on short haul PHX west coast flights, but I am moving my long haul business to Continental. They status matched me to Platinum for 2009-10.

I will probably by Plat on US and Silver on CO for 2010-11.

The following year, my miles will all go to CO as part of Star and I will once again be Plat (top tier) on CO.

I am also going to let my US club membership expire. I will probably join Priority Pass so I will have access to clubs except in CLT, which I don't expect to frequent.

I am almost 100% on upgrades, so I can't complain there (although I do use miles to buy them on the "difficult to auto-upgrades routes").

I am extremely invested in US's program with over 1,000,000 miles in my account. If my bank was empty, I probably would move short haul business to WN. I have been speaking with lots of "regular" short haul travelers that I do business with and flexibility in moving days around and not losing flight value is huge with them. They laugh at me while I spend endless hours making my originally planned schedule work so that I don't have to pay change fees. (or buy new tickets. I certainly don't pay $150 to change a $49 return ticket!).

I do like supporting the local (Phoenix) economy. I wish Doug et al would steer this boat in a different direction.

swanscn

I have been CP since that level started 10 or 12 years ago, or when ever that was. Last year I only qualified because like the OP, I took miles from SQ flights on US. This year I did not do that, I choose to get to PPS level with SQ and that worked out well for me. I am near PHL so I will make it to Silver Status but that is it. I take US when they offer a non-stop for domestic flights at a time I need to travel. I do not make connections if I do not have to for domestic travel. Therefore I guess I will make Silver for the next few years. As I have stated in other posts I do not use US for my TALT travel so I will not get to rack up many miles.
What will I miss most is the CP access line., and probably some upgrades. I do have enough miles that I do not care if I burn a 100K or so to confirm upgrades on x-country trips. My CP status was one of those that included club membership but I do not think I will miss that very much. At least not enough to buy one for myself. I do notlike US airports svery much, so I try to be in them for as small amount of time as possible (thanks TSA) therefore not much time to spend in clubs.
So a original CP member and former customer advisory board member signing off.

BostonMark

I won't be CP - I'll make gold at 50,000 miles (including 10,000 from a credit card) but I flew CO for a number of flights this year, as well as AA and NW. I was more loyal to my wallet than any airline this year.

brobab

I am back for the 8th year running. Stuck around despite the mileage fiasco due to routes/times/fares. Glad to see the reversal.

By Year end:
+/_ 73,000 miles
142 segments
Upgrade % East Coast = 98%
Upgrade % CLT - PHX, CLT - LAS, PHL - LAS (or returns) - 4/6
Upgrade CLT - Den - 2/2

Mort

I've requalified for the fifth straight year. A couple months ago (prior to US's bonus reinstatement) I asked Delta for a status match, and they gave me gold. So in a few weeks I'm taking my first trip on Delta. If I like it, I'm sure to switch.

I like the idea of being part of the world's largest airline. There are almost 50% more flight options out of my home airport each day compared to US. And now that Delta has announced segment qualification for statuses, that pretty much cements it.

By the way, a good friend of mine encountered Doug Parker in the Lounge in Charlotte. Doug was sitting quietly by himself. My friend, who is an investment banker, keynote speaker and VERY frequent traveler on US, told Doug flat out that he's basically ruined the airline and doesn't deserve to be CEO. He says that Doug was pretty much speechless.

The odd thing is that my friend is normally the most upbeat person I've ever met. But he says he was just livid and had to tell Doug the truth.

mht_flyer

From CP to Gold next year.

I jumped ship when they announced the changes to DM... Now they are back, but a little too late for me.

Got matched to CO Plat good through 2/2010.