Fastbreak to Preferred Status - Free Silver Trial from Budget
 

I'm surprised this hasn't been posted given the start date, if it is I couldn't find it using search (FT's or Google).

I picked up a Budget rental car in DEN last week and there was a coupon book hanging from the mirror, I threw it in my bag to check later if there was anything good. Free Day on three-day weekend and 3 free days of GPS on a 3+ day rental I took out, and then this one:

Fastbreak to Preferred Status - A $200 value!

Register at usairways.com/budgetpromo

Terms and Conditions: Offer valid from 5/15/2009 through 8/31/2009. Cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion. Registration required to qualify and only one registration per customer permitted. Offer valid for base level Dividend Miles members only. Members who have participated in the Trial Preferred promgra since May 1, 2007 are not eligible to participate. Please allow up to 14 days for Silver Preferred status to take effect. Silver Preferred status will be valid for 90 days following effective date. We will attempt to notify you of your account status via e-mail during your Trial Preferred period. Please visit usairways.com to ensure we have your up-to-date e-mail address. Please visit usairways.com/budgetpromo for complete Terms and Conditions.

Then the T&C from the website:

Fastbreak Promotion — Terms and conditions

Here's how:

* Offer valid from May 15 through August 31, 2009
* Cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion
* Registration required to qualify and only one registration per customer permitted
* Offer valid for base level Dividend Miles members only. Members who have participated in the Trial Preferred program since May 1, 2007 are not eligible to participate
* Please allow up to 14 days for Silver Preferred status to take effect
* Silver Preferred status will be valid for 90 days following the effective date
* We will attempt to notify you of your account status via email during your Trial Preferred period. Please visit usairways.com to ensure we have your up-to-date email address

Dividend Miles member must fly minimum amount of miles or segments to keep Preferred status for remainder of program year. Members may enroll in the Trial Preferred program only once in any consecutive 24 month period. Members who have been granted Preferred status as a result of having elite status in another airline's program in the last 24 months or did not re-qualify for the same Preferred status in 2009 are not eligible to participate in the Trial Preferred program. Only elite qualifying flights earned on flights operated by US Airways and US Airways Express can be applied toward the Trial Preferred program. Only bookings made after member's status has been upgraded reflect member's new status.

Great find. Except...

So anything I have currently booked won't qualify for any Silver bennies? :td:

Could I call reservations and have them remove then add my DM# back into the rez? Any other thoughts on a workaround?

That is a standard condition of the Trial Preferred program it seems, nothing specific to this offer.

Well tha's very :rolleyes: of US. I suppose I could cancel and re-book but with change fees etc. that could get expensive. I'm assuming ifI do opt-in that anything I have booked will count towards miles/segments to keep status right? Or does that all have to be new bookings as well?

You will be able to use your silver benefits (elite checkin line, upgrades, etc) on flights you have already booked. However, only flights you book after register will count towards your status.

Is it flights booked after the trial count towards status or any flight taken counts? The way the regular Trial site is worded makes it sound like you won't get benefits like upgrades if you booked the flights already but they still count towards the accelerated status earning.

That's exactly how I interpreted the T&Cs also. I just wanted some confirmation that my interpretation was correct. Does one get a temporary SP card? If so when I check in for one of the flights I have already booked and need to check a bag can I simply flash the card and have the fee waived or will I be shot down? Will the agent be aware of the T&C's. My experience is that airport agents are usually not up to speed on the various mileage promotions. They're trained to know the basics and that's about all.

You get a temporary paper thin card in the mail, however, you do not need it. Your silver status will be on your boarding passes when you print them.

How long does it take to reflect on your account?

The offer says up to 2 weeks.

I registered yesterday ... status showed up today. Thanks.

Thanks for the heads up. None of my booked trips begin until after the Aug. 31 sign-up deadline so I'm going to wait until the last day to pull the trigger. I'll be taking a screen shot of the confirmation of course!

Hmmm, I will try it. I fly HA every month Phx-Hnl-Phx and have been thinking about seeing if USAir is competitive.

I actually am returning on USAir tonite and than on to SLC the first part of the week.

I could hit status easily if I book my remaining 09 trips on USAir. So thinks for the tip.

So far USAir has some advantage over HA as it allowed me (with no status) to change my seat online during check-in to a aisle seat. No seat change is avail from HA website.

We'll see how the flight is tonite and early next week.

What does it have to do with Budget? They don't require to rent a car from Budget, do they?

Registered my brother yesterday, status upgraded today. Thank you for this tidbit of very useful information.