Place of Travel Deals, Frequent Flyer/Guest Programs
According to this FT thread, United airline will now match their 1K Elite status in 2011.
It’s more like a challenge program, once approved, you will be given a 90days 1K status, then fly 35K United Airline ONLY miles or 40 segments during the 90 days period, 1K status will be extend to Jan 31st, 2012.
Please contact premiermatch at united.com for more detail and sign up for status match
If you book R/T *A award with UA miles, you can now change the ticket even AFTER the trip starts. If you are 1K, you don’t even need to pay any change fee and routing can be changed too. Basically, just like Continental airline award ticket.
We all know there are some people addict to miles world, some enjoy flying experience. I have two friends, what they have done make me want to LOL every time.
Friend #1 lives in a small town in Montana, where only served by UA and DL. He likes to fly, so he flies almost every week, his flight memory gives me headache. so what does he do when he goes out every week? He is not just Mileage running, he is doing grocery shopping. There is no Chinese supermarket in his town, so he is basically taking air taxi to do grocery shopping. One time, he arrived home Helena(HLN) without checked luggage because the bag went to Honolulu(HNL), two days later when he got his bags, everything inside were threw away by Honolulu agricultural inspection-meat, fresh seafood, vegetable……
Friend #2 is a student in Chicago, he doesn’t have car, but he still likes to do Mattress Run/Mileage Run. When Hyatt had stay 2 get 1 free promotion, he took his bike with him on the train, then get off at nearby station, ride bike to Hyatt place. The next day, he ride from one Hyatt place to another. There is not many good Mattress Run promotion going on right now, but there is AA STL double EQM promotion, so he is taking “Red eye Megabus” from Chicago to STL to do Mileage run.
I just couldn’t stop laughing.
As I mentioned yesterday, United starts to offer one way redemption on *A partners effective today.
1 Book by phone only
2 cost half of R/T
3 no stopover permitted
Finally, United offers this benefit and I can pretty much guarantee that even after the merge of two programs, the benefit will remain, but I also think CO stopover+open jaw benefit will be gone. Personally, I think Delta will eventually offer the same thing because it becomes “Industrial standard” now. Let leave US airways, because they are always on their own.
Half of R/T, no stopover permitted, book by phone only.
just get off the phone with agent, he read me the briefing.
United was my first mileage program that gave me Elite status on any airline, also the first program I got top elite status(excluding GS) on any airline, it was hard to say good bye to them, but after I re evaluate everything, I decided to give up.
1 Mileage Program- United has one of the most expensive award chart AND the least flexible program on routing, carrier, change, and availability among all Major North America Programs. You can only route via one direct, no mixed of *A and Non *A, no change on *A award, no one way except UA only, open jaw or stopover and MOST IMPORTANTLY STARNET Blocking.
2 In flight product- United has the most uncomfortable first class seat, agree? No in flight power(exclude PS and some 767 first class), no internet except PS, no PTV like Delta or Continental. I agree they have flat bed cross ocean, but others too such as US air, CO, DL, AC
3 Systemwide Upgrade certificate for 1K, Lucky mentioned today on their W fare, which is the lowest booking code you can use SWU, they are just getting more and more and more expensive.
I like Continental airline a lot, they have very good program, new FLAT bed seat and In flight entertainment program just amazing, but next year, or maybe 2, CO will merge with UA, I have no idea how the program will turn out. due to my limited presence in the States for next few years or may be forever, I decided to quite both together.
As for Delta, I have to agree they have done many little things better than others, they have upgrade list under my trip section, so you know where you stand before departure. they have better domestic in flight product. In general Skymiles program is rip off, but did you notice they have the generous offer for bonus miles everywhere? Also, Their miles are not as bad as you though, it can get very creative.
For people who’s living in the hub cities, you don’t have choice, but for those don’t live around hubs, maybe you should think again such as AA, US, DL or AC.
To Clarify : I was not trying to compare UA with Delta only, I was trying to compare UA with all North America carriers.
According to this FT thread, UA Visa card 50K signup offer is back, but you need to input your information to be a elite to get this offer.
I just noticed UA move Guam and Saipan from south Asia to north recently. what is the difference? From North Asia-North Asia is 40K in business and from north asia-south Asia is 30K in business, I guess they just realized too many people redeem award to Guam and Saipan.
American Airline:
Before fly first segment: Free Date or time change or class of travel if original reservation was booked under higher class are permitted, all other changes such as carriers, routing, class of travel request award to be redeposited, therefore $150 change fees apply
After fly first segment: Same as Before
Fees waived if miles are pulled from Executive Platinum account
Continental Airlines
Before fly first segment: Date or time change or class of travel if original reservation was booked under higher class are permitted for $75 , all other changes such as carriers, routing, class of travel request award to redeposited, therefore $150 change fees apply
After fly first segment: Same as Before
Fees waived if miles are pulled from Platinum account
Delta:
Before fly first segment: Change in anything requires a fee $150, but no restrictions.
After fly first segment: Same as Before
Fees waived is miles are pulled from Platinum and Diamond
United Airline:
Before fly first segment: Free Date or time or class of travel change if original reservation was booked under higher class are permitted, all other changes such as carriers, routing, class of travel request award to be redeposited, therefore $150 change fees apply
After fly first segment: Free Date or time or class of travel change if original reservation was booked under higher class are permitted if the rest segments are on United only. Free routing change permitted for 1K if on United only. No change is permitted on *A carriers. However, there is a exception, change is permitted if change from *A carriers to United flight for $150, this fee is not waived even if you are 1K member.
change fees waived for if miles are pulled from 1K member and change before fly first segment or United only
US Airways
Before fly first segment: All change requires $150 fees, However, member people have reported they sometimes don’t charge for time or date or time or class of travel change if original reservation was booked under higher class , all other changes such as carriers, routing, class of travel request award to be redeposited, therefore $150 change fees apply. Change only permitted if it’s on US
After fly first segment: Change only permuted if it’s on US with a fee, no change is permitted on *A travel.
Fees are waived if miles are pulled from Chairman accounts.
Please note once thing: If your original trip does not have a stopover, but new trip has a stopover even if everything else remains same, this is considered as routing change, change fee will apply. However, change from a trip with stopover to without stopover, change fee doesn’t apply
Delta offered DEQM offer for R/T flights from RDU/BNA/PIT and STL, then American Airline matched.
Now, US airways offers similar promotion, but it actually better than what DL and AA offered.
Both DL and AA requires travel originate and terminate in the same city, but US airways offer is “originate or end”
Booking and travel must be made after registration, here is link for PIT, RDU, BOS and MSP.
I am expecting UA and CO to offer something similar.
EDIT: Acutally, there are more than just 4 cities listed above, it also includes STL, RIC and SAN
