Is United trying to stab Mileage Running?
Ben at One Mile at a Time reported that he has ‘learnt’ about significant changes in United’s policy relating to elite travelers. He also posted a follow-up here. In a nutshell, attaining status will now be extremely difficult and the perks will be significantly downgraded.
According to Ben, the new criterions for 2012 are:
Status level names and qualification criteria:
Premier Silver:
(a) 25,000 elite qualifying miles AND $2,000 revenue AND 4 United segments,
OR
(b) 30 elite qualifying segments AND $2,000 revenue AND 4 United segments,
OR
(c) $5,000 revenue AND 4 United segmentsPremier Gold:
(a) 50,000 elite qualifying miles AND $4,000 revenue AND 4 United segments,
OR
(b) 60 elite qualifying segments AND $4,000 revenue AND 4 United segments,
OR
(c) $10,000 revenue AND 4 United segmentsPremier Platinum:
(a) 75,000 elite qualifying miles AND $6,000 revenue AND 4 United segments,
OR
(b) 90 elite qualifying segments AND $6,000 revenue AND 4 United segments,
OR
(c) $15,000 revenue AND 4 United segmentsPremier Diamond:
(a) 100,000 elite qualifying miles AND $8,000 revenue AND 4 United segments,
OR
(b) 120 elite qualifying segments AND $8,000 revenue AND 4 United segments,
OR
(c) $20,000 revenue AND 4 United segments
Notice that the criteria for attaining status now include a revenue threshold. The threshold is pretty high: $8000 for 100K miles, translating to 8cpm (cents per mile). Mileage Runners (MRers) normally run for status at fares in the range of 2-4cpm (or even lower if one is lucky enough). Anything above 6cpm is not regarded as MR material. If these status qualifications levels go into place, I would never do MRs.
I sincerely hope these changes aren’t actually announced. They would surely ring the death knell for mileage running.
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A far cry from United’s April 2001 stance on mileage running (http://www.flyertalk.com/transcripts/041201.php)
“Have at it!!!!!!”
They revenue part is really bad. I can spend quite a lot on airfare but the majority is not counted since they are yq and Taxes. This can happen very often when you travel to Europe a lot. If I fly lufthansa instead, I can get the eqm part, the but the revenue part still won’t count. For me, and business travel can help me get 60%-70% toward 1k, and and the rest is personal travel and Mr. If they really put this into place, and I will fly AA instead.