United seems to have changed the Mileage Plus updates page on united.com to add the following:
1K members: During 2011, if you are a 1K member based on 2010 activity, you will still be eligible to earn two Regional Upgrades per quarter as you did before. In addition, under the new program changes announced on Nov. 17, you will also receive two more Regional Upgrades when you reach 75,000 EQM/90 EQS and two at every 25,000 EQM/30EQS after that. The quarterly earning process will end on December 31, 2011, and then the new rules will be in effect for 2012.
I blogged about the changes a couple of days ago, and seemed to be in the microscopic minority, saying the changes weren’t so bad (and dare, I say it, actually positive for some!). So let’s be clear about what the above means. In the past, 1K members (United’s top tier) earned two confirmed regional upgrades for each quarter in which they flew at least 10,000 miles on United. That means they could earn a maximum of eight confirmed regional upgrades per year. The new policy states that 1Ks would instead earn two confirmed regional upgrades for crossing 75,000 elite qualifying miles, and then two more for each 25,000 elite qualifying miles earned beyond that. In other words, someone that just barely makes 1K every year would now be earning four confirmed regional upgrades (two for crossing 75,000 miles and two for crossing 100,000 miles) instead of eight.
But it seems that United has postponed the policy change until 2012, and in the meantime is giving us the best of both worlds. Next year we’ll earn two confirmed regional upgrades for each quarter in which we fly 10,000 miles on United, and two confirmed regional upgrades at 75,000 elite qualifying miles and every subsequent 25,000 elite qualifying miles milestone after that. In other words, a 1K that earns 100,000 elite qualifying miles next year would earn 12 confirmed regional upgrades. If you’re like me and earn 250,000 elite qualifying miles per year, that’s 24 confirmed regional upgrades next year.
So, thanks United! And thanks for the policy change in general, I’m a happy camper!
(Yes, that last sentence is just to push some buttons… though the policy change does make me a happy camper)
You get 2 RPU when you hit Platinum (75K miles) then 2 for each 25K miles flown... Does that mean for the following year when your award mile earning is reset at 25,000, 50,000 you will continue to earn the 2 RPU?
Same question for 1K GPU.
That's awesome! I didn't catch this on FT so I am glad I saw it here! I need those CR-1s for my hard to clear IAD-SEA flights especially now my 1P wife will be on the itinerary with me. She will need all the help I can give her to get her to clear with me as it is sometimes a nailbiter for me to clear that flight.
In 2011, is is confirmed we UA MMs will get the two CR-1s. What happens in 2012, is still a mystery.
I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned on FT, so here goes.
This was UA's plan all along. They were playing with us and wanted to see if they could up the anty with their CR1 scheme. When they realized they couldn't get away with it, the 'gave it back' to us.
This makes many UA flyers happy. UA figures now that we're happy again, we'll ride out the other changes.
It's one big scam, and we fell for it.
Any word about how UA will treat Million Milers? Will MM's still receive two CR-1's at the beginning of each calendar year as they do currently?
Whew. Thanks, UA. I already have 50KEQM booked for Q1 (all international), but I count on these CR-1s for advance upgrades for me & a companion on the dreaded BOS-SFO/SFO-BOS flights. Let's just hope there's at least some advance NF space out there.
I am happy with this arrangement, kudo to new UA FF
wow.
The lack of incremental/interim rewards (such as CR1s every qtr) was the crux of my email to 1KVoice.
That plus, imo a total lack of creativity in rightly rewarding high mileage fliers (150K+) while not totally stripping the low 100K flier's possible perks.
lol, close, but not quite right :)
"Anybody" will now earn 2 CR1s when crossing the 75k and 100k thresholds. (you said 1k).
-David