United moves to the DL model in 2015 of miles per dollar

[dajop]

More details here.

Basically any tickets issued by UA for travel on UA and star alliance/mileage plus partners will earn based on dollars spent:

5/7/8/9/11 miles per USD spent for members/silver/gold/platinum/premier 1K.

Seems to be the way of the future for mileage programs.

 

[raleyoz]

Sounds like the end of customer loyalty too

 

[TomVexille]

How soon till AA follows suit?

 

[Mwenenzi]

How soon till AA follows suit?

AAdvantage & US DM will merge some time. Some on FT expect this will be 01 Jan 2015 (Start of mile earning year for these ffp). Merging the ffp's will mean many changes so a fundamental change to a revenue based scheme would not be a suprise.

 

[burmans]

AAdvantage & US DM will merge some time. Some on FT expect this will be 01 Jan 2015 (Start of mile earning year for these ffp). Merging the ffp's will mean many changes so a fundamental change to a revenue based scheme would not be a suprise.

Although the fact they may does not mean they necessarily will. What this does suggest though is that like most FF recent changes the bad news is on the earn side rather than the spend side. So taking advantage of good buy opportunities while they exist sounds like a good strategy.

 

[dajop]

From an Australian perspective, using SYD-NYC return as an example, for a non-status member the new earn will be better than old earn for economy fares > $4,200 AUD or business fares > $7,500 AUD. For Premier Gold member new earn will be better for economy fares > $3,900 AUD or business > $6,000 AUD. Basically it seems to mean significant reductions in economy earns - Qantas seems entirely reasonable in comparison!

 

[Jack_OC]

Anyone know if there will be any change to earn rates for people flying UA but crediting to another *A program? I'm guessing not?

 

[Mwenenzi]

Anyone know if there will be any change to earn rates for people flying UA but crediting to another *A program? I'm guessing not?

Earning is as the rules of the ffp you are crediting to and not the airline you are flying.
But the airline you are flying buys miles from your ffp to give to you as a reward(bribe) for flying with them