# New United Mileage Plus Program announced



## Ispolkom (Sep 22, 2011)

United announced their new, post-merger Mileage Plus program. I couldn't find any mention of transfers to AGR.

While no news might be good news, I'll do my best to get all my Continental miles transfered to AGR by the end of the year, just in case the transfer option goes away.


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## The Davy Crockett (Sep 22, 2011)

Ispolkom said:


> United announced their new, post-merger Mileage Plus program. I couldn't find any mention of transfers to AGR.
> 
> While no news might be good news, I'll do my best to get all my Continental miles transfered to AGR by the end of the year, just in case the transfer option goes away.


Has anyone heard what is happening with Select Plus access to Continental's President Club with the merger? Is this perk going away or will 'SPers' have access to United's Red Carpet Lounges?


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## rrdude (Sep 22, 2011)

The Davy Crockett said:


> Ispolkom said:
> 
> 
> > United announced their new, post-merger Mileage Plus program. I couldn't find any mention of transfers to AGR.
> ...


That's the MILLION DOLLAR question. Here's my opinion, (and every a#%hole has one): IF the new UAL decides to keep the relationship with Amtrak at all, then I would posit that they would also offer the S+ bene of access to Red Carpet Club.

HOWEVER, (I am truly up in the air on this) Current AGR S+ members DO NOT have access to Red Carpet Clubs, (even in cities where CO had a President's Club, but closed it because there was ALSO a UAL Red Carpet Club.) but the guy heading up the new merged Frequent Flyer program came from CO, so WHO KNOWS?

It's actually kinda funny, 'cause obviously SOME people within the new merged company DO KNOW, they are just doing a darn good job of keeping it a secret.


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## Trogdor (Sep 22, 2011)

Nobody will have access to Red Carpet Clubs, because they're going away.

The new lounges will be called United Club.


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## jis (Sep 22, 2011)

I like the fact that Million Milers are being given lifetime Gold status. I become a Million Miler next year!


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## PRR 60 (Sep 22, 2011)

jis said:


> I like the fact that Million Milers are being given lifetime Gold status. I become a Million Miler next year!


*I will too!!*

If I add 400,000 UA miles in 2012.


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## the_traveler (Sep 22, 2011)

Me too!

I only have about 900,000 to go!


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## Shanghai (Sep 22, 2011)

*I am already a Million Mile Flyer.*


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## The Davy Crockett (Sep 22, 2011)

PRR 60 said:


> jis said:
> 
> 
> > I like the fact that Million Milers are being given lifetime Gold status. I become a Million Miler next year!
> ...


Another example of why one should always read the fine print... :lol: even if I have to get out a magnifying glass to do so these days. :blink:


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## jis (Sep 23, 2011)

Shanghai said:


> *I am already a Million Mile Flyer.*


They are also converting from BIS to EQM based miles. So if you are close to 2 million and you have done considerable amount of flying on Star Alliance partners registering the trip under UA Mileage Plus number, you may get past the 2 million threshold without any more flying. For UA MP members their lifetime miles will be recomputed using EQMs and the number will likely be larger than BIS. CO already uses EQM so no change there.

Even I am getting additional UA Lifetime Miles as a result from long forgotten flights on UA partners from 15 years back!


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## Trogdor (Sep 23, 2011)

Actually, as I understand it, they are converting to BIS-based miles (the old United way). However, in order to make UA and CO frequent flyers equal, and not **** off the CO folks, they are giving UA flyers a retroactive bump to EQMs for the tally, when they merge the two programs. After that, though, it will be all-BIS, all the time.


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## jis (Sep 23, 2011)

Trogdor said:


> Actually, as I understand it, they are converting to BIS-based miles (the old United way). However, in order to make UA and CO frequent flyers equal, and not **** off the CO folks, they are giving UA flyers a retroactive bump to EQMs for the tally, when they merge the two programs. After that, though, it will be all-BIS, all the time.


Yes. The EQM computation applies only to compute the base miles for the new program. The merge the UA folks will get a bump to EQM and then any CO EQMs will be added to get the base starting lifetime miles in the new program.


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## saxman (Oct 2, 2011)

Well United has announced that the Presidents Club will be renamed to United Club, as of yesterday. As of now I don't see anything saying the Select+ card can't get us in, but the AGR site hasn't been updated yet. And I haven't seen anything on the United Club information site either about it.


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## gatelouse (Oct 2, 2011)

Eventually UA/CO management will get around to the issues of the Amtrak partnership, and my guess is that they'll keep it but alter the terms. Prior to the merger, Amtrak codeshares were available for Philly, Wilmington, Stamford, and New Haven. CO had reasonable service from PHL to points west pre-merger and was weak to the other three cities. The combined airline appears to be in the same position. Based on these facts, I'd *speculate* the following.

So will the code shares continue? I'm guessing yes.

Will they keep the miles-points exchange? As long as CO hasn't been hemorrhaging miles to Amtrak (that is, transfers have, on balance, been two-way), I'm guessing yes.

Will S+ keep UA lounge access? I doubt it, as I'm not aware of any similar reciprocal elite program in the country. Lounge access is big bucks for the airlines; I don't see them giving it away for free to Amtrak S+ members.

What I'd love to see is for Amtrak elite status to be recognized by UA as the equivalent of the old "Premier Associate" status, at the very least. Being the only airline that, say, gives free checked bags and E+ seating to Amtrak elites could drive a non-trivial amount of business to the airline. And a couple of one-day UA club passes, as a nod to the old days, would be much appreciated.


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## PRR 60 (Oct 3, 2011)

gatelouse said:


> Eventually UA/CO management will get around to the issues of the Amtrak partnership, and my guess is that they'll keep it but alter the terms. Prior to the merger, Amtrak codeshares were available for Philly, Wilmington, Stamford, and New Haven. CO had reasonable service from PHL to points west pre-merger and was weak to the other three cities. The combined airline appears to be in the same position. Based on these facts, I'd *speculate* the following.
> 
> So will the code shares continue? I'm guessing yes.
> 
> ...


UA/CO is still evaluating and negotiating the non-Star Alliance partner affiliations for the new Mileage Plus, Amtrak included. There is no public timetable for finalizing the affiliations, but something has to give before the One Pass and Mileage Plus programs are merged early next year.

The flow of points/miles between Amtrak and CO is overwhelmingly from Amtrak to CO. The last I heard, the second most popular use of AGR points is the transfer out to CO (first was Acela Business Class travel).


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## jis (Oct 3, 2011)

PRR 60 said:


> The flow of points/miles between Amtrak and CO is overwhelmingly from Amtrak to CO. The last I heard, the second most popular use of AGR points is the transfer out to CO (first was Acela Business Class travel).


That would be consistent with the original purpose of the AGR program, which was to attract air passengers to Acela by providing a mileage program that was at par with the programs provided by airlines that allows cashing them in to get free tickets to go for a vacation to far away places.



> UA/CO is still evaluating and negotiating the non-Star Alliance partner affiliations for the new Mileage Plus, Amtrak included. There is no public timetable for finalizing the affiliations, but something has to give before the One Pass and Mileage Plus programs are merged early next year.


Pro forma at least, the One Pass program is being discontinued effective the first of January and all One Pass Members are being moved over to the Mileage Plus program in 1Q 2012. So it would stand to reason that all relationships that exist between the One Pass Program and any other entity will have to be moved to the new Mileage Pass program or will be dropped with the cessation of the One Pass Program.

So far they have only announced how the existing One Pass and Mileage Plus program will be transition to the new Mileage Plus program and how base lifetime miles will be computed for the new program and what will be the mileage accrual rules and Elite Level together with qualifying criteria. They have not said anything about relationship to any other airlines or programs, except to state that PQMs (the new EQMs) will not count towards lifetime miles. Only BIS miles will count.

Non-Star Alliance relationships will be determined last I would suspect, after the issues with Star Alliance cross accrual, redemption and Club usage are first resolved.

BTW, currently only the following categories are mentioned for accessing any _United Club_:


_United Club_ Members

_Continental OnePass __Platinum _and _Gold Elite_ members

_United MileagePlus_ _Premier Executive_ and _1K _members

_Star Alliance Gold_ members

_BusinessFirst _customers

_International First_ and _International Business_ customers

_Continental Presidential Plus_ cardholders get complementary _United Club_ membership


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## trainman74 (Oct 3, 2011)

gatelouse said:


> What I'd love to see is for Amtrak elite status to be recognized by UA as the equivalent of the old "Premier Associate" status, at the very least. Being the only airline that, say, gives free checked bags and E+ seating to Amtrak elites could drive a non-trivial amount of business to the airline.


Given the way United's lowest level of elite status (25,000-mile flyers) is being devalued for 2012 -- E+ seating only available free at 24 hours before the flight instead of at booking, and one free checked bag instead of two -- it's hard to imagine what benefits they'd give in a new Premier Associate program. Moving to E+ if there are empty seats halfway through the flight? Half a checked bag free (airport counters to be equipped with chainsaws)?


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## jis (Oct 3, 2011)

trainman74 said:


> gatelouse said:
> 
> 
> > What I'd love to see is for Amtrak elite status to be recognized by UA as the equivalent of the old "Premier Associate" status, at the very least. Being the only airline that, say, gives free checked bags and E+ seating to Amtrak elites could drive a non-trivial amount of business to the airline.
> ...


The Elite program has been announced for next year and there is nothing like the old Premier Associate program, so anyone getting such a status would be highly unlikely. And as you say, the Premier benefits in 2012 are worse than the benefits that were associated with the Premier Associate program when it existed. I believe it never made it into the 2011 program either.


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## gatelouse (Oct 4, 2011)

Half a checked bag--good one. So how about Premier Silver for Amtrak Select and Gold for S+? That isn't too much to ask...

Free lounge access for higher-tier UA and CO elites is only for international itineraries, right? Otherwise this is a groundbreaking change in policy.



jis said:


> PRR 60 said:
> 
> 
> > The flow of points/miles between Amtrak and CO is overwhelmingly from Amtrak to CO. The last I heard, the second most popular use of AGR points is the transfer out to CO (first was Acela Business Class travel).
> ...


I had no idea that the flow was overwhelmingly 2V -> CO. Personally, I find this horrifying. Who in their right mind would turn down a roundtrip, three-zone bedroom award for two?





This suggests that keeping the mileage exchange program in place is a win-win for both parties. Amtrak pays for the airline miles as an attractive redemption opportunity, and it's a small favor for the airline to return a portion of those miles to Amtrak to capture air travel revenue from rail enthusiasts.


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## rrdude (Oct 4, 2011)

Was in Houston Intercontinental Airport yesterday, had some time to kill, so went looking for the CO President's Club lounge, any of them. Was a little concerned when I noticed that the signs all read "United Club", and had the following verbafge on them:


_United Club_ Members

_Continental OnePass __Platinum _and _Gold Elite_ members

_United MileagePlus_ _Premier Executive_ and _1K _members

_Star Alliance Gold_ members

_BusinessFirst _customers

_International First_ and _International Business_ customers

_Continental Presidential Plus_ cardholders get complementary _United Club_ membership


Thought they wouldn't let me in, like when I tried to get into a "real" UAL Red Carpet Club (didn't expect too) at O'Hare this past spring.

So I just presented my AGR Select+ card, and "Voila" to my surprise, "Welcome Mr. Pilcher..............."

Just an anecdotal happening, but one can hope for the best!


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## jis (Oct 4, 2011)

rrdude said:


> Was in Houston Intercontinental Airport yesterday, had some time to kill, so went looking for the CO President's Club lounge, any of them. Was a little concerned when I noticed that the signs all read "United Club", and had the following verbafge on them:
> 
> 
> _United Club_ Members
> ...


That list is effective 1 January 2012. Until then current rules, including Select+ etc. apply. By the time 1 Jan comes along, it is possible that Select+ will get included again. But right now the effective 1 Jan list does not have Select+ listed in it.


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## saxman (Oct 6, 2011)

Well I tried using my Select Plus card to gain access to the new United Club in Denver, and was denied! I'm still curious to see if I can use it at a former Presidents Club, which I haven't done yet. Anyone else tried? According to the agents, everything is still confusing and no one knows which cards are to be accepted or denied aside from the official United Club card or one of the former cards. Hopefully they work out the kinks soon.


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## saxman (Oct 13, 2011)

saxman said:


> Well I tried using my Select Plus card to gain access to the new United Club in Denver, and was denied! I'm still curious to see if I can use it at a former Presidents Club, which I haven't done yet. Anyone else tried? According to the agents, everything is still confusing and no one knows which cards are to be accepted or denied aside from the official United Club card or one of the former cards. Hopefully they work out the kinks soon.


So I got a little confirmation this weekend when using the S+ card for United Club access. Despite being denied in Denver, I was allowed access in Seattle. Pretty much, if the club was a former President's Club, you are allowed access using the Select Plus card. If the lounge is a former Red Carpet Club, you are not allowed in. Of course this will change by the time 2012 rolls around.


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## jis (Oct 13, 2011)

saxman said:


> So I got a little confirmation this weekend when using the S+ card for United Club access. Despite being denied in Denver, I was allowed access in Seattle. Pretty much, if the club was a former President's Club, you are allowed access using the Select Plus card. If the lounge is a former Red Carpet Club, you are not allowed in. Of course this will change by the time 2012 rolls around.


That is because even thought the signage has changed in actuality they are still RCC and PC until 31st Dec. and all 2011 rules apply until then.


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