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Upgraded: US Airways elite status for non-elites
Downgraded: Existing US Airways elite member satisfaction
US Airways is letting those without status buy their way into the rank and file of the elite frequent flyer set, giving them access to the upgrade waiting list and a few bonus miles. Whoo. If I were a US Airways elite, I’d be peeved at their “Try Preferred Status on for size” promotion. Much like Tim Winship argues, it’s hard enough getting an upgrade; now the airline is willing to sell your loyalty down the river to make a quick buck, thereby making it even harder to snag that wider seat with the marginally better service. Classy.

Upgraded: Virgin America
Slow-going upstart Virgin America got its approvals all lined up, and they’re officially legal to sell tickets and fly around the USA. But they’re not selling tickets yet. Their website still promises the moon. What’s the holdup? Jeez, people! August, they say.

Downgraded: Airport scales
Surprise, surprise. The scales at airports are often wrong. How often? 90% of scales were off in a Phoenix television station’s investigative report. Problems limited to Phoenix? Probably not. Try to make sure your scale is at zero when you put down your bags, but that won’t necessary avoid trouble. (Via Consumerist)

Upgraded: The little guy
Jane Waun rocks. She took Spirit Airlines to small claims court for the additional expenses she incurred after Spirit summarily canceled her flight and left her high and dry. They refunded her money for the ticket (eventually) but didn’t cover her additional costs. So she sued. And she won, in part because Spirit never showed up to fight it. 90% of success is showing up, or something like that, right?
(Update: I see Chris Elliott picked up on this, too. And he goes a step further, suggesting that everyone take every travel company to small claims court. Sue them every time, and hope they don’t show, in order to force them to change their practices. Nice idea, but small claims cases still take time! That’s probably why Spirit blew the case off in the first place. But if you have the time, go for it.)

Upgraded: Price transparency in the European Union
The EU Parliament has passed a set of rules mandating that airlines have to quote full prices, not just base fares. (Take that, easyJet!) The law needs approval from member states before taking effect, but this is pro-consumer. Let’s hope the member states pass it.

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United quietly but firmly kicked its elite frequent flyers in the pants again. It may be a relatively minor change, but it’s yet another devaluation in a program that’s getting less attractive all the time.

For years, Premier members of the Mileage Plus program have received “500-mile” coupons (now electronic) that upgraded your North American flights from coach to first class. (You get four of these coupons every time you reach 10,000 flown miles on the airline. One coupon can upgrade you for 500 miles of distance flown; thus the “500-miler” moniker.) If you couldn’t use your 500-milers, they’d expire after one year, but all was not lost: They converted to 500 redeemable frequent flyer miles in your account.

Not any more.

In another “enhancement” of the Mileage Plus program, 500-milers won’t convert to frequent flyer miles upon expiration anymore. They’ll just expire worthless if you don’t cash them in. (And let me tell you from personal experience, they’ve gotten harder and harder to actually put to use.)

But the real problem isn’t the policy change itself. It’s the fact that they deceptively changed the policy without letting anyone know, hoping that customers wouldn’t find out until it was too late.
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Wineblogger and friend of Upgrade: Travel Better Dr. Vino pays us a visit today with this report from the field.

On Friday afternoon, I made my way to LaGuardia to catch my American flight to O’Hare. Since I knew I would be cutting it close with my appointment soon after scheduled arrival, I tried to go standby the hour earlier flight.

No dice.

During the check-in on AA.com, there was no option to fly stand by on an earlier flight. When I got to the gate of the 2 PM flight, the agent told me it was unlikely that I would get on the flight.

“Would it have mattered if I had gotten on the list when I did the check-in on the web site,” I inquired?

“Nah,” she said glancing at my ticket. “You don’t have status.”

Truer words were never spoken. In the ensuing half hour, I became enthralled with my plunging fortunes, prominently on display for all in the gate area to see (providing they could work out the short form of my name). I started in slot #6, which struck me as distinctly possible.

Soon I was at #7, then #11. Then, suddenly and inexplicably, I plunged to #24. An entire bus of passengers with “status” (in the frequent flier program) must have arrived. When I saw my fortunes rise only marginally to #22 I knew it was time to pony up for the wi-fi and settle in a few gates down.

Stand-by, it’s not just a function of being early. It’s a function of being big.

– Tyler Colman, a.k.a. Dr. Vino

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Upgraded: American Airlines’ fleet
American is boosting its delivery schedule of Boeing 737-800s, to replace the aging, gas-guzzling McDonnell Douglas MD-80s that make up half their fleet. The new planes will burn 25% less fuel.

Downgraded: Cash on Frontier Airlines
Frontier will no longer accept cash for onboard payments, beginning April 1. They join other airlines like ATA and Spirit in going cashless. Cash may be downgraded, but overall, and many will miss the choice of cash or plastic, but as an aficionado of credit cards (more miles! receipts!) this is fine with me.

Upgraded: European airline merger fever!
The open skies treaty’s passage on the European side of the Atlantic is sparking chatter of mergers and acquisitions. British Airways has expressed interest in bmi, Lufthansa is peeking around Iberia, bmi, and Alitalia, and Virgin Atlantic has supposedly been poking around the continent’s airlines as well. No trans-Atlantic mergers rumored quite yet.

Upgraded: Lufthansa lounges
Lufthansa is spending $130 million worldwide to upgrade its airport lounges, which are already pretty decent. U.S. airlines’ lounges, already a sad also-ran in the global lounge wars, will seem even more outdated and under-serviced.

Downgraded: Singapore Airlines’ frequent flyer program
It’s not just U.S.-based carriers who seem hell-bent on reducing benefits for their frequent flyers. The Global Traveller bemoans the latest changes in Singapore Airlines’ KrisFlyer program.

Upgraded: Luxury hotel brands’ geographic reach
Looking for a Ritz-Carlton or other high-end hotel? It’s getting easier. The luxe chains are spreading to second- and third-tier cities.

Upgraded: Regulation
Travel companies, from cruise ships to airlines, haven’t done a sufficiently good job of self-regulating, so here come the regulators! Beyond the PBOR, we’re seeing moves toward regulating the cruise industry as well as airlines. The pressure to re-regulate is snowballing.

Upgraded: Your stinky wardrobe
Brilliant! A charcoal garment bag that deodorizes your stinky clothes. (Via Dethroner)

Upgraded: Airport bathrooms
Coming soon to Raleigh-Durham Airport: Better bathrooms! Wider/longer stalls let you keep your stuff in sight. But this has me scratching my head: “Tilted mirrors will be placed above the urinals so men can keep an eye on computer cases even as they’re going about their business.” Won’t these mirrors provide others with a great show, too? I’ll settle for cleaner bathrooms, as a start.

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If you’re an elite member of a frequent flyer program and you’re looking for a status match at United, you may have a window of opportunity, thanks to the sad demise of Brazil’s Varig. Even if you’re not a traveler to Brazil, this might benefit you.

Varig went bankrupt and lost its membership the Star Alliance, so other Star Alliance members are jockeying to pick up the elite frequent flyers in the now-defunct Varig “Smiles” program. The Star Alliance webpage lists the different status match programs that are available to Smiles members until April 30, 2007. Air Canada, Lufthansa, South African, Swiss, and TAP are all granting status matches to Varig’s elites.

BUT: United goes one further. Their rules doesn’t specify that the status match is only open to Varig flyers, either on the Star Alliance site or on their own page. So this is where it gets interesting.

The offer on the United page reads:

We are pleased to offer you the opportunity to participate in our elite status match promotion, offering top-tier flyers with other airlines an equivalent* status in the Mileage Plus elite program. This offer is valid for status matches received between January 22 and April 30, 2007.

Emphasis added. No mention of Varig, though the address and fax number for sending in the documentation are in Brazil. (The asterisk in the quote above indicates that they will match to Premier or Premier Executive, but not to Premier Executive 1K.)

Worth a shot, and a fax to Sao Paulo.

Related:
- Debating the value of elite status

(via MilesLink)

Update: From recent comments, it seems that this offer has been pulled. Sorry to those who missed out.

United Airlines is playing Santa a little late. (Or maybe they’re tipping their hat to the Orthodox calendar?) United is making it ridiculously easy to obtain elite status.

For some time, American Airlines has offered their so-called “challenges,” whereby you obtain elite status for a full year by flying a fraction of those miles within 90 days. Most airlines have been loath to offer such shortcuts to elite status. (American’s challenges measure qualifying points, not just miles, so be sure to understand the rules. A basic overview is here. An old but generally still correct primer on the subject of AA challenges is here.)

Now United is following American’s lead and offering a similar program. This is different from United’s earlier “pre-paid” status. Last year, and perhaps earlier, United offered prepaid “gift cards” for $5,000, $10,000, or $20,000, that came with Premier, Premier Executive, or 1K benefits, respectively. But the airline’s adoption of fast-track challenges is new.

According to this thread on FlyerTalk, you’ll need to call the United Mileage Plus (1-800-421-4655) and ask to participate in the challenge. Mention offer code MPP557.

The terms: Pay $100 to participate. Then earn 6,250 elite-qualifying miles within 90 days of registering to earn Premier status. Earn 12,500 elite-qualifying miles on United within 90 days of registering to earn Premier Executive status (which gives Star Alliance Gold status). All paid United tickets qualify, and higher fare classes and premium cabins give a bonus. Only United/United Express/Ted flights count, so no codeshares or alliance flights. If you want to go all the way to 1K, however, there are two caveats: 1) You need to have been 1K in 2006 and failed to requalify for 2007, and 2) only tickets booked in the more expensive fare classes (F, A, P, C, D, Z, Y or B) will count for the challenge.

Status obtained through such a challenge will last through February 2008. Thereafter, you’ll have to earn it the hard way. Unless, of course, another challenge crops up…

If you’re going to be flying anyway, and you don’t already have the elite mojo, this might be worth your while. A mileage run (flying for the sake of miles) might be worth it, too, if the price is right. 12,500 elite-qualifying miles aren’t really that hard to obtain, and this is a really cheap route to elite status.

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Marilyn Adams of USA Today details the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General’s report on the state of the airlines. Mostly unsurprising: Airlines aren’t consistently following their own published rules and guidelines regarding such things like compensation for voluntarily being bumped for a flight.

Airlines? Inconsistent? Big shock.

But buried in the article, there was this nugget:

Passengers can’t make informed decisions about which frequent-flier plans to join because airlines don’t explain policies or report annual frequent-flier mile redemptions in a consistent way, the report says. It recommends DOT consider new rules to standardize airlines’ public reports of frequent-flier mileage redemptions.

Whoa, now! That would be news.

The rules of these programs are indeed often byzantine, but more importantly, it’s hard to know, just by looking at the rules, how easily you’ll actually get the goodies you’re hoping to receive. For some time, airlines have claimed that award redemptions are just peachy, and that everyone who wants a seat can get one. They generally haven’t revealed whether tickets were being redeemed at the normal “saver” level, or at the doubly expensive “anytime” award level.

It sounds as if the DOT is proposing a level of government oversight over frequent flyer programs similar to the SEC’s regulation of accounting for publicly-traded corporations. The devil is in the details, of course.

But perhaps the threat alone of such regulation will spur the airlines to be more forthcoming with the real nitty-gritty details of their programs.

Chase is offering an astronomical 25,000 bonus miles when you sign up for their United Airlines Mileage Plus Signature Visa and spend $250 on the card. There’s no annual fee in the first year. After a year they charge $60.

25,000 miles gets you a free domestic ticket.

The fine print says the offer is for new customers only, but it’s possible the bank might waive that requirement. (The link is handled by FirstUSA, which is a subsidiary of Chase, FYI.)

Via Gary Leff.

Tim Winship notes a change to United Airlines’ Economy Plus program. Getting a seat in the forward section of coach, which offers up to 5 inches more legroom than the rear of the plane, certainly has always been a great feature, especially since American eliminated their “More Room Throughout Coach.”

Now, the zone is reserved for elites in United’s Mileage Plus program, and those who pay to upgrade their legroom. (If a flight is booked solid, you can get lucky and get seats in the E+ zone, too.)

The change to the policy is subtle, if you’re not looking for it. (I sure wasn’t.) Two categories of United customers are no longer given access to Economy Plus: passengers on expensive/full-fare tickets, and elites on other Star Alliance airlines.

While it may make it easier for United elites (myself included) to find a seat in the more spacious Economy Plus section, I don’t agree with Tim that this is a good thing. For starters, the people on the expensive tickets are subsidizing everyone else. Throw them a bone, for God’s sake. That way they’ll come BACK.

And the elites on other Star Alliance airlines now have little reason to choose United for their travels. If you’re hooked on a Star Alliance frequent flyer program, you can earn miles on any of the member airlines. Why give United your cash, when, as an elite, you can get an exit row seat on US Airways?

Maybe United thinks that more people will pay to upgrade their seats, but I have my doubts. If anything, I imagine that this could reduce revenue for the airline.

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tags: travel | United Airlines | Economy Plus | UAL Corp. | frequent flyer

If you’ve traveled to a major hub airport, you’ve probably seen (or used) separate “elite” security lines. Two weeks ago, the Washington post offered an editorial opposing the existence of these separate lines. On Tuesday, USA Today picked up the thread. The WaPo summarized the argument against the VIP lines in the context of the new security rules:

Most air travelers took the beefed-up security — and the occasionally interminable waits that followed — in stride. First- and business-class passengers in most airports, on the other hand, didn’t have to. As usual, higher-class passengers skipped most of the security queues at hubs such as Dulles and Los Angeles international airports. That’s hardly fair.
We understand why travelers in first class and business get preferential treatment in airline baggage lines; it’s one of the perks they pay for. Checked baggage handling is a service that airlines elect to provide, and they can administer it however they see fit. But does the same logic extend to an official public service? When security alerts […] bring hassle and delay, it shouldn’t be only the travelers with coach seats who have to sacrifice their time to ensure the safety of American aviation.

The argument that essential government-provided services shouldn’t be doled out by class is a powerful one. But while I think of myself as a pretty egalitarian guy, I’m going on record in defense of elitism in this case. Hear me out.

For starters, the TSA is not to blame for this. It’s the airlines and the airports that control who gets in line, and how. Once they reach the front of the line, the government’s screeners take over. So the government absolves itself of responsiblity. The question remains if airports and airlines should divide the lines into elites and non-elites. I say yes.

For starters, it’s not just business and first class passengers who use the elite lines, when these lines even exist. (Not all airports have them; USA Today listed most American airports with the lines at the bottom of their article.) It’s predominantly the airlines’ most frequent flyers — the people flying 25,000 or more miles per year — who use these lines. Sometimes on cheap fares. They might be flying in first, sure, but they’re very, very often in coach. More importantly, most people in the elite line have had their butts in seats a lot more than the occasional traveler. They tend to be business travelers who have to fly, not leisure travelers who want to fly. The line is a perk, but it’s a perk that’s earned by spending a lot more time walking through magnetometers.

Having such lines is a smart business decision, not a matter of security. These passengers are the airlines’ best customers, and they’re rewarded with the option of special lines. Like a bank that offers a line for business clients, or the Home Depot with its contractors-only line, airlines want to make sure the best customers get the least hassle. Keeping these passengers happy (or at least happier) keeps airlines in business for the rest of the traveling public. Tick frequent flyers off enough, and they’ll do what they can to avoid traveling. (Online meetings, driving, etc.)

Once they’re in the TSA’s hands, elites aren’t hassled less, frisked more gently, or allowed any latitude in security. No. The best they get is a shorter wait for the same exact security treatment.

And elite lines aren’t even always the shortest lines. At O’Hare’s Terminal 1, where I have the privilege of using one such elite line, I often opt to use the smaller security checkpoint near the hallway connecting to Terminal 2. It’s often got no line at all, and it’s open to everyone, elite or not. (See here for a partial list of similar security checkpoint shortcuts.) And if the elite line is empty, “regular” passengers fill the gap.

This sort of predisposition toward elites at airports isn’t limited to the United States. In fact, in some cases overseas the frequent flyers in coach are screwed, too, and it’s truly just a matter of first class getting the royal treatment: At London’s Heathrow Airport, passengers in business or first class get a “Fast Track” golden ticket that lets you cut the line for passport controls.

Other airports are introducing automated traveler registries, like “Privium” at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. A retinal scan confirms your identity, no further questions are asked, and off you go. But you still pass through metal detectors, and your luggage is scanned.

Critics of a class division in America’s airports might consider reserving their ire for TSA’s Registered Traveler Program. Orlando’s airport offers one such program, called “Clear,” which gives you faster access to the TSA’s metal detectors, in exchange for a background check and fingerprinting. No one gets a free pass through security, either, just a shorter line. But the program is approved by the TSA: in this instance, the government IS offering faster access to security for those who pay for it.

(Maybe I’m missing something, but I don’t really get the appeal of the Registered Travel Program. Since the program is aimed at people who fly a lot, and those are usually elite-level frequent flyers, isn’t a program like “Clear” redundant if an airport already has an elite line for security?)

In any case, Tim Winship is right that the far more important issue is getting the speed and efficacy of airport security fixed — for everyone.

But until then, elite lines are fine with me.

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tags: travel | airport security

Startup longhaul budget airline Oasis Hong Kong Airlines offers tickets from Hong Kong to London-Gatwick for £75 each way. Ludicrously cheap. The company plans to fly to other discount carriers’ hubs around the world, such as Oakland, CA, and Cologne, Germany. (via Jared Blank)

Spirit Airlines‘ “Ocho Libre” sale, featuring flights for $8 each way, ends tonight. Good luck finding any fares at that price.

“Cheat” your way to airline elite status… by following the airlines’ own rules! Fortune Magazine calls adherence to the rules cheating? Nonetheless, the article provides a decent overview of elite qualification “challenges” on American Airlines, and how you can get your status matched by other airlines. (See also this earlier rant and advice on status matching.)

Finally some good news for Northwest Airlines flyers: More food choices in first class. A new rotation of 16 meal options debuts in August.

United’s p.s. (”premium service”) flights between JFK and LAX or SFO just got a little less premium for passengers in coach. Free hot meals in economy are being cut, effective August 4, with food shifting to the buy-on-board model. At the same time, food at the front of the bus is supposedly improving, with a “new gourmet menu” being phased in. And, on United flights to Hawaii, prepare for nonstop tiki… The airline has rebranded their inflight catering with Trader Vic’s. Not a huge change on this last count: United already serves mai tais on Hawaii flights…

Finally: What do you do when your team is defeated in the World Cup? Go on vacation! Lastminute.com reported a surge in bookings following England’s departure from the tournament. Notably NOT a destination: Portugal, the team that ousted England. Vengeful tourism!

tags: travel

United giveth, and United taketh away. Well, taketh away mostly. Two weeks ago, on Good Friday, United Airlines sent an e-mail to its members announcing changes to its Mileage Plus program. (I was on vacation, and didn’t see the e-mail until over a week later.) The response, both in the print media and in the blogosphere, was resoundingly negative, accusing United of devaluing its members’ miles by 20%. The message boards lit up with disillusioned travelers demanding vengeance.

Then, as if to dampen the blow, United announced a confusing new sub-program of Mileage Plus, called “Choices,” which is tied directly (and solely) to one’s use of the Chase-issued United credit credit — assuming you have one, of course. Clearly, this is designed to lock you into their credit card, as well as their mileage program. More on Choices below.

But are these changes to the world’s second-largest frequent flyer program a “Friday Night Massacre,” a tweaking at the margins, or a silver-lined cloud? Let’s break it down.

There are three categories of changes: Saver Awards (the awards with limited seats available), Standard Awards (which can “buy” a seat on any flight), and new fees. Note that there are no changes to upgrade awards. Also, these changes don’t take effect until October 16, 2006. Until then, the old rules apply.

Most people care primarily about Saver Awards, so let’s look at those first, and in detail:

Economy Class Saver Awards
The redemption rates for Economy Class Saver Awards — the most commonly requested awards, and the ones that are limited in their supply — are largely unchanged. However, there are two notable changes for coach-level awards:

- between the Hawaiian islands (+5K / +100%)
- to/from Australia/New Zealand to the Americas (+20K / +33%)
- the (seldom-used?) award between the Middle East and the Caribbean (-5K / -6%) Yes, decreased 5K. Whoo.
- 15K short-haul award: Fly less than 700 miles each way within North America, it’ll cost 15K instead of 25K (-40%). The downside: When this was an occasional promo, the distance was 750 miles. Those 50 miles matter, since popular routes like Chicago-New York (733 mi) are excluded. Update April 2007: While United made it sound like a permanent feature, short-haul awards ended on February 28, 2007. Bad form, United!
- All other economy-class saver awards remain the same.

The good news is that domestic tickets over 700 miles are still 25K, mainland to Hawaii or the Caribbean is still 35K, North America to Europe is still 50K, etc. etc. Most travelers can already breathe easier. The changes to intra-Hawaiian and Australia/New Zealand-bound tickets were widely expected. Both these awards were well below the competition’s redemption rates. I’m sad to see these change, but I’m not surprised.

North American First Class / International Business Class Saver Awards
Saver Awards for business class (on 3-class planes) or first class (on 2-class planes) are going up in several markets:

- within North America (+5K / +12.5%)
- between North America and Hawaii (+15K / +25%)
- within Hawaii (+5K / +50%)
- from Hawaii to the Caribbean or Central America (+15K / +25%)
- to/from Australia/New Zealand (+20K, like economy class / +22%)

The North America-Hawaii increase is probably the most obnoxious, and makes this award a so-so value. Clearly, they’re out to bilk the honeymooners. The service up front in a 2-class plane to the islands will now only cost 5,000 fewer miles than a far superior business class flight between North America and Europe in a 3-class plane (with better food, entertainment, legroom, etc.) The Australia/New Zealand increase stinks, too, but is perhaps more palatable given the duration of the flight; it’s also not a surprise, given how comparably cheap this award has been, compared to the competition, for years.

International First Class Saver Awards
For international travel on three class aircraft, first class is of course the cream of the crop. And this is where some of the most marked saver award increases are found.

- Australia/New Zealand to/from the Americas (+20K / +16.7%)
- Europe to/from the Americas (+25K / +25%)
- North America to/from South America (+10K / +10%)

Again, no surprise on Australia/New Zealand. The real shocker is the Europe fare. It’s absurd, actually, since Asia-North America flights (unchanged) are now cheaper. More miles for a shorter flight. What’s the sense in that??

Standard Awards
Standard Awards allow you to use miles to buy a seat on any flight that is still for sale. It’s like buying a full-fare ticket: If there is a seat left, you can buy it. But it costs more. Now, it costs even more. Unlike Saver Awards, where many regions were spared, there are increases in 80% or so of the routes, too many to mention. The smallest increase is 10K miles (for example, within North America), while the largest jump is a whopping 70K miles (bringing a North America to Australia ticket from 200K to 270K). Ouch.

Short Term Redemption Fees
This is where I get cranky. Charging money to cash in your miles is purely punitive, but main competitor American Airlines has been charging fees for short-term redemptions for some time. Join the crowd, eh? At least the fees aren’t as high as American’s: United will charge $50 for redemptions 7 to 13 days prior to travel, and $75 within 6 days of travel. (American charges $50 for redemptions within 6 days, and $100 for redemptions 7 to 20 days prior to travel.) If you book two weeks in advance, you avoid the fees. Top-tier elites (1K and UGS) are exempt from the fees as well. Granted, I plan my award travel well ahead of time, but this new fee leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

“Choices”
Finally, Choices. Perhaps to make up for the increase in redemption rates and fees, holders of the Mileage Plus credit card from Chase can now add another layer to the mileage redemption onion. Miles earned through credit card activity are now tracked separately in the Mileage Plus account, and labeled as “choices.” The choice? You now have the option of using the miles labeled “choices” to retroactively refund the cost of travel booked on united.com. (For air travel, the rate is 1 cent per mile. For hotel and car bookings, it’s less.) The retroactive credit is an interesting twist. Of course, you don’t have to use the miles this way: You can use them as normal redeemable miles, as always. Thus “Choices.”

Since JPMorgan Chase is a major creditor to the new UAL Corp., it’s not surprising to see a credit-related gimmick being rolled out. But frankly, this seems like a non-event to me. It’s nice to have an option, I guess, but the 1 cent-per-mile rate stinks. The upside: You can EARN miles on tickets you buy using your “choices.” But you’re still better off, value-wise, going for traditional redemptions.

Three final pieces of advice, regarding these changes: 1) If you are looking to redeem miles, don’t rely on United’s website for availability, especially if your destination is served by a partner airline. Call. The phone agents can work magic and find availability you can’t. 2) If economy class saver awards are sold out, and if you are considering a standard award instead, be sure to check for saver award availability in first or business class before you book. It may be available, and cheaper than the standard award. People often neglect to check the premium cabins. 3) Try to maximize the value of your miles. Even with the heightened redemption rates, there are still good deals to be found. Unsure whether to use your miles or pay with cash, or looking for more redemption advice? Run it through Miles or Buy.

Bottom line: The awards that did change were hit pretty hard. Am I disappointed at these changes? Absolutely. But the majority of awards are unchanged, and the “price” still seems reasonable. Do I think the short-term redemption fees are obnoxious? You bet. Am I running to the barricades and threatening to kick United to the curb? Not yet.

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