Plus, international travel is almost nonexistent right now, so it was especially poor timing.Īs a refresher, PQP are one of the metrics you can use to qualify for elite status. It doesn’t directly impact the airline’s bottom line, given PQP aren’t redeemable.
And frankly, the change doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. United limiting the number of PQP you can earn on partner flights was a huge hit for MileagePlus elite members. Repeal the PQP limit for partner flights (Photo by Markus Mainka/Shutterstock) I’ll also discuss why it makes sense for United to make these changes even if they make little financial sense right now.įor more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. Here, I’ll outline a couple of changes that would make MileagePlus more desirable both during and after the coronavirus pandemic. Related: Cash cow: Why loyalty programs are a lifeline for airlines and hotels during COVIDīut I think United can right these wrongs by reversing some changes, adding benefits and otherwise giving loyal members a break.
At the same time, devaluations have a lasting impact on the airline’s public image and make it less desirable for frequent travelers to fly United when leisure and - even more importantly - business travel resumes. Demand for travel is low and United is bleeding money, so it needs to cut expenses where it can. United’s devaluations is like rubbing salt in a traveler’s wound.īut I get it: United is having a bad time too. Plus, the timing couldn’t be worse: we’re in the middle of a pandemic and frequent travelers are grounded. These devaluations make United MileagePlus less appealing and factored into my decision to switch airline loyalty to Delta Air Lines. Once my airline of choice, it spent the coronavirus travel downturn devaluing its miles by removing partner award charts and capping the number of Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) that can be earned on partner flights. For me, the most disappointing airline has been United Airlines. Some airlines have impressed me during the coronavirus pandemic and others have been a massive disappointment.