Completely removes segments from the equation outside of the mandatory 4 per year. Also raises the number to 32,000. It's effectively a 45% increase for me as a weekly traveler. Guess they're just following in the footsteps of Delta. Will at least consider switching to Alaska since most of my travel is to the NW from Denver.

Alaska has the best domestic loyalty program, just not the route network. If you can fly them a lot I would switch for sure.

Yea sucks. Typically flying out of a regional airport with a connection for work trips really helped with building status. Although being in CO SWA is really my only other reasonable alternative and I really don't like current day SWA either so I suppose I stay with United and hope my flight $s and credit card spend can keep me at platinum.

I was behind on my Email and just read the requirements this morning.

Looks like everybody is going to need 3 x Business Class round trips to Australia to qualify.

I'll be lucky if I reach Silver.

For less than 1K, the pqp didn't change if you didn't hit pqf

Gold, almost platinum after one business J fare to Australia. Business airfare is nuts right now. $20k fare to India made me postpone a trip for work.

Aggie71013 said:

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Gold, almost platinum after one business J fare to Australia. Business airfare is nuts right now. $20k fare to India made me postpone a trip for work.

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During my era of Business Class between the USA and Australia, the RT fares ranged between $6k - $13k. You could usually count on right around $10k.

But, these days, there are fewer flights and the planes are smaller. So, I'd guess that means fewer Biz seats (or Polaris, or whatever).

Nothing like upstairs in a 747 for my money.

HollywoodBQ said:

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Aggie71013 said:

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Gold, almost platinum after one business J fare to Australia. Business airfare is nuts right now. $20k fare to India made me postpone a trip for work.

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During my era of Business Class between the USA and Australia, the RT fares ranged between $6k - $13k. You could usually count on right around $10k.

But, these days, there are fewer flights and the planes are smaller. So, I'd guess that means fewer Biz seats (or Polaris, or whatever).

Nothing like upstairs in a 747 for my money.

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It has been a long time since I was able to go upstairs on a plane, do they still have any with that design?

ColoradoMooseHerd said:

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HollywoodBQ said:

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Aggie71013 said:

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Gold, almost platinum after one business J fare to Australia. Business airfare is nuts right now. $20k fare to India made me postpone a trip for work.

---

During my era of Business Class between the USA and Australia, the RT fares ranged between $6k - $13k. You could usually count on right around $10k.

But, these days, there are fewer flights and the planes are smaller. So, I'd guess that means fewer Biz seats (or Polaris, or whatever).

Nothing like upstairs in a 747 for my money.

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It has been a long time since I was able to go upstairs on a plane, do they still have any with that design?

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Very few passenger 747s left. Lufthansa is the largest operator. More A380s with the full second deck....British Airways, Emirates, Etihad, Korean Air, etc. Their days are numbered too.

COVID was the final nail in the coffin for many airlines' 747 fleets. British Airways retired all of theirs suddenly in mid-2020 when long haul travel fell off a cliff. Triggering factor for acceleration of existing plans to migrate to more fuel-efficient twins (787, A350...).

Yep, the A380 business class on the upper deck with the bar in the back is a great way to fly. A few other airlines may be a bit nicer (Qatar, Singapore), but the Emirates A380 is very pleasant. Haven't seen a 747 with the upstairs in a long time.

One of them just did a routine go-around at LAX this week and the socials are all abuzz with "near disaster" posts.

akaggie05 said:

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COVID was the final nail in the coffin for many airlines' 747 fleets. British Airways retired all of theirs suddenly in mid-2020 when long haul travel fell off a cliff. Triggering factor for acceleration of existing plans to migrate to more fuel-efficient twins (787, A350...).

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My last Qantas Business Class 747 ride was from Perth to Sydney in late-2019.

Then, about 9 months later after I moved back to the USA and was driving from LA to Reno, I saw the last of the Qantas 747s parked in Mojave, CA. It was nice seeing my old friends because I had flown on all three of the final ones. But it was sad knowing that they were never going back in passenger service.

I had been flying 747s since Braniff and Northwest Orient in the mid-1970s when I lived in Alaska. And of course PanAm 747 SPs to Saudi Arabia.

My A350 ride from LAX to Singapore in Feb. 2020 ushered in a new era but, I just loved the 747. I guess I'll have to engineer a Lufthansa flight on the 747-8.

OilManAg91 said:

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Yep, the A380 business class on the upper deck with the bar in the back is a great way to fly. A few other airlines may be a bit nicer (Qatar, Singapore), but the Emirates A380 is very pleasant. Haven't seen a 747 with the upstairs in a long time.

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I love the bar in Emirates A380 Business Class.

I took my wife back there between Sydney and Auckland circa 2014. The service was great.

Qantas has a small lounge area at the front of the upper deck of their A380. Nowhere near as good as Emirates.

And Korean Air has a full Duty Free shop at the back of their A380. Koreans love their Duty Free.