Grant Martin, Skift
United's MileagePlus program is changing dramatically in 2020 to focus more on high-spend rather than high-mileage travelers. Translation: It's getting harder for frugal flyers to be elite.
1 month ago
Grant Martin, Skift
United's new points-based system for upgrading MileagePlus members should be more flexible and straightforward for elite travelers. Emphasis on "should be."
2 months ago
Brian Sumers, Skift
The majority of U.S. travelers don't have to worry about how they'll upgrade on United Airlines. But United's most loyal customers, who contribute more than their share of revenue, care deeply about the process. United can't make things too difficult for them, or they will defect.
2 months ago
Grant Martin, Skift
United's decision to remove the expiration date from MileagePlus accounts is a small gesture toward improving the lives of its loyalty program members — and could eventually be key to its growth.
3 months ago
Grant Martin, Skift
If United and Chase can't forge an exclusive agreement on how they market credit cards, the door may open for other banks like Citi, Barclays, or American Express to pitch a United co-branded product.
7 months ago
Grant Martin, Skift
United will move to a dynamic-pricing model and remove its award chart on November 15. For flexible and thrifty travelers, this may help some score a bargain-basement award seat. Others who are used to predictable award tiers may find the news distressing.
8 months ago
Grant Martin, Skift
Despite the cost of entry getting markedly higher next year, many business travelers don't seem too worried about new qualification standards that American and United have set for next year.
11 months ago
Grant Martin, Skift
New qualification standards for elite status at American and Delta seem to be working as intended: Business travelers are looking forward to better exclusivity while budget travelers are giving up.
11 months ago
Grant Martin, Skift
Changes to United's MileagePlus program will make it harder for ultra-frequent flyers to stay loyal to the airline.
1 year ago
Grant Martin, Skift
It just got 25 percent more expensive to earn top-tier elite status on United Airlines.
1 year ago
Grant Martin, Skift
United's new vice president of loyalty is putting his weight behind a new credit card and a handful of other initiatives at the airline. It will be interesting to see how those goals mesh with a weary base of MileagePlus members and a management team eager to turn profit and save cash.
1 year ago
Grant Martin, Skift
United's new vice president of loyalty wants to bring more value to MileagePlus customers across a wider spectrum of travelers. He's starting that process by spearheading an overhaul of the company's co-branded credit card.
1 year ago
