I finally broke the 100,000 mile threshold with United's Mileage Plus plan!! And I have 30 Elite Qualifying Segments. Which makes me a "Premier" member. And you know what that means? Of course not, so I'll tell you.
1. I am now exempt from baggage fees. $15 for the first bag? $25 for the second? Over weight fees? Not here. I will pack as outfits as I want, and fill my bags with as many souvenirs as I choose, and I will never be charged. (Yes, I know if you're military on orders, they won't charge you.)
2. 25% more miles. Oooh, I have 100,000 miles already, and they are making it easier to get more... This is kind of like how movie stars get swag bags full of stuff they already have. Ha! Anyway, so now my 1000 mile flight now earns 1250 miles. AND it includes Lufthansa flights, which is my favorite airline.
3. Priority wait and standby. Have you ever flown standby, and wondered how you kept getting bumped farther and farther down the list? It's because Premier passengers like me are requesting to fly standby, and pushing you down the list. Don't hate. I spent more than my fair share of time hanging out in LAX because I could not get on a standby flight. It's my turn.
4. Premier check-in and boarding. You know that line with the red carpet? That's for me.
5. Automatic and free upgrades to the next class of service, if available. So if there is an empty seat in First Class, I automatically get it, even though I bought the back-of-the-plane-and-the-seats-don't-recline seat. And I automatically get Economy Plus, no matter what, if the plane has it (those are the extra-legroom seats).
6. And best of all, all these little luxuries apply to anyone flying with me!! If we're on the same itinerary, we all get bumped up. I told you I would never forget my friends on my rise to the top!
And you may think it's all because I've been flying back and forth to see James, and while that's part of it, that's not even close to the majority of miles I earned.
I have the Chase United Visa DEBIT card. So even my debit card transactions earn me miles. I also have the Chase United Visa CREDIT card.
I shop at Vons/Safeway, and with their Club Card, I earn miles there too (I had to link my United Mileage Plus number to my Von's card).
If I'm buying something online, I check the United Mileage Plus Mall - some of those stores earn 10 to 1 on the miles (spend $20, get 200 miles). A great deal if you were going to buy it anyway.
And finally, I do exclusively fly on United. They are usually the cheapest anyway, and they have the best schedules and fly into nearly every airport. I always check eBay for a United coupon before I book. People are always selling those vouchers they get for getting bumped. I can pay $20 and get a $100 voucher. It's like trading a $20 bill for a $100 bill.
Be careful of changing your itinerary, the fee is now $150 to do that. For you. Not for me. I'm Premier baby. I can change it whenever I want.
Roll out that red carpet!!!
