Gold vs silver... Worth time/money?

Looks like I am going to end the year at 55.5 segs on UA.

Thinking about an MR on 12/26 out o ORD.. I can pick up 4.5 segs for about 500 bucks and 14 hours of my life.

Only once all year did I not end up in E+... However my upgrade % sucks (less than 10%)...

Those of you who are gold... Big difference from silver?

 

I was gold LAST year before the 3/3 implosion. It wasn't bad before, but Platinum after 3/3 wasn't much better than Gold had been PM.

If you intend to fly a lot next year, you will gain a lot from getting twice as many bonus miles. Your upgrade percentage still won't be good, but it is likely to be a little bit better. You will certainly be able to choose your E+ seats without waiting until "day of."

If you need checked luggage capacity, then that alone makes it a bargain. 3 bags at 70 pounds each (or even TWO bags at 70 pounds each) will save you a ton of money over a 12 month period.

It's a personal decision based on how much benefit you will likely receive. Personally, I would do it, but then again I'm already planning how to make 1K again next year. At some point this stuff became addictive.

 

Thanks ken!

Pretty sure I'm doing it... Should fly 60 or so segments agin next year

 

That's a minimum of 7500 additional miles, so you're getting almost half of your money back in mileage value even if you only fly short hauls. And with that many segments, you're sure to benefit from some of the additional perks. Enjoy!

 

4.5 segs for $500 seems like a bit!

 

I know... I can't seem to find a way to do it cheaper that day....

1 of the 4 segs is in 1st which is nice because I only have to fly 4....

But I've been having trouble picking em up cheaper

 

go for it. it is well worth the time and money. silver is not much anymore.

 

*A Gold for international lounges, increased bonus, free 24-hour flight changes, higher status for upgrades (it does happen, occasionally), E+ at reservation, 3 free bags, but wait there's more... You can easily justify $500 to move up. If you do any long distance flights the E+ is essential. Further, Gold is effectively as good as it gets for international travel.

 

So Silver no longer gets club access on intl itineraries? I really feel for those who travel in that now-grey area of "Premier" status. Gold appears to be the minimum level of any real value.

I was Gold on AA/Silver on CO for many years, and it was decent then. The timing of my increased travel schedule couldn't have been better. I would not be one bit happy if I still flew only enough to achieve that status level. The one bag and no E+ until day of are a real slap in the face to those who fly just enough to make it to silver - and a sucker punch to those who get close, as in the case of the OP.

The more we discuss this, the more I think that $500 is a good value to make any status level increase. In the example given by the OP, it could be done for less than $500 in most cases, but it's still worth it.

 

Well, I wouldn't say $500 is worth it to get to a silver level, or if flying will tail off dramatically in the next year, but otherwise there is generally pretty strong value at most levels in most programs.

I feel sorry for people who fly ~20k in short hops on an airline/alliance (unless they use that to get A3 *G or similar). Enough to be spending significant time in planes and airports, but not enough to receive any beneficial treatment. ~40-45k with silver-level benefits is not much better.

 

Thanks all for the advice... I'm going o go for it... At 65-70 segs a year (I flew a few on other airlines) I feel like I am always at an airport/on a plane....

I may as well add some benefits to it.

I think the same day free flight changes will be huge.

 

Silver on UA has been downgraded to just a nice status above 'member' rather than a status of substance. It is still better than no status and can be 'worked' to improve one's flying experience, but it's just an introduction to elite travel. Gold is the big jump up.

 

This. E+ at booking and Intl lounges alone. And if you're stuck out the free 24 hour flight changes will more than make up the expense.

 

Silver may not be what it used to be, but even Mr. Desamo has finally conceded that he likes flying with my status.

 

Yes, even a 10% - 20% upgrade experience (with companion eligibility), the Yups, E+ for 2 at check-in and the greater availability of award travel are a significant step up from the 'member' flying experience. So I humbly abase myself before you and admit the error of my stated opinion.

 

And free luggage.

 

I'd do it. Gold is where benefits actually start; Silver isn't much better than a credit-card holder.

(Without knowing where you're based, you ought to be able to do it for less than $500? SFO-LAX can be had for like $150 these days.)

 

Agree wholeheartedly as a former Silver & Gold member. The jump from Silver->Gold was much better than Member->Silver... most especially the SDC policy.

 

Ord based

 

I was gold this year, IAH based, and my upgrade percentage was 47%. I'm ok with E+ otherwise and prefer to be able to choose it at booking.

 

Wow...47% would be awesome... I'm guessing pretty uncommon stats for gold

 

Silver hasn't been eligible for club access on intl' itineraries for as long as I have been any form of UA elite (10+ years).

An additional benefit for Gold that I always valued is exit row access at booking. I guess that's now essentially the same as E+ access as Silvers presumably can grab remaining exit row seats at T-24 checkin?

 

That may very well be the same for pmCO, as I was 100% on UG on intl itineraries before the merger, thus I always had a BC/F ticket which resulted in club access.

 

The hubs are often tough for upgrades for business destinations at business times. I find I get upgrades on Saturdays but not on Sundays. My best upgrades come on trips to out of season vacation destinations such as EWR-PBI in mid November. Flying out of EWR to mostly business heavy destinations gets me an upgrade rate of 25% since 3/3 as a Gold.

 

When did they ever??