United Apology- WWYD?

[hz80408]

I had a flight on 7/3 that was delayed several times, we boarded and were told to get off the plane due to generator failure, we were then told the flight was cancelled and to talk with CS about rescheduling. While in line and on the phone with CS, our flight was reinstated and we took off 4.5 hrs after original departure.

United sent an apology email offering me either: $75 credit, valid until 7/3/2013 or 3,000 rewards miles.

I don't foresee any trips within the next year (maybe a booking for an early 2014 trip) and I recently joined the Mileage Plus program, so I have about 10,000 miles.

WWYD, take the $75 credit or the miles?

[emilyinchile]

I am too lazy to do this for you (sorry! at least I'm honest?), but I'd look at how many miles a United ticket costs vs. how much that same ticket costs in dollars for a destination you're likely to visit. Then figure out which of these gets you closer to the total miles/money needed.

[sunshinedaydreams]

Ditto Emily. Also, do the miles expire? If you're not planning to travel and the miles also expire, it may just be six of one, half dozen of the other.

[basilosaurus]

You can buy 3000 miles for something like $115, so if you ever use miles, that's a better value. However, if you don't fly often, and your miles would be used for something like a magazine subscription, take the credit. IME credits have to be used within a year, though.

[Norticprincess]

I believe United's miles expire after 18 months on inactivity, but you can buy things through the website or use e miles to keep the account active. If you have the credit card the miles don't expire.

I'd do the miles, but I have enough additional miles already for upgrades and ticket redemption. DH has a silly number if them, but he has status, he usually just takes the additional miles. If you don't have enough miles to do anything, I'd take the credit. The credit vouchers can be a pita to use, the last set we got had to be redeemed in person at the airport (this was for a voluntary bump vs a delay)

[hz80408]

Jul 9, 2012 21:10:32 GMT -5 Norticprincess said:

I believe United's miles expire after 18 months on inactivity, but you can buy things through the website or use e miles to keep the account active. If you have the credit card the miles don't expire.

I'd do the miles, but I have enough additional miles already for upgrades and ticket redemption. DH has a silly number if them, but he has status, he usually just takes the additional miles. If you don't have enough miles to do anything, I'd take the credit. The credit vouchers can be a pita to use, the last set we got had to be redeemed in person at the airport (this was for a voluntary bump vs a delay)

Thanks for the insight and pointing out about the expiration, you're right!

Rule #10: Any member who fails at any time to engage in account activity for a period of eighteen (18) consecutive months is subject to termination of his or her membership and forfeiture of all accrued mileage as of the last day of the 18th month. Activity includes (without limitation) earning flight miles on United or Continental or earning or redeeming miles with a MileagePlus partner (as defined in Rule 12), redeeming miles for award travel, buying miles or transferring miles.

www.united.com/web/en-US/content/mileageplus/rules/default.aspx

[Chrysanthemum]

We recently had a major delay with United as well. I'm surprised they're only offered you $75 credit. Our fiasco sounded similar to yours and we were offered $150 voucher or miles (I can't remember how many bc we'd never use them). $75 doesn't seem like it'd get you much of a ticket, you'd end up paying a lot of OOP to go anywhere. Do you fly United a lot? We don't and would prefer not to after our last fiasco with them.

[hz80408]

Jul 10, 2012 12:01:16 GMT -5 Chrysanthemum said:

We recently had a major delay with United as well. I'm surprised they're only offered you $75 credit. Our fiasco sounded similar to yours and we were offered $150 voucher or miles (I can't remember how many bc we'd never use them). $75 doesn't seem like it'd get you much of a ticket, you'd end up paying a lot of OOP to go anywhere. Do you fly United a lot? We don't and would prefer not to after our last fiasco with them.

Ha, weird. I had two friends on the flight with me and they were only offered $50 credit and one of them is a MileagePlus member too!

We don't fly United often; but took them to/from Europe in Spring, so we got a decent chunk of miles from that trip, but not enough to get us anywhere; Although if I combined our (my and H's miles) from Europe and took the 3,000 rewards miles; we'd have enough for one free flight somewhere. Maybe that's the way to think about it!

[aurora]

I am even more angry at United after reading some of you are getting credit and I got an $8 meal voucher for an 8-hour delay at 100% their fault, and only after arguing my way up the chain of command! Yet another reason to fly United as infrequently as possible.

[Deleted]

I voted $75 credit. I don't know how your card works but on my travel cc 3,000 miles would only get me about $30 in travel costs. Based on that assumption (and also that you will fly again to use the credit in the next year) I think the credit is best.

[emilyinchile]

Jul 11, 2012 20:06:16 GMT -5 @kjewell said:

I voted $75 credit. I don't know how your card works but on my travel cc 3,000 miles would only get me about $30 in travel costs. Based on that assumption (and also that you will fly again to use the credit in the next year) I think the credit is best.

What card? I don't think OP has a United credit card, she's just choosing between a $75 voucher to fly United or 3,000 miles. You have to look at the cost of a ticket (ie. 25,000 miles or $500 RT) to figure out which is the better deal.

[hz80408]

I don't know about a card either.

Logged into my Milesplus account; if I were to buy 3,000 miles it'd cost me $112.88; so it seems smart to take the miles.

Plus then combined with H, we'll have 20K miles, which is essentially one free regional continental ticket or close to it.

[emilyinchile]

Does United let you combine miles like that? You've mentioned it a couple times, and on American at least I'm pretty sure it's not possible. Not sure if you've looked into this or not.

[mdgirl]

IIRC from the last time I tried to transfer miles with United, you can only do a certain amount within a set time period and there's a fee.

[hz80408]

Jul 12, 2012 12:14:21 GMT -5 mdgirl said:

IIRC from the last time I tried to transfer miles with United, you can only do a certain amount within a set time period and there's a fee.

Good to know; thanks.

Emily-I know it's possible but didn't look at details.I need too

[hz80408]

Good thing I looked; it's $15 per 1,000 miles transferred:
www.ualmiles.com/TransferMiles.jsp?x2.x=67&x2.y=16&x2=Transfer+Miles

Mile transfers cost $15 per 1,000 miles
Miles can be transferred in 1,000 mile increments
Give up to 15,000 miles to each recipient's account per calendar year
Maximum transfer of up to 60,000 miles per calendar year out of one account
Allow 48 hours for the miles to post to each recipient's account
Credit card will be billed immediately for transfer
Mileage rates and other applicable fees are subject to change
Minimum transfer 2,000 miles per account

[emilyinchile]

Yeah, American has a similar system - you have to pay to gift your miles to someone else, and there's an annual cap. You can't just use 10,000 miles from one account and 10,000 from another to buy one ticket.

[hz80408]

Nothings ever as simply as one hopes (

[Deleted]

I'd take $75 for sure. 3000 miles doesn't get you anywhere (and only "worth" about $30 IMO).

[hz80408]

Jul 12, 2012 14:52:51 GMT -5 @rainbow said:

I'd take $75 for sure. 3000 miles doesn't get you anywhere (and only "worth" about $30 IMO).

Ha, I'm beginning to feel that way too now that I realized how much money it would cost to combined H's and I's miles to get one flight "free"

[aurora]

Why not reply that you're not satisfied with either option but that you'll take the $75 in cash? I mean, they probably won't agree to it, but they definitely won't if you don't ask. And, since you're not planning to fly them again, and at least not soon, it really doesn't seem like either of their offers will be of any benefit to you.

[hz80408]

Doesn't hurt to ask aurora; and I just got an email today that they're giving me miles anyways; I need to see how many and am wondering if this is in addition to my option of 3K or $75 credit from the first email I got, which said I had 30 days to choose