Enter to win free drinks on United Airlines!

by Grant Martin on

The gloves are coming off, Virgin America: you may be offering free drinks on your Wednesday flights all month. You may have hottie hot hot models on your flights and Richard Branson as your playboy financier. You might even have super crazy in-seat chatting on your personalized LCD screens.

But we can beat that. Because we’re giving away free drinks for ANY DAY OF THE WEEK on United Airlines right here at Gadling. That’s right, by commenting on this post you can register yourself to win two free beverages on ANY United Airlines flight in the month of June. Flying on a Monday or Saturday? No problem, drinks are on us.

We’ll pick two lucky winners to send two vouchers each. We only ask that you’re over 21 years of age and that you actually be flying on a United Airlines flight before June 30, when the tickets expire. Feel free to also wear a “Gadling Rules | Virgin America Drools” t-shirt on your flight and take a picture — but we’re not requiring it.

  • To enter, simply leave a comment below.
  • The comment must be left before Friday, June 6 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time.
  • You may enter only once.
  • Two winners will be selected in a random drawing.
  • Two Grand Prize Winner will receive two beverage vouchers each (valued at $10.00)
  • Click Here for complete Official Rules.
  • Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 21 and older.

United Airlines abolishes minimums to mileage earning

by Grant Martin on

The day of airline corner cutting is upon us. United Airlines just announced that they reduced the minimum miles that you can earn on a flight to the actual flown distance. Let me explain:

Until now, most fares that you booked that were under 500 miles as the crow flies were automatically rounded up to earn 500 miles for each flight. The perk was created to award the poor saps who have to fly short distances frequently over the course of a year — for example, if you had to fly from Detroit to Chicago and back every week for work, its only about 250 miles one way or 500 round trip. Rounding up though, you would get 1000 miles/trip, meaning every 25 itineraries you would be able to redeem an award for a 25,000 mile ticket.

Similarly, if you’re connecting from Flint – Detroit – Chicago, you would get 500 + 500 miles.

But under these new rules, you would only earn miles as for the exact distance you flew. So on the first Detroit-Chicago itinerary you would get 250 miles one way and on the second route you would get 40 + 250. Cool huh?

United is the first legacy carrier to break rank and start scooping into its mileage program. I wouldn’t be surprised if the rest of the carriers slowly fell, much as they all did with the extra bag policy.

Expect mileage accrual to change July 1. Between now and then you can check out United’s new policy here and weep at the loss of another great frequent flying perk.

Credit for the ironic picture of the day goes to Jason McHuff on Flickr.

Continental Airlines and United won’t be bed fellows after all

by Jamie Rhein on

Continental Airlines has decided to stay single after all–sort of. United Airlines’ parent company UAL had been wooing Continental looking for a merger hook up, but since United hasn’t had great luck financially as of late, (see Grant’s post), Continental has said, “See ya later, toots,” to the merger deal.

According to this article in today’s New York Time’s, Continental Airlines is still casting its gaze towards American Airlines and British Airways for some sort of alliance deal. In the meantime, United is looking for another bed pal.

U.S. Airways may be it, but that’s not clear either. With all the trying out the beds, it’s hard to keep up. What is clear is that ticket prices are going to keep rising. The economy is not being particularly kind to the airline business, although, since the New York Times article was written, the shares of Continental have gone up. The article said at the end of the week, shares were $15.21. Now a share is at $17.25.

As the airlines are looking to swing deals, I’m hoping someone will look at those old Skybus routes. I’m still recovering from that airline’s shutdown.

Rumor: United and US Airways could announce merger soon

by Grant Martin on

Word on the secret underground is that United Airlines and US Airways may be in talks to merge, and may even announce their plans as early as TODAY. Other reports say that they’re waiting on union approval and could postpone an announcement in early May.

I know we’ve all been speculating about whether any other legacy carriers were going to merge after the Northwest and Delta deal got rolling; many believed that Continental and United were next in line, especially with Continental’s suspicious postings on their new website, co-industryconsolidation.com.

Perhaps that’s not the only deal in motion though? United and US Airways, two airlines that have faced particular hardship over the last few years could well-benefit from the consolidation of their services. Both are in the same airline alliance and have numerous domestic hubs that could directly compete with the the new Northwelta.

Keep an eye on the news and UAUA today. Again, this is all still speculation but big news could be on the way.

United frequent flyers also get double elite miles

by Grant Martin on

The new big thing is double elite mile promotions, I guess. First Delta Airlines started a program last month awarding their frequent flyers double Medallion Miles. Then, American Airlines followed suit and launched their own. Now it looks like United has done the same thing.

Interesting observation: one airline from each major alliance is running the promotion — Delta = Skyteam, American = Oneworld and United = Star. Perhaps the airlines are trying to tell us that we need to concentrate our alliance flights on one carrier… one carrier that perhaps may absorb another in a soon to be merger? But I speculate, I speculate.

What I do know is that it’s got some of the mergee passengers miffed that their partner flyers are getting super elite status while they’re stuck earning regular ol’ elite miles. Northwest passengers, for example, will be only earning miles at the regular rate, but after the merger there will be an artificially high number of Delta elites. This means fewer chances for upgrades and perks for the now dilute elite ranks.

We’ll see how many travelers end up taking advantage of the offers anyway. Most people that I have told about the promotion have shrugged off the suggestion and moved on with their lives. Perhaps I get too worked up about this elites status business.

Check out the promo page here if you want to participate. You’ll earn double elite miles between now and June 15.

[Thanks to Amily for the link]