My final United Airlines flight of the year and one of my last flights as a Premier 1K was an ironic one, marked by rolling delays, poor service onboard, and several open seats in first class after a year of elusive upgrades.
Last United Airlines Flight Of 2024 As A 1K: Delays, Poor Service, Upgrades For Everyone
I shared earlier that I am taking a free-agent approach to travel in 2025 after years of being on the United Airlines Premier 1K hamster wheel. The lack of domestic upgrades means that if I want to fly in the forward cabin, I generally have to buy the seat…that’s the nature of domestic travel as we reach the end of 2024. Yes, I can occasionally clear into first class using PlusPoints, but forget about so-called “unlimited complimentary domestic upgrades” which are purely theoretical at this point on most trips…
After arriving in the USA from Tijuana Airport via the CBX, I traveled to San Diego Airport to check out the new Chase Sapphire Lounge and fly up to LAX, where my car was parked. The 109-mile flight was 349 USD, more than 3 USD per mile, so I used Air Canada Aeroplan points (6K) for the one-way redemption.
United now upgrades award tickets, even when not issued by United, as long as you have your MileagePlus Premier number on the reservation, and upgrades for me and my son Augustine cleared at 36 hours prior to departure. This was my first complimentary upgrade in many, many months.
As we drove to San Diego Airport from the US-Meixco border, I received an alert that our flight, operated by a SkyWest E-175, was delayed. Upon checking, I found our aircraft was still in Reno, Nevada (RNO) with a mechanical issue and had to travel to Los Angeles (LAX) and then down to San Diego (SAN).
The delay kept getting worse, but ultimately we boarded about 80 minutes behind schedule and took off about 90 minutes late.
The flight was never crowded in the first place, but the delay further emptied it out and I found it ironic that after a year of no upgrades, this cabin on my final flight of the year on United went out less than half full even after all upgrades and standbys were cleared into United First.
Meanwhile, the flight attendant onboard was not very service-oriented. She did not offer pre-departure beverages and remained seated, fixated on her phone, during the flight. No greeting. No “thanks for being a 1K.” The flight was only 25 minutes in the air, but that was certainly enough time to at least offer the five passengers seated in first class a drink and snack…I think most would have even turned it down (Augustine was asleep)…it was more the principle of the matter. I’ve been on this flight several times and drinks are offered by flight attendants that care…
I do love this short flight, which only climbs to 10,000 feet. I fondly remember the days this flight operated from the old SAN commuter terminal on an EMB-120 turboprop.
We finally arrived at LAX 90 minutes late and pulled up to gate 80.
CONCLUSION
Overall, it was a good year on United…operationally, I encountered very few delays and, with one glaring exception, enjoyed excellent service during the year. Things are looking up on United. But this particular flight was not United’s (SkyWest’s) best moment.
I always wondered who took theses flights flights and the economics of them; would think be cheaper and easier to route connecting passengers through other hubs and the opportunity cost of lax gates could be better utilized. FAs must hate this route too – do they even get a full hour of pay.
Are you STILL dragging that poor, sweet boy all over kingdom come?
Our journey is complete!
Curious when each of your accounts will see 1 million, 1.1 million or 1.11 million points from the promo.
I’m still dealing with missing mileage credit.
@ Alec
Those of us who live in SAN are regulated to taking these all to often with having to (or preferring to) connect in LAX. That is who takes these flights mostly…and the commuting FAs from the SAN satellite base. Connecting to Polaris thru LAX to the east coast (or places in the Pacific) is for more desireable than connecting in IAH or ORD for this 1K. Plus it beats the 405 anyday, even if delayed.
@D.A. How often do you get beverage service on this route?
In F, I would say “most” of the time (turbulence permitting) , although it may only be soft drinks or water. In Y ” most often never”. And…never an BOB. Have a great holiday!
Cry me a river.
@ Alec
There are plenty of flights that connect to these flights. Just this year alone SBP-SAN as that’s the best option for an evening departure. Just 2 weeks ago when our Hawaiian flight from Maui was scrubbed I was able to book OGG-SAN via LAX as that was the only option to get us home same day. Driving to LAX is a painful option due to traffic.
@ SAN Greg, I must have been on the same HA OGG-SAN flight. I too did the OGG-LAX-SAN option a couple of weeks ago.
@ Mathew, my only gripe about UX between LAX & SAN is that they are now only doing 3 flights /day between the two cities. 1 @ 6AM, 1 very late at night and another at a wierd time. None of which are well timed for connecting with UA’s Asia or Oceania flights (e.g. NRT, SYD, etc.), or the LHR flight. Pre-pandemic, UX would often have 6-10 EMB120s or CRJs per day, which did offer a variety of decent LAX connection options. They were most always full. AA is suppose to start flying from Carlsbad to LAX in Feb, which could be a new and viable option.
I appreciate your work Matthew, but no in-flight beverage for a hop this quick is standard. I’ve flown MKE-ORD more than I’d like and can’t ever remember being offered one, regardless of being 1k or Plat.
Yes, service standards in this country have reached an all new low.
Can one imagine such paltry and poor service on SQ – it would be unthinkable regardless of duration of flight.
Meanwhile I had a F/A on Piedmont a few weeks ago give a full beverage service to a EMB-145 all coach (by tray) on a flight in the air for 32 minutes (LYH-CLT). But that’s definitely the exception. She even had time to do the credit card pitch.
You gotta fly UA out of another airline’s fortress hub… from CLT my upgrades are greater than 50%.
“unlimited complimentary domestic upgrades” which are purely theoretical at this point on most trips…
More like mythical
I was on an A3 flight over the summer JMK-ATH. A320 about half full. 18 minutes in the air and a beverage service. The 4 flight attendants absolutely hustled to get it done. Nobody would have blamed them if they didn’t do it but……THEY DID. Foreign flight attendants in most cases have pride in their job, their airline, their country and themselves. Flight attendants in the US are fat, lazy slugs.
Merry Christmas!
Is Augustina ok? LOLZ
Bye Bye
United is what your used to. I think about leaving American sometimes ; that’s all I’ve ever known. What is the point of loyalty with the US3 ? If I want a seat with extra room or an upgrade I can just pay for it. With an American miles devaluation eminent I hope to get a JAL F flight reward in first half of 2025.
I work this flight sometimes and I’m a flight attendant who absolutely loves to do service. Unfortunately, United’s pre departure service is to offer water or OJ and I’d say 80% of the time the pilots tell us to stay seated due to the low altitude. If they do allow us to get up we are rushing to finish those drinks because it’s 25 minutes of flight time not 25 minutes to do service, but I try to let you guys know that head of time. If pilots tell us to stay seated I instead do ground service at the gate but again we have to take what we give out before taxing. Hope this at least clarifies that most of us aren’t being lazy. OO has some good folks!
Appreciate your comment very much. If the pilot does clear FAs to serve, is it discretionary or mandatory to do the beverage service?
Mainline FA…our service schedule goes by flight time and I believe our cut off is 1 hr of flight time for beverage service. I assume its symmetrical with our regional partners. You may not be aware but we can’t do service during critical phases of flight. I believe that’s actually an FAA thing, not United specific. Skywest is a great partner…maybe she could have done more on ground. When it comes to 1ks, I always go out of my way to ask what they want. But with such a short hopper. I imagine it escaped her. Sorry you had a bad experience. Rest assured our 1ks are an extension of our United family.
Foreign carriers don’t seem to have a problem. I also had a plated meal in J on OS last month…..50 mins of flight.
You flight attendants in the US are just lazy.
Another mainline FA here. Our service goes by mileage. It used to go by flight time, but they change that a few years ago. The cutoff is not 1 hour of flight time and wasn’t when it went by flight time either.
That said, under 10,000 feet after departure, we aren’t supposed to get out of our jumpseat for non emergency purposes and we’re supposed to be back in our jumpseat prior to reaching 10,000 feet on the descent.
You don’t even bother half the time on IAD/MCO either…..because of “turbulence”….
Which we all know is complete bullshit. Rarely a bump the entire way.
You’re just pissed about your contract and we all know it.
Are you that lonely on xmas day, that you have to be on your phone insulting an entire working group based on your opinion? Get a life!
So true about the contract. I think the company should terminate anyone wearing those lanyards that state – CONTRACT FIRST, UNITED SECOND. The traveling public that is paying your salary doesn’t need to know you are loyal to your union but not your company. You would not be an employee in my company. I believe your paycheck shows United Airlines not your unions name on it.
Sounds like a frustrating experience to end the year as a Premier 1K. Hopefully, 2025 brings better travel experiences and more consistent upgrades!
I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of FC upgrades I got this year. DFW – DEN 2X, DEN – CLT, YYZ – DEN (UA codeshare on AC metal) SFO – DEN. I’m a lowly Gold, and have only flown 28 segments on UA this year. Maybe just my year for travel.
Only complaint is there is no Chase Sapphire lounge in DEN. UA lounges so crowded.
I too am not making it to 1K status for the first time in years and I agree that there is not much of a benefit. United holds 1st class seats and sells them at a discount rather than upgrade their loyal flyers.
On the subject of service on short flights like SAN to LAX or MSN to ORD I mostly never see any service beyond water.