With the upcoming reciprocal upgrades between Continental and United elite flyers you knew this announcement couldn’t be far off. It matches United’s Global Services membership level and systemwide upgrades for United 1K flyers. Now when will Continental build an economy plus section on their planes?
Continental just announced that they will reward flyers who earn 100K elite flyers with 4 one-way systemwide upgrade certificates. The upgrade certificates are valid from any fare paid. Currently only AA allows the use of systemwide upgrade certificates with any fare. And Continental’s new BusinessFirst cabin is light-years ahead of AA’s next generation business class. Systemwide upgrade earned in 2010 must be used by 02/28/12.
Systemwide upgrades will be fully transferable! They are valid to anywhere Continental flies. A one-way upgrade will upgrade the entire one-way ticket, regardless of the number of segments.
Also for high-spend Platinums there is a new top-tier elite level called Presidential Platinum for people that fly 75K elite miles and spend $30K/year. They’ll get confirmed upgrades 6 days before the flight and a free presidential plus mastercard which includes a presidents club membership. Flyers that have 4 million lifetime elite miles will get lifetime Presidential Platinum status.
Both programs start 01/01/10.
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13 Comments On "Continental Launches Systemwide Upgrades!"
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So, my 100K earned in 2009 will or wont get me the SWUs?
@Freddie:
Nope, time to write a letter there Freddie 😉
This past year, I did about 50k worth of actual flown domestic flights on business. + a few TATLs and Asia trips.
I’m thrilled to be involved in other pursuits at the moment (which entail redeeming rather than earning miles, but prospects don’t look too high for requalifying for plat this coming year.
Do you think this means the million/2 million aa mile earning to get lifetime platinum/ exec platinum won’t expire in the near future?
Freddie, Sell the miles. Don’t use them. You can get at least .01 maybe as much as 1.4 cents per mile.
This way your trips will not be limited by seat availability and you will earn miles.
@Izzy: True. but Im getting good value on the awards: Business class tickets for me and the Mrs. to Paradise!
And Im enjoying the flexibility to change the tickets for free as a plat.
Otherwise good advise!
@Izzy:
Exactly why you should try to use miles on trips that are worth over 2 cents a mile. An Business Class ticket should cover that threshold.
THE 4 MILL THRESHOLD DOES THAT INCLUDE MILES TRANSFERRED FROM AMEX?
@AGUG:
No
If they are trying to match United, they should be giving 6 not 4 of the systemwide upgrades, even tho IVe only used 3 of mine so far and my other 3 are going to expire at the end of this month….any advice on what to do with them???
(united systemwide upgrades, that is)
@Eli:
Perhaps, but United’s are fare restricted, Continental’s aren’t.
Yes, on United you need to have a minimum of a W class fare to use them, but if they would work on all the cheap fares then everyone will use them, and they would only clear for a few people….
Still need advice what to do with sytemwides when they are about to expire…
Anyone flying International on United netime soon??
Does this mean I can buy an $800 ticket from Newark to Hong Kong and use the system wide upgrade to get up to business first (so they are work almost $2k each to me).