United and Continental merger = merged frequent flier programs?

[mikeerdas]

When Continental and United merge, if the merger is approved, what is likely to happen with their frequent flier mile programs?

 

I've mostly accumulated United miles, but have enough Continental miles for a domestic RT ticket. It would be great to be able to draw from both pools for a single flight or simply have the programs merged.

 

If anyone knows of a good website that provides frequent flier mile strategies in general, I'd love to know about it. Played various promotions to get myself free to Hawaii and Costa Rica before--not easy since I'm not a business traveler. In fact, I couldn't have afforded my honeymoon Hawaii cruise were it not for the free RT award air tickets.

 

Thanks.

 

Mike

[greatam]

When Continental and United merge, if the merger is approved, what is likely to happen with their frequent flier mile programs?

 

I've mostly accumulated United miles, but have enough Continental miles for a domestic RT ticket. It would be great to be able to draw from both pools for a single flight or simply have the programs merged.

 

If anyone knows of a good website that provides frequent flier mile strategies in general, I'd love to know about it. Played various promotions to get myself free to Hawaii and Costa Rica before--not easy since I'm not a business traveler. In fact, I couldn't have afforded my honeymoon Hawaii cruise were it not for the free RT award air tickets.

 

Thanks.

 

Mike

 

Continental REJECTED a merger with United three or four months ago. After Continental "looked under the hood", they bailed from a United merger FAST.

 

 

All the free miles you want if you learn how to work the system:

 

http://www.freefrequentflyermiles.com/index.htm

 

And to accumulate lots of free miles, you will most likely have to go on mileage runs-flights designed for no other purpose than to fly for miles. Check out Flyertalk-especially the mileage run forum. Lots of cheap flights to nowhere (well, sometimes to great places) that earn miles at a really decent rate=price of flight vs amount of miles accumulated.

[6rugrats]

When Continental and United merge, if the merger is approved, what is likely to happen with their frequent flier mile programs?

 

I've mostly accumulated United miles, but have enough Continental miles for a domestic RT ticket. It would be great to be able to draw from both pools for a single flight or simply have the programs merged.

 

If anyone knows of a good website that provides frequent flier mile strategies in general, I'd love to know about it. Played various promotions to get myself free to Hawaii and Costa Rica before--not easy since I'm not a business traveler. In fact, I couldn't have afforded my honeymoon Hawaii cruise were it not for the free RT award air tickets.

 

Thanks.

 

Mike

 

Are you talking about this press release? It's not a merger, it merely says CO is joining *A.

 

http://www.united.com/press/detail/0,6862,59599-1,00.html

[paul929207]

CO & UA have signed a marketing agreement. They are not merging. As part of it, CO is leaving the Sky Team Alliance and joining the Star Alliance. They will code share some flights. Passengers will have a choice of either FF program to put their miles for future flights. Members of either airlines airport clubs will be able to use the other lines clubs.

[jla418]

Yea, Continental is positioning itself to scarf up the best assets of UAL if/when UAL begins to liquidate. Think Delta/PAN AM.... Nobody wants to take on all the problems that UAL management has created.

[mikeerdas]

Thanks for the replies. I'll check out that FF web site.

 

I remember people telling me to bail on UAL many years ago when they were structuring--use the miles now or they'll be worthless. Never happened. Doesn't mean it couldn't.

 

I've read that, if you're really concerned about an airline going belly-up, book award travel with a more stable partner, like any of the national airlines of other countries (for me, that would be other Star Alliance member airlines for my United miles).

[greatam]

Thanks for the replies. I'll check out that FF web site.

 

I remember people telling me to bail on UAL many years ago when they were structuring--use the miles now or they'll be worthless. Never happened. Doesn't mean it couldn't.

 

I've read that, if you're really concerned about an airline going belly-up, book award travel with a more stable partner, like any of the national airlines of other countries (for me, that would be other Star Alliance member airlines for my United miles).

 

As I posted in another of your threads, a subscription to Expertflyer ($5.00 per month-use it when you want, discontinue when you don't need it) is a real key to finding availability. You will need to know the award codes for all the airlines you are searching. But a very good way to find those elusive award tickets. And as posted by two or three, you will have to REALLY think out of the box to get FF during prime summer season to Europe. It is doable, but it take work on YOUR part. Don't count on an airline rep finding seats for you. Find the availability, THEN call the airline.