Frequent flyers say 'Goodbye United, hello JetBlue'

Josh Roberts believes the best trips involve long hikes and muddy boots. His life goals haven't changed much since he was a kid: He still wants to be Indiana Jones when he grows up.

Follow him on Twitter (@joshwhowrites) and Instagram (@joshwhowrites), and visit his website (joshrobertsbooks.com) or Goodreads page to learn more about his forthcoming novel.

Josh joined SmarterTravel in 2001, and is an active member in both the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

In addition to SmarterTravel, he has written for USA Today, The Boston Globe, Yahoo! Travel, The Huffington Post, Airfarewatchdog, TripAdvisor, Jetsetter, ABC News, Oyster, and Business Insider. His travel photography can be seen in Britain and Ireland's Best Wild Places, published by Penguin UK.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A lacrosse ball. It's small, lightweight, and works wonders on loosening up tight muscles."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Being the first to discover an ancient lost city. Failing that, visiting as many of the already-discovered ancient ruins as possible."

Travel Motto: "Not all those who wander are lost." -J.R.R. Tolkien

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle."

See recent posts by Josh Roberts

Earlier this week, United announced some significant changes to its Mileage Plus award program. I saw the move as a mixed bag, with some positives offset by some larger negatives. Here’s what my readers had to say about it:

“I was really pulling for United to return to their days of glory. Their latest move… looks like they are trying to return to their days of bankruptcy by making their airline unrewarding for their frequent flyers. Goodbye United. Hello JetBlue.”
“To charge more miles for free flights might make the few seats they do have available to those who have lots of miles, but [it’s] not a good incentive to new flyers or one that will find favor with many frequent flyers. Basically, they are asking those who have been loyal to them to pay more for the few seats they do have. I say: Bad move, UAL!”
“I hate what United has been doing with its ‘award’ tickets… Miles have become worth so little I am getting out of the game. After some 20 years collecting credit card miles, I’m going to switch to cash back. No more bait-and-switch for me.”
“The recent JetBlue commercials noting the attitude of flight attendants on other airlines has really gotten my attention and made me realize I’m not the only one who feels this way. Although I’ve never flown JetBlue I will be looking there for my next flights. As soon as the remainder of my miles have been used up it’s good riddance United!”

So there you have it. Heads up, United: Looks like you still have a lot of work to do.

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