Last month, United Airlines published a new cabin upgrade system. While that change was fairly positive, United made some challenging changes on how to earn MileagePlus Premier status.
A Few Definitions
Right now, there are three requirements to get a United premier status:
- Premier Qualifying Miles (PQM): Earn based on the number of miles flown and type of fare purchased.
- Premier Qualifying Segments (PQS): Earn based on the number of flight segments flown and type of fare purchased.
- Premier Qualifying Dollar (PQD): Earn based on base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges on United flights (only for US–based customers).
For 2020, United published two new requirements and the previous three will expire:
- Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF): Earn based on the number of flight segments flown, four of which need to be flown on United or United Express (one for each flight no matter the fare type except Basic Economy).
- Premier Qualifying Points (PQP): Earn based on the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharge of flight purchases, along with seating purchases and paid upgrades (can earn on both United flights and partner flights).
Current Qualification Requirements
Currently, to get United premier status, you need:
| PQM | or PQS | PQD | |
| Silver | 25,000 | 30 | $3,000 |
| Gold | 50,000 | 60 | $6,000 |
| Platinum | 75,000 | 90 | $9,000 |
| 1K | 100,000 | 120 | $15,000 |
Note if you have a foreign address or spend $25,000 on Chase United credit card, the PDQ requirement is waived.
2020 Qualification Requirements
To get United premier status for 2020, you need:
| PQP | PQF | or PQP only | |
| Silver | $3,000 | 12 | $5,000 |
| Gold | $8,000 | 24 | $10,000 |
| Platinum | $12,000 | 36 | $15,000 |
| 1K | $18,000 | 54 | $24,000 |
Additionally, you need to fly at least 4 United flights.
Earn PQP on Partners
Previously, if you flew on a Star Alliance partner airline, and your flight was not ticketed by United, you couldn’t earn Premier qualifying dollars. With the new program, you’ll receive credit on these flights in the form of Premier qualifying points. Your PQP will be equal to award miles (Premier bonus miles not included) earned divided by 5, if you’re flying on a preferred partner; for other MileagePlus partner airlines, it will be award miles earned divided by 6.
| Preferred Partners | MileagePlus Partners |
| Air Canada | Aegean Airlines |
| Air China | Air Dolomiti |
| Air New Zealand | Air India |
| All Nippon Airways | Asiana Airlines |
| Austrian Airlines | Croatia Airlines |
| Avianca | Edelweiss |
| Azul Brazilian Airlines | EgyptAir |
| Brussels Airlines | Ethiopian Airlines |
| Copa Airlines | EVA Air |
| Eurowings | Juneyao Air |
| Lufthansa | LOT Polish Airlines |
| SWISS International Airlines | Olympic Air |
| SAS | |
| Shenzhen Airlines | |
| Singapore Airlines | |
| South African Airways | |
| TAP Air Portugal | |
| Thai Airways International | |
| Turkish Airlines |
Bottom Line
United is making it clear going forward the Mileage Plus program is about how much you spend on airfare. Distance flown doesn’t matter as much as the money spent on airfare. The cheap mileage run strategies to get gold or 1K status is now behind us.
A company representative of United explains about the new changes:
Members that made status via several lower value paid tickets on long-haul routes may find it more challenging to make status with distance being removed as a qualifying metric. This was our intent, as we are not trying to reward long-haul travel; these changes will award status based on the value of paid tickets and flights taken.
Additionally, members that benefited from the international PQD waiver, which our US members still had to meet, may find the new spend thresholds more challenging to meet although that’s why we’ve added ability to earn on flights ticketed and operated by our partners. We feel these changes align the way all of our members qualify for status regardless of how far they fly or where they live.
The only positive change to the elite qualifying rules is adding 12 airline partners to the Premier Qualifying Points (PQP). If you’re flying United and its partners often, it may help you to qualify sooner.
Do the changes benefit your way of getting a premier status? If not, will you consider changing to another program?
I have a hard time understanding how the award mile calculation will work. Can anyone explain?
Example: I’m United gold and got a Premier economy ticket for $1590 ($1175 without tax).
Does this mean I get 8*1175= 9400 award miles?
So United doesn’t look at my class of booking anymore, unless it would have been on a partner airline?
This change is going to hurt me. I’ve flown over 250k flight miles on United this year, buying economy tickets, and am at $32k PQD. Based out of Houston, this is 12 round trips to Sydney and 6 round trips to Seoul plus 2 round trips to Cancun. I get the system unfairly discriminated against frequent short haul flyers – I used to do 60+ ~500mile segments a year with my old job and felt that pain – BUT short haul domestic flights are like taking a bus or a train, it’s basic commuter transport. I don’t need the lounge or a Polaris seat or most of the top-tier benefits for that kind of travel. On the other hand, I now regularly fly 14-18hr super long haul flights, this is where status and the benefits are truly valuable. United would be smart to cultivate travelers like me to remain loyal as we’re the flyers who in the future will likely be spending the $6-20k per business class ticket, and United should want us to spend that with them. Very disappointing to see this kind of change to a pure revenue program, because those with that level of disposable capital aren’t incentivized to remain loyal as they have the flexibility to go with any carrier they want. I have my own startup business, so until I’m fully funded, full fare biz class tickets are out of the question, but after that point, I’ll have the capital to do that. Even though with my current spend I’d re-qualify for 1K, it will be a much longer road to get me there in 2020.
I for one welcome this change! I wish it applied to me RIGHT NOW. I am going to finish this year at 75,201 PQM and just over 90 segments, a solid Platinum, BUT I spend nearly $25,000 (no first class purchases), I should be given 1k for next year as well (I am 1k in 2019)
I AM the flyer United wants, I fly weekly but a lot of it is barely over the 500 mile min PQM anyway.
Never thought the long haul cheap flyers should have ever been treated better than the consistent business traveler.
that makes sense.
I think they intended to make the “free” or “cheaper” upgrade more difficult to get as many people are selling GPU on eBay.
So, If you want to pick Economy Plus at day 1, then Gold is enough,
If you want to be in Group 1, then Platinum is enough.
1K has “free” GPUs or PlusPoints and it just actually costs more.
I prefer buying cheaper economy and paid upgrade at the day check-in. If there’s no upgrade, I’m good to stay with the Economy Plus at the first row;
If there’s no first row, I book another flight.
1K status has pre-boarding but I’d rather spending more time in Airport lounge.
Seems no impact to me.
I don’t need to fight for upper storage since I travel with a small backpack.
and United still gets your luggage checked for free if you cannot put your luggage on upper storage during boarding on a fully loaded flight.
I usually give GPU away since I rarely use it for my own flights.
As you may know paid upgrade has highest priority!
So it’s just making customers to think “Do you really need 1K”?
It seems like some people believe long-haul flyers decide to fly long distances “only” to get miles. No, that is definitely not true. I flew from USA to Asia many times in one year because of my work, not for vacation. Made it to 1K, but 10 international trips are only 40 PQF with the new rules, which would not be enough for 1K anymore (plus the absurd expending requirements of 18,000 USD).
I think United is punishing long-haul flyers. If they wanted to make it more fair, they should keep the PQM on the loop as well, and reduce the number of PQF to stop punishing short haul flyers. It’s unfair, to me, to see a person who flies many domestic flights only getting Silver, whereas sometimes two international flights would take you to Silver.
However, what’s the point of having status anyway? You can never get an upgrade on an international flight! If the reason to have status is to fly first class, forget it, it will not happen. If you are all about flying first, then watch out for deep discounted first class tickets and buy it. Or, buy a Premier Plus seat at days that not many people fly (tuesdays/wednesdays for international flights) and use miles + 500 cash to request an upgrade to first.
This is really bad news, I will no longer hesitate in changing airlines…
Confused about partners. I booked a Viking cruise which included airfare, my choice. So I chose United which I didn’t pay for since it was included in cruise fare, so no PQP. If I would pick Air Canada or Air China for my trip i would get some PQP. Sounds like United doesn’t want me to fly with them! Hit Platinum this year for the first time normally Gold. Not sure if I can make even Gold next year. By the way to people saying great change, why should I be Penalized because I find a good deal or am smart enough to make my plans far in advance to get the best rates. Apparently the Gold goes to those waiting to the last minute paying the most regardless of Loyalty!
As 1K I am very disappointed
How will be credited Awards miles?
Very happy that money spent towards upgrades will now be counted.
The changes make 100% logic. UA is in business to make money and those that spend the most should get status rather than those that are best at finding the longest flights at the least cost.
This would have worked great for me when I was younger and flying just under 50 1,000 mile flights a year and should work for my daughter who is flying a bunch of short hops on the company dime. Now I’m retired and just glad my wife and I have Gold for life as Million Milers, maybe we’ll get a few more upgrades.
After 12 years as 1k. I’m done spending on United. I just canceled my United Club card with Chase. I will now just use my 2 million mile status (Platinum) from this point on. As well as fly any airline I choose.
Big mistake for UA in my humble opinion.
This change is great for me. I fly 30-40 domestic legs a year on United and often only get silver by legs. I’ve never gotten gold or higher. I have been sick watching dozens of people bump ahead of me on upgrade lists despite spending tens of thousands of dollars with United each year. I finally feel like they are going to respect me as a customer.
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This model screws UA 1K Elites in Oceania as we fly to Europe and USA. Since UA doesn’t fly direct from Oceania to Europe the cost/earning rates do not work.
I’m currently 1K with 150K PQM this year, way above the 100K required for 1K 2020 status, same flights in 2020 only get Platinum for 2021. As a 1MM lifetime Gold that offers no value.
I fly C on my own dime,so am now forcibly ejected after 33 years from UA/MP programs and accidentally also become independent of *A as any lifetime Gold benefits are the same as my C class fare.
Next flight will be China Air at 40% saving to UA.
MAGA