In case you are a frequent flyer and spend many hours touring annually, having elite standing together with your airline, resembling United Airways, could make a big distinction in your journey expertise. Shorter strains, quicker service, complimentary upgrades, worldwide lounge entry and different free advantages can simply make aggravating journeys extra seamless.
Nevertheless, these perks don’t come with out a value. Airways usually require vital time, cash or each to attain that elusive elite standing. With thresholds to succeed in standing seemingly ever-increasing, it is very important weigh the advantages in opposition to the drawbacks of remaining loyal to at least one airline program.
This information will consider United Premier standing within the MileagePlus program and break down the completely different standing tiers, the right way to earn them and if the perks that include this standing are definitely worth the effort for United flyers.
Right here is all the things it is advisable to learn about United Airways elite standing.
What’s United Premier standing?
Once you select to fly United Airways and add your MileagePlus quantity to your reserving, along with being rewarded with miles, frequent United vacationers could get rewarded with Premier standing.
Relying on which United elite standing tier you obtain, perks vary from complimentary first-class upgrades on most home flights (relying on availability) to incomes bonus miles that may be redeemed for future journey.
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You may qualify for Premier standing with United by means of a mix of Premier qualifying flights and Premier qualifying factors. You may qualify for elite standing primarily based on the variety of flights flown with the airline (Premier qualifying flights), how a lot you spend (which is predicated on the price of the ticket, paid upgrades and seat purchases) and in the event you spend on a United cobranded bank card.
Your United Premier standing is achieved whenever you attain the brink for the required variety of PQFs and PQPs or hit a sure variety of PQPs. This standing is then legitimate for the rest of the calendar 12 months and the whole thing of the next 12 months. It additionally extends to Jan. 31 of the next 12 months.
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For example, in the event you attain the standing necessities in June 2024, you’ll maintain the standing by means of Jan. 31, 2026, supplying you with a couple of 12 months and a half to profit from the perks. So, incomes elite standing as shortly as doable within the calendar 12 months is sensible so you possibly can get pleasure from the advantages for so long as doable.
United Premier standing tiers
United presents 4 official elite standing tiers exterior its unpublished unique tier, World Providers, which might solely be achieved by flying 4 million miles or by way of private invitation.
Anybody could make a United MileagePlus account at no cost on-line, the place you begin as a “Member” and may take off in your elite standing expedition.
United Airways’ revealed elite standing tiers from lowest to highest are:
- Premier Silver
- Premier Gold
- Premier Platinum
- Premier 1K
As you fly extra with United and its companions (or spend on a cobranded bank card), you possibly can transfer up in this system to succeed in larger ranges. As you climb the ranks, the perks turn out to be extra profitable, providing unbelievable advantages resembling lounge entry or saving cash with free checked luggage.
That is much like the revealed elite standing tiers of rival airline loyalty applications American Airways AAdvantage and Delta Air Traces SkyMiles.
How one can qualify for United Premier standing
Lately, many airways have moved away from calculating elite standing primarily based on precise mileage flown, as an alternative basing it on the quantity spent. For United, this implies elite standing is calculated primarily based on the variety of PQPs earned (to not be confused with redeemable United MileagePlus miles).
Associated: How one can redeem miles with the United MileagePlus program
United Premier qualifying factors, or PQPs, are earned primarily based on the bottom fare of tickets, upgrades and extra for the touring member. Sadly, this doesn’t embody the taxes and costs that make up a part of the whole value of the ticket. You may earn PQPs primarily based on award redemptions, accomplice airline exercise and cobranded bank card spending.
To qualify for United Premier standing, you should attain various thresholds of PQPs and PQFs (Premier qualifying flights or segments flown on United or accomplice airways). Alternatively, United permits you to earn standing by assembly a better PQP aim with out a PQF requirement.
| Standing tier | PQPs and PQFs | Solely PQPs |
|---|---|---|
| Premier Silver | 4,000 PQPs and 12 PQFs | 5,000 PQPs |
| Premier Gold | 8,000 PQPs and 24 PQFs | 10,000 PQPs |
| Premier Platinum | 12,000 PQPs and 36 PQFs | 15,000 PQPs |
| Premier 1K | 18,000 PQPs and 54 PQFs | 24,000 PQPs |
For instance, in the event you earned 13,000 PQPs however solely had 25 qualifying flights on United, you’d attain United Premier Gold as you wouldn’t attain the PQF requirement to earn Premier Platinum by means of PQPs and PQFs.
It’s also vital to notice that United has a four-segment requirement to attain standing, which means that you should fly on not less than 4 flights operated by United or United Categorical to earn standing.
United Premier standing advantages
Whereas the perks are nice for all members with United Airways elite standing, as you climb the ladder, the perks and advantages proceed to extend together with your loyalty.
United Airways Premier standing perks embody:
Premier Silver
That is the entry-level tier in United’s program, the place you’ll obtain advantages resembling:
- Earn 7 miles per greenback spent
- Star Alliance Silver standing
- Precedence check-in, safety and Group 2 boarding
- Most popular seating at reserving (as much as 9 passengers)
- Economic system Plus seating at check-in (as much as two vacationers)
- One free 70-pound checked bag
- Precedence cellphone help
- First-class upgrades on the time of reserving with Y or B fares
- Complimentary first-class upgrades as early because the day of departure
- Higher award availability in economic system
Premier Gold
As you stage up with United, you obtain all the identical perks as Silver, along with:
- Earn 8 miles per greenback spent
- Star Alliance Gold standing
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold standing
- Economic system Plus seating at reserving (as much as two vacationers)
- Group 1 boarding
- Two free 70-pound checked luggage
- Complimentary first-class upgrades as early as 48 hours earlier than departure
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Premier Platinum
For even more-frequent United flyers, you obtain all the identical perks as Premier Gold, along with:
- Earn 9 miles per greenback spent
- Waived phone reserving charges
- Avis President’s Membership standing
- Economic system Plus seating at reserving (as much as 9 vacationers)
- Complimentary first-class upgrades as early as 72 hours earlier than departure
- 40 PlusPoints
- Higher award availability in premium cabins
Premier 1K
That is the highest tier in United’s program for its most frequent vacationers, the place you’ll obtain all the identical perks as Premier Platinum, along with:
- Earn 11 miles per greenback spent
- Precedence boarding, together with preboarding the plane
- Three free 70-pound checked luggage
- First-class upgrades on the time of reserving with Y, B or M fares
- Complimentary first-class upgrades as early as 96 hours earlier than departure
- An extra 280 PlusPoints
- One free drink and one snack in economic system
Can a bank card assist earn United Premier standing?
United has a number of private and enterprise bank cards, all provided by Chase, together with:
| Card | Finest for | Welcome supply | Earnings | Annual charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Gateway Card | Informal United flyers | Earn 30,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open | 7 miles per greenback on flights (5 miles on base fare from United as a MileagePlus member, plus 2 miles on whole buy with bank card); 3 miles per greenback on United motels booked immediately (2 miles as a MileagePlus member, plus 1 mile earned with the bank card); 2 miles per greenback on all different United purchases, gasoline, native transit and commuting; 1 mile per greenback on all different purchases | $0 |
| United Explorer Card | Frequent United flyers | Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open | 7 miles per greenback on flights (5 miles on base fare from United as a MileagePlus member, plus 2 miles on whole buy with bank card); 4 miles per greenback on United motels booked immediately (2 miles as a MileagePlus member, plus 2 miles earned with the bank card), 2 miles per greenback on eating, 1 mile per greenback on all different purchases | $95, waived the primary 12 months |
| United Quest Card | Frequent United flyers | Earn 70,000 bonus miles and 500 PQPs after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open | 8 miles per greenback on flights (5 miles on base fare from United as a MileagePlus member, plus 3 miles on whole buy with bank card); 4 miles per greenback on United motels booked immediately (2 miles as a MileagePlus member, plus 2 miles earned with the bank card), 2 miles per greenback on eating, 2 miles on choose streaming; 1 mile per greenback on all different purchases | $250 |
| United Membership Infinite Card | Frequent United flyers wanting United Membership entry | Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open | 9 miles per greenback on flights (5 miles on base fare from United as a MileagePlus member, plus 4 miles on whole buy with bank card); 4 miles per greenback on United motels booked immediately (2 miles as a MileagePlus member, plus 2 miles earned with the bank card), 2 miles per greenback on eating and all journey, 1 mile per greenback on all different purchases | $525 |
| United Enterprise Card | Frequent United flyers with an eligible enterprise | Earn 100,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open | 7 miles per greenback on flights (5 miles on base fare from United as a MileagePlus member, plus 2 miles on whole buy with bank card); 3 miles per greenback on United motels booked immediately (2 miles as a MileagePlus member, plus 1 mile earned with the bank card); 2 miles per greenback on eating, gasoline, native transit, commuting and workplace provide shops; 1 mile per greenback on all different purchases | $99 |
| United Membership Enterprise Card | Frequent United flyers wanting United Membership entry with an eligible enterprise | Earn 75,000 bonus miles and 1,000 PQPs after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open | 7 miles per greenback on flights (5 miles on base fare from United as a MileagePlus member, plus 2 miles on whole buy with bank card); 3.5 miles per greenback on United motels booked immediately (2 miles as a MileagePlus member, plus 1.5 miles earned with the bank card), 1.5 miles per greenback on all different purchases | $450 |
The knowledge for the United Membership Enterprise Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Along with the redeemable miles earned, potential membership entry and different perks of the United cobranded bank cards, you may also earn PQPs.
In 2023, United modified how one can earn PQPs out of your bank cards. The playing cards used to supply 500 PQPs for each $12,000 in spending. Nevertheless, they now supply 25 PQPs for each $500. This isn’t solely a 20% enhance within the pace at which PQPs are earned but it surely additionally means members can earn PQPs with out spending the complete $12,000.
Completely different cobranded bank cards have limits on the variety of PQPs that may be earned:
Is United Premier standing value it?
Should you journey with United or its accomplice airways commonly and/or spend considerably on a cobranded bank card, chances are you’ll discover it straightforward to earn Premier standing, and it may be a savvy solution to maximize your journey.
Elite standing can definitely make journey extra comfy and handy. For instance, when your flight is delayed, and also you need to have the ability to communicate to an agent to get a decision, having elite standing can undoubtedly make the distinction in a immediate response. Moreover, holding any United Premier standing will assist save time with precedence boarding and expedited airport check-in lanes. Complimentary upgrades are at all times satisfying, although they will generally be laborious to come back by on busy routes, particularly between hubs.
Bear in mind, in case you are flying lots and/or spending on a United bank card, you may even be incomes loads of United miles, which you’ll be able to redeem for issues like free flights, all whereas having fun with your elite standing advantages.
It’s also value contemplating United’s route map. It isn’t value pursuing standing when you possibly can’t get pleasure from the advantages you have labored laborious to earn. Make sure you take into account United’s service from your private home airport(s) and the way straightforward it’s to get to your required vacation spot. Residing close to a United hub resembling Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR) or George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) can definitely have a bigger impression. If United and its accomplice airways do not fly the place you wish to journey, you will not get a lot use from the standing.
Lastly, keep in mind that Premier standing doesn’t present home lounge entry when touring with United. If this profit is vital, take into account the United Membership Infinite Card as an alternative, which supplies United Membership entry and elitelike perks resembling two free checked luggage and Premier Entry journey companies.
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Backside line
Incomes elite standing, particularly a top-tier standing like Premier 1K, isn’t any straightforward feat and requires numerous hours on planes and hundreds of {dollars} spent. Understanding the fee and perks of United’s elite standing is vital to find out whether it is best for you.
Premier perks could make the journey expertise much less aggravating and much more satisfying. Each traveler has their very own set of advantages that make it worthwhile to pursue elite standing primarily based on finances constraints, house airport(s), locations and different particular person elements.
Should you attempt for United Airways elite standing, simply guarantee you’ll use the advantages you have earned.
