United Airlines status review – with elite status extensions due to COVID-19

  • Joseph Hostetler

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    United Airlines has made some significant changes to the way you qualify for its four elite status levels (Global Services level is invitation only). You’ll no longer earn Premier Qualifying Miles (PQMs), Premier Qualifying Segments (PQSs) or Premier Qualifying Dollars (PQDs), instead you’ll qualify for elite status with Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) and Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs).

    You’ll still get elite perks like upgrades, free checked bags and reduced or waived award change and close-in booking fees. One of the unique perks of even the lowest tier of United Airlines status is that you’ll get access to more available award seats. So having United Airlines elite status can make your United Airlines miles more useful and you also get this perk if you have a United Airlines credit card.

    The United℠ Business Card has a welcome bonus of 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open, and the United℠ Explorer Card has a bonus of up to 70,000 miles. Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Plus, earn an additional 10,000 miles after you spend $6,000 total on purchases in the first six months your account is open.

    Let’s breakdown how to earn United Airlines Elite Status and what it’ll get you. (Photo courtesy of United Airlines)

    United Airlines status

    United Airlines status works the same way as with most other airlines. You’ll need to earn a certain amount of PQFs and/or PQPs in a calendar year (January 1 to December 31) to earn status and once you’ve earned an elite status level, it is valid from the time you earned it until the end of the following calendar year. So, for example, if you earn United Airlines elite status in June 2020 it would be valid through December 31, 2021.

    In general, airline elite status is harder to earn than hotel elite status, which you can often get just by opening a hotel’s credit card. But I think airline status can make a much bigger difference in the quality of your travel. The change in comfort level between economy and business-class is greater than the difference between a standard hotel room and a suite.

    One potential limitation of United Airlines elite status (and airline elite status in general) is that you won’t qualify for complimentary upgrades on award flights. However, if you have an airline credit card like the United Explorer Card or Chase United Business Card, you can qualify for a complimentary upgrade on award flights, but any companions traveling with you won’t. 

    With airline elite status you can work toward a status level even if you aren’t flying with that specific airline. The rules for earning elite credits with partner airlines can be nuanced, so I’ll explain them in more detail below.

    How to earn United Airlines status

    United Airlines has four different elite status levels:

    To reach each level you’ll have to earn a certain amount Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) and Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs) or by earning a higher amount of PQPs.

    Here’s what you’ll need to accumulate in a calendar year to qualify for each level:

    You can also get United Silver status if you’re a Marriott Bonvoy Titanium elite or higher. Just link your accounts here.

    Earn PQFs and PQPs

    You can earn PQPs for United airfare purchases (not including taxes), other select United purchases and flights with eligible partners. You’ll earn one PQP per dollar spent. Each qualifying flight segment you complete will earn one PQF. Every United Airlines fare class earns PQFs except for basic economy and award tickets. Paid partner flights also earn PQFs, unless you book a fare that doesn’t qualify for elite credit (i.e. discounted fares with certain carriers).

    These purchases earn PQPs:

    United is now allowing partner flights that aren’t book through United to earn PQPs. For preferred partners the number of PQPs you earn is equal to the number of United miles you earned for the flight divided by five. For all other partners you’ll divide the number United miles you earn by six.

    You can also earn PQPs with a co-branded United Airlines rewards credit card, like the United Club℠ Infinite Card, United Club Business Card, United℠ Business Card and the United℠ Explorer Card. You’ll earn 500 PQPs for every $12,000 you spend on the card. Each year you can earn an additional 1,000 PQPs with your card. The PQPs you earn from credit card spending only apply for status up to Platinum.

    The information for the United Club Business Card has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

    United Premier status benefits

    With any elite status, the most valuable benefit is often the upgrades and United has changed the way you earn upgrades. You now can upgrade on both domestic and international flight by using PlusPoints. PlusPoints replaces the old system, which used Global Premier Upgrades and Regional Premier Upgrades.

    You’ll earn PlusPoints when you reach Premier Platinum (40 PlusPoints) and Premier 1k (280 PlusPoints). After reaching Premier 1k you’ll continue to earning PlusPoints at a rate of 20 PlusPoints for every 3,000 PQPs you earn.

    The table below shows you how many PlusPoints you’ll need for an upgrade:

    You can apply for an upgrade through United’s mobile app, website or by calling. You don’t need the PlusPoints in your account in order to be added to the waitlist and the PlusPoints won’t be deducted from your account until the upgrades clears. There is also a Skip Waitlist option available on select routes, which let’s you redeem additional PlusPoints to confirm your upgrade at booking.

    United Premier Silver

    United’s Silver status has a few nice perks, like access more available award seats, a free checked bag and reduced award fees.

    As a United Silver Elite member you’ll receive these perks:

    United Premier Gold

    Gold status gets you a slightly enhanced version of most of the Silver elite perks. So you’ll be upgraded sooner, pay smaller fees and get an extra free checked bag on Economy tickets.

    One of the best Gold status benefit is the Star Alliance Gold status it gets you. With it you’ll have access to Star Alliance lounges anytime you’re flying with a Star Alliance partner. The one exception is on domestic United Airlines flights where you won’t have access to United Club lounges, but you will be able to access other Star Alliance lounges. Although if you’re flying domestically, it’s not likely there will be a Star Alliance lounge in a domestic terminal other than United’s Club lounges, anyway.

    You can also match United Gold status to Marriott Bonvoy Gold.

    United Gold Elite members get:

    United Premier Platinum

    Once you get to the Premier Platinum level things really start to get good. First off, you’ll pay no change, or redeposit fees on award tickets and you’ll get access to more available economy and select premium cabin award seats. With the other statuses (and United credit cards) you only get access to more economy award seats.

    You’ll also earn 40 PlusPoints which you can use for complimentary upgrades. United Platinum status also gets you Marriott Bonvoy Gold status. Again, just link your accounts here.

    United Platinum elite status comes with these benefits:

    United Premier 1K

    United Premier 1K members will earn an additional 280 PlusPoints (320 total), which can be used for complimentary upgrades and just like with United’s Platinum & Gold status, United 1K members can match their status to Marriott Bonvoy Gold.

    United Premier 1K members get:

    United’s elite status response to COVID-19

    Your elite status crashed into a brick wall when the novel coronavirus began its meteoric rise. To combat the thick layer of dust atop the airline benefits you’ve worked to hard to achieve, United will extend your current elite status to Jan. 31, 2022. That’s great news!

    In addition, United is making the Premier Qualifying Points and Premier Qualifying Flights you need to earn for status this year much more attainable, cutting most in half!

    You can earn Premier Qualifying Points by purchasing flights on United — but also from everyday spending on United Airlines credit cards. And between May 1 and December 31, 2020, United is increasing the amount of Premier Qualifying Points you’ll earn through spending:

    As stated previously, United Premier Platinum is the highest status you can achieve via credit card spending.

    For all you United 1K and Platinum status holders, United’s PointsPlus program (a new method for receiving upgrades), will receive a six-month extension on all points set to expire on or before Jan. 31, 2021.

    Is United Airlines status worth it?

    Whether or not any elite status is worth it depends a lot on how much you’re going to use it. Of course, if you have elite status or are on track to earn it, you obviously travel a lot. I think some other airlines, like Alaska Airlines, have a better elite status program, but Alaska Airlines serves mostly the West Coast and their status isn’t very helpful if you’re traveling internationally. Also, United has improved its upgrade process with PlusPoints.

    I’ve had United Airlines Premier Silver status in the past because I matched my Marriott Titanium status, but to be honest, for most people, opening a co-branded United Airlines credit card will get you most of the best perks of Premier Silver status. Although I did find that being an elite status member made it much easier to get compensated for an overnight flight delay, but maybe I just got lucky.

    Premier Gold status is helpful because it gets you Gold status with Star Alliance, the largest airline alliance in the world and with Star Alliance Gold status you get access to Star Alliance airport lounges whenever you’re flying on a Star Alliance partner flight (except United Airlines domestic flights). This is more generous than comparable status with other airline alliances.

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