How To Get United Airlines Elite Status? - Your Comprehensive Source for Airline Guidelines

If you are a frequent flyer and spend many hours traveling each year, having elite status with your airline, such as United Airlines, can make a significant difference in your travel experience. Less stressful trips can be made easier with shorter lines, faster service, free upgrades, access to foreign lounges, and other free perks.

There is a price to pay for these benefits, though. To reach that elusive elite position, airlines often need a lot of time, money, or both. Since the requirements to reach rank seem to be going up all the time, it’s important to think about the pros and cons of sticking with one airline program.

If you fly United, this guide will help you decide if the benefits of having United Premier status are worth the work. It will also explain the different levels of status and how to get them.

Find out everything you need to know about being a special member of United Airlines.

What Is United Premier Status?

Adding your MileagePlus number to your United Airlines reservation will earn you miles and may even give you Premier status if you fly United Airlines a lot.

Depending on the level of United elite rank you reach, you may be able to get free first-class upgrades on most domestic flights (as long as seats are available) or earn bonus miles that can be used for future travel.

With United, you can become a Premier member by earning Premier qualifying flights and Premier qualifying points. To become an elite member, you must have flown with the company a certain number of times (Premier qualifying flights), spent a certain amount (which includes the price of the ticket, paid upgrades, and seat sales), and used a United cobranded credit card.

Reaching a certain number of PQPs or getting the minimum number of PQFs and PQPs is what it takes to become a United Premier. After this, the person will have this position for the rest of the year and the whole year after that. It also lasts until January 31 of the next year.

In this case, if you meet the standards for status in June 2024, you will have it until January 31, 2026. That’s about a year and a half to enjoy the benefits. So, it makes sense to become elite as soon as possible this year so you can enjoy the perks for as long as possible.

United Premier Status Tiers

United has five levels of public elite status, but its unpublished top level, Global Services, is the only way to get there. You can only get there by flying 4 million miles or being personally invited.

Anyone can sign up for United MileagePlus online for free. Once you do, you’ll be a “Member” and can start your journey to elite rank.

United Airlines lists the following levels of elite rank, from least to most prestigious:

Premier Silver
Premier Gold
Premier Platinum
Premier 1K

Going up in the program is possible if you fly more with United and its partners or use a cobranded credit card. As you move up the ranks, the perks get better and better, like being able to use lounges or getting free checked bags to save money.

This is like the advanced levels of elite rank that American Airlines AAdvantage and Delta Air Lines SkyMiles have made public.

How to Qualify for United Premier status

These days, many airlines don’t base elite status on real mileage flown. Instead, they base it on how much money was spent. For United, this means that elite status is based on the number of PQPs received, which are different from United MileagePlus miles that can be redeemed.

Based on the base price of their tickets, upgrades, and other factors, traveling members can earn United Premier qualifying points, or PQPs. There are taxes and fees that add to the price of the ticket, which are not included in this price. You can get PQPs when you redeem a prize, do business with a partner airline, or use a cobranded credit card.

To become a United Premier member, you need to meet different PQP and PQF requirements. These are Premier qualifying flights or segments taken on United or partner airlines. On the other hand, United lets you become a member by making a higher PQP goal without having to meet a PQF requirement.

You would reach United Premier Gold if you received 13,000 PQPs but only had 25 qualifying flights on United. This is because you would not have enough PQFs to reach Premier Platinum through PQPs and PQFs.

Also, keep in mind that United has a four-segment requirement to become a Premier League member. This means that you must fly on at least four United or United Express trips to become a premier member.

United Premier Status Benefits

Everyone with United Airlines special status gets great perks, but as you move up the ladder, the benefits and perks keep going up because you’re so loyal.

As a United Airlines Premier member, you get perks like:

Premier Silver

You will get perks like the ones below if you join United’s program at this level:

Get 7 miles for every dollar you spend.
Silver status with Star Alliance
Early check-in, security, and boarding for Group 2
Preferred seats when you book (for up to nine people)
The economy Plus, a place to sit at check-in for up to two people
One free checked bag that weighs up to 70 pounds
First-class phone help
First-class improvements when you book with a Y or B fare
One free upgrade to first class as early as the day of departure
More awards are available in the economy

Premier Gold

As you get higher in the United ranks, you get all the same benefits as Silver, plus:

Get 8 miles for every dollar you spend.
If you are a Marriott Bonvoy Gold member with Star Alliance Gold rank, you can book an Economy Plus seat for up to two people.
Boarding for Group 1
Two free checked bags that weigh up to 70 pounds
Upgrades to first class for free up to 48 hours before the flight

Premier Platinum

For people who fly United even more often, you get all the same benefits as Premier Gold plus:

Get 9 miles for every dollar you spend.
No longer charge for phone bookings
Avis President’s Club members can book Economy Plus seats for up to nine people.
Upgrades to first class for free up to 72 hours before the flight
40 Extra Points
More award seats are available in luxury cabins

Premier 1K

If you travel a lot for United, this is the highest level of their program. You’ll get all the same benefits as Premier Platinum, plus:

Get 11 miles for every dollar you spend.
Priority boarding, which includes getting on the plane early
Three free checked bags that weigh up to 70 pounds
First-class improvements when you book with fares of Y, B, or M
Upgrades to first class for free up to 96 hours before the flight
More than 280 PlusPoints
It comes with one free drink and one snack.

Can a Credit Card Help Earn United Premier Status?

Card	Best for	Welcome offer	Earnings	Annual fee
United Gateway Card	Casual United flyers	Earn 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.	9 miles per dollar on flights (5 miles on base fare from United as a MileagePlus member, plus 4 miles on entire purchase with a credit card); 4 miles per dollar on United hotels booked directly (2 miles as a MileagePlus member, plus 2 miles earned with the credit card), 2 miles per dollar on dining and all travel, 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases	$0
United Explorer Card	Frequent United flyers	Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.	7 miles per dollar on flights (5 miles on base fare from United as a MileagePlus member, plus 2 miles on entire purchase with credit card); 4 miles per dollar on United hotels booked directly (2 miles as a MileagePlus member, plus 2 miles earned with the credit card), 2 miles per dollar on dining, 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases	$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95
United Quest Card	Frequent United flyers	Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.	8 miles per dollar on flights (5 miles on base fare from United as a MileagePlus member, plus 3 miles on entire purchase with a credit card); 4 miles per dollar on United hotels booked directly (2 miles as a MileagePlus member, plus 2 miles earned with the credit card), 2 miles per dollar on dining, 2 miles on select streaming; 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases	$250
United Club Infinite Card	Frequent United flyers wanting United Club access	Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open	7 miles per dollar on flights (5 miles on base fare from United as a MileagePlus member, plus 2 miles on entire purchase with a credit card); 4 miles per dollar on United hotels booked directly (2 miles as a MileagePlus member, plus 2 miles earned with the credit card), 2 miles per dollar on dining, 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases	$525
United Business Card	Frequent United flyers with an eligible business	Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open	7 miles per dollar on flights (5 miles on base fare from United as a MileagePlus member, plus 2 miles on entire purchase with a credit card); 3 miles per dollar on United hotels booked directly (2 miles as a MileagePlus member, plus 1 mile earned with the credit card); 2 miles per dollar on dining, gas, local transit, commuting, and office supply stores; 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases	$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99
United Club Business Card	Frequent United flyers wanting United Club access with an eligible business	Earn 50,000 bonus miles and 1,000 PQPs after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open	7 miles per dollar on flights (5 miles on base fare from United as a MileagePlus member, plus 2 miles on entire purchase with a credit card); 3.5 miles per dollar on United hotels booked directly (2 miles as a MileagePlus member, plus 1.5 miles earned with the credit card), 1.5 miles per dollar on all other purchases	$450

The Points Guy collected this data independently for the United Club Business Card. The card owner has not looked over or permitted the information on this page about the card.

You can exchange your miles, possibly get into clubs, and get other benefits from United cobranded credit cards. You can also earn PQPs.

United changed the way you can get PQPs from your credit cards in 2023. For every $12k spent, the cards used to give you 500 PQPs. Now, though, they give 25 PQPs for every $500. In addition to making it 20% faster to earn PQPs, this also means that members can earn them without having to pay the full $12,000.

You can only get a certain number of PQPs with each cobranded credit card:

With the United Explorer Card, the United Business Card, or the United Club Business Card, you can get up to 1,000 PQPs.
With the United Quest Card, you can get up to 6,000 PQPs.
With the United Club Infinite Card, you can get up to 10,000 PQPs.

Is United Premier Status Worth It?

You might find it easy to get Premier status if you often fly with United or one of its partner airlines or use a cobranded credit card that you spend a lot on. This is a smart way to get the most out of your travels.

Being an elite member can make traveling easier and more enjoyable. Say your flight is delayed and you need to talk to a representative to get things fixed. Having elite status can make a difference in getting a quick answer. Having any level of United Premier rank will also save you time by letting you board first and speeding up the check-in lines at the airport. Free upgrades are always nice, but they can be hard to find on busy routes, especially when going between hubs.

Remember that if you fly a lot or use a United credit card, you’ll also earn a lot of United miles. You can use these miles to get free flights and other perks that come with being a special member.

You should also look at United’s travel map. Going after status is pointless if you can’t enjoy the perks you’ve worked so hard to get. Take a look at United’s service from your home airport(s) and how easy it is to get where you want to go. It can make a bigger difference if you live close to a United hub like Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) or George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). You won’t get much out of the rank if United and its partner airlines don’t fly where you want to go.

Finally, keep in mind that Premier status does not give you entry to United’s domestic lounges. If this benefit is important to you, you might want to look into the United Club Infinite Card instead. It gives you entry to the United Club and elite-level benefits like two free checked bags and Premier entry travel services.

Bottom line

Getting elite status, especially a top-level status like Premier 1K, isn’t easy. You have to spend a lot of time and money on planes and other things. To decide if United’s elite position is right for you, you should know what it costs and what it gives you.

Getting premier perks can make traveling less stressed and even more fun. Each traveler has their own set of benefits that make elite status worth it, depending on their budget, home airport(s), locations, and other factors.

If you want to become a special member of United Airlines, just make sure you use the perks you’ve earned.