In case you are a frequent flyer and spend many hours touring every year, having elite status with an airline, equivalent to United Airways, could make a big distinction in your journey expertise. Shorter strains, quicker service, complimentary upgrades, worldwide lounge entry and different advantages can simply make anxious journeys extra seamless.
Nevertheless, these perks don’t come with out a value. Airways typically require vital time, cash or each to attain that elusive elite standing. With thresholds to achieve standing seemingly ever-increasing, it is very important weigh the advantages towards the drawbacks of remaining loyal to at least one airline program. That is very true for the United MileagePlus program, which not too long ago unveiled elevated thresholds for earning Premier status in 2025.
This information will consider United Premier standing and break down the completely different standing tiers, the way to earn them and if their perks are well worth the effort for United flyers.
Associated: United Airlines MileagePlus: Guide to earning and redeeming miles, elite status and more
What’s United Premier standing?
If you select to fly United Airways and add your MileagePlus quantity to your reserving, along with incomes miles, you earn factors towards Premier standing. Relying on which United elite standing tier you obtain, perks vary from complimentary first-class upgrades on most domestic flights (relying on availability) to incomes bonus miles that may be redeemed for future journey.
You possibly can qualify for Premier standing by way of a mixture of Premier qualifying flights and Premier qualifying factors, or with Premier qualifying factors alone. The variety of flights and factors you earn in a calendar 12 months will decide which standing you obtain, which is then legitimate for the rest of the calendar 12 months, everything of the next 12 months, and the primary month of the 12 months after.
As an example, if you happen to reached standing necessities anytime in 2024, you’ll maintain the standing by way of Jan. 31, 2026. So, incomes elite standing as rapidly as doable within the calendar 12 months is sensible so you possibly can take pleasure in the advantages for so long as doable.
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United Premier standing tiers
Anybody could make a United MileagePlus account totally free on-line, the place you begin as a “Member” and might take off in your elite standing expedition. You may have 4 official elite standing tiers to work towards:
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- Premier Silver
- Premier Gold
- Premier Platinum
- Premier 1K
These are similar to the elite standing tiers of rival airline loyalty applications American Airlines AAdvantage and Delta Air Lines SkyMiles. As you climb the ranks, the perks grow to be extra profitable, providing unimaginable advantages equivalent to lounge entry and free checked baggage.
There’s additionally an unpublished unique tier referred to as Global Services, which might solely be achieved by flying 4 million miles or receiving a private invitation.
Associated: How to redeem miles with the United MileagePlus program
How you can qualify for United Premier standing
In recent times, many airways have moved away from calculating elite standing based mostly on precise mileage flown. For United, this implies elite standing is achieved by taking Premier qualifying flights, or PQFs, which embrace flight segments on each United and companion airways, and incomes Premier qualifying factors, or PQPs. PQPs — to not be confused with United MileagePlus miles — are earned solely for the aim of elite standing and can’t be redeemed for award flights.
You possibly can earn PQPs by flying, although the incomes price depends upon which airline operates the flight and whether or not you ebook it with money or miles. You may also earn PQPs by way of spending on cobranded bank cards.
| Kind of flight | PQP incomes price |
|---|---|
| United and United Specific flights booked with money | Earn 1 PQP per greenback spent on base airfare and carrier-imposed surcharges (not together with taxes and different charges). |
| United and United Specific flights booked with miles | Earn 1 PQP for each 100 MileagePlus miles redeemed on flights and seat upgrades. |
| Companion flights booked with money | Earn 1 PQP for each 5 award miles on preferred partner airlines. Observe that you may solely earn a most of 750 PQPs for financial system and premium financial system seats and 1,500 PQPs for first- and business-class seats.
Earn 1 PQP for each 6 award miles on MileagePlus partner airlines. You possibly can earn 1 PQP for each 6 award miles; you may earn a most of 500 PQPs per flight in financial system and premium financial system and 1,000 PQPs per flight in first and enterprise class.
|
| Companion flights booked with miles | Companion award tickets don’t earn PQPs; you may solely earn miles on flight segments operated by United. |
You might have two avenues to qualify for United Premier standing: You possibly can attain a sure variety of mixed PQPs and PQFs, or earn PQPs alone.
Sadly, United not too long ago introduced that these thresholds would improve by roughly 25% for the 2025 standing qualification 12 months. Here is a abstract of the modifications:
| Standing tier | PQPs and PQFs (2024) | PQPs and PQFs (2025) | PQPs solely (2024) | PQPs solely (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier Silver | 4,000 PQPs and 12 PQFs | 5,000 PQPs and 15 PQFs | 5,000 PQPs | 6,000 PQPs |
| Premier Gold | 8,000 PQPs and 24 PQFs | 10,000 PQPs and 30 PQFs | 10,000 PQPs | 12,000 PQPs |
| Premier Platinum | 12,000 PQPs and 36 PQFs | 15,000 PQPs and 45 PQFs | 15,000 PQPs | 18,000 PQPs |
| Premier 1K | 18,000 PQPs and 54 PQFs | 22,000 PQPs and 60 PQFs | 24,000 PQPs | 28,000 PQPs |
So, even if you happen to secured elite standing in 2024, it’s possible you’ll have to rethink your qualification technique to fulfill the brand new incomes necessities in 2025.
Nevertheless, United has introduced plans to present current elite members a head begin on subsequent 12 months’s standing within the type of bonus PQPs — and these numbers have additionally elevated from final 12 months. In case you certified for standing in 2024, you may get the next bonus PQPs in early 2025, relying in your present standing stage:
- Premier Silver: 300 PQPs
- Premier Gold: 600 PQPs
- Premier Platinum: 900 PQPs
- Premier 1K: 1,400 PQPs
It’s also vital to notice that whether or not you are working towards standing with PQPs and PQFs or PQPs alone, United has a four-segment requirement to attain standing. This implies you should take at the very least 4 flights operated by United or United Specific to earn any standing tier.
United Premier standing advantages
As you possibly can think about, the perks of United loyalty get an increasing number of interesting as you climb the Premier standing ladder. Here is an summary of what you may take pleasure in with every tier:
Premier Silver
That is the bottom elite tier within the MileagePlus program, the place you’ll obtain advantages equivalent to:
- Earn 7 miles per greenback spent on flights (fundamental members solely earn 5 miles per greenback)
- Star Alliance Silver standing
- Precedence Group 2 boarding
- Most well-liked seating at reserving (for as much as eight journey companions)
- Economic system Plus seating at check-in (for you and as much as one journey companion)
- One free 70-pound checked bag
- Precedence telephone assist
- Complimentary Premier Upgrades as early because the day of departure
- On the spot upgrades to premium cabins on financial system tickets
Premier Gold
If you attain the Gold tier, you obtain the entire similar perks as Silver, along with:
- Earn 8 miles per greenback spent
- Star Alliance Gold standing
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold standing
- United Membership lounge entry when flying internationally with United or some other Star Alliance airline
- Economic system Plus seating at reserving (for you and as much as one journey companion)
- Group 1 boarding
- Two free 70-pound checked baggage
- Complimentary Premier Upgrades as early as 48 hours earlier than departure
Premier Platinum
For even more-frequent United flyers, you obtain the entire similar perks as Premier Gold, along with:
- Earn 9 miles per greenback spent
- Waived phone reserving charges (these sometimes value $25)
- Avis President’s Membership standing
- Economic system Plus seating at reserving (for as much as eight journey companions)
- Complimentary Premier Upgrades as early as 72 hours earlier than departure
- 40 PlusPoints
Premier 1K
That is the highest tier in United’s program for its most frequent vacationers, the place you’ll obtain the entire similar perks as Premier Platinum, along with:
- Earn 11 miles per greenback spent
- Precedence boarding, together with preboarding the plane
- Three free 70-pound checked baggage
- Complimentary Premier Upgrades as early as 96 hours earlier than departure
- A further 280 PlusPoints
PlusPoints, which can be found solely to Platinum and 1K members, are a separate foreign money used for seat upgrades. Sadly, utilizing them towards upgrades has grown more and more tough in recent times as demand has skyrocketed. That is why United MileagePlus is introducing a number of new methods to make use of your PlusPoints in 2025:
- A PQP or PQF deposit
- TravelBank money
- Bonus miles
- Gifting Premier standing to different MileagePlus members
Although we do not have many particulars on these modifications but, they need to make it simpler to get worth from this elite standing perk. Look out for extra data on new methods to make use of your PlusPoints as we head into the brand new 12 months.
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Can a bank card enable you to earn United Premier standing?
United has several personal and business credit cards, all issued by Chase, that may enable you to get nearer to elite standing. None of those playing cards present complimentary elite standing, however you may earn extra PQPs with on a regular basis purchases.
In 2023, United introduced how cardholders would earn PQPs from credit cards. Cardholders now earn 25 PQPs per $500 spent on an eligible cobranded United card.
The next playing cards earn 25 PQPs for each $500 in eligible spending; plus, some playing cards provide PQPs as a part of the welcome bonus:
| Card | Greatest for | Welcome provide | PQP incomes cap | Annual price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United℠ Explorer Card | Frequent United flyers | Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. | As much as 1,000 PQPs per calendar 12 months | $0 introductory annual price for the primary 12 months, then $95 |
| United Quest℠ Card | Frequent United flyers | Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 PQPs after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. | As much as 6,000 PQPs per calendar 12 months | $250 |
| United Club℠ Infinite Card | Frequent United flyers who need United Membership lounge entry | Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. | As much as 10,000 PQPs per calendar 12 months | $525 |
| United℠ Business Card | Frequent United flyers with an eligible enterprise | Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open | As much as 1,000 PQPs per calendar 12 months | $0 introductory annual price for the primary 12 months, then $99 |
| United Club℠ Business Card | Frequent United flyers with an eligible enterprise who need United Membership entry | Earn 50,000 bonus miles and 1,000 PQPs after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open | As much as 1,000 PQPs per calendar 12 months | $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.
Associated: The ultimate guide to earning elite status with United cards
Is United Premier standing value it?
Elite standing can definitely make journey extra comfy and handy. For instance, when your flight is delayed and also you wish to converse 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 pleasurable, although they’ll typically be arduous to return by on busy routes, particularly between hubs.
In case you journey with United or its companion airways recurrently and/or spend considerably on a cobranded bank card, it’s possible you’ll discover it straightforward to earn Premier standing, and it may be a savvy technique to maximize your journey. Plus, this implies you may even be incomes loads of United miles, which you’ll be able to redeem for United award flights, all whereas having fun with your elite standing advantages.
Nevertheless, it isn’t value pursuing standing when you possibly can’t take pleasure in the advantages you’ve got labored arduous to earn. Be sure you contemplate United’s route map, its presence at your own home airport(s) and the way straightforward it’s to get to your required vacation spot. Dwelling close to a United hub equivalent to Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR) or George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) can definitely make it extra worthwhile to pursue United standing. If United and its companion airways do not fly the place you reside or the place you wish to journey, you will not get a lot use from United standing.
Lastly, do not forget that Premier standing doesn’t present home lounge entry when touring with United. If this profit is vital to you, contemplate making use of for the United Club Infinite Card, which gives United Membership entry and elite perks equivalent to two free checked baggage and Premier Entry journey providers.
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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 1000’s of {dollars} spent. Understanding the fee and perks of United’s elite standing is vital to find out whether it is best for you — particularly since United’s latest modifications will make standing tougher to earn in 2025.
Premier perks could make the journey expertise much less anxious and extra pleasurable. Each traveler has their very own set of advantages that make it worthwhile to pursue elite standing based mostly on price range constraints, dwelling airports, locations and different particular person components. In case you try for United Airways elite standing, make sure you can use the advantages you’ve got earned.