How you can earn United Premier standing

In case you are a frequent flyer and spend many hours touring annually, having elite standing with an airline, similar to United Airways, could make a major distinction in your journey expertise. Shorter strains, sooner service, complimentary upgrades, worldwide lounge entry and different advantages can simply make irritating journeys extra seamless.

Nonetheless, these perks don’t come and not using a price. Airways typically 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 towards the drawbacks of remaining loyal to 1 airline program. That is very true for the United MileagePlus program, which just lately unveiled elevated thresholds for incomes Premier standing in 2025.

This information will consider United Premier standing and break down the totally different standing tiers, find out how to earn them and if their perks are well worth the effort for United flyers.

Associated: United Airways MileagePlus: Information to incomes and redeeming miles, elite standing and extra

What’s United Premier standing?

Once 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 home flights (relying on availability) to incomes bonus miles that may be redeemed for future journey.

You’ll be able to qualify for Premier standing by means of a mix 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 yr will decide which standing you obtain, which is then legitimate for the rest of the calendar yr, the whole lot of the next yr, and the primary month of the yr after.

For example, when you reached standing necessities anytime in 2024, you’ll maintain the standing by means of Jan. 31, 2026. So, incomes elite standing as rapidly as attainable within the calendar yr is sensible so you possibly can get pleasure from the advantages for so long as attainable.

Associated: Finest United Airways bank cards

United Premier standing tiers

Anybody could make a United MileagePlus account without spending a dime 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 akin to the elite standing tiers of rival airline loyalty applications American Airways AAdvantage and Delta Air Traces SkyMiles. As you climb the ranks, the perks turn out to be extra profitable, providing unbelievable advantages similar to lounge entry and free checked baggage.

There’s additionally an unpublished unique tier known as International Providers, which may solely be achieved by flying 4 million miles or receiving a private invitation.

Associated: How you can 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 embody 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’ll be able to earn PQPs by flying, although the incomes charge will depend on which airline operates the flight and whether or not you guide it with money or miles. It’s also possible to earn PQPs by means of spending on cobranded bank cards.

Kind of flight	PQP incomes charge
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.
Associate flights booked with money	Earn 1 PQP for each 5 award miles on most well-liked companion airways. Be aware which you can 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 companion airways. You’ll be able to 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.
Associate flights booked with miles	Associate 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’ll be able to attain a sure variety of mixed PQPs and PQFs, or earn PQPs alone.

Sadly, United just lately introduced that these thresholds would enhance by roughly 25% for the 2025 standing qualification yr. Here is a abstract of the adjustments:

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 when you secured elite standing in 2024, it’s possible you’ll must rethink your qualification technique to satisfy the brand new incomes necessities in 2025.

Nonetheless, United has introduced plans to offer present elite members a head begin on subsequent yr’s standing within the type of bonus PQPs — and these numbers have additionally elevated from final yr. Should you certified for standing in 2024, you may get the next bonus PQPs in early 2025, relying in your present standing degree:

• Premier Silver: 300 PQPs
• Premier Gold: 600 PQPs
• Premier Platinum: 900 PQPs
• Premier 1K: 1,400 PQPs

Additionally it is necessary 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 a minimum of 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 increasingly interesting as you climb the Premier standing ladder. Here is an summary of what you may get pleasure from with every tier:

Premier Silver

That is the bottom elite tier within the MileagePlus program, the place you’ll obtain advantages similar 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)
• Financial 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

Once you attain the Gold tier, you obtain all the identical 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 every other Star Alliance airline
• Financial 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 all the identical perks as Premier Gold, along with:

• Earn 9 miles per greenback spent
• Waived phone reserving charges (these usually price $25)
• Avis President’s Membership standing
• Financial 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 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 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 forex used for seat upgrades. Sadly, utilizing them towards upgrades has grown more and more tough lately 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 adjustments 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 yr.

Associated: Your information to Star Alliance airways, lounges and elite standing

Can a bank card allow you to earn United Premier standing?

United has a number of private and enterprise bank cards, all issued by Chase, that may allow 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 bank 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 supply PQPs as a part of the welcome bonus:

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 last word information to incomes elite standing with United playing cards

Is United Premier standing value it?

Elite standing can definitely make journey extra snug 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 all the time pleasurable, although they’ll generally be laborious to come back by on busy routes, particularly between hubs.

Should you journey with United or its companion airways often 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 approach 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.

Nonetheless, it isn’t value pursuing standing when you possibly can’t get pleasure from the advantages you’ve got labored laborious to earn. Remember to take into account 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. Residing close to a United hub similar 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 necessary to you, take into account making use of for the United Membership Infinite Card, which offers United Membership entry and elite perks similar to two free checked baggage and Premier Entry journey providers.

Associated: Is United Airways premium financial system value it to Europe?