Apologies if this has been asked and answered a few times already. I tried the search features and looked in the sticky posts but didn't find a good answer.

After many years away (I moved to NYC and travel the Northeast Corridor on Amtrak, heaven help me), I find myself having flown on UA enough this year to be 1175 PQPs shy of the exalted Premier Silver status. Hold the applause; and the laughter

I still hold, but rarely use, my Chase United Explorer card from years ago, preferring instead to use my AMEX Platinum card for the Centurion Lounge and other benefits.
So, should I start spending on my Chase UA card again? Will spending $1175 on non-airline purchases (restaurants, bars, Broadway, etc.) get me 1175 PQPs?

Again, apologies if this has already been asked and answered a dozen times before. Feel free to post the link to the answer and I'll go back to cursing the fate and life choices that have made Amtrak my travel mode of necessity.

Thanks in advance and all the best,
Ted Nugent (no relation)