I have been in the United Mileage Plus program since 1991 as result of a joint promotion entered between Pan Am and United. I was in the Pam Am program before that.

Late in the 90s, I received an email from United informing me I was in an elite group called United Global Service with unpublished benefits that were in addition to the 1K status I had. There was hardly any PR or any words in the public domain about the program. I did not hear anyone mentioned it other than that email.

A year later, dot.com crash and then 9/11 came, travel industry got hit and I never heard from United again about the Global Service Group.

Around mid 2000, I was informed I was in the GS program. It was more formal and it got a lot of coverage on Flyertalk and the press. I have had GS ever since.

My question is what year did UA officially started the GS program in 2000s? I know I was one of the earlier ones got invited into GS when the current GS program got started but I am curious when it actually got started.