EWRFlyerNJ

What has everyone done this year in PQD vs 2019? I’m at 15k vs 35k in 2019, so gotta catch up given zero for first six months. Just curious what the typical FlyerTalk GS has done so far.

bmwe92fan

I'm at $50k+ YTD versus 60k+ for 2019.... 2020 was ~$40k and 2021 was about $35k... Been GS since merger with CO....

UA_Flyer

I am almost at pre-Covid level with estimated $70K spent this year. Being GS since the beginning (and now as a lifetime GS), I am fortunate to be able to qualify for GS just based on routine work travel in the past and now do not have to worry about qualifying.

EWRFlyerAL

I am around $20K this year (I did spend around $10K on Delta and SkyTeam when I couldn't stomach any more Polaris food as well as to maintain Platinum there) and don't see myself being much above $35K as travel patterns have changed. I'm not sure what the criteria will be. From speaking with FAs (I know, super scientific), they have said that they don't see the biz travelers and have way fewer GS flying to Europe on biz. When they do see them it's for leisure trips.

I decided if UA keeps me GS then I'll keep flying them. If not, I'm switching as much as possible to other carriers. I just don't have a good experience on UA. I always buy F/J so upgrades are not a concern and the only benefits I use are the ORD GS lobby and pre-boarding (when gate agents actually call the correct order). The rest of the benefits don't mean anything to me.

benewr

Currently at 39K and guessing 50K at the end of the year.

Duke777

I have been 1K at least the past 5-7 years probably around $15K-20K spend on average. This year, I should clear $50K-$55K with at least 6 full fare C transatlantic round trips. Hoping this will be enough to push me to GS for the first time but a bit concerned by prior spend is relatively low so will require even higher in this year. Thoughts if I have a chance?

kirkwoodj

I would think would be pre-COVID levels. There will still be a glut of 1Ks until 01FEB24

Dyce

Currently at $45K, with another $20K already booked. Spent ~$50K on other airlines this year for the first time in at least a decade and don't regret it a bit.
Unless GS benefits considerably improve (domestic upgrade availability and companion ROUND trip option - even if it's just once a year), and the Polaris food & bev returns to business class levels, then I'll continue to pick & choose where/when I fly United.

Selfish perspective, but I'm hoping the requirements for 2023 don't change and we see a lot less GS with some benefits restoration... not holding my breath though!

limey1K

$50K so far with another $20K planned. I was a $30-40K per year 1K for many years but didn’t get the invite until I cleared $50K. DEN based.

Dyce

Depends... let's just assume we're talking pre-pandemic requirements. $50K is the consensus level of spend to get you in (despite occasional cases of it not being enough).
Hubs are considered harder to qualify from - you have WAS listed which I'll assume means DCA/IAD, and of course IAD is a hub...

But:
1) is all your spend on United metal (i.e. 016 tickets on Lufthansa don't count, for example)?
2) are you subtracting the PQP bonus we received at the beginning of the year?

And as we all know the actual requirements aren't published. Will we see a return to the ~$50K requirement, or will it be some percentage of all flyers and that number will be perhaps $40K, for example?? Time will tell...
Personally I don't think prior year spend will hurt you - there are reports of a three year running total being considered ($100K) but that's to bump ppl UP to GS, not down... Less ppl spending $100K+ for the three year period 2020-2022 than 'normal'.

Assuming your $50-55K is all United metal, and is actual spend not including any bonus PQP or taxes, then I think you're pretty likely to qualify for 2023.

johnsmith

This place is a fascinating subset of UAs customer base . In talking to the GS group in my office, most are barely traveling and thinking they’ll be in teens on annual spend.

I flew Polaris home from cdg a few weeks ago and it was 95% leisure travelers (ie, none of the corp folk with a roller board and a laptop bag). United’s mix is def changing and it’s hard to see a lot of $50k+ leisure travelers populating GS.

that said, I’m flying EWR to the west coast and it’s near impossible to buy those tickets—tons of demand there, so maybe more GSs paying $3k rt to lax/sfo and doing that trip 15 times a year? Seems a little unlikely

ani90

No - I think it's the people who are responding that are a fascinating subset....lots of lurkers, indeed regular posters, here who haven't spent 50K in the entire pandemic talk less in first eight months of the year!

Duke777

Thanks, that's very helpful. I spent some time looking through the GS threads to better understand.
-All of my spend is on UA metal and subtracting the PQP bonus out. I have a few domestic flights in Z and regular economy but will largely be driven by the 6 transatlantic business class trips. Hopeful that >$50K with C fares should help vs. a ton of discount biz fares
-Based in WAS/IAD... understand hub can be a bit higher
-Already have EXP on AA (flew them a lot for the first 6 months of the year) and hit 240K loyalty points so far. Would go for CK, but flights would be on partner metal and similar to GS, I don't think they'd count. If I'm not going to make GS, would probably split my flights a bit more between AA/UA so I can increase my loyalty points which help with upgrade priority... never thought I'd be more of a fan of AA's trailing 12 months until now.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

I wish UA would implement it.

HNLbasedFlyer

Way too many GS and 1K at the moment. Hoping the low bar for GS is at least $50K and 1K goes up significantly. Based on upgrade lists thinning 50% of GS and 1K and higher targets would be a good strategy.