Skacorica

So I am not sure if I am going to get into trouble with the mods for this, but I made GS year and found that there are not a lot of great options for finding out benefits, qualification, etc. The merged thread is absolutely unruly and spread out. 200 pages of anecdotes, conflicting information, and a frustrating lack of information. I would like to have a thread that keeps things up to date on the first post of the first page. Information taken from here, the FAQ, my talks with a gate agent, and first hand experience. This is intended to keep up with changes currently happening as well.


Qualification
-Lowest supposed qualification, 30k full fare spend, 50k full far miles, from a non hub. Lowest found hub qualification 35k FF spend, 60k FF miles.

-Still sorting through the data, will have full stats when I finish.

Possible Requalification
-Reports of 50k full fare miles
-Reports of "challenges" to keep status

Known Benefits
-Automatic Mileage Plus 1K status.

-120 Hour Upgrade Window for UDU.

-First priority in UDU regardless of ticket class (as opposed to new system where ticket class trumps status for all other pax) Hotly debated at the moment.

-Ability to open award and upgrade First and Business seats when none are available.

-Ability to use upgrade instruments on award tickets

-Ability to use the International Arrivals Lounge, regardless of ticketed cabin

-Ability to use the First Class check-in counter, regardless of ticketed cabin

-Ability to board in second group regardless of ticketed cabin. This is a mess

-Access to private Customer Service offices at most hubs (may have changed)

-Access to/automatically redirected to GS desk via united reservations

-Direct phone line to agents w/o IVR

-Access to special "UGS Conciereges" at many international gateways and hubs

-UGS concierge help upon tight connections/cart waiting at gate

-Improved Irrops handling/ automatic rebooking

-5 day award opening

-Dedicated security lines at some airports such as SFO, (more?)

-Luggage Tags


Potential Benefits
-Ability at times to open Star Alliance award seats when none are available. (* exception, NOT the rule)

-RCC access w/o membership (on flight cancellations, plus possible exceptions)


Let me know if I have missed anything.

ajc1970

I first qualified mid-2008, and that year, plus the prior 2 years, I'd spent only ~18K/year, mostly on D-fare transpacs. RNO was my base at the time.

Skacorica

Have you still requalified yearly? If so, how much have you spent/flown during the requalification time? I have been trying to take the most recent sample sizes.

ajc1970

Requal is a whole different story.

In 2009, my spend was ~20K, but I had an "auto-requal" for the 2010 year, because I flew about 60K full-fare miles and they offered re-qual to anybody with 50+K full-fare miles.

In 2010, again I flew ~60K full-fare miles and spent ~20K, and changed my home airport from RNO to LAS, but they didn't make me the "fly 50K full fare miles to automatically requalify," and no, I didn't requalify for 2011.

But in January 2011, I asked for and was offered a challenge (spend $12K on UA metal in 90 days), which I completed, and by April 2011 I'd regained my GS status.

I have no clue yet if I've requalified for 2012. I called yesterday and the agent said she/they didn't know yet either (she blamed it on the merger). My 2011 spend was about $30K (most ever for me), all on F, A, C, D, Y and B fares (not a single "non-premium" fare).

This is why my profile says "GS light," btw.

Skacorica

Great info, Ill add a "requalification" area as well.

Ari

I'm not sure this qualifies as a "known benefit" . . . this sounds more like a classic "one-time exception".

Yes. You can also upgrade awards under UDU.

GS super-priority check-in and security line access at ORD, SFO, IAD, etc.

goingbananas

I was in the same boat as you in 2010, had over 75K full-fare miles (all J on INTL) and didn't requal...got the same offer (as offers in my group) as you for first quarter of 2011, and basically (I/we) told them to pound sand.

Now, my colleague, who is doing a lot of domestic and South America is looking at qualifying on UA as GS since he would have to choose between AA, DL and UA based on his flight patterns, (where he currently has EXP and 1K).

So, his questions are:

1) Is the re-qual easier than the initial qualification.
2) Any thoughts on the initial $$ number to qualify, then subsequent re-qual number.
3) Any idea if UA be more transparent and publish the GS requirements for #2 question asked.

Thanks.....

travelerORD

Just made GS for the first time last month at ~171k EQM. No idea on the spend, probably north of $60k

Looking forward to scanning through the threads and learning the benefits of UGS

rwsteelers

both UA GS and CO PPE have direct phone #'s to agents without IVR, usually pick up first or second ring by agent

I'm sure the auto redirect works from Plat or 1k line, but why bother when you can just tell the agent your MP or OP #

Skacorica

1) There is no hard data on this for this past year. Seems to be roughly the same, though if 2011 held true to 2010, then you could potentially requal cheaper.
2)$35k+ full fare is a start. I have yet to see someone who (really) spent over 40k full fare and did not make it.
3) Doubtful. In fact, in making this thread, I probably irritated at least one of the UA reps - not intentionally, but when people have gotten no email, no packet in the mail, there should be info somewhere.

goingbananas

Yeah...kind of figured on all accounts as that is what I told him. I gave him my information since the start of GS (when I qualified) to the "form letter debacle" of the past year when I basically pounded sand with my wallet. I will actually get it again soon enough from 4MM Lifetime route.

For him, I can see why he is wanting to look at GS since his travel patterns for the next few years are South America and North America so its only three players and they are all US carriers.

Good luck to all on chasing the "mystery" number for the GS!!

cheers...

Skacorica

So I assume this to mean, we should be automatically added to the UDU list when using a Y award? (Though Im unsure anyone would actually use miles on a domestic award anyway)

Here is an interesting one though: how about udu on top of instrument upgrades? IE, 3 class transcon, use CR-1 from Y->C, UDU from C->F ?

Ari

With respect to UDU on awards, it can only be done by GS, and only if there is space available within the 120-hour window (no waitlisting, no airport standby). It is not automatic; you have to call GS inside the window.

When a ticket from ORD to YYZ is $700+ oneway but only 10,000 miles, the miles are the better deal.

That's a double upgrade; I think it goes without saying that something like that would not be permitted.

USAF Flyboy

Any reasonable chance to GS with 165k miles, $25k spend?

travelerORD

Perhaps but I've heard that they look at revenue. I could be wrong