Jan 3, 2016, 12:15 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Last edit by: wxguy

GS/Global Services is the highest tier of elite status. It is by invitation -- the invite criteria is not public but seems to require substantial annual spending with UA both in terms of absolute dollar amounts and purchasing higher fare classes (higher cpm - cents per mile). There are also reports of GS status being comped by UA Marketing to VIPs in companies who sign corporate travel deals with UA. The sole published way to qualify is to become a 4MM, having flown 4 million BIS miles on UA metal (plus additional grandfathered credits at the time of the UA/CO merger).

GS have significantly enhanced services / benefits over 1Ks. There is little said publicly by UA on GS benefits and/or qualification.

Last years's thread, Consolidated Global Services Thread - Qualifications, Benefits and Q & A [2015]
Thread on qualifying for 2016, Global Services 2016 Notifications (ONLY)

Known facts from United:

Global Services recognizes the extraordinary dedication of our top flyers. We consider a number of factors beyond the usual Premier-qualifying criteria.

We look at your travel spend on United-operated flights relative to that of other top Premier flyers over recent consecutive years.

Usually, members invited to Global Services tend to consistently purchase premium cabins or fully refundable tickets.

Known Award and Upgrade Benefits:

All benefits noted below require calling a GS agent:

GS can create saver economy award space (XN) if T inventory is available.
GS can create saver business award space (IN) if R inventory is available.
GS can upgrade economy awards (XN or YN) into Business First with a GPU if PN inventory is available.
GS can upgrade business awards (IN or JN) into Global First with a GPU if ON inventory is available.
GS are entitled to one saver award seat in the same class of service with their purchase of any premium fare. GS agents can open space if it is not available.
GS can upgrade a companion from coach to biz when flying on a paid biz fare, even if R or PN is not available.
GS cannot double upgrade. Economy -> PN -> ON is not allowed. *Some reports of TOD being offered at OLCI.

Consolidated Global Services Thread: Benefits, Questions 2016

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Oct 25, 2016, 5:15 pm

#871

wxguy

Original Poster

Join Date: Dec 2004

Location: BOS<>NYC<>BKK

Programs: UA 4.3MM LT-GS; AA1MM; Amtrak SE; MAR LT TITAN; PC Plat; HIL DIA; HYA GLOB

Posts: 4,393

Quote:

Originally Posted by iluv2fly

Don't think there is a "team" there.

On my flight back to EWR a few months ago, the agent in charge told the gate security checker that I was GS and told him to let me on the plane first without any bag check. And he did. That was nice.

When i was there about 15 months ago I asked, and was told no GS agents. But they did call GS for boarding first.

Oct 25, 2016, 5:31 pm

#872

Live4Upgrade

Join Date: Oct 2002

Location: SDF

Programs: -=- UA: GS + 3.9 Million Miler; Hilton: Diamond; Marriott: Gold; Hertz: President's Circle

Posts: 676

At MSP today in UA Club. The Club agent casually walks over to me, hands me a new boarding pass for next flight (in F), whispers the 3pm MSP-SFO is going to be cancelled in a few minutes, says "thanks for your biz", then proceed to announce on intercom which generated a long line of 1Ks scrambling to get rebooked.

+1 to the agent.

Oct 25, 2016, 5:57 pm

#873

manstein58

Join Date: Apr 2013

Location: Bucks County

Programs: UAL GS & Million Miler; Delta Lifetime Gold; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Platinum; Legion Etrangere

Posts: 1,609

Quote:

Originally Posted by Live4Upgrade

nice!

Oct 25, 2016, 7:01 pm

#874

lakid

Join Date: Aug 2002

Location: LA,NYC

Programs: AA-EXP 2.8 MM,UA-GS 1.3 MM,DL-PL,HH-DM,LH-SEN,Bonvoy-GL

Posts: 296

Quote:

Originally Posted by LAXOGG

Is TLV outsourced like DEL and BOM? There are no GS's at those stations.

I travel to TLV very often although there are no UA employees at the check-in desks or at the gate as they are outsourced to I believe QAS there is usually one agent at the check-in area and then transfers to the gate who wears the United uniform with the yellow tie or yellow scarf and has a united lanyard and a united ID I guess these are United employees but either way GS is practically ignored never got a hello yet. And once there was a guy that was out right nasty But most of the time they do the formal announcement of letting GS board first so to answer your question don't expect anything

Last edited by lakid; Oct 25, 2016 at 7:18 pm

Oct 26, 2016, 8:00 am

#875

UA_Flyer

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Apr 2003

Programs: UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist

Posts: 12,339

I was on PEK-SFO, and the plane was on its way to the runway for take off, but experienced some mechanical issues and had to return to the gate.

Pilot annouced that maintenance will check the plane and it should not take too long. Moments later, a GS agent came on board and whisper in my ears to gather my belongings and follow her. As soon as we left the jet bridge, she told me the flight will be cancelled and she had booked me on the PEK-EWR flight, and wanted to escort me back to immigration (re-enter China) and then depart China to take the PEK-EWR flight. She wanted to give me a headstart before a 747 planeful of 300+ angry passengers going through immigration and process through United to get on alternative flights.

Oct 26, 2016, 9:09 am

#876

kirkwoodj

Join Date: Apr 2009

Location: Houston

Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles

Posts: 8,704

Quote:

Originally Posted by UA_Flyer

escort me back to immigration (re-enter China) and then depart China to take the PEK-EWR flight. She wanted to give me a headstart before a 747 planeful of 300+ angry passengers going through immigration and process through United to get on alternative flights.

Curious as to why you'd need to go through immigration again, since PEK-SFO leaves at noon, and PEK-EWR is 3:45pm? Couldn't just go back to concourse since escorted?

Oct 26, 2016, 9:45 am

#877

iluv2fly

Moderator: Midwest, Las Vegas & Dining Buzz

Join Date: Jun 2001

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Posts: 17,976

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirkwoodj

Curious as to why you'd need to go through immigration again, since PEK-SFO leaves at noon, and PEK-EWR is 3:45pm? Couldn't just go back to concourse since escorted?

Yes, was wondering the same thing myself.

Oct 26, 2016, 11:19 am

#878

jjoe123

Join Date: Apr 2010

Posts: 391

Global service premier status after a year

Hello,

A colleague of mine currently has Global Services status. Since he didn't fly much UA this year he was wondering, after probably losing the status next year - what would his new status be? Would he be downgraded to Platinum (since he didn't meet the 1K requirements)? Or would he lose Premier status at all since he didn't fly UA or S* this year?

Thanks

Oct 26, 2016, 11:37 am

#879

kirkwoodj

Join Date: Apr 2009

Location: Houston

Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles

Posts: 8,704

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjoe123

Due to lack of any concrete data in your question, no idea what will happen to your colleague's status. Bet they won't be GS though.

Oct 26, 2016, 11:55 am

#880

jjoe123

Join Date: Apr 2010

Posts: 391

What info do you need (I can ask him)

Is there a chance he will lose status? Not even gold?

Oct 26, 2016, 12:07 pm

#881

GS8101

Join Date: Mar 2014

Location: SFO

Programs: UA GS / MM

Posts: 208

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirkwoodj

Curious as to why you'd need to go through immigration again, since PEK-SFO leaves at noon, and PEK-EWR is 3:45pm? Couldn't just go back to concourse since escorted?

That's the rule in PEK. The immigration check is tied to the flight. To change a flight, one must go outside the immigration for a new boarding pass and re-enter or in this case, to save time, the GS agent escorts the passenger through immigration (cut lines, etc) and hand you the new boarding pass. It's amazing when a flight cancellation is announced, the mob scream at the gate agents while a few of us quietly head to the immigration.

Oct 26, 2016, 12:08 pm

#882

kirkwoodj

Join Date: Apr 2009

Location: Houston

Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles

Posts: 8,704

Probably depends on how many years GS, average spend, etc. Some people have gotten soft landings to 1K, but seems unlikely if he basically flew no UA at all. *A flights don't matter for GS so would be immaterial for activity this year.

Oct 26, 2016, 12:16 pm

#883

seacarl

Join Date: Jan 2010

Location: SEA

Programs: UA AS DL Hyatt SPG/Bonvoy HHonors

Posts: 2,008

Quote:

Originally Posted by GS8101

That's the rule in PEK. The immigration check is tied to the flight. To change a flight, one must go outside the immigration for a new boarding pass and re-enter

What a crazy, inefficient, paranoid system. It's not like the Chinese gov't can control where the passengers fly after they get off an international flight, so why would they care whether the passenger switches flights after passing through exit immigration

Oct 26, 2016, 12:25 pm

#884

kirkwoodj

Join Date: Apr 2009

Location: Houston

Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles

Posts: 8,704

Didn't see that at PVG... (never been to PEK myself)

Oct 26, 2016, 1:00 pm

#885

jjoe123

Join Date: Apr 2010

Posts: 391

So they downgrade him from Global services to no status at all (or silver)?

Is that likely?

I mean, usually when you reach a status the following year they only downgrade you one level, no?