Jan 3, 2016, 12:15 pm
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 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
Dec 30, 2016, 9:39 pm
#1156
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: NYC/WAS
Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, DL '90s PM, now FK (Flying Kettle)
Posts: 541
I suppose I should know this, but I don't. I know from what I've read in this forum that the "magic" of a GPU is a function of whose account it comes from, not who is flying. So if a GS obtains a GPU from a non-GS, he/she loses the ability to upgrade into PN, loses upgrade waitlist priority, etc. despite his/her own status.
Does this work in reverse? If I upgrade-waitlist my non-status cousin on a domestic flight with a GS RPU, does that instrument carry magical GS properties with respect to class and priority? What about international / GPU?
Does this work in reverse? If I upgrade-waitlist my non-status cousin on a domestic flight with a GS RPU, does that instrument carry magical GS properties with respect to class and priority? What about international / GPU?
Dec 31, 2016, 4:49 pm
#1157
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: USA
Programs: UA Global Services, TSA Pre✓, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,116
Did UA kill free stopovers on TATL roundtrips? GS agent just told me that. Last week I booked a TATL award in business with 2 segments (PRG-VIE-BUD) in coach between the cities I am traveling to. I saw that award seats in business opened on the relevant flights and called to move those 2 from Y to J and was told first that it would be 93k miles more and then when I reminded her that that was insane she revised the price to 12.5k miles more. I know the 2 Y segments are under an hour, but figure I might as well be in business if I'm paying for it anyway. AFAIK I should be permitted one stopover and if I booked a J award I should be allowed to upgrade the Y segments to J for no additional miles.
Here's what I booked:
EWR-FRA (UA J)
FRA-PRG (LH J)
PRG-VIE (OS Y)
VIE-BUD (OS Y)
BUD-WAW (LO J)
WAW-ORD (LO J)
127,500 miles plus $150 in taxes
Here's what I booked:
EWR-FRA (UA J)
FRA-PRG (LH J)
PRG-VIE (OS Y)
VIE-BUD (OS Y)
BUD-WAW (LO J)
WAW-ORD (LO J)
127,500 miles plus $150 in taxes
Last edited by BA_Jfan; Dec 31, 2016 at 4:58 pm
Jan 2, 2017, 10:03 pm
#1158
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: United Global Services; 3.83 M miler; HH; Starwood; Marriott
Posts: 27
When the partnership started, I was given Platinum status with Marriott for my GS status. At the time, I just started staying at Marriott's again (Hilton was my hotel choice for many years prior), so this was nice. I just hit Lifetime Platinum status with Marriott this week, so even better 
I also earned Lifetime Diamond with Hilton at the beginning of 2016 so double bonus!
I also earned Lifetime Diamond with Hilton at the beginning of 2016 so double bonus!
Jan 3, 2017, 6:47 am
#1159
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Rowley, MA / Edgartown, MA / Christiansted, St. Croix (USVI)
Programs: UA LT GS/4.96MM, Marriott LT Titanium, IHG Platinum, Global Entry, TSA Pre✓, Korea SeS, APEC
Posts: 579
Chances are if you get to 750 nights you should be close on points, I reached the nights threshold about 3 months before I reached the points threshold. I only started paying attention to accumulating Marriott points about 10 years ago. It moved fairly quickly once I started focusing.
Jan 3, 2017, 7:45 am
#1160
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles
Posts: 8,703
Jan 3, 2017, 9:11 am
#1161
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
Hypothetical question (hypothetical in that it depends on whether I get the GS invite):
If I waitlisted for a GPU upgrade to Polaris on an upcoming flight as a 1K, and I'm invited to GS, would I need to call back and ask that they be redeposited and then re-waitlist again so that I'm waitlisted for PN space? (And on one of the flights, PN is already available but no R - will they just push it through?)
If I waitlisted for a GPU upgrade to Polaris on an upcoming flight as a 1K, and I'm invited to GS, would I need to call back and ask that they be redeposited and then re-waitlist again so that I'm waitlisted for PN space? (And on one of the flights, PN is already available but no R - will they just push it through?)
Jan 3, 2017, 9:37 am
#1162
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
Hypothetical question (hypothetical in that it depends on whether I get the GS invite):
If I waitlisted for a GPU upgrade to Polaris on an upcoming flight as a 1K, and I'm invited to GS, would I need to call back and ask that they be redeposited and then re-waitlist again so that I'm waitlisted for PN space? (And on one of the flights, PN is already available but no R - will they just push it through?)
If I waitlisted for a GPU upgrade to Polaris on an upcoming flight as a 1K, and I'm invited to GS, would I need to call back and ask that they be redeposited and then re-waitlist again so that I'm waitlisted for PN space? (And on one of the flights, PN is already available but no R - will they just push it through?)
Jan 5, 2017, 4:54 pm
#1163
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 981
is there a 2017 version of this thread and a wiki listing all the GS beneits? for those of us newbies this year, it's hard to figure out what exactly the benefits of GS are.
Jan 5, 2017, 5:00 pm
#1164
Moderator: Midwest, Las Vegas & Dining Buzz
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Posts: 17,976
Jan 5, 2017, 5:52 pm
#1165
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,859
Safe Travels all
WineCountryUA
UA coModerator