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Consolidated Global Services Thread: Benefits, Questions 2017

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Old Jan 5, 2017, 4:24 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: getagb
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' thread, Consolidated Global Services Thread - Qualifications, Benefits and Q & A [2016]
Thread on 2017 Global Services Notifications
Thread on 2017 Qualifying Discussion

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 Polaris First with a GPU if ON inventory is available.
  • GS can confirm any waitlisted instrument-supported upgrade under T-72 hours provided 2 seats remain for sale afterwards and they are at the top of the waitlist
  • GS can create saver Polaris First (O) space at T-72 hours if they are already booked in saver business (IN), provided one seat remains for sale after
  • 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. UPDATE: as of 7/21/17 must have >2 for sale within 72hrs of flight
  • GS can upgrade a companion from coach to biz when flying on a paid biz fare, even if R or PN is not available, as long as J/F>1. Companion needs to be W or greater intl.
  • (Only ONE of the two above options can be exercised per premium fare.)
  • GS cannot double upgrade. Economy -> PN -> ON is not allowed. *Some reports of TOD being offered at OLCI.
  • GS can buy up from Basic Economy fares, which is usually forbidden
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Consolidated Global Services Thread: Benefits, Questions 2017

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Old Jan 8, 2017, 6:57 pm
  #61  
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: 4,392
Originally Posted by villox
I figured that was the case but I guess that also means they do not put GS over to other agents if there's a peak load?
Some have reported they believe their calls have rolled to standard "Premier Desk" agents. However in hundreds of calls over my seven years of GS, I can't ever remember having an agent who didn't greet me as "Global Services, this is XXXX," nor provide good to excellent service. Some agents tend to be more stickler for the rules, and others just make it happen if they can.
wxguy is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2017, 7:10 pm
  #62  
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
I tried searching everywhere for this to no avail. What time do the GS lobbies at ORD, SFO, and EWR open?

I'm connecting through EWR after a flight from DEL in a couple weeks and am curious if it will be open that early (around 4:45am).
villox is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2017, 7:33 pm
  #63  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: UA GS/1MM, Ritz Carlton Plat
Posts: 200
Originally Posted by unitedhandcuffs
To GS experts: do you find yourself now booking your itineraries directly through the GS desk due to all the personal handling benefits or do you still book through travel agents and then call GS desk to finish things off? i was thinking of just changing all my purchasing directly through the GS desk but then realized it wouldn't help for international transfers where i need to use another airline for some regional route. if that was the case, i think my ticket gets split up on different itineraries making baggage transfers difficult. any thoughts?
Depends on how good your travel agent is. We have in-house travel agents and I book my UA flights mostly through them primarily because we get a company-wide 5% discount on all UA fares so long as it is booked through our in-house travel dept. They are familiar with GS benefits, etc. and will typically call directly on my behalf to handle any particular issues like applying immediate upgrades, converting fare codes, etc. to finalize the reservation. I will explain what I need and 95% of the time they are able to handle it without my having to call the GS desk directly. But you have to entrust them with our PIN (they keep in my internal profile).
mikelcf is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2017, 8:31 pm
  #64  
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Lahaina, HI & Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,403
Originally Posted by villox
I tried searching everywhere for this to no avail. What time do the GS lobbies at ORD, SFO, and EWR open?

I'm connecting through EWR after a flight from DEL in a couple weeks and am curious if it will be open that early (around 4:45am).
Don't know the answer to your general question, but as to the specific, the EWR lobby is open for the DEL onward connection. I connected on this route 40+ times over the past two years.
LAXOGG is offline  
Old Jan 9, 2017, 7:45 am
  #65  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
On day of departure of international flight, who has higher priority at airport?

GM waitlisted under GS GPU or

1K waitlisted under 1K GPU?

Assuming PN=0=R.
kb1992 is offline  
Old Jan 9, 2017, 8:53 am
  #66  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Bucks County
Programs: UAL GS & Million Miler; Delta Lifetime Gold; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Platinum; Legion Etrangere
Posts: 1,609
Question about EWR:

Have they realigned the TSA lanes outside of the GS entrance? Used to be that, after exiting GS space, you joined Premier line. Today it was clearly not Premier and I was handed one of those "You Do Not Have To Take Your Belt Off" cards. Crowd was right out of final scenes of The TITANIC!
manstein58 is offline  
Old Jan 9, 2017, 9:15 am
  #67  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 5,814
Originally Posted by manstein58
Question about EWR:

Have they realigned the TSA lanes outside of the GS entrance? Used to be that, after exiting GS space, you joined Premier line. Today it was clearly not Premier and I was handed one of those "You Do Not Have To Take Your Belt Off" cards. Crowd was right out of final scenes of The TITANIC!
They moved the Precheck lanes to C2 for the next few weeks. All GS with precheck can go right to C2 instead but they have that lame system where you queue on Level 2 first.

The new (temp) precheck lanes does utilize the new auto bin lanes though. Used one for the first time a few days ago and was actually pretty nice and pretty fast.
edcho is offline  
Old Jan 9, 2017, 9:27 am
  #68  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Bucks County
Programs: UAL GS & Million Miler; Delta Lifetime Gold; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Platinum; Legion Etrangere
Posts: 1,609
Originally Posted by edcho
They moved the Precheck lanes to C2 for the next few weeks. All GS with precheck can go right to C2 instead but they have that lame system where you queue on Level 2 first.

The new (temp) precheck lanes does utilize the new auto bin lanes though. Used one for the first time a few days ago and was actually pretty nice and pretty fast.
thanks
manstein58 is offline  
Old Jan 9, 2017, 9:58 pm
  #69  
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
There were 16 GS on today's ORD-FRA 944. Was a bit surprised to not see any GS reps in sight considering the flight had a 2 hour delay and would have expected some to have missed connections. Maybe they were all tied up with the NRT flights mess.
villox is offline  
Old Jan 9, 2017, 10:03 pm
  #70  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Northern California
Programs: I want to be free! Free!
Posts: 3,455
Originally Posted by villox
There were 16 GS on today's ORD-FRA 944. Was a bit surprised to not see any GS reps in sight considering the flight had a 2 hour delay and would have expected some to have missed connections. Maybe they were all tied up with the NRT flights mess.
That is stunning
aCavalierInCoach is offline  
Old Jan 9, 2017, 11:20 pm
  #71  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: SFO
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 80
I was wondering if anyone based out of SFO uses the GS Reception in Terminal 3 for international flights. Does this work efficiently to check in with baggage and then head over to the international terminal from 3? Or do you find it better to go directly to the international terminal to check in there?
BrianSF is offline  
Old Jan 10, 2017, 12:26 am
  #72  
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO / LHR
Programs: UA GS 2.2MM / UC / AS Gold 75K / Bonvoy Plat / Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,028
Originally Posted by BrianSF
I was wondering if anyone based out of SFO uses the GS Reception in Terminal 3 for international flights. Does this work efficiently to check in with baggage and then head over to the international terminal from 3? Or do you find it better to go directly to the international terminal to check in there?
I always check in at the Global Reception for International flights and walk to the G pier -- you never wait for an agent, get good predictable service, jump to the front of the security line, have a reliable PreCheck experience. It's hit or miss on all of the above at the Int'l Terminal, and given the size of Int'l Term the walk from domestic doesn't feel much farther.
greenpau is offline  
Old Jan 10, 2017, 7:41 am
  #73  
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: ORD, LHR
Programs: UA GS/2M Miles, AA 1M Miles
Posts: 58
GS Downgrades for 2017

I'd like to get everyone's input on the downgrades that are hitting the GS program. So far, It's:

1. Elimination of GS check-in lines
2. Elimination of GS/First Lounges and intro of the Polaris lounge
3. Potential elimination of GS pre-boarding (like other GS's on FT, I've been told this in GRU multiple times but the GS reps deny it will happen at the moment)
4. Significantly longer hold times (I waited 5-10 minutes yesterday to talk to a rep which is consistent with a few other posts. I'm hopeful that the grumpiness of her attitude was a one time event...but notably that was rare last year. The GS reps are almost universally fantastic.)

Please post any other changes that you are experiencing.

It's seems clear to me that this is all designed to placate the 1Ks. They make up the bulk of UA's revenue so they are getting bump in their benefits package at the expense of the GS's. Even GS signage is being wholesale eliminated with 1K is replacing it. Seems odd to have an airline downgrade it's most valuable fliers.
kwb007 is offline  
Old Jan 10, 2017, 8:05 am
  #74  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles
Posts: 8,700
Hold times yesterday not surprising with weather issues, plus this is January, where there are some extra GS as it's the overlap month between program years. I called re wx reaccommodation, hold less than 30 seconds which was nice.
kirkwoodj is offline  
Old Jan 10, 2017, 8:30 am
  #75  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: UA 1K 1.45MM, Marriott+SPG Plat, Clear, Nexus, Global Entry and MEX Viajero Confiable
Posts: 1,777
Originally Posted by kwb007
........
3. Potential elimination of GS pre-boarding (like other GS's on FT, I've been told this in GRU multiple times but the GS reps deny it will happen at the moment)
..........
Regarding GRU, could this be because most often it's bus service to the plane or are you seeing this when/if a plane is on the jetway for boarding?
NH_Clark is offline  


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