What happens when dropping status levels – E+ access, upgrade priority & similar Qs
 

Will i keep my y+ seat assigment after my status expires or will i be moved to standard y seat?

You will keep your seat assignment. However, if it is lost for any reason (equipment changes leading to scrambles are the most common) you have no "right" to get back into E+ anymore.

There are no guarantees and E+ access is based on the date of flight not booking, but most people find that so long as no changes of any kind are made, that E+ assignments will stick.

Changes include voluntary, e.g., those you initiate, as well as involuntary, e.g. IRROPS rebooking, aircraft sub, and the like.

pattern in the past is you’ll keep the seat, so long as their aren’t any aircraft changes. At that point, you’re almost certain to lose any comp. E+ seats.

that doesn’t mean it won’t chnage - I’m not sure why UA hasn’t done a status sweep on Feb. 1 every year. Would seem in keeping with the airline industry trend to make everything a revenue-boosting opportunity.

Status expires between purchase and flight - impact?
 

I have a temporary status match to Premier Gold that expires this April. I'm assuming I won't clear the hurdles to extend the status and I'll drop back to plain old Premier. Today, I'm making reservations (and paying) for Economy tickets for a flight (ORD-AUS) in May, after the status match expires. The website is allowing me to select Economy Plus seats at no cost ("included"), seats which I believe would cost me if I didn't have Gold status. So, when I show up for my flight as a NON-gold, will I get moved to lesser seats, charged for the EP seats I selected at purchase, or be able to keep the EP seats at no cost? Also, will I still get my free checked bag Gold benefit? My Group 1 boarding?
Thanks

My guess is that you'll keep your seats (there are conflicting reports) but will not be group 1, as that is processed on the day.

Keep the seats unless there is a shuffle for other reasons in which case you lose them with no recourse. Benefits on the day of travel like boarding and bags are based on status at the time of travel, so no.

Thanks all - sorry that I didn't find this thread prior to posting - mods moved my post - as the thread answers the questions repeatedly :( I'll try to search better next time.

Since this thread has popped up, I'll post my recent unexpected experience with this.

I booked in December for flights Feb 3 & 4 on UA. I was Silver at time of booking. I flew very little on UA last year and knew I'd expire to general member before flying. I expired down to "member" on Feb 1.

At check-in on Feb 2, my account showed "Member", but my boarding pass showed "premier access" and "Premier Silver". I checked in to my original E- seat and then decided to pay for an E+ seat, since the outbound was a redeye. On changing seats it showed me prices for the seats. After changing seats, there was no confirm charges page, and my BP continued to show "Premier Silver". I refrained from posting in case UA reads this and suddenly gets better at IT (unlikely, I'm sure...). I flew the leg in my E+ seat.

At check in on Feb 3 for my Feb 4 flight, it *still* showed me as silver on the BP. Only E+ middles were available at the time, and I had an aisle so I didn't change. A few hours later an E+ aisle showed up, I changed into it. It showed a price on the seat, but didn't charge me. My BP continued to show "Premier Silver" while my account shows "member".

I think this isn't what they intend, but I'm not going to complain...

Economy Plus & Future Year Travel?
 

Hi Everyone, if I'm Gold this year (maybe not next year) but book travel next year for my family, would I be able to book us into Economy Plus for free?
I know can get Economy Plus for free for myself and family traveling with me at the time of booking, but I'm not sure how that would work for travel in a future year. I've done some searching but haven't been able to determine this. Thanks!

yes, that works. UA has no idea what status you will have next year. Now, when a major schedule change occurs and you e.g. get re-routed via a different airport and you no longer have the status ... that can get tricky and in certain cases you will be re-accommodated in Y-. If there is no (in)voluntary change then you have a decent chance of keeping Y+

You will be able to book E+ for free as a present Gold for yourself and one companion (Plats and above can do for the entire PNR -- up to 8)

However, if you fall below Gold prior to travel and a seat sweep occurs (due to change of aircraft / schedule) after you have lost status, you will be moved to E-. Depending on how long after you have lost status til when the trip occurs, the chances of this increases.

For now I would book the E+ seats and hope UA extends status again or consider buying a annual subscription if the pricing works out.

Thanks cfischer and WineCountryUA. We aren't traveling yet, but I do have at least a trip booked this summer that will hopefully continue and we can make up the difference with more regular travel this fall. As such, it's nice to know that if we want to book international for on United early next year when available, we have a chance of getting to use these benefits!

So you can book E+ for any future flight for free, so long as you are gold (or higher) at time you make the seat assignment. If you lose that status, and become a silver (or GM), the seats will generally stick, assuming nothing changes with regards to the itinerary. However, anything causing a change to the itinerary if you no longer hold the status - aircraft change, schedule change, you make a voluntary change, etc., - and you will likely be re-assigned at that time into E- seats.

Of course, that's how it's been in the past, and while there's no indication it will change, it always could. It's certainly possible for UA to run a sweep beginning in say, early Feb., when status shifts happen, and move anyone out of E+ who hasn't paid for it or doesn't have the status to get it for free at that time (benefits are always based on status at time of flight). UA certainly has software that runs more complex tasks than that.

Status will lapse this year - what happens to benefits for tickets in '22?
 

Hi all -

I have some tickets for travel in 2022 that include free bags and complimentary Econ+ seats thanks to my current status level in 2021. I'm not currently travelling and am unlikely to have any status with United next year unless I do a mileage run to get enough PQP for the current promotional challenge.

So, if my status lapses, and I have no status at all for 2022, will I lose the 2 free bags for me+companions that are currently associated with my ticket? Will I also lose those complimentary Econ+ seats and get pushed back to regular economy (or would this just happen in the event of an equipment change where they need to play musical chairs and realize I no longer have status)?

I have an opportunity to do a mileage run to re-up, but frankly I'm not sure it's worth it especially if folks here tell me free bags and Econ+ seats aren't really at-risk (if, for example, they were "earned" from 2021 status and therefore won't drop off even if I don't have status in 2022)..

Thanks!