Is it worth it making Premier Silver? [2017-2019 Consolidated]
 

So first time first year of silver.

Bah.

The only benefit is Econ plus, which really is only sitting a row higher up.

I’m going to be just over 10k short this year and I can’t see the upside really.

United club card adds a few benefits and that’s prob all I need.

Honestly. I’ve NEVER gotten CPU and this isn’t really key for me because I never fly more than 2 hrs domestically so “business” class isn’t much different. Transatlantic,
Where I do like to use my united miles, isn’t even eligible for CPU

E+ free access, extra economy award space, extra bag allowance, higher boarding group and access to premier security are the "real" Silver benefits. Some credit cards will give you the latter four. So if E+ is not viewed as a benefit, get a credit card and don't waste time and money chasing Silver.

Upgrades have never been a significant Silver benefit and should not be the goal of a Silver elite.

You must not be tall.

First, congrats on making it to Silver!

I think complementary E+ is a huge benefit, even being only available at check-in. Just the other day, Folks in my row talking about their strategies in buying up to E+ for the least amount of $ - you are getting an "upgrade" for free. Granted, not a great upgrade, but because you are able to sit (near) the front of plane, you deplane faster. This has saved me from potentially missing some tight connections.

And way better IRROPS handling. You don't realize it til you fall back to general member.

+1. I always get a great "premier desk" rep when calling in for anything. I am always pleased with their service.

Upgrades are not expected, but they do exist. I've been upgraded on 4 of my last 5 flights. It's a nice bonus when it happens. For silver upgrades, it's usually on early-morning or late-night flights, or flights with very little business traffic.

It's paid off for me a few times when there was weather and I could call before I'd have to leave for the airport, not have to wait on hold, and get my change handled in a few minutes.

The time it really paid off was when my flight took off late due to MX, leaving me to misconnect. I got off the plane and it had me autobooked for something about 8 hours later. There was a customer service desk with a huge line right where I deplaned, but nobody in the premier line. I asked to be put on standby for the next flight out (about 40 minutes and 2 gates away) without losing my confirmed later flight. No problem, and because I'd already taken a weather delay of a full day I was #1 on a standby list of about 80. Even lucked out and got an E+ aisle.

Is the premier desk any different w silver than the premier desk access you get as a chase united club cardholder?

Basically I’ll be 10,376 PQM short by year end after accounting for planned trips so trying to do the math if it’s worth it to do a mileage run for that much just To get silver.

Don't know, since I've never had the club card, but if it's called the premier desk it's probably the same.

I agree with those posters above. I was Silver in 2015 and 2016 and the one time it really mattered was IROPs. I was at SFO flying to ONT and it was one of those awful weather days at SFO so everything was delayed. I managed to standby on an earlier flight but after everyone boarded it was decided we were now overweight. Four people were pulled off, I wasn't. Premier Silver saved me that day.

Premier Access = elite check-in, elite security line, group 2 boarding

Premier Desk = special call in number staffed by US employees without hold times, can do things regular customer service line cannot, and can do it faster, because they are the most experienced.

As a prior United Club cardholder, I'm fairly sure you don't have access to the premier desk, but you do get premier access.

The premier desk is the #1 benefit of being a United elite, even Silver. I've had the premier desk fix issues in seconds, change flights due to expected weather (in advance of delays officially announced), among other things. The #2 benefit, as others have indicated, is IRROPS handling. I've been able to get a confirmed seat on a fully blocked flight with 10+ standbys in the midst of storms causing hell.

Yes. Premier desk. I’ve been routed to it before when I call United/MileagePlus and I’ve only hit silver this year for the first time

Every time? Occasionally due to workloads, I could see a non-premier being routed to a Premier agent.

Have never seen this published as a credit card benefit and don't remember any other credit card only poster mention this.

I've had the Club card for a few years now, but have only been Silver for the last 2. I never got the premier desk until I actually was premiere.

I will try to find a way to keep up my Silver status. The benefits of E+, Premier Desk, and occasional upgrades (got another one this morning) make it worthwhile.

DITTO! And the leg room is invaluable at 6'2".

Besides E+, which I agree with other posters is pretty big, there's another benefit for me: I don't have to use my UA credit card to get my free checked bag, which means I can use my CSR and get 3x UR instead of 2x UA or I can use my old MileagePlus Select and earn PQM for the ticket price and still get my free checked bag. These may not be huge benefits, but they matter to me.

I haven't had United status in a few years now. I'm trying to get SPG Platinum as my way to get Silver this year (via Marriott). If I see that's not going to happen, I'll probably do a mileage/PQD run as I'll fall about 4000 miles and $400 PQD short the way things stand right now. Will be worth it for me, I think.

How to get 20,000 premium UA miles before end of year
 

Hi there..... I'm new to this so apologies in advance for, most likely, a pretty basic question. I didn't fly on the right airlines this year and I still need $2500 PQD and 20,000 PQM to maintain my silver premium status. Without getting the credit card, how can I get to this goal asap?
I'm flying out of Durango ( DRO) CO
Many thanks.
Jill

Welcome to FT, Jill Southworth!

Considering how little you seem to fly, I don't see how the benefits of Silver can possibly be worth it. However, if you really want it, your best option is just to book a long flight or two that meet your required spending. One DEN-ORD-SIN round-trip would be over 20K PQM, and I'm sure you could buy that for $2,500 or more.

Thanks so much, I normally fly enough to get it easily, this year I've flown with the wrong carriers.

That's a lot of miles and money to just get Silver. To each their own but just get if next year if you fly the "right carriers".

Mot sure why you fly United Airlines between now and the end of the year for the sole purpose of earning status when you don't fly it. Seems like a waste of time/effort/money.

The Chase United Card gets you most of the benefits of Silver and you can buy an E+ subscription for far less than spending money to get to Silver by flying. The E+ subscription lets you choose seats at booking instead of at T-24, so your seat choice will be better. Don't get Silver for upgrades that you'll never/very rarely get.

Thanks. I normally fly everywhere with United, this year I had to fly Trans Pacific, instead of Trans Atlantic and my tkts were all with QF each time. That's why I don't have the miles.

My two cents? Don't do anything this year, and do a nice trip in January of 2018, and get the status for the rest of 2018 AND 2019

$638 PQD needed for United Silver worth it?
 

Relatively new to FT. My wife and I are letting our AA Plat and Gold status' expire this year and might try for UA status in 2018. She's Alaska MVP Gold 75k for 2018 though, as well as Southwest Companion Pass.

She just had two last minute office trips so is now only $638 PQD away from United Silver. Although unplanned, is it worth chasing that at this hour? Our upcoming flights include $300/pp Economy Jetblue flights SFO to NY before Christmas (allows us an entry into their 2018 free flights sweepstakes), and SW Companion Pass awards PHL to OAK on Jan 1.

Would it be worth it to change one JetBlue flight to an overpriced $700 First class ticket on United?

I mean.. if you "have" to take the flights, and you're going to fly a few times next year, sure. But UA Silver doesn't really do that much for me, you or anyone.

You can just save the $400 and get the United credit card. You get similar perks..

Not for Silver. And with your wife maintaining MVP Gold 75K (plus WN), might be hard to maintain another program, and better off being in one.

If, however, she wants UA, then the status match might be the way to go:
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/app...omoCode=TB8230
90 day window to fly, so might as well start in Jan, rather than this year.

For Silver, you might as well get the Mileage Plus Visa CC, gives you group 2 boarding and one free bag. Only thing you lose is E+ (only at checkin for Silver).

Good luck!

Agree with you there, UA Silver by itself doesn't do much at all. AA Gold (and even Plat to an extent) is a culprit of that too, which is why we're dropping it. Would having Silver help achieve Gold though? We definitely will be taking a few flights next year for business if not for pleasure.

I guess you're right though, as spending $25k on the credit card waives the PQD requirement. Maybe that is the way to go instead of re-routing the flights we have to take anyway in the next two weeks.

You're much better off saving the $139 and buying the E+ subscription for 2018 which gets you the most important benefit from Silver. You're even better off with the E+ subscription because you get to select the E+ at booking vs. check-in with Premier Silver status.

Nobody here can tell you about value as that is personal.

The real question to you is putting aside the PQD, what would you do with UA Silver if you had it?

Good point, didn't know United offered that! Think we'll go this + credit card route and organically try to bank our 2018 flights to UA. Thanks for the helpful guidance!

This is a great option and helpful feedback as well! Will look to do this, as she will have a few transcon trips for sure through March 2018. UA Gold I think is where the real benefits begin but I'll let the experts opine on that

Sage advice, and something I've come to know after interacting with a few fellow enthusiasts. For example, one friend hates Economy to the extent that he will pay $1,200 to fly premium economy (upgrade to J class due to his status) when the Economy flight would have cost him only $350. I don't know if I'd do that unless I was going for a mileage run or had a status in mind...

UA Silver on its own wouldn't be very valuable to us at all. Main attraction for us would be to attain a higher status like UA Gold where the benefits start making a bit more sense. Have had an easier time booking Star Alliance awards and since we're based in the Bay Area, thinking why not give our business to United / Alaska who are active in the Bay Area anyway.

Achieving UA Silver on its own will not help toward UA Gold status next year. UA doesn't offer rollover; everyone starts from 0 on January 1. So, your plan of getting the Explorer card and buying an E+ subscription -- or trying for a post-Jan 1 status match with Alaska -- probably make the most sense.

Ah gotcha, good to know that. Loving FT, so helpful!

Will look to contribute to the forums as best I can.

11,000 miles from Silver - is there any reasonable way to qualify?
 

I'm about 11,000 miles from Silver status. I'm wondering if there is any reasonably cost efficient way of getting 11,000 miles?

Or maybe Silver status isn't worth that much?

Thanks

- Dave

See https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...us-2018-a.html for ideas but you are looking at $500+ (probably more like $750) if you did some flying immediately and close to $1,500 just to buy the PQMs without flying.

What would you vlaueSilver for?
You could purchase an E+ access for less and that provides access at booking
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...plus-more.html
You could get a credit card for early boarding and free first bag
Upgrades are rare for Silver

also
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...rd-better.html

I thought the Silver status also got you a higher mileage multiplier, 5 times I think, on ticket purchase mileage.

Not sure I want to spend the $499 for Economy Plus subscription, but it might be worth it.

I have the credit card and that is where most of miles come from, although Hertz rentals helped also this year.

Yes, it does -- the wiki has a more detailed list of benefits.

The advantage of the subscription is access at booking vs Silver access at check-in.

If a Chase MP card, you get 1 bag and premier boarding.

Just a data point: This year, I have flown 17 segments on United that had a first class cabin (so all of the segments on ERJ145/CRJ200 etc are not included in the figure). Out of the 17 segments, I have received a CPU on 7/17 of them. Granted, I usually fly smaller routes that are operated by Skywest ERJ175, but I have received some mainline upgrades, and even an op-up from C to F on a domestic 763. Silver may be worth it if you're flying in and out of more regional airports that have ERJ175 or CRJ700 service (like I do).

I did the explorer card (which I've had for a while) plus E+ subscription for 2017, since I didn't fly a lot in 2016. Toward the end of this year I was close enough to Silver and had more travel planned for December so I ended up adjusting my flights to squeak over the line to Silver for 2018.

The differences are:
With silver:
you get E+ at T-24, so you have to check in right then to have a good chance of getting the seat you want (but my E+ subscription is good til march)
Better IRROPS handling
Premier security line (shorter line, regular TSA check) if you aren't precheck
7x multiplier for miles instead of 5x of general member
And not much else.

I've generally had very good luck at T-24 in getting E+ aisles with empty middles, and the price was the same, or maybe $100 less to go for silver, so I did that. I've also taken advantage of the IRROPS handling more than once during winter storms and it is definitely better than being a general member when there are people sleeping on the floor and big lines at the customer service desk.

I also started flying Alaska this year for my North/South travel up to the PNW, but started late in the year so I only made it halfway to MVP. Getting silver let me submit for a status match, so it's slightly better for me to do that than do Explorer and E+ subscription, but it's a close trade.