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Consolidated Global Services Thread: Benefits, Questions [2018]

Old Jan 1, 2018, 6:41 am
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Last edit by: flyerbjorn
United Global Services ("GS") is the highest tier of MileagePlus elite status. It is by invitation only, reviewed annually -- 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, and also to those individuals that purchase an annual PassPlus enrollment of $50k or greater. 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 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 [2017]
Thread on 2017 Global Services Notifications
Thread on 2017 Qualifying Discussion

Known facts concerning qualification and eligibility 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.


Published Benefits
Full detail of published benefits can be found at https://mystatus.united.com/gs [MP credentials login required, existing GS only]
Shortlist (incremental/different to 1K):
  • Dedicated phone number, ​usually answered on the first ring, and generally by specially-trained GS agents. Some exceptions occur, especially during busy periods (such as when weather waivers are in effect)
  • Dedicated email address for MileagePlus and other inquiries, usually answered personally within hours
  • Dedicated check-in at main airport stations, including private Global Reception centers at major hubs, providing priority TSA security access. May bring guests/companions into Global Reception areas or dedicated GS checkin lanes who are traveling on same itinerary as GS member.
  • Instrument-supported upgrades (GPU/RPU) clear into PN class rather than PZ class for other elite tiers, which usually have much better availability. Instruments drawn from the GS member account and applied to other reservations will also clear into PN class.
  • Complimentary Premier Upgrades (CPUs) cleared beginning 120 hours prior to flight departure (versus 96 hours for 1K) for GS member and up to one other traveling on same PNR
  • Highest-priority when waitlisted for Upgrades, Award Travel, and Sold-out Flight Availability. GS members clear before any other status level or full-fare customers.
  • Priority Boarding, among the first to board the aircraft (currently after unaccompanied minors, people with disabilities and/or need more time boarding, Active-Duty Military, and now prior to families with children under age of 2)
  • Priority handling in event of IRROPS, including next flight guarantee in case of re-accommodation, overseen by dedicated team of location-based GS Customer Service Agents (identified via gold scarves/ties)
  • Mercedes-Benz Tarmac Transfer for tight connections between flights at major hubs (cannot be requested in advance)
  • Access to United Arrivals Lounge at SFO when arriving from international flight, regardless of cabin class (no guests permitted)
  • Access to Arrivals Lounge at LHR T2 when arriving from inbound UA-operated intercontinental flight, regardless of cabin (no guests permitted, must present Boarding Pass or physical GS card)
  • Access to Lufthansa / Swiss Welcome (arrival) Lounges in FRA and ZRH for same-day inbound UA intercontinental flight, regardless of cabin (no guests permitted, must present physical GS card)
Additional Known Award and Upgrade Benefits (many unpublished)

All benefits noted below require calling a GS agent:
  • GS can create saver economy award space (XN) if T inventory is available. United-operated flights only. Update 12 Dec 2018: Only for GS member + 1 companion.
  • GS can create saver business award space (IN) if PZ inventory is available. United-operated flights only.
  • GS can upgrade economy awards (XN or YN) into Business / First with a GPU if PN inventory is available, provided both instrument and miles drawn from GS member account. United-operated flights only.
  • GS can confirm any waitlisted instrument-supported upgrade within T-72 hours to flight departure provided at least 2 (two) J class premium seats remain for sale after the upgrade is processed and they are at the top of the waitlist.
  • GS are entitled to one Saver Award seat in the same class of service with their purchase of any premium cabin fare. GS agents can open space if it is not available provided that at least 2 seats remain for sale afterwards. United-operated flights only.
  • GS can upgrade a companion with an instrument (GPU/RPU) from Economy to Business / First when flying on a paid premium cabin fare, even if PZ or PN is not available, as long as J > 2 after upgrade processed. Companion needs to be ticketed in W class or higher on international cash fare itineraries, or ticketed in X/XN for upgrades from award tickets. GS can also open economy award space for the companion to allow for the upgrade with instrument, even if XN or T are unavailable.
  • (Note: Only ONE of the two above options can be exercised per premium fare purchased.)
  • GS can buy up from Basic Economy fares, which is usually forbidden
  • GS can access VIP Lounges (former Global First Lounges) in NRT, LHR, and HKG when booked in Polaris Business on an international itinerary. One guest permitted (two guests if a United Club member). Not accessed if booked in United Economy.
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Consolidated Global Services Thread: Benefits, Questions [2018]

Old Mar 20, 2018, 9:34 pm
  #376  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: DYKWIA, But I'm a "Diamond Guest" UA 1K/2MM
Posts: 2,238
Originally Posted by gilbnx
Does anyone know if there is an alternative Global First lounge at SFO? I understand that the original lounge has been converted to Polaris (Business) lounge while the others are being renovated...
There is no Global First lounge at SFO anymore. There is no Polaris lounge either. It is under construction for years now. Maybe it will be completed someday. Maybe not.

The old GF lounge is a temporary "Polaris" lounge. I use the quotes because it is actually inferior to a normal lounge, let alone a First or Business lounge. But if you enjoy sharing that relatively small space with ~100 United J passengers along with 50 or so Lufthansa passengers, and fighting over a few scraps of food, go for it. Of course, they might not let you in, since they fill up before the major flight banks.

Aren't you glad you chose United?
porciuscato is offline  
Old Mar 21, 2018, 5:11 am
  #377  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Bucks County
Programs: UAL GS & Million Miler; Delta Lifetime Gold; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Platinum; Legion Etrangere
Posts: 1,606
Originally Posted by porciuscato
There is no Global First lounge at SFO anymore. There is no Polaris lounge either. It is under construction for years now. Maybe it will be completed someday. Maybe not.

The old GF lounge is a temporary "Polaris" lounge. I use the quotes because it is actually inferior to a normal lounge, let alone a First or Business lounge. But if you enjoy sharing that relatively small space with ~100 United J passengers along with 50 or so Lufthansa passengers, and fighting over a few scraps of food, go for it. Of course, they might not let you in, since they fill up before the major flight banks.

Aren't you glad you chose United?
EWR is much, much worse. Had United deliberately set out to foul up the situation, there is no way that United could have done worse than they have.
manstein58 is online now  
Old Mar 21, 2018, 10:52 am
  #378  
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: London
Programs: UA GS, BA Silver, Marriott/SPG Gold, Hilton Gold, A-Club Silver, Intercontinental Ambassador
Posts: 32
Originally Posted by porciuscato
There is no Global First lounge at SFO anymore. There is no Polaris lounge either. It is under construction for years now. Maybe it will be completed someday. Maybe not.

The old GF lounge is a temporary "Polaris" lounge. I use the quotes because it is actually inferior to a normal lounge, let alone a First or Business lounge. But if you enjoy sharing that relatively small space with ~100 United J passengers along with 50 or so Lufthansa passengers, and fighting over a few scraps of food, go for it. Of course, they might not let you in, since they fill up before the major flight banks.

Aren't you glad you chose United?
Its not ideal, but the international club lounge only closed completely in late Nov, planned to be open in summer (fingers crossed).

They are at least holding an area for GS in the GF lounge, and enforcing it as GS only as well. Personally if I have time and want comfort in SFO I head to the Amex lounge. Fully agree that GF lounge is not great.
startupflyer is offline  
Old Mar 21, 2018, 2:49 pm
  #379  
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 215
Originally Posted by JDT1955
I liked having the automatic club access and late checkout whenever I did stay at Marriott property. Is that part of gold benefit as well?
Yew you get lounge and late check out with marriot gold. Also late check out with SPG gold but no lounge for SPG gold.
drew in the air is offline  
Old Mar 22, 2018, 4:51 pm
  #380  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: United GS, Marriott Titanium, HHonors Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 97
It's the small things... I lost my 2018 GS carbon baggage tag (the bigger one) which usually hangs on my rolling carry-on. I don't know where/when I lost it, other than sometime in the past 4 days (4 flights, 3 cities), so little likelihood of trying to trace it. Anyone have any luck with getting the GS folks to send another one?
bluepig1 is offline  
Old Mar 22, 2018, 6:59 pm
  #381  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Orange County, CA
Programs: United GS, MM, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 598
Originally Posted by bluepig1
It's the small things... I lost my 2018 GS carbon baggage tag (the bigger one) which usually hangs on my rolling carry-on. I don't know where/when I lost it, other than sometime in the past 4 days (4 flights, 3 cities), so little likelihood of trying to trace it. Anyone have any luck with getting the GS folks to send another one?
same thing happened to me with the Chicago tag years ago. I called and they had another set mailed out to me.
kirkwoodj and jjmoore like this.
Chukiechz is offline  
Old Mar 23, 2018, 6:42 am
  #382  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles
Posts: 8,633
Tags aren't personalised anymore, so not really a big deal to replace, I suppose.
kirkwoodj is offline  
Old Mar 23, 2018, 11:56 am
  #383  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
Originally Posted by Chukiechz
same thing happened to me with the Chicago tag years ago. I called and they had another set mailed out to me.
Those tags are so nice... I don't even want to put them on my bags because I don't want to lose them. Cool souvenirs. The cheap-o 1K tags... I could care less about them, nor could I care less if I lose them.
jjmoore is offline  
Old Mar 23, 2018, 8:47 pm
  #384  
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Programs: UA GS 2MM
Posts: 32
Originally Posted by DJ_Iceman
You've been GS since program inception but only have 2MM miles?
Kind of a weird question, but to answer: my only 2MM is actually about 2.85M at this point, which by my calculations is an average of about 150,000 bis miles/year on UA metal for 15 years straight (plus about another 100,000k/year on other airlines or private). Plus whatever miles I had before first earning GS. I got pretty much no fake miles in the merger.

To me, that seems like enough miles every year... :-)

Note in my OP I meant GS inception, not MP inception. My biggest mistake was not joining MP or *any* mileage program until about 1999. Before that I was doing a lot of business travel but had some idiotic concept that I didnt want to be beholden to any one airline and refused to join any mileage program. In retrospect thats absurd, but I was young and dumb. Since I was always based out of SFO and mostly flew UA, Id easily have another million or so bis miles if I hadnt made that dumb decision decades ago. Oh well...
philf is offline  
Old Mar 26, 2018, 9:47 am
  #385  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA GS/2MM, SPG Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 225
Guys, I've scanned the thread and apologies if I've missed a relevant post - SFO-based GS here, very rarely in EWR and never in the last 4-5 years. In the next couple of weeks I'll have an early Saturday AM departure from EWR for a (UA) vacation flight, along with 3 others who are not MP elites. They are concerned about allowing enough time for check-in/bag check and security at EWR - and at the moment they have scheduled a pickup in lower manhattan for 3 hours before flight time.

A couple of questions for you EWR GS veterans -
1. Is there a dedicated GS checkin lobby/line, does it provide front-of-line access to security (2 of the party are not US nationals; no pre-check), and should I expect it to be congested at 6:30 or 7am on Saturday?
2. Should I expect to be able to bring three non-elites with me through no.1 above? Haven't checked, but I'm betting this is likely not permitted as a matter of policy, and will depend on the kindness of the lobby agents. From what I've read here sporadically, I'm not expecting them to be the most gracious of UA agents, but have no personal knowledge.

Thanks guys, I really appreciate your sharing the benefit of your EWR experiences!
rudling is offline  
Old Mar 26, 2018, 1:50 pm
  #386  
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: West
Programs: UA MP
Posts: 221
Originally Posted by rudling
Guys, I've scanned the thread and apologies if I've missed a relevant post - SFO-based GS here, very rarely in EWR and never in the last 4-5 years. In the next couple of weeks I'll have an early Saturday AM departure from EWR for a (UA) vacation flight, along with 3 others who are not MP elites. They are concerned about allowing enough time for check-in/bag check and security at EWR - and at the moment they have scheduled a pickup in lower manhattan for 3 hours before flight time.

A couple of questions for you EWR GS veterans -
1. Is there a dedicated GS checkin lobby/line, does it provide front-of-line access to security (2 of the party are not US nationals; no pre-check), and should I expect it to be congested at 6:30 or 7am on Saturday?
2. Should I expect to be able to bring three non-elites with me through no.1 above? Haven't checked, but I'm betting this is likely not permitted as a matter of policy, and will depend on the kindness of the lobby agents. From what I've read here sporadically, I'm not expecting them to be the most gracious of UA agents, but have no personal knowledge.

Thanks guys, I really appreciate your sharing the benefit of your EWR experiences!
1) The Reception is on the premier level, checking in there, youll take a elevator down to the security level, then youll meet a contract agent that will escort you to the global/crew lane of your applicable tsa membership. I always would arrive early, you never know ewr security, lines could get unbelievably long.

2) Yes, If they are on the same PNR, that is never a problem. Ive brought friends through many times, even when they were on different reservations, just make sure theyre on the same flight for going to the same place on the same day. Just let the agent know and supply him/her with your companions IDs.
BullishGS is offline  
Old Mar 26, 2018, 2:59 pm
  #387  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: New York City
Programs: UA GS 1MM
Posts: 387
Hi !

I called yesterday to book a saver awards from EWR to CDG with inventory being 0.
Before I even asked the GS agent to open a T fare, he was already doing it and I got my flight for 30,000 award miles VS 70,000

Such a cool perk !
benewr is offline  
Old Mar 26, 2018, 5:43 pm
  #388  
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: PDX/HND
Programs: UA GS 4MM
Posts: 554
those plastic luggage tags

about the only thing i keep from that expensive-to-mail global kit is the hard plastic luggage tags. i flew LHR-FRA-SEA friday. the tags on my luggage were destroyed once again; happens every couple of months. it is a pain and a bit expensive.

but those plastic tags that come as the global services prize survive. the ones that say chicago or san francisco or whatever. is there somewhere i can buy more of them?
randyqx is offline  
Old Mar 26, 2018, 6:02 pm
  #389  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: United GS, Marriott Titanium, HHonors Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 97
See my post here
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29556183-post380.html

on the GS questions thread. Sounds like GS customer care will mail you a replacement if you ask nicely
bluepig1 is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2018, 1:24 am
  #390  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: DL DM, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Lifetime Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 570
Originally Posted by rudling
Guys, I've scanned the thread and apologies if I've missed a relevant post - SFO-based GS here, very rarely in EWR and never in the last 4-5 years. In the next couple of weeks I'll have an early Saturday AM departure from EWR for a (UA) vacation flight, along with 3 others who are not MP elites. They are concerned about allowing enough time for check-in/bag check and security at EWR - and at the moment they have scheduled a pickup in lower manhattan for 3 hours before flight time.

A couple of questions for you EWR GS veterans -
1. Is there a dedicated GS checkin lobby/line, does it provide front-of-line access to security (2 of the party are not US nationals; no pre-check), and should I expect it to be congested at 6:30 or 7am on Saturday?
2. Should I expect to be able to bring three non-elites with me through no.1 above? Haven't checked, but I'm betting this is likely not permitted as a matter of policy, and will depend on the kindness of the lobby agents. From what I've read here sporadically, I'm not expecting them to be the most gracious of UA agents, but have no personal knowledge.

Thanks guys, I really appreciate your sharing the benefit of your EWR experiences!
Originally Posted by erickliu
1) The Reception is on the premier level, checking in there, youll take a elevator down to the security level, then youll meet a contract agent that will escort you to the global/crew lane of your applicable tsa membership. I always would arrive early, you never know ewr security, lines could get unbelievably long.

2) Yes, If they are on the same PNR, that is never a problem. Ive brought friends through many times, even when they were on different reservations, just make sure theyre on the same flight for going to the same place on the same day. Just let the agent know and supply him/her with your companions IDs.
2) - My travel companions have never been denied access, even when congested, without being on the same PNR as I. I think there is significant flexibility on entry of my travel companions that are on the same flight.
LyfeSaver is offline  

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