Sep 28, 2018, 11:53 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Today we’re introducing a few updates for members with MileagePlus Premier® status — some of which are already in effect and some that will come later. These updates include added benefits related to boarding groups and baggage allowances, as well as adjustments to our upgrade structure and Premier 1K® status qualification requirements.
Better boarding
Effective on September 18, 2018
· Premier® 1K® members will be called to board during pre-boarding ahead of Group 1
· Premier Gold members will now board with Boarding Group1, previous in Group 2
Baggage allowance for Premier members
Effective on September 28, 2018:
All Premier® members, regardless of Premier status, will receive the same standard weight allowance for checked baggage: 70 lbs. (32 kg.)
Additionally:
· All Premier members flying in United Business®, United First®, or United Polaris® business class are allowed up to three bags with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) per bag.
· Premier Gold members flying in United Economy® between the U.S. and Europe are allowed three bags with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) per bag.
· Premier Silver members flying in United Economy between the U.S. and Europe are allowed two bags with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) per bag.
Premier qualification requirements
Effective on January 1, 2019:
· Premier qualification dollar (PQD) requirement for Premier 1K status will be raised from $12,000 to $15,000.
· P-class fares will earn 150% Premier qualifying miles (PQM), reduced from 200%.
Premier upgrades
Effective on January 1, 2019:
· The way a Premier 1K member earns additional upgrades will be changing. For every 25,000 Premier qualifying miles (PQM) or 30 Premier qualifying segments (PQS) after qualifying for Premier 1K status, we’ll add one Global Premier Upgrades into your account. No additional Regional Premier Upgrades can be earned after qualifying for Premier 1K status.
More details can be found here: www.mileageplusupdates.com
- UA Insider
Better boarding
Effective on September 18, 2018
· Premier® 1K® members will be called to board during pre-boarding ahead of Group 1
· Premier Gold members will now board with Boarding Group1, previous in Group 2
Baggage allowance for Premier members
Effective on September 28, 2018:
All Premier® members, regardless of Premier status, will receive the same standard weight allowance for checked baggage: 70 lbs. (32 kg.)
Additionally:
· All Premier members flying in United Business®, United First®, or United Polaris® business class are allowed up to three bags with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) per bag.
· Premier Gold members flying in United Economy® between the U.S. and Europe are allowed three bags with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) per bag.
· Premier Silver members flying in United Economy between the U.S. and Europe are allowed two bags with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) per bag.
Premier qualification requirements
Effective on January 1, 2019:
· Premier qualification dollar (PQD) requirement for Premier 1K status will be raised from $12,000 to $15,000.
· P-class fares will earn 150% Premier qualifying miles (PQM), reduced from 200%.
Premier upgrades
Effective on January 1, 2019:
· The way a Premier 1K member earns additional upgrades will be changing. For every 25,000 Premier qualifying miles (PQM) or 30 Premier qualifying segments (PQS) after qualifying for Premier 1K status, we’ll add one Global Premier Upgrades into your account. No additional Regional Premier Upgrades can be earned after qualifying for Premier 1K status.
More details can be found here: www.mileageplusupdates.com
- UA Insider
Good news! I got written confirmation from 1kvoice on the below:
We will honor 200% Premier Qualifying Mile (PQM) accrual for tickets purchased before September 28, 2018 for travel on/after January 1, 2019.
• A manual adjustment to 200% PQM accrual for P-fare flown segments can be made post-departure at the customer’s request.
• Any tickets purchased after September 28, 2018, for travel on/after January 1, 2019 are only eligible to receive 150% PQM accrual.
• A manual adjustment to 200% PQM accrual for P-fare flown segments can be made post-departure at the customer’s request.
• Any tickets purchased after September 28, 2018, for travel on/after January 1, 2019 are only eligible to receive 150% PQM accrual.
Related threads
United's New Boarding Process (with Wiki) [starting 18 Sep 2018]
Partner P fare earning after 1 Jan 2019
Updates to MP Premier Program -1K PQD $15K, P fare 150%, fewer RPU, Bag waiver & more
Sep 28, 2018, 2:19 pm
#91
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: AA Plat, UA 1K>Plat>moving to Silver
Posts: 2,083
Well, it is what it is. As I have been usually just over $12K (and about to do that soon this year), I would guess 2019 may be my last year as a 1K. However, I've not been one to chase status, rather usually just look for the cheapest way to get into international business class on the routes I need for work, mainly TATL. The GPUs were the main benefit of 1K to me. Whether I fly more or less on UA in 2019 will continue to depend on how their price compares for either discount business or economy price plus GPU or plus miles and copay when R is available, so not having GPUs might make it cheaper to go elsewhere. And maybe if earning miles by actually flying on UA becomes irrelevant, I may feel more like using my credit card miles on other airlines for awards and upgrades in 2019. I am fond of BA First and AF Affaires.
Sep 28, 2018, 2:25 pm
#92
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NBO/ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 188
Still no information about Premium Plus. Hmmm.
I'm actually seeing 10% lower P fares for next year on my usual routes, so I'm not sure yet how the reduced bonus will affect my purchasing behavior. And there's often a 20% price premium for LH/UA over BA. Said another way, on some routes the 200% P bonus may have been keeping UA from slashing J too much to match competitors. If Z shifts price point as well, this change may have less of an impact. (Of course, these things are always very specific to travel pattern.)
Glad I'm burning miles, though, since redemptions as 1K are much more valuable than as Plat.
Still seeing 200% PQM bonuses on P on LX/LH next year. That can't last, right?
I'm actually seeing 10% lower P fares for next year on my usual routes, so I'm not sure yet how the reduced bonus will affect my purchasing behavior. And there's often a 20% price premium for LH/UA over BA. Said another way, on some routes the 200% P bonus may have been keeping UA from slashing J too much to match competitors. If Z shifts price point as well, this change may have less of an impact. (Of course, these things are always very specific to travel pattern.)
Glad I'm burning miles, though, since redemptions as 1K are much more valuable than as Plat.
Still seeing 200% PQM bonuses on P on LX/LH next year. That can't last, right?
Sep 28, 2018, 2:25 pm
#93
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,370
The P-fare reduction and spend-increase would be more tolerable if UA also matched DL's OTHER approaches, which is earning on Partner tickets. Over the last few years, UA has really made it hard to ticket rational itineraries on 016 stock. Impossible to combine with BR. Nearly impossible to do anything with SQ. They cut the intra-Asia flights, so it's not possible to do hops within Asia on UA metal, and so you can't buy a ticket unless it's connected to your overseas leg.
...
Edit: Yes, I realize it's not JUST UA that has made this difficult. The Asian carriers have their own plating restrictions, which tied UA's hands. But that just makes it all the worse when UA refuses to give you any credit for flying in the Alliance they're increasing scraping you off onto!
...
Edit: Yes, I realize it's not JUST UA that has made this difficult. The Asian carriers have their own plating restrictions, which tied UA's hands. But that just makes it all the worse when UA refuses to give you any credit for flying in the Alliance they're increasing scraping you off onto!
My problem is, I'm close enough to requalifying for next year that it doesn't make much sense to jump ship now -- and even if DL or AA would status-match me in January, I'd end up with no usable upgrade certs during CY 2019. I suppose I could look into moving all travel except upgraded itineraries to another carrier, and see if I can save enough during partner sale fares to make up for it. As a 1MM UA flyer, I have options -- especially since Platinum is further eroded with these changes.
The thing is, $15K PQD on UA is $15K. $15K MQD on DL can be $10K if you're able to take advantage of some of the partner sale fares. UA's really not competitive here.
I guess, but this is now 50% inflation since the PQD program was instituted a few years back. Fares haven't risen anywhere near that much.
Last edited by jsloan; Sep 28, 2018 at 2:55 pm Reason: their -> the partner, for clarity
Sep 28, 2018, 2:32 pm
#94
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP. Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,129
United is still at $12k for 1K status during 2019. Do you really think AA is going to stay at $12K for qualifying for 2020?????? They have a couple of more months to match United's 2020 ($15k) qualifying scheme.
Your post should be:
"If anything people would jump to AA for a chance at EXP IF it REMAINS $12K for 2020 status.
Your post should be:
"If anything people would jump to AA for a chance at EXP IF it REMAINS $12K for 2020 status.
Sep 28, 2018, 2:34 pm
#95
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Orange County, CA
Programs: United GS, MM, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 598
I’m disappointed in the loss of RPUs. I fly enough to accrue 8 GPU and 8 RPU. That’s the perfect amount for one domestic family vacation and one international. Guess the domestic vacations are going to be a reality check for the kids lol.
Sep 28, 2018, 2:41 pm
#96
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: DCA
Programs: UA LT 1K, AA EXP, Bonvoy LT Titan, Avis PC, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,658
Surprised UA did not raise PQM to 125K to match DL Diamond. But I guess the PQM reduction for P fares helps cover the increase mileage needed. Silver/Gold/Platinum still align with DL. But DL Diamond has more benefits and better upgrade then UA 1K. DL Diamond is more like an earned UA GS.
Maybe UA will make GS harder to get.
Maybe UA will make GS harder to get.
Sep 28, 2018, 2:44 pm
#97
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA 1K, Citi Prestige, AMEX Platinum, SPG Gold
Posts: 720
I don't know what to do about this. I generally have a hard time spending less than $10k, but also a hard time spending more than $15k on UA. So I ended up doing things like buying more expensive tickets last year because I was a few hundred dollars short of $12k. That was expensive because I wanted to be on the same PNR as the rest of my family.
There is one easy way I could make $15k PQD, which is to book all my domestic travel in F. But whenever I've paid for domestic F, I've ended up seriously regretting it. It's not just that row 1 sometimes has less leg room and is less comfortable than row 21. It's that whenever there are irrops, I get bumped to coach, with a reduction of PQM but hardly any refund.
So now I'm wondering if I should just fall back on the fact that I'm MM with guaranteed gold, and just not even worry about qualification. Gold is probably good enough not to get my teeth bashed in like Dr. Dao. So maybe fly other airlines? Then again, being SFO based, UA is really the best option for me. So maybe I should double down and try to hit 3MM by retirement.
So many forces pulling me in opposite direction on this...
There is one easy way I could make $15k PQD, which is to book all my domestic travel in F. But whenever I've paid for domestic F, I've ended up seriously regretting it. It's not just that row 1 sometimes has less leg room and is less comfortable than row 21. It's that whenever there are irrops, I get bumped to coach, with a reduction of PQM but hardly any refund.
So now I'm wondering if I should just fall back on the fact that I'm MM with guaranteed gold, and just not even worry about qualification. Gold is probably good enough not to get my teeth bashed in like Dr. Dao. So maybe fly other airlines? Then again, being SFO based, UA is really the best option for me. So maybe I should double down and try to hit 3MM by retirement.
So many forces pulling me in opposite direction on this...
Sep 28, 2018, 2:52 pm
#98
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,115
This is a way bigger hit to GS than to 1Ks. Easy to confirm and awesome for award tickets.
P fares never should have been 200% in the first place. That always struck me as absurd. I don't think I've ever run in to a Y fare that was cheaper than a P fare.
P fares never should have been 200% in the first place. That always struck me as absurd. I don't think I've ever run in to a Y fare that was cheaper than a P fare.
Sep 28, 2018, 2:53 pm
#99
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: UA-1K MM, AA-Gold, DL-Silver, AS-MVP
Posts: 2,508
So instead of spending 12cpm they want everyone to spend 15cpm. Fine, but what exactly is the value that UA is bringing with additional 3cpm besides "boarding before Group 1". Most of my flying is international, so at an extra $3,000, I could get deals with better carriers such as QR, AF, BR, etc. And as others have noted, it's also annoying that UA doesn't allow PQD on other carriers. Time for me to re-evaluate this loyalty.
Sep 28, 2018, 2:59 pm
#100
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Northern California
Programs: I want to be free! Free!
Posts: 3,454
GS tend to be big PQM earners too so it's a lot of certs foregone (I'm sitting on 14 1/2020 expiry RPUs). That said, I am guessing a large majority of those RPUs were being used for F&F so I don't think it hurts so terribly in the end.
Sep 28, 2018, 2:59 pm
#101
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,108
Has it been confirmed that P is still First/Business rather than Premium Plus? There were reports that Prem+ would use O, A, R fare classes if I recall correctly, but I hadn't seen a final word on that. The description attached to P = 150% in the update is sort of noncommittal about what P actually means.
Nice! UA in one fell swoop has encouraged me to stop buying P fares, place little incentive on pursuing anything above Gold status, and incentivized me to shift almost all my spend to DL as DL Plat seems like the best value for my travel/spend patterns.
Another brilliant Kirby move!
Another brilliant Kirby move!
Sep 28, 2018, 3:02 pm
#102
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: UA Premier Platinum, DL Platinum
Posts: 597
Premier qualifying miles (PQM) fare class bonus for P‑class fares
P‑class fares with a travel date on or after January 1, 2019, will change from earning 200% PQM to 150% PQM. P‑class fares are a type of discounted premium cabin fare.
Sep 28, 2018, 3:02 pm
#103
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Westchester NY
Programs: UA GS 4+ MM
Posts: 373
As bad as these changes are for us routine loyalists, Ua1Flyer will be feeling the most pain. Losing 40+ RPUs per year will be tough to swallow for his family & acquaintances.
Seems strange that UA would intentionally target their biggest PQM flyers with this change. I suppose that is the same logic as capping award miles at 75,000 per ticket.
Guess management doesn't feel it will cost them any high end business.
Seems strange that UA would intentionally target their biggest PQM flyers with this change. I suppose that is the same logic as capping award miles at 75,000 per ticket.
Guess management doesn't feel it will cost them any high end business.
Sep 28, 2018, 3:06 pm
#104
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA Gold, SPG Plat, HH Gold
Posts: 991
Southwest Status match: https://www.southwest.com/html/rapid...tus_match.html
Sep 28, 2018, 3:08 pm
#105
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,115
You're totally right that these went to F&F - that is the loss I am referring to, and it does hurt. Especially when you could guarantee clearance into the seat next to you on a paid premium cabin fare, even on award tickets.