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, 3:09 pm
#106
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,464
Email has gone out.
Seems they're getting better at timely communication.
It alludes to the changes but doesn't quite spell out the reduction in RPU crediting or increased spend.
Still, this seems to be good, straightforward notice.
It alludes to the changes but doesn't quite spell out the reduction in RPU crediting or increased spend.
Still, this seems to be good, straightforward notice.
Sep 28, 2018, 3:14 pm
#107
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,413
It won't do you any good, because they'll just argue that it isn't "technically"a P fare. The vast majority of domestic first class fares are sold as coach + a differential, whether they're P, Z, D, C, A, or even F. Agents' inability to understand that isn't likely to change.
Sep 28, 2018, 3:16 pm
#108
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1k MM, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 256
Sep 28, 2018, 3:18 pm
#109
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: ORD-LAS
Programs: UA MM 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 4,419
Of course, this is done on a Friday. They are back to the Friday games. So, basically 1K's get to board the same as they did before, but get less benefits. Sounds right..
Sep 28, 2018, 3:19 pm
#110
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 553
This does make me reconsider my travel patterns with UA. Buying P fares and meeting the PQD requirement (whether directly or through the CC waiver) have enabled me to reach Gold for a handful of years. The change to 150% PQM for P fares will make it harder for me to qualify, and I'll likely consider OAL more as a result.
Buying a premium cabin gets you a lot of the benefits of status anyway, so I'm more comfortable flying OAL in a premium cabin than in Y. The change makes sense from UA's perspective to increase revenue, but I'm not sure that I'll continue to direct so much spend towards UA if I'm not going to be able to make Gold with that spend.
Buying a premium cabin gets you a lot of the benefits of status anyway, so I'm more comfortable flying OAL in a premium cabin than in Y. The change makes sense from UA's perspective to increase revenue, but I'm not sure that I'll continue to direct so much spend towards UA if I'm not going to be able to make Gold with that spend.
Sep 28, 2018, 3:20 pm
#111
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: London
Programs: United 1K 2 Million Miles, BA Silver, Marriott Platinum Elite, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 370
So I have a P Class Polaris Fare, rom LHR to PDX next April that was booked last August, as United have now changed the earning ability on this Fare am I able to cancel and get a refund? They should had just said for tickets bought after x date
Sep 28, 2018, 3:26 pm
#112
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: East Coast, USA
Posts: 1,032
So is the P fare the new "Basic Premium" (as opposed to N fare the Basic Economy)? 
Seriously, I can live with the P fare "demotion" when I can score sub-500 USD transcon F OW fares. Heck, it was even possible to score BOS-SFO biz fare for $399 at some point. And with the changes in upgrade instrument earnings, what matters more is the RDM (unless of course, you are targeting MM tiers).
Seriously, I can live with the P fare "demotion" when I can score sub-500 USD transcon F OW fares. Heck, it was even possible to score BOS-SFO biz fare for $399 at some point. And with the changes in upgrade instrument earnings, what matters more is the RDM (unless of course, you are targeting MM tiers).
Sep 28, 2018, 3:28 pm
#113
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: All the programs!
Posts: 1,006
This is a bummer. With the increase in PQD I was hoping to see more benefits.
Sep 28, 2018, 3:34 pm
#114
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
This hurts. Just started flying United in 2016. Got 1K for 2018 and will get it for 2019. After that, probably not.
My wife who only travels for vacation will get 1K for 2019. After that, surely not.
And I'm at least 7-8 years away before I get lifetime status. I think I will still have to fly United as they have many flights to Asia and it's easier for me to get to ORD rather than the hubs of DL or AA.
My wife who only travels for vacation will get 1K for 2019. After that, surely not.
And I'm at least 7-8 years away before I get lifetime status. I think I will still have to fly United as they have many flights to Asia and it's easier for me to get to ORD rather than the hubs of DL or AA.
Sep 28, 2018, 3:36 pm
#115
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Paradise
Posts: 1,617
I expected P to be cut down for a while, especially with DL/AA only offering 150% for their respective FC fares (excluding full F/J). I noticed they labelled P as a general Premium cabin fare. I wonder if that was intentional. Might not be so bad if P goes to Premium Economy and Z takes over as the lowest First Class fare.
Based on the tone of the posts here, I'm guessing the Group 1 lines will once again swell in 2020.
Based on the tone of the posts here, I'm guessing the Group 1 lines will once again swell in 2020.
Sep 28, 2018, 3:36 pm
#116
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: SF, CA
Programs: UA 1k, 1MM
Posts: 18
At first I was thinking along the same lines, but thinking a little more I am starting to think that this will be better. The RPUs are *almost* worthless these days. I can never get my requests to clear. Last year 4 of them expired. Maybe with fewer of them out there requests will have a better chance of clearing? Not sure on this, but maybe.
Sep 28, 2018, 3:38 pm
#117
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1MM 1K, BA Gold
Posts: 431
The P fare going down to 150% is great news. Imagine if it stayed at 200%, many of you would be over 100K PQM, and well below $15k PQD. Now you'll reach the two thresholds at more or less the same time
Sep 28, 2018, 3:46 pm
#118
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Paradise
Posts: 1,617
Despite them saying flights flown after 2018 won't accrue the 200% PQM, I feel they will still honor it for anyone who had tickets booked prior to today. If not they would have to refund or be setting themselves up for legal problems. Can't change the terms of a ticket already purchased.
Sep 28, 2018, 3:50 pm
#119
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,211
I'm fine with the change because I can just go back to spending less money (I'm international) and adding an extra Asia trip or 2 with my GPUs and pocketing the difference. Two can play the same game, no problem.
Sep 28, 2018, 3:53 pm
#120
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: UA 1K MM
Posts: 1,289
The only way this will affect me is P fares. I have some booked already for 2019. Will they let me refare or refund them? I would have purchased differently had I known about this.