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
Oct 2, 2018, 9:25 pm
#407
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Oakland CA
Programs: DL Gold, AS MVPG, Globalist
Posts: 1,008
The pricing engine on the website is now showing both UA and partner P fares at 150%, so I think that probably puts to bed any speculation they would keep partner earnings at 200%.
Boo.
Boo.
Oct 2, 2018, 9:48 pm
#408
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,844
Some partner P (or their lowest business fares) are 200% PQMs, some are 150% and some are 100% --- there has never been a single earning value. Partners set their earning levels.
Partner earning levels are rarely been reported correctly during flight searches or reservation receipt report.
Best to use the partner earning pages
Partner earning levels are rarely been reported correctly during flight searches or reservation receipt report.
Best to use the partner earning pages
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Oct 2, 2018 at 9:57 pm Reason: link
Oct 2, 2018, 9:57 pm
#409
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,116
i don’t know where I’m going next week (was supposed to be HKG and just became LAS) so I haven’t booked any q1 flights yet. I still often buy P fares when I can find them.
Oct 2, 2018, 10:13 pm
#410
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
Best to use the partner earning pages
Because those P fares on LH, NH, etc. that currently show at 200% are almost certainly not going to accrue at that level.
Oct 2, 2018, 10:27 pm
#411
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,415
unces program changes of this sort in September.
Last edited by Xyzzy; Oct 2, 2018 at 10:51 pm
Oct 2, 2018, 10:35 pm
#412
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
Oct 3, 2018, 6:00 am
#413
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: ORD | LGA | 2E
Programs: UA GS 1.6MM UC | AA CK 0.7MM AC | Bonvoy Ambassador | Hyatt Globalist | Hertz PC
Posts: 1,053
In 2017 of my 106 UA flights, 67 of them were P fares. 2018 is tracking similar overall travel patterns with ~10% fewer P fares. This will certainly impact my PQM, I have been hitting 225K-250K since PQM were a thing. Spend has always been a multiple of $12K. The main impact for me from these changes will really just be the fewer RPUs, which is a notable downgrade but I would have been giving up some percentage of those additional RPUs just through the lower P fare PQM. Impacts my family and friends more than it will impact me directly as 99% of my travel is booked Z/A/P.
I would imagine the reduction in RPUs is geared more toward being able to increase revenue from selling the front cabin (which we all know UA is very aggressive on and proud of their current success in). I would bet that 1K CPU rates go entirely unimproved by this shift.
I would imagine the reduction in RPUs is geared more toward being able to increase revenue from selling the front cabin (which we all know UA is very aggressive on and proud of their current success in). I would bet that 1K CPU rates go entirely unimproved by this shift.
Oct 3, 2018, 9:44 am
#414
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: UA 1K 2MM
Posts: 86
Reducing the number of 1K's won't increase the probability of a GPU clearing it will actually decrease the probability. Upgrades don't clear today. It does not matter if you have 1 person on the upgrade list or 20. The TOD policy puts a little cash ahead of loyalty. So long as this policy is in place 1K's will sit on the upgrade list and GPU will be returned to the bank. Former 1K's will now be motivated to exercise the TOD option, since the GPU option has been removed, and the probability of upgrades clearing will actually reduce. Without modification of the TOD policy all such changes to program will continue to erode the value of elite status.
Oct 3, 2018, 9:51 am
#415
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
Oct 3, 2018, 9:59 am
#416
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Lahaina, HI & Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,403
This will certainly impact my PQM, I have been hitting 225K-250K since PQM were a thing. Spend has always been a multiple of $12K. The main impact for me from these changes will really just be the fewer RPUs, which is a notable downgrade but I would have been giving up some percentage of those additional RPUs just through the lower P fare PQM. Impacts my family and friends more than it will impact me directly as 99% of my travel is booked Z/A/P.
Oct 3, 2018, 10:08 am
#417
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: ORD | LGA | 2E
Programs: UA GS 1.6MM UC | AA CK 0.7MM AC | Bonvoy Ambassador | Hyatt Globalist | Hertz PC
Posts: 1,053
Reducing the number of 1K's won't increase the probability of a GPU clearing it will actually decrease the probability. Upgrades don't clear today. It does not matter if you have 1 person on the upgrade list or 20. The TOD policy puts a little cash ahead of loyalty. So long as this policy is in place 1K's will sit on the upgrade list and GPU will be returned to the bank. Former 1K's will now be motivated to exercise the TOD option, since the GPU option has been removed, and the probability of upgrades clearing will actually reduce. Without modification of the TOD policy all such changes to program will continue to erode the value of elite status.
Oct 3, 2018, 10:26 am
#418
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat; *A Gold; Marriott Gold
Posts: 351
Maybe I'm a hopeless optimist, but just checked two existing reservations for Q1 2019. The legs on Partner airlines in P class are still showing at 200% PQM. The legs on United metal are at 150% PQM. I know nothing is final until the PQM post after I fly those trips. I'm one of those poor saps who purposely booked these flights to boost my PQM early in the year. We will see...
Oct 3, 2018, 10:33 am
#419
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,218
Reducing the number of 1K's won't increase the probability of a GPU clearing it will actually decrease the probability. Upgrades don't clear today. It does not matter if you have 1 person on the upgrade list or 20. The TOD policy puts a little cash ahead of loyalty. So long as this policy is in place 1K's will sit on the upgrade list and GPU will be returned to the bank. Former 1K's will now be motivated to exercise the TOD option, since the GPU option has been removed, and the probability of upgrades clearing will actually reduce. Without modification of the TOD policy all such changes to program will continue to erode the value of elite status.
In 2020 former 1Ks not in a hub are unlikely to TOD on United unless United has the better fare/schedule. For former 1Ks in a hub agree with your premise on TODs.
Oct 3, 2018, 10:35 am
#420
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,018
Personally, I'm having a hard time figuring out how many F seats were sold vs upgrades on my flights since UA's ceased showing those upgrades doled out prior to check-in. But you're right - UA is doing a better job of filling the F seats w/o CPUs (and RPU/GPUs).