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 19, 2018, 11:53 pm
#496
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Japan
Posts: 5,577
I am confused. Checking the MP earnings page today while in the Maldives, it still shows :"P" fare as 200% which is very odd.
premier qualifying creditsEligible purchased fare classes
Premier qualifying miles (PQM)Premier qualifying segments (PQS)
F, J300%1.5
A, C, D, Z, P200%1.5
Y, B150%1.5M,
E, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, K, G100%1
N0%0"
"Premier qualifying credits
MileagePlus members flying on United and United Express will earn Premier qualifying credits toward Premier status based on the flight distance footnote2 and purchased fare class, with bonuses for paid United PolarisSM first class, United First®, United Polaris business class, United Business® or full-fare United Economy® tickets footnote5. Premier members are also eligible to earn a minimum of 500 Premier qualifying miles on United and United Express flights.premier qualifying creditsEligible purchased fare classes
Premier qualifying miles (PQM)Premier qualifying segments (PQS)
F, J300%1.5
A, C, D, Z, P200%1.5
Y, B150%1.5M,
E, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, K, G100%1
N0%0"
Oct 20, 2018, 12:22 am
#497
Join Date: May 2001
Location: RNO, NV, USA.
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 5,062
Exleftseat - Perhaps because P fares will continue to earn 200% until the end of the year. 
Oct 20, 2018, 3:43 am
#498
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Japan
Posts: 5,577
But maybe I am wrong. Old age!
Oct 20, 2018, 1:47 pm
#499
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
They've still not updated the "earnings" page on the website, which is pretty poor form. I guess they are relying on what the website says when you buy the ticket, as well as the emailed receipt post-purchase, but that doesn't cover bookings made through other channels, where a purchaser could absolutely be misled as to earnings on a P fare for travel after December 31.
Oct 20, 2018, 11:32 pm
#500
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Japan
Posts: 5,577
They've still not updated the "earnings" page on the website, which is pretty poor form. I guess they are relying on what the website says when you buy the ticket, as well as the emailed receipt post-purchase, but that doesn't cover bookings made through other channels, where a purchaser could absolutely be misled as to earnings on a P fare for travel after December 31.
Oct 21, 2018, 12:08 pm
#501
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: UA, Some Others
Posts: 286
At the end of the day, UA is still the only airline that flies nonstop to my frequent destinations (SFO-WAS I'm looking at you...) and also internationally (although with the AS/VX merger and expansion it's looking more attractive). If I don't make 1K under the new rules, I'll be disappointed, but "switch carriers" isn't really a choice.
So, this may be my last year at 1K. I hit about 102,000 PQM and $13,000. I book in first sometimes. I'm not changing, but I can't see chasing $15,000. 1K is okay, but it isn't worth another $3,000.
Oct 21, 2018, 12:12 pm
#502
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,409
Nothing makes me realize how tied I am to United's depth of schedule quite as much as when they cut the ~8pm IAD-SFO for the winter and feeling just how much it hurts. Even with the VX addition, AS at 4x daily from IAD/DCA is nearly unworkable.
Oct 21, 2018, 3:03 pm
#503
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Programs: United Gold
Posts: 2,047
I was keeping up with this thread, then it exploded to 34 pages and I admittedly havent read all of the most recent posts..
Has anyone figured out whether the plan is to make "P" class the Premium Economy fare class for PP seats? That would more rationally suggest why they set the PQM earning rate at 150% (which is kind of in line with other airlines, and in *A).. I asked because I was searching for P-class fares on a few routes where I usually buy them and couldn't find them (these are not routes that normally have the 777s with those new seats)..
If I missed this above, I apologize..
Has anyone figured out whether the plan is to make "P" class the Premium Economy fare class for PP seats? That would more rationally suggest why they set the PQM earning rate at 150% (which is kind of in line with other airlines, and in *A).. I asked because I was searching for P-class fares on a few routes where I usually buy them and couldn't find them (these are not routes that normally have the 777s with those new seats)..
If I missed this above, I apologize..
Oct 21, 2018, 3:12 pm
#504
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,391
Has anyone figured out whether the plan is to make "P" class the Premium Economy fare class for PP seats? That would more rationally suggest why they set the PQM earning rate at 150% (which is kind of in line with other airlines, and in *A).. I asked because I was searching for P-class fares on a few routes where I usually buy them and couldn't find them (these are not routes that normally have the 777s with those new seats)..
200% earning for deep discount business class has always been the outlier. It was only introduced for the 2016 qualification year. AA matches it, but DL only offers 200% for its most expensive business class fare.
Oct 21, 2018, 4:26 pm
#505
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
And Diamond requires 125k EQM.
It's been much easier to earn 1K than DL Diamond the past two years with 200% P fares. In fact, for a passenger traveling mostly on Ps (or their DL equivalents), DL Plat and 1K have required the same number of BIS. With these changes, the number of 1Ks is likely to drop pretty significantly.
It's been much easier to earn 1K than DL Diamond the past two years with 200% P fares. In fact, for a passenger traveling mostly on Ps (or their DL equivalents), DL Plat and 1K have required the same number of BIS. With these changes, the number of 1Ks is likely to drop pretty significantly.
Oct 21, 2018, 4:45 pm
#506
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: 67,127
FWIW, for some of the winter travel I've booked, the Z fares cost basically the same as the P fares used to on the same routes (domestic routes). So still 200% earnings on deeply-discounted front-cabin fares, just one letter up from what it used to be.
I haven't verified what the AP requirements are for those Z fares, though; they've been for January and February travel so far. Used to be able to snag P fares on these routes up to about 3 weeks out.
I haven't verified what the AP requirements are for those Z fares, though; they've been for January and February travel so far. Used to be able to snag P fares on these routes up to about 3 weeks out.
Oct 21, 2018, 5:30 pm
#507
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM
Posts: 6,348
Nice.
I was looking for early 2019 travel, and sadly, for my destinations (international) Z fares are almost double than P fares.
Was trying to get creative again so looked at adding ZFV-EWR, which sometimes works to get better rates. This time the short train trip adds a whopping $3500 to the same EWR-XXX-EWR P fare.
Looks like 2019 won't be quite as easy to get 1K as 2018 was, indeed.
Oct 21, 2018, 5:31 pm
#508
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Seoul
Programs: None anymore
Posts: 983
No. UA has indicated that O, A, and R are the P+ fare classes.
200% earning for deep discount business class has always been the outlier. It was only introduced for the 2016 qualification year. AA matches it, but DL only offers 200% for its most expensive business class fare.
200% earning for deep discount business class has always been the outlier. It was only introduced for the 2016 qualification year. AA matches it, but DL only offers 200% for its most expensive business class fare.
Oct 21, 2018, 5:48 pm
#509
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
Nice.
I was looking for early 2019 travel, and sadly, for my destinations (international) Z fares are almost double than P fares.
Was trying to get creative again so looked at adding ZFV-EWR, which sometimes works to get better rates. This time the short train trip adds a whopping $3500 to the same EWR-XXX-EWR P fare.
Looks like 2019 won't be quite as easy to get 1K as 2018 was, indeed.
I was looking for early 2019 travel, and sadly, for my destinations (international) Z fares are almost double than P fares.
Was trying to get creative again so looked at adding ZFV-EWR, which sometimes works to get better rates. This time the short train trip adds a whopping $3500 to the same EWR-XXX-EWR P fare.
Looks like 2019 won't be quite as easy to get 1K as 2018 was, indeed.
Oct 21, 2018, 5:49 pm
#510
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,391