Oct 22, 2018, 3:44 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
GS Qualifying for 2019 Discussion
This will be a discussion thread, for discussing the needed qualifications and timing of notification.
For posing formal notifications (but no discussion), use this thread Global Services 2019 Notifications (ONLY)
2019 GS Timeline
First requal notifications came out on 6 Dec 2018
First-time notifications started about 3 Jan 2019
Numerous reports that all regular notifications will be out by 11 Jan 2019
Initial successful reconsideration appeals reported 15 Jan 2019
First reports of challanges15 Jan 2019
For discussion of GS benefits, please use Consolidated Global Services Thread: Benefits, Questions 2018First-time notifications started about 3 Jan 2019
Numerous reports that all regular notifications will be out by 11 Jan 2019
Initial successful reconsideration appeals reported 15 Jan 2019
First reports of challanges15 Jan 2019
For 2017 qualifications, see the 2017 thread and for 2018, see the 2018 thread
To find your PQDs if >than $12K
Go to
MileagePlus activity since my last statement and it is in the "Account summary" table at the top of the page.
Note this is not just the UA operated PQDs (which is commonly believed to be what matters for GS) but rather your total PQDs.
Definitions
BIS is actual scheduled flight distance (Great Circle Mileage Distance -- GCM) between airports with 500 mile minimum for elites. This is the standard used for Lifetime miles also. Those flying mostly sub-500 segments sometimes prefer to not use the minimum rule.
The definition for CPM is a bit vaguer, especially since CPM is used in multiple different situations.
Believe for the purpose of this thread, GS qualification, folks are using
PQD CPM = UA PQDs / UA BIS
Note there is no direct evidence UA uses this CPM number for GS Qualification but it is a number FTers like to use.
As for BIS, UA does not report this number your account and it needs to be manually tracked.
One way is to make use that PQMs are based on BIS but there may be a multiplier / bonus for high end fares. If always in 2x PQMs, you could divide by 2 to get BIS.
rwsteelers had a good method for determining UA BIS -- the change in Lifetime Miles from the first of the year.
Hello:
To help with collection of qualification metrics for global services, I created a Google Doc. This will be useful for future members. For ease of use, I created a form which feeds into a spreadsheet. The spreadsheet and form does not require a google account and is free to use.
Similar spreadsheets were created in years past, so I'm hoping to continue this tradition. Please take the time to enter your stats into the spreadsheet. Many thanks
LINK to entry form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1SYm...xRKZ_EUD8/edit
View responses here ( read only ):
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing
To help with collection of qualification metrics for global services, I created a Google Doc. This will be useful for future members. For ease of use, I created a form which feeds into a spreadsheet. The spreadsheet and form does not require a google account and is free to use.
Similar spreadsheets were created in years past, so I'm hoping to continue this tradition. Please take the time to enter your stats into the spreadsheet. Many thanks
LINK to entry form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1SYm...xRKZ_EUD8/edit
View responses here ( read only ):
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing
GS Qualifying for 2019 Discussion / Questions
Jan 15, 2019, 3:19 pm
#721
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: RAP
Programs: UA 1K - 3 MM, CLEAR
Posts: 49
Of course, we do not know what the "magic formula" might be that United uses - and we often merely look at PQD. However, in my case (above), I contributed to United's coffers - $41,890 via PQD and $4,100 via paid upgrades - all to fly 87,452 BIS miles. I would think that $0.53/BIS miles must come into play in some manner (apart from lowering my bank account).
Jan 15, 2019, 4:43 pm
#722
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles
Posts: 8,704
Jeez they’re just giving GS away based on stats from the other thread 
Jan 15, 2019, 4:52 pm
#723
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Somewhere in EWR
Programs: UA GS, HH Diamond
Posts: 858
Jan 15, 2019, 4:55 pm
#724
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,621
Of course, we do not know what the "magic formula" might be that United uses - and we often merely look at PQD. However, in my case (above), I contributed to United's coffers - $41,890 via PQD and $4,100 via paid upgrades - all to fly 87,452 BIS miles. I would think that $0.53/BIS miles must come into play in some manner (apart from lowering my bank account).
Jan 15, 2019, 5:10 pm
#725
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: SFO
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 80
Are you saying actual United metal was $43k?
Jan 15, 2019, 5:31 pm
#726
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: RAP
Programs: UA 1K - 3 MM, CLEAR
Posts: 49
Jan 16, 2019, 9:11 pm
#727
Join Date: Dec 2017
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott, AMEX
Posts: 14
Boo. No GS re-qualification for 2019 despite 175k PQM > 48k PQD (DEN based) and a 30+ year MileagePlus Member. Numbers for 2017 were almost identical and I qualified for 2018. Those *A flights in Europe, Middle East and Asia kill my UA metal miles but don't have any choice (UA doesn't go where I need to go). Emirates is looking better this year. Initially, I saw the challenge offer, but now that's gone...interesting.
Jan 17, 2019, 1:08 am
#728
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: SFO/LIS
Programs: UA 1MM GS, Delta Skymiles Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 145
Same here. The challenge offer that was there before is now gone and replaced with a decline. Come on, United, what’s up here ?!
Edit: called GS line and agent looked up, saw the reconsideration history and then said that on her system she could see that I had an active challenge with the exact conditions I had seen previously. Hopefully just a glitch in mystatus.united.com....
Edit: called GS line and agent looked up, saw the reconsideration history and then said that on her system she could see that I had an active challenge with the exact conditions I had seen previously. Hopefully just a glitch in mystatus.united.com....
Last edited by rieuwa; Jan 17, 2019 at 1:21 am
Jan 17, 2019, 5:07 am
#729
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
Same here. The challenge offer that was there before is now gone and replaced with a decline. Come on, United, what’s up here ?!
Edit: called GS line and agent looked up, saw the reconsideration history and then said that on her system she could see that I had an active challenge with the exact conditions I had seen previously. Hopefully just a glitch in mystatus.united.com....
Edit: called GS line and agent looked up, saw the reconsideration history and then said that on her system she could see that I had an active challenge with the exact conditions I had seen previously. Hopefully just a glitch in mystatus.united.com....
You will drop to 1K while you are in the challenge phase, and if you satisfy the requirements, your GS status will reinstate immediately upon the stats posting to your account.
Good luck! .... and I wish you better luck than I had with my challenge last year (fail).
Jan 17, 2019, 2:50 pm
#730
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,621
So as of right now if you still show GS but have not gotten the 2019 invite would it be save to assume you also have also not been definitely denied the invite for 2019? Others above who failed to re qualify had stated that there status flip to 1K (or whatever level) in Mystatus. In previous years it seemed like by the end of Jan everyone knew where they stood.
Jan 17, 2019, 7:03 pm
#731
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: SFO/LIS
Programs: UA 1MM GS, Delta Skymiles Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 145
Mystatus is a bit awry in January (traditionally).... once we get through the month, everything should look normal and accurate.
You will drop to 1K while you are in the challenge phase, and if you satisfy the requirements, your GS status will reinstate immediately upon the stats posting to your account.
Good luck! .... and I wish you better luck than I had with my challenge last year (fail).
You will drop to 1K while you are in the challenge phase, and if you satisfy the requirements, your GS status will reinstate immediately upon the stats posting to your account.
Good luck! .... and I wish you better luck than I had with my challenge last year (fail).
Jan 18, 2019, 4:48 am
#732
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
So as of right now if you still show GS but have not gotten the 2019 invite would it be save to assume you also have also not been definitely denied the invite for 2019? Others above who failed to re qualify had stated that there status flip to 1K (or whatever level) in Mystatus. In previous years it seemed like by the end of Jan everyone knew where they stood.
If I were you, I would file an appeal if you have not been reinvited.... and I would simply send an email to GS to get that done.
Jan 18, 2019, 9:30 am
#733
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA Global Services -- Marriott Ambassador Elite - AA Gold
Posts: 24
For what it's worth I qualified for GS the first time on the 11th this year and the card in the app also shows Valid Thru 01/2019. I assume it's a glitch.
Jan 18, 2019, 11:54 am
#734
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Somewhere in EWR
Programs: UA GS, HH Diamond
Posts: 858
Jan 20, 2019, 7:10 pm
#735
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 49
I emailed GS and received the challenge (15K spend on UA metal in a 3 month span), but to be frank, I probably won’t meet it.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jan 20, 2019 at 9:56 pm Reason: Inappropriate request removed