Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > United Airlines | MileagePlus
Reload this Page >

GS Qualifying for 2019 Discussion / Questions

Old Oct 22, 2018, 3:44 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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 2018
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.

Originally Posted by sgopal2
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
Print Wikipost

GS Qualifying for 2019 Discussion / Questions

Old Apr 2, 2019, 9:17 am
  #826  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Northern California
Programs: I want to be free! Free!
Posts: 3,446
Originally Posted by Collierkr
Ok, maybe that is their NET worth/value after subtracting all the perks they get.
Actually I think that is definitely the more interesting number, but the context here (corp account sales) suggested it was value to the customer/traveler.
aCavalierInCoach is offline  
Old Apr 2, 2019, 11:33 am
  #827  
Moderator: United Airlines
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,580
Originally Posted by j2simpso
Would be curious to hear foreign GS members (do they even exist?) to see what their experiences are specifically. I would be surprised if UA had as strict a spend requirement as US members since, if you're based in Asia, it can be prohibitively hard to find flights UA flights to Australia or Europe from there!

Safe Travels,

James
data in Global Services 2019 Notifications (ONLY)
and
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...gid=1926936637
suggest there is little or no difference in the requirements for GS based on local including non-domestic
but sample size is small https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30622919-post653.html

Also see discussion starting here
and here

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Apr 2, 2019 at 11:41 am Reason: more links
WineCountryUA is offline  
Old Apr 8, 2019, 8:02 pm
  #828  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 203
mid-year consideration

from all the anecdotes on FT and various other sites, it looks like invitations especially for first-timers have to wait until december/january. i just crossed $76k PQD for the year and an early invite would certainly help with my carrier and route choices for the rest of the year.
any harm in asking (email or phone?) or should I just be patient and let the chips fall where they may?

appreciate any helpful comments.
jnb_tx is offline  
Old Apr 8, 2019, 9:08 pm
  #829  
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Lahaina, HI & Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,403
With this level of spend, if all UA metal, you have a shot, especially if you can show other future flights already purchased. Won't hurt to see if they might grant an exception.
jjmoore likes this.
LAXOGG is offline  
Old Apr 9, 2019, 2:06 am
  #830  
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 4
Originally Posted by jnb_tx
from all the anecdotes on FT and various other sites, it looks like invitations especially for first-timers have to wait until december/january. i just crossed $76k PQD for the year and an early invite would certainly help with my carrier and route choices for the rest of the year.
any harm in asking (email or phone?) or should I just be patient and let the chips fall where they may?

appreciate any helpful comments.
It definitely cannot hurt, but dont be surprised to get a no. I was on a similar (but not quite as high admittedly) pace last year and they told me I had to wait. Hopefully you get a different answer!
Aldinach is offline  
Old Apr 9, 2019, 11:13 pm
  #831  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYD
Programs: UA GS, BA Gold, Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, IHG Gold, National Exec Elite, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,419
Last year, or the year before, someone with over $100k in spend mid year received GS status, without requesting.
LordHamster, jnb_tx and AugustusM like this.
flyerbjorn is offline  
Old Apr 16, 2019, 12:06 pm
  #832  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K | Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 458
Originally Posted by jnb_tx
from all the anecdotes on FT and various other sites, it looks like invitations especially for first-timers have to wait until december/january. i just crossed $76k PQD for the year and an early invite would certainly help with my carrier and route choices for the rest of the year.
any harm in asking (email or phone?) or should I just be patient and let the chips fall where they may?

appreciate any helpful comments.
You should definitely try. I'm in almost the exact spot as you - about to hit 75k in spend (~73k of which is on UA metal) and wishing I would get an early invite given that it's only April...

I did email 1K team asking about it and they granted me a GS review (I wasn't even asking for a review, just whether they did mid-year qualification) - they declined me for this year (I was around 53k in spend at the time with another 20k booked but not flown yet) but said they'll of course assess in the normal end of year qualification for 2020. Not sure if waiting until current spend would have helped or if it was a no go based on historical spend.

Seems no harm in asking so hopefully your results are different! They respond pretty fast and post the response to your mystatus.united.com page.
n8-the-gr8 is offline  
Old Apr 16, 2019, 1:50 pm
  #833  
 
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: 3,606
You would think UA would see value in early invites. I had the opposite happen where I didn't get the invite until literally Jan 30th. Prior to that I just assumed I was getting the invite and had already booked multiple other flights with other carriers (partially out of frustration with UA but that is another story). As close as I am with my annual spend to getting the invite this "lost" PQDs will, I feel, ultimately cost me the invite for next year.
nomad420 is offline  
Old Apr 16, 2019, 6:40 pm
  #834  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: SFO
Programs: United 1MM GS, Marriott Platinum Elite, Hilton Diamond, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 283
Originally Posted by nomad420
You would think UA would see value in early invites. I had the opposite happen where I didn't get the invite until literally Jan 30th. Prior to that I just assumed I was getting the invite and had already booked multiple other flights with other carriers (partially out of frustration with UA but that is another story). As close as I am with my annual spend to getting the invite this "lost" PQDs will, I feel, ultimately cost me the invite for next year.
Given that you have been less than impressed with GS, maybe this will solidify your decision to fly AS + (someone else) internationally?
SFOdelayed is offline  
Old Apr 16, 2019, 7:04 pm
  #835  
 
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: 3,606
Originally Posted by SFOdelayed


Given that you have been less than impressed with GS, maybe this will solidify your decision to fly AS + (someone else) internationally?
Well the jury is still out for me on GS but instruments sure clear easier. Lobby check in at SFO is very nice. Have not used it for IRROPs as mercifully I haven't had any. CPU experience is about the same as 1K so far this year, which has was not great. Either way I think I will be one and done with GS as I can't see me hitting the dollar mark again this year. I lost some potentially valuable PQD's towards GS status as in January with several purchased F AS flights in and out of Hawaii. I have been toying with idea to jump over to them for probably 3 years now. When they opened up more routes post merger that was a game changer for me in as much as I could at least consider them out of the Bay area as I often fly them out of either OAK or SFO for business in Hawaii and Seattle. Denver and East coast routes also became available without having to go to SEA to get anywhere. My international travel has steadily declined over the past 3 years so that has become less of an issue for me.
nomad420 is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2019, 2:59 pm
  #836  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: SFO/LIS
Programs: UA 1MM GS, Delta Skymiles Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 145
Just hit the 3 month Feb-April GS PQD challenge spend (15k) yesterday! Well actually I also completed the required spend in the Jan-Mar 3 month period, but chose not to tempt IT-shenanigans which might have occurred changing my chosen challenge travel window at the end of March...

Sure enough, only a few short hours after my flight, on Saturday afternoon, challenge processing completed and am now back at GS Here's to another fun year and thanks to UA for extending the challenge!
wxguy and AugustusM like this.
rieuwa is offline  
Old Apr 23, 2019, 11:15 pm
  #837  
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 1
This might be a silly question, but if you're qualifying for the first time, do you typically get the invitation mid-year? I'm at $60k PQD and 150 PQM on UA in the past few months but am hoping I don't have to wait until December to switch from 1K to GS....
ng654321 is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2019, 12:21 am
  #838  
Moderator: United Airlines
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,580
Welcome to FT!, ng654321
Originally Posted by ng654321
This might be a silly question, but if you're qualifying for the first time, do you typically get the invitation mid-year? I'm at $60k PQD and 150 PQM on UA in the past few months but am hoping I don't have to wait until December to switch from 1K to GS....
It is very rare for UA to do mid-year selections. Many years ago there was a formal process for requesting consideration, but that has not been around for a number of years. With no formal process, probably the best you can do is request thru MP Customer Support for your query to be forward to the GS Team
ContinentalFan and jjmoore like this.
WineCountryUA is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2019, 3:19 pm
  #839  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 203
Originally Posted by n8-the-gr8
You should definitely try. I'm in almost the exact spot as you - about to hit 75k in spend (~73k of which is on UA metal) and wishing I would get an early invite given that it's only April...

I did email 1K team asking about it and they granted me a GS review (I wasn't even asking for a review, just whether they did mid-year qualification) - they declined me for this year (I was around 53k in spend at the time with another 20k booked but not flown yet) but said they'll of course assess in the normal end of year qualification for 2020. Not sure if waiting until current spend would have helped or if it was a no go based on historical spend.

Seems no harm in asking so hopefully your results are different! They respond pretty fast and post the response to your mystatus.united.com page.
Thanks for the feedback. I got the same response as you. Very friendly, very boiler-plate... but worth a try. Don't know how much more premium spend I will put on UA this year, will probably stick to burning award miles for personal travel before dynamic pricing kicks in.
jnb_tx is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2019, 3:33 pm
  #840  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,324
Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
Welcome to FT!, ng654321
It is very rare for UA to do mid-year selections. Many years ago there was a formal process for requesting consideration, but that has not been around for a number of years. With no formal process, probably the best you can do is request thru MP Customer Support for your query to be forward to the GS Team
That being said, if at 60k PQD YTD, then I think continuing that spend will get a midyear GS invite. I think they will usually extend it midyear if it is beyond a doubt that you would make GS even if you stopped flying - had a friend who got it after something like 90k PQD in five months.
findark is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.