Oct 11, 2019, 5:20 am
Last edit by: SPN Lifer
tl;dr - PQMs/PQDs/PQS going away, replaced with PQPs. $1 = 1 PQP. See chart below for thresholds:
ex
New Status Measures
Premier Qualifying Points (PQP): Basically the same as PQD. Everything that was a PQD continues to count, plus:
Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF): Same as BIS segments (no class of service bonus) except Basic Economy and award tickets don't count.
PQP Earning on Partners
You can now earn PQP on non-016 tickets when flying eligible partners.
"Preferred" Partners (mostly JV partners): 1/5 of the RDM earned, excluding status bonuses (but including fare class) on AC AD AV CA CM EW LH LX NH NZ OS SN.
Others: 1/6 of the RDM earned, excluding status bonuses (but including fare class) on other airlines with MP earnings available.
Note: Because all partners earn RDM by distance when not on an 016-ticket, this effectively awards PQP by distance, from 40% in many JV First and Business cabins to 5% in things like LX K.
Preferred partners:
Bulk Tickets
Per UA Insider in this post: Yes you will now earn PQP on bulk tickets but not necessarily for the cash value since the price of the ticket is opaque. Bulk tickets will be equal to the award miles you earn for the ticket (excluding Premier bonus miles, if any) divided by 5.
Foreign Addresses
The PQD waiver for foreign MP addresses will no longer apply beginning in 2020.
Credit Card Holders
The PQD waivers and PQM earnings from all Chase cards are ending. Instead, Chase cards allow you to earn 500 PQP for every $12,000 of eligible spend, but only up to the following limits:
1,000 PQP / $24,000: MP Explorer, MP Club, MP Awards, and MP cards, plus their business equivalents (bonus PQP do not count for 1K)
3,000 PQP / $72,000: MP Select and MP Platinum cards
10,000 PQP / $240,000: Presidential Plus and PP Business cards
Existing Flexible PQM (FPQM) on eligible cards will become FPQP at a 5:1 ratio on 01-Apr-20 and will only be applicable through Platinum status.
ex
New Status Measures
Premier Qualifying Points (PQP): Basically the same as PQD. Everything that was a PQD continues to count, plus:
- Copay component of miles+copay upgrades
- Paid upgrades (TOD or "sticker-type")
- Travel on partner airlines on partner stock (awarded as a fraction of the distance, similar to DL)
Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF): Same as BIS segments (no class of service bonus) except Basic Economy and award tickets don't count.
PQP Earning on Partners
You can now earn PQP on non-016 tickets when flying eligible partners.
"Preferred" Partners (mostly JV partners): 1/5 of the RDM earned, excluding status bonuses (but including fare class) on AC AD AV CA CM EW LH LX NH NZ OS SN.
Others: 1/6 of the RDM earned, excluding status bonuses (but including fare class) on other airlines with MP earnings available.
Note: Because all partners earn RDM by distance when not on an 016-ticket, this effectively awards PQP by distance, from 40% in many JV First and Business cabins to 5% in things like LX K.
Preferred partners:
- Air Canada
- Air China
- Air New Zealand
- All Nippon Airways
- Austrian Airlines
- Avianca
- Azul Brazilian Airlines
- Brussels Airlines
- Copa Airlines
- Eurowings
- Lufthansa
- SWISS International Airlines
- Aegean Airlines
- Air Dolomiti
- Air India
- Asiana Airlines
- Croatia Airlines
- Edelweiss
- EgyptAir
- Ethiopian Airlines
- EVA Air
- Juneyao Air
- LOT Polish Airlines
- Olympic Air
- SAS
- Shenzhen Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- South African Airways
- TAP Air Portugal
- Thai Airways International
- Turkish Airlines
Bulk Tickets
Per UA Insider in this post: Yes you will now earn PQP on bulk tickets but not necessarily for the cash value since the price of the ticket is opaque. Bulk tickets will be equal to the award miles you earn for the ticket (excluding Premier bonus miles, if any) divided by 5.
Foreign Addresses
The PQD waiver for foreign MP addresses will no longer apply beginning in 2020.
Credit Card Holders
The PQD waivers and PQM earnings from all Chase cards are ending. Instead, Chase cards allow you to earn 500 PQP for every $12,000 of eligible spend, but only up to the following limits:
1,000 PQP / $24,000: MP Explorer, MP Club, MP Awards, and MP cards, plus their business equivalents (bonus PQP do not count for 1K)
3,000 PQP / $72,000: MP Select and MP Platinum cards
10,000 PQP / $240,000: Presidential Plus and PP Business cards
Existing Flexible PQM (FPQM) on eligible cards will become FPQP at a 5:1 ratio on 01-Apr-20 and will only be applicable through Platinum status.
United is updating the way MileagePlus members qualify for Premier status in 2020 for the 2021 program year. We recognized that distance was not the best way for us to measure customer loyalty, which is why we are introducing a new qualification structure to better deliver Premier benefits to our most valued customers. In 2020, members will only need to account for two factors to earn status: number of flights taken (Premier Qualifying Flights) and value of tickets purchased (Premier Qualifying Points).
Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF): every flight, a takeoff and landing, will count as a PQF except Basic Economy and tickets booked using miles.
Premier Qualifying Points (PQP): 1 PQP = 1 U.S. dollar spent. You will earn PQPs on the base fare of your ticket (no taxes and fees), Economy Plus and Preferred seat purchases, and now on paid upgrades, MileagePlus upgrade award co-pays and credit for Star Alliance partner flights not ticketed or operated by United.
Qualification requirements for 2020
Here’s how members will qualify for each Premier status level starting January 1, 2020 for status in the 2021 program year:
United Cardmembers who are eligible for a PQD waiver, PQM, or Flexible PQM (FPQM) based on annual card spend will be offered new ways to earn Premier qualifying points (PQP) based on annual card spend. The ability to earn a PQD waiver, PQM, or FPQM on these cards will end on December 31, 2019.
Learn more: https://mileageplusupdates.com/milea...qualification/
Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF): every flight, a takeoff and landing, will count as a PQF except Basic Economy and tickets booked using miles.
Premier Qualifying Points (PQP): 1 PQP = 1 U.S. dollar spent. You will earn PQPs on the base fare of your ticket (no taxes and fees), Economy Plus and Preferred seat purchases, and now on paid upgrades, MileagePlus upgrade award co-pays and credit for Star Alliance partner flights not ticketed or operated by United.
Qualification requirements for 2020
Here’s how members will qualify for each Premier status level starting January 1, 2020 for status in the 2021 program year:
United Cardmembers who are eligible for a PQD waiver, PQM, or Flexible PQM (FPQM) based on annual card spend will be offered new ways to earn Premier qualifying points (PQP) based on annual card spend. The ability to earn a PQD waiver, PQM, or FPQM on these cards will end on December 31, 2019.
Learn more: https://mileageplusupdates.com/milea...qualification/
New Premier Qualification Requirements for 2020: Only Spend or Spend + Flight Sectors
Oct 26, 2019, 12:47 am
#1996
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
Lets not kid ourselves - DL doesn't have a great FF program and AA is just struggling all around - the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side - it might be for some - probably not for many
Oct 26, 2019, 12:53 am
#1997
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
Posts: 4,992
I don't know of any Fortune 500 company that says: Hmmmm, lets limit our profit now for when there is a downturn sometime in the future.
Lets not kid ourselves - DL doesn't have a great FF program and AA is just struggling all around - the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side - it might be for some - probably not for many
Lets not kid ourselves - DL doesn't have a great FF program and AA is just struggling all around - the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side - it might be for some - probably not for many
Don't expect any improvements or "enhancements" to come from these changes.
Oct 26, 2019, 12:59 am
#1998
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 336
I don't know of any Fortune 500 company that says: Hmmmm, lets limit our profit now for when there is a downturn sometime in the future.
Lets not kid ourselves - DL doesn't have a great FF program and AA is just struggling all around - the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side - it might be for some - probably not for many
Lets not kid ourselves - DL doesn't have a great FF program and AA is just struggling all around - the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side - it might be for some - probably not for many
or... wait a sec.... I think the environmentalists must have infiltrated United. This is one brilliant move to convince people to fly less. Better for the environment, eh?
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Oct 26, 2019 at 12:01 pm Reason: vuglar comment removed per FT rules
Oct 26, 2019, 1:06 am
#1999
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Hotel Guru
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, UA Gold
Posts: 1,455
At this point, I‘m saying: Please bring back SMI, J.
Oct 26, 2019, 3:27 am
#2000
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Japan
Posts: 5,577
End of rant.
Oct 26, 2019, 6:20 am
#2001
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA MileagePlus (Premier Gold); Hilton HHonors (Gold); Chase Ultimate Rewards; Amex Plat
Posts: 6,654
One scary thought: anyone else think these changes would have happened sooner, maybe 1-2 years ago, had the incident with Dr. Dao at ORD not happened?
Oct 26, 2019, 6:21 am
#2002
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: UA
Posts: 9
Members that made status via several lower value paid tickets on long-haul routes may find it more challenging to make status with distance being removed as a qualifying metric. This was our intent, as we are not trying to reward long-haul travel; these changes will award status based on the value of paid tickets and flights taken. Additionally, members that benefited from the international PQD waiver, which our US members still had to meet, may find the new spend thresholds more challenging to meet although that’s why we’ve added ability to earn on flights ticketed and operated by our partners. We feel these changes align the way all of our members qualify for status regardless of how far they fly or where they live.
By removing the int'l PQD waiver and distance as a qualifying metric, you are virtually ensuring that the only international travellers—who anyways have few options to fly UA (UA flies from Israel only to US, which doesn't help me when I want to go to Europe)—who earn status are business travellers. I get that this earns you some money in the short-term, but those travellers wouldn't stick with you if their company wasn't paying, while I have. Isn't my patronage (and that of millions of other 'ordinary' frequent flyers like me) worth something to United?
Oct 26, 2019, 6:22 am
#2003
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Virginia, USA
Posts: 4,506
as a japan based member just recvd today.
what a bombshell!
as a international 1k will not be able to make the spend .
will get star gold as a 1mm but does thathave any value?
will miss most the free award changes,also at a stroke the excursionistperk is destroyed...
what other good star alliance award programmes are there?
what a bombshell!
as a international 1k will not be able to make the spend .
will get star gold as a 1mm but does thathave any value?
will miss most the free award changes,also at a stroke the excursionistperk is destroyed...
what other good star alliance award programmes are there?
Oct 26, 2019, 6:37 am
#2004
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2019
Programs: UA 1k AC 50k BA gold
Posts: 121
after 15 years and 2.2mm the game is over. 2020 will be my last year
Oct 26, 2019, 7:03 am
#2005
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,944
A3?
I'm late to the conversation, but UA only notified int'l customers of this change today. As a UA rep, would you give me a reason to continue flying with UA? I live in Israel, pay for all flights (economy) myself, fly yearly to US (2 times), Europe (1 or 2 times) and Central Asia (1 time). For the last 5+ years, I have earned Silver, often coming up a little short of Gold. I have booked all of my travel on UA or partners with fares that credit—often paying more or choosing less convenient itineraries. I've similarly ensured that my wife and 3-year-old (!) have also earned Silver. I'm the definition of a loyal customer.
By removing the int'l PQD waiver and distance as a qualifying metric, you are virtually ensuring that the only international travellers—who anyways have few options to fly UA (UA flies from Israel only to US, which doesn't help me when I want to go to Europe)—who earn status are business travellers. I get that this earns you some money in the short-term, but those travellers wouldn't stick with you if their company wasn't paying, while I have. Isn't my patronage (and that of millions of other 'ordinary' frequent flyers like me) worth something to United?
By removing the int'l PQD waiver and distance as a qualifying metric, you are virtually ensuring that the only international travellers—who anyways have few options to fly UA (UA flies from Israel only to US, which doesn't help me when I want to go to Europe)—who earn status are business travellers. I get that this earns you some money in the short-term, but those travellers wouldn't stick with you if their company wasn't paying, while I have. Isn't my patronage (and that of millions of other 'ordinary' frequent flyers like me) worth something to United?
Oct 26, 2019, 8:32 am
#2006
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: UA
Posts: 9
If I received Gold status with Aegean (or another *A member), would I still be entitled to perks like free E+ seats and two free 70-lb. bags when I fly United? Or are those benefits only for UA status holders? I ask because very few UA status perks transfer over to *A airlines: when I fly TK, I am treated no differently than any other passenger (still better than status-less flyers of American airlines).
Oct 26, 2019, 9:00 am
#2007
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 12,592
Back in the early 00's when planes were empty, I got comped up to Premier Exec a few times without even asking when I was ~8-10K miles short.
Depending on the situation, they'll either update the program (it if looks long term) or find ways to encourage people to fly (e.g. double PQP, extra upgrade certs, etc).
Oct 26, 2019, 9:24 am
#2008
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: LHR
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, mLife Platinum
Posts: 380
I think this means we're done with UA loyalty. We have done 100,000 miles every year for almost 6 years now, and 75K + for a few before that.
But with the new programme, there's absolutely no way we can attain 1K flying pleasure only.
So, as others have said in past posts, be done with loyalty, and fly the class of service you want on an airline that works for you might be the way forward.
gutted.
But with the new programme, there's absolutely no way we can attain 1K flying pleasure only.
So, as others have said in past posts, be done with loyalty, and fly the class of service you want on an airline that works for you might be the way forward.
gutted.
Oct 26, 2019, 9:46 am
#2009
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: LAX
Programs: UA MM | BA Silver
Posts: 7,192
I think this means we're done with UA loyalty. We have done 100,000 miles every year for almost 6 years now, and 75K + for a few before that.
But with the new programme, there's absolutely no way we can attain 1K flying pleasure only.
So, as others have said in past posts, be done with loyalty, and fly the class of service you want on an airline that works for you might be the way forward.
gutted.
But with the new programme, there's absolutely no way we can attain 1K flying pleasure only.
So, as others have said in past posts, be done with loyalty, and fly the class of service you want on an airline that works for you might be the way forward.
gutted.
Oct 26, 2019, 9:56 am
#2010
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: LHR
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, mLife Platinum
Posts: 380
I mean, if we have to pay for business class, then we might as well go with the airline that's running a sale, or has the direct flight to the destination we are headed to, or even making it possible to fly from LCY instead of LHR (since we live 10 minutes from LCY).
I've been grumbling for a few years now about the poor state of UA's business class. Wine - not very nice, Champagne - varies from cheap and nasty to quite nice (but never enough catered to supply the entire cabin's demands), food - meh, GPUs, difficult to clear.
Based on that, I feel like we should quit chasing the status.
Last edited by skycrab; Oct 26, 2019 at 9:57 am Reason: added quote