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 11, 2019, 8:52 am
#226
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Lahaina, HI & Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,403
Yep. This change certainly fixes that issue and rightfully so.
Oct 11, 2019, 8:52 am
#227
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NYC, FLL
Programs: UA PP 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy LTTE, BA Gold
Posts: 6,324
Is it Friday 13th? $18,000!!
UA, stop changing everything. Some of us actually have a strategy to be loyal to you, and adjust accordingly and now with annual adjustments it all goes out the window.
UA, stop changing everything. Some of us actually have a strategy to be loyal to you, and adjust accordingly and now with annual adjustments it all goes out the window.
Oct 11, 2019, 8:53 am
#228
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1
I'm on the fence with this one.....I'll do 120+ segments this year and have about 16k spend. So I can crush the segment requirement but 18K in spend might be tough. I've stayed loyal to United even after moving to DFW and connecting for virtually EVERY flight out of here 
. I'll have to think long and hard about this one....AA or SW may very well be in my future.
. I'll have to think long and hard about this one....AA or SW may very well be in my future.
Oct 11, 2019, 8:55 am
#229
Join Date: May 2001
Location: RDU
Programs: UA Plat 2MM, Delta Gold, Hilton Gold, Marriott cardboard
Posts: 1,699
On a positive note, the Polaris lounges will be less crowded.
Oct 11, 2019, 8:57 am
#230
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SLC
Programs: United Gold, Hilton Silver, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 768
I was thinking the same thing, as I usually depend on the PQD waiver just to make Silver. However, there is a statement that you can earn PQP via spend. I just can't find anywhere where it indicates what that earning rate is. If it's the same as that stated on the Presidential Plus Card information, I may actually be just fine, as I spend a lot of money on my Club Card.
Oct 11, 2019, 8:57 am
#231
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: DEN
Programs: UA MM Plat; AA MM Gold; HHonors Diamond
Posts: 15,866
It's unclear to me whether Flex PQP converted from Flex PQM can be used towards 1K qualification, based on this, as the two bolded sentences could be interpreted as being contradictory:
https://mileageplusupdates.com/milea...cordion-faq-17
United Presidential Plus Cardmembers will have the opportunity to apply their Flex PQM to their 2019 activity to qualify for status in 2020. January through March 2020, cardmembers will be able to convert their Flex PQM to Flex PQP at a ratio of 5 Flex PQM to 1 Flex PQP. Any Flex PQM not converted by April 1, 2020, will be automatically converted to Flex PQP. There will be no new earn of Flex PQP.
During the 2020 calendar year, Presidential Plus Cardmembers will earn 500 PQP for every $12,000 spent, up to 10,000 PQP. PQP earned on and after January 1, 2020, will be applicable to Premier status levels up to and including 1K. Flex PQM was previously limited to Platinum status and below.
During the 2020 calendar year, Presidential Plus Cardmembers will earn 500 PQP for every $12,000 spent, up to 10,000 PQP. PQP earned on and after January 1, 2020, will be applicable to Premier status levels up to and including 1K. Flex PQM was previously limited to Platinum status and below.
Oct 11, 2019, 8:59 am
#232
Company Representative, United Airlines
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Chicago, Houston, or somewhere in between
Posts: 2,176
Right. This is what I am saying you win, people like me loose. UA has the right to make this change, I am not complaining about that. My issue is just that I am confused at why they think you have more value than me...I would think the spend is what they want, why DISINCENTIVIZE people from flying monthly high value?
Oct 11, 2019, 9:01 am
#233
Company Representative, United Airlines
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Chicago, Houston, or somewhere in between
Posts: 2,176
Thanks for your feedback. Actually, the flight total for any Premier tier is less than half of the Premier qualifying segment total in the 2019 program. 1K previously required 120 Premier qualifying segments, and 1K now requires 54 if members are qualifying through a combination of PQF and PQP. Even if you had earned the highest segment multiplier, 1.5x, under today’s program for every flight flown, the PQF requirement in 2020 is still significantly lower. The overwhelming majority of our members do not qualify based on segments flown, which is why we adjusted this metric and thresholds. Additionally, segment multipliers made the pathway to status more opaque in that members don’t necessarily know the fare classes they will be purchasing in advance, but have a better idea of the number of flights they will take over the course of a year.
Oct 11, 2019, 9:01 am
#234
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Long Island, NY
Programs: United 1K, AA Plat Exec, DL Plat, Marriott Titanium Lifetime Elite, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,872
I don't want a leg UP, I want it to be fair. If you are based from PHL for example, your fares are usually CHEAPER than those from NY, AND you get an extra segment in EACH direction on a trip (to ORD or IAD, and soon EWR). Those of us based in NY loose those segments. If you travel 10 times a year in international J, thats 20 segments. How is it fair that YOU get those, and I don't, when we spend basically the same amount? Thats the difference (perhaps) between my spend requirement being 18K vs 24K.
Oct 11, 2019, 9:02 am
#235
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 223
I am curious to see how quickly DL and AA announce their changes! There is still time yet left today!
Oct 11, 2019, 9:02 am
#236
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: AA,UA,AS
Posts: 319
Although the problem being they essentially give segment flyers a break on the PQD (or PQP now), while not giving a break to someone who flies long distances. This whole program seems to really disadvantage people who only fly non-stops and people who live in hubs. If I spend $20,000 and only fly 20 segments I don't get 1K, but the guy who flies 54 segments and spends $18,000 gets 1K. I think they should have given up on segments as well and just made it pure spend.
Oct 11, 2019, 9:02 am
#237
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Midwest
Programs: Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 261
Why call it "Points" when $1 = 1 point? Why not just call it Dollars? Needlessly confusing.
Oct 11, 2019, 9:02 am
#238
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: Million Miler, 1K - Basically spend a lot of time on planes
Posts: 2,202
Agreed, I think 54 segments is pretty tough. As said above, it’s basically moving the spend requirement for most people to $24.000. Most of our gang will have spend of 16,000-18,000 per year, fly over 100,000 miles, but usually somewhere between 45-50 segments. They will all need $24,000 spend now and will not get it, and nor should they as the perk difference between platinum and 1K do not warrant it.
Oct 11, 2019, 9:04 am
#239
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SFO
Posts: 4,914
Do I interpret and remember correctly that this makes two consecutive years of ratcheting up PQD for 1K? 2018: 12k, 2019: 15k, 2020: 18k?
They are either seeing a lot of stretch spending from 1K members this year and hoping they can push it further, or they are confident they can rely on their corporate contracts.
They are either seeing a lot of stretch spending from 1K members this year and hoping they can push it further, or they are confident they can rely on their corporate contracts.
Oct 11, 2019, 9:04 am
#240
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Long Island, NY
Programs: United 1K, AA Plat Exec, DL Plat, Marriott Titanium Lifetime Elite, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,872
Thanks for your feedback. Actually, the flight total for any Premier tier is less than half of the Premier qualifying segment total in the 2019 program. 1K previously required 120 Premier qualifying segments, and 1K now requires 54 if members are qualifying through a combination of PQF and PQP. Even if you had earned the highest segment multiplier, 1.5x, under today’s program for every flight flown, the PQF requirement in 2020 is still significantly lower. The overwhelming majority of our members do not qualify based on segments flown, which is why we adjusted this metric and thresholds. Additionally, segment multipliers made the pathway to status more opaque in that members don’t necessarily know the fare classes they will be purchasing in advance, but have a better idea of the number of flights they will take over the course of a year.