Dec 31, 2019, 7:53 am
Last edit by: wxguy
United Global Services ("GS") is the highest tier of MileagePlus elite status. It is by invitation only, reviewed annually -- the invite criteria is not public but seems to require substantial annual spending with UA both in terms of absolute dollar amounts and purchasing higher fare classes (higher cpm - cents per mile). There are also reports of GS status being comped by UA Marketing to VIPs in companies who sign corporate travel deals with UA, and also to those individuals that purchase an annual PassPlus enrollment of $50k or greater. The sole published way to qualify is to become a 4MM, having flown 4 million BIS miles on UA metal (plus additional grandfathered credits at the time of the UA/CO merger).
GS have enhanced services / benefits over 1Ks. There is little said publicly by UA on GS benefits and/or qualification.
Last year's thread, Consolidated Global Services Thread - Qualifications, Benefits and Q & A [2019]
Thread on 2020 Global Services Notifications
Thread on 2020 Global Services Qualification Discussion
Known facts concerning qualification and eligibility from United:
Thread on 2020 Global Services Notifications
Thread on 2020 Global Services Qualification Discussion
Known facts concerning qualification and eligibility from United:
Quote:
Global Services recognizes the extraordinary dedication of our top flyers. We consider a number of factors beyond the usual Premier-qualifying criteria.
We look at your travel spend on United-operated flights relative to that of other top Premier flyers over recent consecutive years.
Usually, members invited to Global Services tend to consistently purchase premium cabins or fully refundable tickets.
Global Services recognizes the extraordinary dedication of our top flyers. We consider a number of factors beyond the usual Premier-qualifying criteria.
We look at your travel spend on United-operated flights relative to that of other top Premier flyers over recent consecutive years.
Usually, members invited to Global Services tend to consistently purchase premium cabins or fully refundable tickets.
Published Benefits
Full detail of published benefits can be found at https://mystatus.united.com/gs [MP credentials login required, existing GS only]
Shortlist (incremental/different to 1K):
- Dedicated phone number, usually answered on the first ring, and generally by specially-trained GS agents. Some exceptions occur, especially during busy periods (such as when weather waivers are in effect)
- Dedicated email address for MileagePlus and other inquiries, usually answered personally within hours
- Dedicated check-in at main airport stations, including private Global Reception centers at major hubs, providing priority TSA security access. May bring guests/companions into Global Reception areas or dedicated GS checkin lanes who are traveling on same itinerary as GS member.
- Instrument-supported upgrades (PlusPoints or miles) clear into PN class rather than PZ class for other elite tiers, which usually have much better availability. Instruments drawn from the GS member account and applied to other reservations will also clear into PN class.
- Complimentary Premier Upgrades (CPUs) cleared beginning 120 hours prior to flight departure (versus 96 hours for 1K) for GS member and up to one other traveling on same PNR
- Highest-priority when waitlisted for Upgrades, Award Travel, and Sold-out Flight Availability. GS members clear before any other status level or full-fare customers.
- Priority Boarding, among the first to board the aircraft (currently after unaccompanied minors, people with disabilities and/or need more time boarding, Active-Duty Military, and now prior to families with children under age of 2)
- Priority handling in event of IRROPS, including next flight guarantee in case of re-accommodation, overseen by dedicated team of location-based GS Customer Service Agents (identified via gold scarves/ties)
- Mercedes-Benz Tarmac Transfer for tight connections between flights at major hubs (cannot be requested in advance)
Access to United Arrivals Lounge at SFO when arriving from international flight, regardless of cabin class (no guests permitted)Closed- Access to Arrivals Lounge at LHR T2 when arriving from inbound UA-operated intercontinental flight, regardless of cabin (no guests permitted, must present Boarding Pass or physical GS card)
- Access to Lufthansa / Swiss Welcome (arrival) Lounges in FRA and ZRH for same-day inbound UA intercontinental flight, regardless of cabin (no guests permitted, must present physical GS card)
- Effective January 2021, GS members who do not have a United Club membership may access United Clubs on domestic itineraries, but no guests are permitted.
All benefits noted below require calling a GS agent:
- GS can create saver economy award space (XN) if T inventory is available. United-operated flights only. Update 12 Dec 2018: Only for GS member + 1 companion.
- GS can create saver business award space (IN) if PZ inventory is available. United-operated flights only. Update 12 Dec 2018: Only for GS member + 1 companion.
- GS can upgrade economy awards (XN or YN) into Business / First with PlusPoints if PN inventory is available, provided both instrument and miles drawn from GS member account. United-operated flights only.
- GS can confirm any waitlisted instrument-supported upgrade (miles/co-pay or PlusPoints) within T-72 hours to flight departure provided at least 2 (two) J class premium seats remain for sale after the upgrade is processed and they are at the top of the waitlist.
- GS are entitled to one Saver Award seat in the same class of service with their purchase of any premium cabin fare. GS agents can open space if it is not available provided that at least 2 seats remain for sale afterwards. United-operated flights only.
- GS can upgrade a companion with an instrument (PlusPoints or miles) from Economy to Business / First when flying on a paid premium cabin fare, even if PZ or PN is not available, as long as J > 2 after upgrade processed. Companion needs to be ticketed in W class or higher on international cash fare itineraries, or ticketed in X/XN for upgrades from award tickets.
- (Note: Only ONE of the two above options can be exercised per premium fare purchased. GS traveler must remain in same itinerary as companion)
- GS can buy up from Basic Economy fares, which is usually forbidden
- GS can access VIP Lounges (former Global First Lounges) in NRT, LHR, and HKG when booked in Polaris Business on an international itinerary. One guest permitted (two guests if a United Club member). Not accessed if booked in United Economy.
- Post 12/12/2018, agents have been instructed to grant only one "exception" when opening award space for a companion. Thus, you can open T->XN for a companion, or you can force a companion upgrade into PN, but you can't convert T->XN and then force clear an upgrade into PN. Some have reported success by requesting this in two separate calls.
- Some agents will allow GS to open economy award space for a companion to allow for an upgrade with an instrument, even if XN or T are unavailable
- According to GS Customer Service, a GS on a paid coach fare using an instrument will clear into Polaris business before a lower-status passenger with a paid PremiumPlus fare (i.e. O, A, R). In other words, for example, a paid O, A, R for a 1K will got give higher priority than a GS with a W fare if both are using 40 PlusPoints. This is true even on the gate waitlist.
- Post 12/12/2019, agents have been instructed that they can only grant a companion exception for one segment per ticket. Thus, if you have a roundtrip premium fare, they will only open saver space, or force an upgrade, for one segment. This means you must either waitlist (if upgrading) or use a standard award, for the remaining segments.
Consolidated Global Services Thread: Benefits, Questions, Experiences [2020]
Feb 22, 2020, 1:57 am
#511
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
This is true, but sometimes there are a lot of people waiting in clear who have already passed the kiosks but are waiting to get waived past the ID check. The line looks empty but you can see them queuing at the podium. If this happens, it’s still faster to go to GS line.
Feb 22, 2020, 7:19 am
#512
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
Keep in mind that if United were to revoke the GS line, they would also be saying that you are required to hand over your biometric data to a private company, which some GS do not want to do. So I don't expect it to go away.
Feb 22, 2020, 7:52 am
#513
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: ORD | LGA | 2E
Programs: UA GS 1.6MM UC | AA CK 0.7MM AC | Bonvoy Ambassador | Hyatt Globalist | Hertz PC
Posts: 1,053
This! I won't join CLEAR unless I'm not allowed to fly without submitting to it.
Feb 22, 2020, 11:49 am
#514
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: New York / Hawaii
Programs: UA Global Services, HH Diamond
Posts: 5,178
So even if you object to Clear, even as GS, I'm sure it is still being captured elsewhere.
Feb 22, 2020, 12:17 pm
#515
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
They have your picture. They don’t have your fingerprints and retinal scan.
Feb 22, 2020, 1:00 pm
#516
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: EWR
Programs: UA MM GS, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 519
Nice win today, my wife was on separate record (award ticket) and I noticed my CPU had cleared for a connection while she was #10 on the waitlist. I emailed GS in flight and they cleared her too.
separately the flight attendant handed me a hand written note from the captain thanking me for flying with them today.
now I just hope we make our connection
separately the flight attendant handed me a hand written note from the captain thanking me for flying with them today.
now I just hope we make our connection
Feb 22, 2020, 1:58 pm
#517
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: ORD / PHX
Programs: UA LT 1K 3MM (former 12 yr GS), Bonvoy Amb/LT Plat
Posts: 1,340
I had the biometric scan at boarding SIN flight in SFO on Wed. Stopped and asked the DHS guys about it. Didn’t notice a sign mentioning it but it could’ve been there. If it replaces passport check by GA (it did in this case) I’m all for it, as it was very fast. Very low load that day though, as I mentioned in a different thread.
Feb 24, 2020, 11:47 am
#518
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 25
New GS with a question: My wife and I are looking to travel with two friends to Stockholm in July. My wife and I will pay cash for business class, but would like to bring along the other couple with either my miles and PlusPoints, or miles alone. Given that I'm not a million miler and my wife is not conferred any status, and since our preferred itinerary lacks business saver availability, I feel like my best bet is to just book Premium Plus award tickets for them and then waitlist an upgrade to Polaris with PlusPoints. The long haul leg is in a 773, so a failure of the upgrade to clear would be a much softer landing if I book the award in Premium Plus.
Is this the best approach? Is there another angle I may be missing? The only other thing I can think of is to use my status to create a single business saver award and ticket them separately. I'm not particularly attached to my miles but I also don't want to spend them foolishly.
Is this the best approach? Is there another angle I may be missing? The only other thing I can think of is to use my status to create a single business saver award and ticket them separately. I'm not particularly attached to my miles but I also don't want to spend them foolishly.
Feb 24, 2020, 12:40 pm
#519
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: 3,617
New GS with a question: My wife and I are looking to travel with two friends to Stockholm in July. My wife and I will pay cash for business class, but would like to bring along the other couple with either my miles and PlusPoints, or miles alone. Given that I'm not a million miler and my wife is not conferred any status, and since our preferred itinerary lacks business saver availability, I feel like my best bet is to just book Premium Plus award tickets for them and then waitlist an upgrade to Polaris with PlusPoints. The long haul leg is in a 773, so a failure of the upgrade to clear would be a much softer landing if I book the award in Premium Plus.
Is this the best approach? Is there another angle I may be missing? The only other thing I can think of is to use my status to create a single business saver award and ticket them separately. I'm not particularly attached to my miles but I also don't want to spend them foolishly.
Is this the best approach? Is there another angle I may be missing? The only other thing I can think of is to use my status to create a single business saver award and ticket them separately. I'm not particularly attached to my miles but I also don't want to spend them foolishly.
Feb 24, 2020, 3:32 pm
#520
Suspended
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Chicago
Programs: ,united 1k, AA EXP, HH Diamond,BA gold, Hyatt globalist
Posts: 974
I like it but let's see what some others say. One point, for sure travel with them, I assume you are but it makes a big difference (they won't carry your status). Last year as GS a couple of times family members who initial were on part of my itinerary got separated by irrops and it caused problems.
Feb 24, 2020, 4:33 pm
#521
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: 3,617
I would never recommend buying premium plus awards ( they are typically more exspensive the BIZ saver) what I would do is buy economy awards and then waitlist for PN because this has a very good chance at clearing and if it doesn’t clear it will probably make it to premium plus. Also enable expert mode to see if the flights have PN.
Feb 24, 2020, 6:45 pm
#522
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
Just tried pushing through a T-72 instrument supported upgrade for my sister on a flight I’m not traveling on and the agent said no longer allowed.
Feb 24, 2020, 6:53 pm
#523
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: 3,617
Yeah, to my point above. Had same thing happen a couple of times last year. You have to be flying with them for them carry your status. Even when they were originally flying with you as well.
Feb 25, 2020, 6:01 am
#524
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
I did try once and was successful in pushing sponsored GPU for non-status pax at T-72.
Feb 25, 2020, 6:11 am
#525
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
Someone on a FB group I’m in claims the one-segment exception policy has been reversed due to complaints. It’s just one report and I don’t have occasion to test it but would be curious for any others to confirm or refute.