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 25, 2020, 6:45 am
#526
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: TPA
Programs: UA Global Services 3MM, Hyatt Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 2,927
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 25, 2020, 8:23 am
#527
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO / LHR
Programs: UA GS 2.2MM / UC / AS Gold 75K / Bonvoy Plat / Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,028
I just ticketed a roundtrip to EU ... perhaps I should do a trial
Feb 25, 2020, 9:37 am
#529
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,597
Just ask'n but wouldn't you clear first as a Premium Plus holder into PN space over ANY GS in E+? Also, I thought the OP was also trying to get a comfortable seat situation for his friends should they not clear. Personally, with the luck I have with clearing I would grab a premium plus seat and do this for the reason just stated. ( I am assuming you cannot get a BIZ saver for less than premium plus obviously.)
Nope. GS is excepted (unwritten rule). A GS in E+ will trump a 1K in PP. 1K in PP will trump a 1K in E+ (even one on a Y class fare)
Feb 25, 2020, 10:11 am
#530
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO / LHR
Programs: UA GS 2.2MM / UC / AS Gold 75K / Bonvoy Plat / Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,028
Feb 25, 2020, 11:27 am
#531
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
No I agree but the OP is of GS status and presumably flying with "friends" so this would be a GS in PP trumping GS's in E+. If he travels with them they share his status.
Feb 25, 2020, 3:10 pm
#532
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 25
Pardon me for being such a noob, but as OP I’ll just clarify that it is my every intention to travel on this trip with my friends, but I’m not educated as to how my status will confer them any benefits outside of creating award space. Since we’d be traveling as a group on two separate PNRs (2x Business revenue tickets, 2x award ticket/instrument upgraded) is the system able to infer my relation to that PNR since it originated from my account and thus confer GS benefits?
Feb 25, 2020, 3:22 pm
#533
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 83
Feb 25, 2020, 4:31 pm
#534
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
Pardon me for being such a noob, but as OP I’ll just clarify that it is my every intention to travel on this trip with my friends, but I’m not educated as to how my status will confer them any benefits outside of creating award space. Since we’d be traveling as a group on two separate PNRs (2x Business revenue tickets, 2x award ticket/instrument upgraded) is the system able to infer my relation to that PNR since it originated from my account and thus confer GS benefits?
Feb 25, 2020, 5:00 pm
#535
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
I presume having him call directly and asking, they probably won't even pay attention to which account it came from, just wondering.
Feb 25, 2020, 5:58 pm
#536
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
If a GS is traveling but on points coming from another account will they push it through? That is, my 1MM companion, who is GS, is waitlisted on a reservation where I have put the upgrade in?
I presume having him call directly and asking, they probably won't even pay attention to which account it came from, just wondering.
I presume having him call directly and asking, they probably won't even pay attention to which account it came from, just wondering.
Feb 26, 2020, 1:57 pm
#537
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: 1,054
If a GS is traveling but on points coming from another account will they push it through? That is, my 1MM companion, who is GS, is waitlisted on a reservation where I have put the upgrade in?
I presume having him call directly and asking, they probably won't even pay attention to which account it came from, just wondering.
I presume having him call directly and asking, they probably won't even pay attention to which account it came from, just wondering.
Feb 26, 2020, 2:50 pm
#538
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BOS<>NYC<>BKK
Programs: UA 4.3MM LT-GS; AA1MM; Amtrak SE; MAR LT TITAN; PC Plat; HIL DIA; HYA GLOB
Posts: 4,392
Data point: I recently booked a companion ticket, wanting to use a saver coach award then 20 PlusPoints to get into PN. Looking on-line, I found two flights, one with XN for 12K miles, a second with YN for 17K miles (XN=0 but T>0). The second was a better schedule and I was willing to spend the 5K extra miles.
I called GS, and asked for the second flight, fully expecting to use 17K miles and 20+P. But the agent said she was able to convert the T to XN resulting in a 12K cost, and immediately upgrade to PN with 20 +P.
👏for this.
I called GS, and asked for the second flight, fully expecting to use 17K miles and 20+P. But the agent said she was able to convert the T to XN resulting in a 12K cost, and immediately upgrade to PN with 20 +P.
👏for this.
Feb 29, 2020, 4:16 pm
#539
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO / LHR
Programs: UA GS 2.2MM / UC / AS Gold 75K / Bonvoy Plat / Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,028
Data point: I recently booked a companion ticket, wanting to use a saver coach award then 20 PlusPoints to get into PN. Looking on-line, I found two flights, one with XN for 12K miles, a second with YN for 17K miles (XN=0 but T>0). The second was a better schedule and I was willing to spend the 5K extra miles.
I called GS, and asked for the second flight, fully expecting to use 17K miles and 20+P. But the agent said she was able to convert the T to XN resulting in a 12K cost, and immediately upgrade to PN with 20 +P.
👏for this.
I called GS, and asked for the second flight, fully expecting to use 17K miles and 20+P. But the agent said she was able to convert the T to XN resulting in a 12K cost, and immediately upgrade to PN with 20 +P.
👏for this.
Feb 29, 2020, 4:28 pm
#540
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BOS<>NYC<>BKK
Programs: UA 4.3MM LT-GS; AA1MM; Amtrak SE; MAR LT TITAN; PC Plat; HIL DIA; HYA GLOB
Posts: 4,392
Last edited by wxguy; Feb 29, 2020 at 4:46 pm