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]
Mar 2, 2020, 3:42 pm
#541
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,098
On a less cheerful note, this past Saturday tried to book companion saver to accompany two paid domestic one-way J tickets: AAA-BBB & BBB-AAA. Asked to do AAA-BBB and the agent said, OK but first I have to check if you already have an exception on the return. So I said, this is a one-way ticket. And the agent said, that doesn't matter, we are only allowed to make an exception for one segment per trip, and two one-ways to and from the same two cities is a trip. So I said, Oh, OK, let me see what I want to do then. Thanks! And then I hung up.
Called back and the next agent went ahead and did the companion saver for AAA-BBB without any rigamarole, so after that I asked about BBB-AAA, and they were all, "Oh, I see that is the return on this trip. We can only do one segment per trip." So I said, these are two one-way trips. ANd the agent said, No these are the outbound and return of one trip. So I said, Thanks for your help! ANd hung up.
Bottom line is that I think there is still massive confusion and uncertainty about what the current official policy for GS exceptions. One thing to throw out there, however, is that both of these agents tried not only to get me to make hotel and rental car reservations, but even tried to sell me some kind of Chase United credit card to then use to buy tickets. So maybe on the weekend there are more non-real GS agents, and these were two of them? And that is why they don't know what they're doing?
Called back and the next agent went ahead and did the companion saver for AAA-BBB without any rigamarole, so after that I asked about BBB-AAA, and they were all, "Oh, I see that is the return on this trip. We can only do one segment per trip." So I said, these are two one-way trips. ANd the agent said, No these are the outbound and return of one trip. So I said, Thanks for your help! ANd hung up.
Bottom line is that I think there is still massive confusion and uncertainty about what the current official policy for GS exceptions. One thing to throw out there, however, is that both of these agents tried not only to get me to make hotel and rental car reservations, but even tried to sell me some kind of Chase United credit card to then use to buy tickets. So maybe on the weekend there are more non-real GS agents, and these were two of them? And that is why they don't know what they're doing?
Mar 2, 2020, 3:49 pm
#542
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
On a less cheerful note, this past Saturday tried to book companion saver to accompany two paid domestic one-way J tickets: AAA-BBB & BBB-AAA. Asked to do AAA-BBB and the agent said, OK but first I have to check if you already have an exception on the return. So I said, this is a one-way ticket. And the agent said, that doesn't matter, we are only allowed to make an exception for one segment per trip, and two one-ways to and from the same two cities is a trip. So I said, Oh, OK, let me see what I want to do then. Thanks! And then I hung up.
Called back and the next agent went ahead and did the companion saver for AAA-BBB without any rigamarole, so after that I asked about BBB-AAA, and they were all, "Oh, I see that is the return on this trip. We can only do one segment per trip." So I said, these are two one-way trips. ANd the agent said, No these are the outbound and return of one trip. So I said, Thanks for your help! ANd hung up.
Bottom line is that I think there is still massive confusion and uncertainty about what the current official policy for GS exceptions. One thing to throw out there, however, is that both of these agents tried not only to get me to make hotel and rental car reservations, but even tried to sell me some kind of Chase United credit card to then use to buy tickets. So maybe on the weekend there are more non-real GS agents, and these were two of them? And that is why they don't know what they're doing?
Called back and the next agent went ahead and did the companion saver for AAA-BBB without any rigamarole, so after that I asked about BBB-AAA, and they were all, "Oh, I see that is the return on this trip. We can only do one segment per trip." So I said, these are two one-way trips. ANd the agent said, No these are the outbound and return of one trip. So I said, Thanks for your help! ANd hung up.
Bottom line is that I think there is still massive confusion and uncertainty about what the current official policy for GS exceptions. One thing to throw out there, however, is that both of these agents tried not only to get me to make hotel and rental car reservations, but even tried to sell me some kind of Chase United credit card to then use to buy tickets. So maybe on the weekend there are more non-real GS agents, and these were two of them? And that is why they don't know what they're doing?
Is your own PNR round=trip?
Mar 2, 2020, 3:53 pm
#543
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,098
No, sorry for being confusing. There are two one-way paid J tickets w GS traveler, and was seeking to book two corresponding one-way forced business saver tickets for companion. The agents literally were looking through the GS travelers account for another one-way paid ticket to see if it was deemed part of the same "trip".
Mar 2, 2020, 4:11 pm
#544
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SEA
Programs: UA AS DL Hyatt SPG/Bonvoy HHonors
Posts: 2,008
I extended some of my PlusPoints to expire in April, intending to use them on a trip to Europe. With Coronavirus on the loose, I am uncertain about traveling with my partner to Europe in April. Is there any experience with a further extension of the PlusPoints until the virus situation has become more settled?
Mar 2, 2020, 4:25 pm
#545
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
No, sorry for being confusing. There are two one-way paid J tickets w GS traveler, and was seeking to book two corresponding one-way forced business saver tickets for companion. The agents literally were looking through the GS travelers account for another one-way paid ticket to see if it was deemed part of the same "trip".
I doubt the agent would look at PAST PNRs.
Or you could book outbound only. Get companion award. Then book return etc.
The whole thing is just silly. They can't really 100% define what a trip is.
Mar 2, 2020, 4:46 pm
#546
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: New York City
Programs: UA GS 1MM
Posts: 390
Their planes must be so so full right now that they need to go this far in annoying their best customers !!
Mar 3, 2020, 6:19 am
#547
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Denver, CO USA
Programs: UA GS 3Million, Marriott/SPG LIFETIME Platinum - current Titanium, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 633
Flying PDX-EWR today. Plane is so empty SAs have been UG to 1st. Only about 10% of PE spots
Mar 3, 2020, 10:41 am
#548
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Amsterdam
Programs: MileagePlus GS
Posts: 362
So what is the new policy?
What is all the confusion from the agents about?
If they have removed this benefit, this a major downgrade.
Thanks for your thoughts
Mar 3, 2020, 11:05 am
#549
Join Date: Dec 2017
Programs: UA 1K, Delta Silver
Posts: 61
I just tried to book a companion fare for an international round trip and was told that the new rule was they can only do one way, and I can chose which way. Then they will waitlist the companion for the other flights. I explained that this has not been communicated and that I was upset that this was no longer an option. The agent said she would grant an exception and made the reservation.
So what is the new policy?
What is all the confusion from the agents about?
If they have removed this benefit, this a major downgrade.
Thanks for your thoughts
So what is the new policy?
What is all the confusion from the agents about?
If they have removed this benefit, this a major downgrade.
Thanks for your thoughts
Mar 3, 2020, 2:27 pm
#550
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 11,468
I extended some of my PlusPoints to expire in April, intending to use them on a trip to Europe. With Coronavirus on the loose, I am uncertain about traveling with my partner to Europe in April. Is there any experience with a further extension of the PlusPoints until the virus situation has become more settled?
I am in the same boat, btw.
Mar 3, 2020, 2:39 pm
#551
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,098
Well, then you can get companion award on the outbound. Once the outbound is done, you can request return.
I doubt the agent would look at PAST PNRs.
Or you could book outbound only. Get companion award. Then book return etc.
The whole thing is just silly. They can't really 100% define what a trip is.
I doubt the agent would look at PAST PNRs.
Or you could book outbound only. Get companion award. Then book return etc.
The whole thing is just silly. They can't really 100% define what a trip is.
Mar 3, 2020, 3:07 pm
#552
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
Mar 3, 2020, 4:58 pm
#553
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: SFO
Programs: UA GS 2mm
Posts: 94
My company cut all international and non-biz critical domestic travel this week due to corona virus precaution. This combined with 3 months of paternity leave this year may cause me to end up missing GS. Wonder if United will take Corona virus impact into account when giving out GS invites at the end of this year.
Last edited by kj5hp; Mar 4, 2020 at 10:29 am
Mar 5, 2020, 3:36 am
#554
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: EWR
Programs: UA MM GS, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 519
Is there any way to waitlist saver eco awards?
I know you can waitlist IN on an XN ticket - did sit s long time ago a few times. Ways took forever.
I have an award Ticket with a Connection but would like the direct flight and ideally waitlist it as XN is not available.
I know you can waitlist IN on an XN ticket - did sit s long time ago a few times. Ways took forever.
I have an award Ticket with a Connection but would like the direct flight and ideally waitlist it as XN is not available.
Mar 10, 2020, 3:00 pm
#555
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: UA GS, UA 2MM, HH LT Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 1,803