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Consolidated Global Services Thread: Benefits, Questions, Experiences [2020]

Old Dec 31, 2019, 7:53 am
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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.
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.


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.
Additional Known Award and Upgrade Benefits (many unpublished)

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.
Reported caveats & YMMV situations on unpublished benefits
  • 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.
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Consolidated Global Services Thread: Benefits, Questions, Experiences [2020]

Old Apr 16, 2020, 11:47 am
  #601  
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Originally Posted by Boghopper
And Ill bet such grandees are a fraction of the overall GS population.
Technically every subgroup is a fraction of the overall population.
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 12:46 pm
  #602  
 
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Originally Posted by onthesam
GS who don't earn their GS status through spend would not have necessarily made 1K.
just my two cents... if later in the year I take a status match on Delta 360 or AA, Ill lock in for 2021, but if I stick with United I _might_ get GS renewed??? Uniteds silence makes me an immediate free agent, and Im at $22K spend for the year with $30K cancelled travel. Assuming Im back in the air by September Ill have approx $50K additional spend in 2020... money Id gladly give United if they show me they value my business...

and not to change the thread, but Im flying on a 175 on Monday... every F seat is open, 10 total pax, but my CPU hasnt cleared yet! I fully expect it will, but dont forget GS isnt that brilliant to begin with!
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 12:54 pm
  #603  
 
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Originally Posted by Boghopper
And the calculation is absurd. Many GS are locked in by Corp contracts, and many more by fortress hubs. And dont forget the benefits. Add that up and the $1 billion estimate is a joke. And those will reconsider their options with the new year. Meanwhile those with options will consider alternatives this year to prepare for next with uncertain status prospects. Yes, yes, nothing is guaranteed but its pretty clear the 50k threshold has been proved out. UA obviously cant set a revised one since the existing one doesnt exist, so the mystery/uncertainty works against them and their only real options are to extend it or just keep gaslighting us. Add in the annoyance that everybody else got an extension, as did AA CK, and it seems like a bad call on UAs part. Whats the real cost that a few undeserved GS get handed out for a year? Seems like less than the loss of GS, who have got to be worth lots of $$$ and will be especially valuable because theyre more likely to fly early and often the rest of the year.

like Ive said before, GS is a program to catch and retain HVFs, and not just for a year. So with a non myopic perspective is 2019 or 2020 flying a better indicator of how much a given customer will fly in 2021? Ill bet thats the calculus AA made now that Scott FFers are deadbeats Kirby has moved on. And when my wife starts scheduling flights again well be calling AA to see what they have to offer a 70-80k GS that UA doesnt seem interested in keeping.

If UA extends GS shell be on UA for the foreseeable future (the exact opposite of whats been suggested). If they dont they create a free agent. Its that simple. The fundamental problem is that they cant incentivize flying with an uncertain reward, esp since the fallback is 1k which has already been guaranteed. What UA may end up getting from her is low roller 1k based on domestic flights while she books the high $$ fares elsewhere and gets a better product. In her experience on domestic UA doesnt really seem to care shes GS anyway. I dont think thats what they want, but Im not a marketing supragenius like they are.

The ironic thing is its looking like shes about to get a promotion that will result in even more flying and maybe hitting 50k or so for the year anyway. Shes already at 15 or so.
Originally Posted by fumje
Technically every subgroup is a fraction of the overall population.
har har, Im using the secondary meaning of fraction rather than the technical one.

noun
  1. 1.
    a numerical quantity that is not a whole number (e.g. 1/2, 0.5).
  2. 2.
    a small or tiny part, amount, or proportion of something.
    "he hesitated for a fraction of a second"
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 12:58 pm
  #604  
 
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Originally Posted by Dyce
just my two cents... if later in the year I take a status match on Delta 360 or AA, Ill lock in for 2021, but if I stick with United I _might_ get GS renewed??? Uniteds silence makes me an immediate free agent, and Im at $22K spend for the year with $30K cancelled travel. Assuming Im back in the air by September Ill have approx $50K additional spend in 2020... money Id gladly give United if they show me they value my business...

and not to change the thread, but Im flying on a 175 on Monday... every F seat is open, 10 total pax, but my CPU hasnt cleared yet! I fully expect it will, but dont forget GS isnt that brilliant to begin with!
if there are 10 Econ passengers thats 10 buy ups to sell before you get your entitlement. GS are such deadbeats . . .
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 1:21 pm
  #605  
 
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9 pax plus me... 12 F seats... the benefit is upgrades CAN clear up to 120 hours in advance... my point is that even with less pax than F seats my upgrade still hasnt cleared. And this was an addendum to a reply of not feeling like United values my business. Anecdotal evidence.
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 2:02 pm
  #606  
 
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Originally Posted by Dyce
9 pax plus me... 12 F seats... the benefit is upgrades CAN clear up to 120 hours in advance... my point is that even with less pax than F seats my upgrade still hasnt cleared. And this was an addendum to a reply of not feeling like United values my business. Anecdotal evidence.
48 hours or so (forgot the exact time) before you can call and ask them to force the upgrade.

In the meantime hope springs eternal that a white knight type will show up and purchase those seats. The only downside is depriving a bunch of overentitled GSs of what they wouldnt be getting in a better world, one where were all upsell dispensers stacked like cordwood amongst the higher value cargo
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 4:26 pm
  #607  
 
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Originally Posted by Dyce
just my two cents... if later in the year I take a status match on Delta 360 or AA, I’ll lock in for 2021, but if I stick with United I _might_ get GS renewed??? United’s silence makes me an immediate free agent, and I’m at $22K spend for the year with $30K cancelled travel. Assuming I’m back in the air by September I’ll have approx $50K additional spend in 2020... money I’d gladly give United if they show me they value my business...
Do you really mean this? You're a Houston based GS, who will spend 72K this year, but you're willing to hop off that treadmill at the half-way point because UA won't guarantee you GS in 2021 -- even though the historic GS threshold is $50K. Really?

Originally Posted by Dyce
..and not to change the thread, but I’m flying on a 175 on Monday... every F seat is open, 10 total pax, but my CPU hasn’t cleared yet! I fully expect it will, but don’t forget GS isn’t that brilliant to begin with!
Again, really? You do realize there are massive IT systems that govern time-based upgrades. Yes, the decisions these systems make may seem unnecessarily delayed when flight loads are averaging 10%, but do you really expect UA to just turn off these systems and hand out abaci to their IT staff so they can upgrade you a few days early?
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 4:32 pm
  #608  
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Originally Posted by spartacusmcfly
Do you really mean this? You're a Houston based GS, who will spend 72K this year, but you're willing to hop off that treadmill at the half-way point because UA won't guarantee you GS in 2021 -- even though the historic GS threshold is $50K. Really?
Even IAH GS's get tired of being taken for granted.

Ah well.

David
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 4:49 pm
  #609  
 
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Originally Posted by spartacusmcfly
Do you really mean this? You're a Houston based GS, who will spend 72K this year, but you're willing to hop off that treadmill at the half-way point because UA won't guarantee you GS in 2021 -- even though the historic GS threshold is $50K. Really?

Again, really? You do realize there are massive IT systems that govern time-based upgrades. Yes, the decisions these systems make may seem unnecessarily delayed when flight loads are averaging 10%, but do you really expect UA to just turn off these systems and hand out abaci to their IT staff so they can upgrade you a few days early?
Emotion is a fickle thing, and betrayal is the red demon.

As for the upgrade, they are perfectly capable of proactively upgrading, and do when it suits them. No need for an abacus, just a few keystrokes. Now that Kirby can feel his ascendancy is nigh Im sure he has put out the word to set all systems to maximum deprivation, where they will remain for the foreseeable future.
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 5:04 pm
  #610  
 
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Originally Posted by Boghopper
48 hours or so (forgot the exact time) before you can call and ask them to force the upgrade.
... not on a CPU, only on a waitlisted instrument upgrade. That was another 2019 enhancement.

Originally Posted by spartacusmcfly
You do realize there are massive IT systems that govern time-based upgrades.
I think by massive you mean a web of error-prone, archaic, quasi-manual interfaces and decision tree logic?
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Last edited by WineCountryUA; Apr 16, 2020 at 6:13 pm Reason: merged consecutive posts by same member
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 8:58 pm
  #611  
 
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Originally Posted by greenpau
... not on a CPU, only on a waitlisted instrument upgrade. That was another 2019 enhancement.
I think my wife got a couple of cpus cleared in advance earlier this year, but I could be wrong, And as always ymmv.
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 3:02 am
  #612  
 
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Since the pandemic, are any GS RPUs clearing on award tickets later in the year? Not sure if they've frozen award inventory or if there's a technical issue.
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 5:06 am
  #613  
 
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I had waitlisted RPUs clear on a ticket bought pre-Covid for flight in June.
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 6:19 am
  #614  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
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Originally Posted by Boghopper
I think my wife got a couple of cpus cleared in advance earlier this year, but I could be wrong, And as always ymmv.
my point was that it is posted that a CPU can clear up to 120 hours before departure. If it doesnt clear in these circumstances (less pax than F seats, so why hasnt it) for a GS then my conclusion was GS isnt exactly a level of service that is enticing me to keep my spend with them.

Originally Posted by spartacusmcfly
Do you really mean this? You're a Houston based GS, who will spend 72K this year, but you're willing to hop off that treadmill at the half-way point because UA won't guarantee you GS in 2021 -- even though the historic GS threshold is $50K. Really??
yes, I do. In the new normal airlines are going to have fewer direct flights, and I doubt United will be bringing back anything to Europe out of IAH anytime soon. Im already qualified for 1K, so depending on what happens later in the year (most of us have no idea when well start flying again on OPM), I am of the mindset to be a free agent taking the best routing, and gaining high status on (probably) Delta. Not saying I wont ever fly United (direct UAL flights IAH to SYD, SCL, and GRU will all be flown if they return) but my post was about how they treat us, not whether I think Ill qualify or not.

the majority of my spend is international business... my point is I get treated better in international business on (most) other airlines than I do as a GS flying international business on United. Choosing a different airline based on better service doesnt make me an entitled GS in fact Im wondering why I didnt make this decision before.
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Last edited by WineCountryUA; Apr 17, 2020 at 10:26 am Reason: merged consecutive posts by same member
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 9:46 am
  #615  
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
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Originally Posted by Dyce

the majority of my spend is international business... my point is I get treated better in international business on (most) other airlines than I do as a GS flying international business on United. Choosing a different airline based on better service doesn’t make me an “entitled GS” in fact I’m wondering why I didn’t make this decision before.
I posted my views on this in another thread a while back, I followed this strategy about 3 years ago for international travel , fundamentally because of the inconsistent and ever degrading Polaris offering. I agree with you completely, on the tier 1 airlines when in international business I am treated as well and most times better than I am flying on UA and generally spend less money , I am non hub non corporate program captive which also helps.
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