Last edit by: st530
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 [2021]
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.
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):
Most benefits noted below require calling a GS agent:
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 [2021]
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.
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 with fastest pickup times, 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 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.
Most 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. United-operated flights only. Can now be completed online/via the app, in most circumstances.
- 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 for one segment of the itinerary 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, and for one segment in the itinerary, per caveats noted below. 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. (Note: VIP Lounges in NRT and HKG remain closed due to Covid-19; LHR VIP now open.)
- 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 not 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 round trip journey. 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 [2022]
#391
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K | Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 459
I need to be in Prague week of June 20 and I was planning on adding a week one side or the other for fun and taking MrsLimey1K. Route I was planning was DEN-AAA-PRG but Polaris seating is limited and expensive ($7-9K RT) so I started looking at DEN-MUC. FRA etc and then another carrier to get to PRG whenever as I have flexibility both sides of the PRG week. Even those tickets were $6-9K. It seems that everything has taken a big jump in the last few weeks, so I'm hoping for some more cost effective suggestions/ideas of other places to fly into/out of either side of PRG week of June 20. I'll be revenue and she will be points so I'd like to focus on UA metal. Thoughts appreciated.
#392
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: UA LT GS | UA LT Club | Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 1,250
United might be getting the message on GS upgrades. I just had AMS-SFO go PN9 a week before departure. Still PZ0, with 20+ open seats in J, so no PZ relief, but maybe they're loosening their suffocating grip on PN...
#393
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,092
If I applied GS plus points to a friend's ticket (he's not GS), he'll clear into PN, correct?
#394
Moderator: Midwest, Las Vegas & Dining Buzz
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Posts: 17,971
#395
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: 3,614
#396
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: SFO
Programs: UA GS 2mm
Posts: 93
Is anybody else struggling to find availability on flights in biz? I'm trying to fly home (GRU-tbd-SFO) next Thursday in biz class and everything sold out. Similar thing happened to me trying to get home from India last week (biz sold out) and ended up flying Emirates. Has anybody had luck asking GS to force open a seat in biz? Can they do that and then I book through corporate system? Thanks.
#397
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
#398
Join Date: May 2002
Location: US
Programs: UA GS 2MM
Posts: 1,735
Is anybody else struggling to find availability on flights in biz? I'm trying to fly home (GRU-tbd-SFO) next Thursday in biz class and everything sold out. Similar thing happened to me trying to get home from India last week (biz sold out) and ended up flying Emirates. Has anybody had luck asking GS to force open a seat in biz? Can they do that and then I book through corporate system? Thanks.
That appears to be happening to you on the flight through ORD. Looking next Thursday I see J on the GRU-ORD but the SFO connection is booked in F. The GRU-IAH/EWR flights are full in J.
Last edited by cmhua777; May 5, 2022 at 4:16 pm
#399
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: SFO
Programs: UA GS 2mm
Posts: 93
This keeps happening to me too. Most of the time it’s the domestic flight that has no J space (because UA sells those seats for a fraction more than Y on those routes) and it means you can’t see J space on your entire route.
That appears to be happening to you on the flight through ORD. Looking next Thursday I see J on the GRU-ORD but the SFO connection is booked in F. The GRU-IAH/EWR flights are full in J.
That appears to be happening to you on the flight through ORD. Looking next Thursday I see J on the GRU-ORD but the SFO connection is booked in F. The GRU-IAH/EWR flights are full in J.
Last edited by kj5hp; May 5, 2022 at 4:42 pm Reason: typo
#400
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: UA GS, UA 2MM, HH LT Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 1,800
I believe United added a bunch of direct UA metal capacity to Zurich over the summer so that would be one potential routing. I've been seeing lots of ZRH options pop up in my recent flight searches. BRU also has cheap options oftentimes (I used to route through there to Ireland when flights to LHR were too expensive).
#401
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K | Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 459
Maybe I haven’t paid attention and it has happened before but I’m flying domestic tomorrow with my partner and applied plus points to the reservation for both of us months ago. They never cleared and as of this morning when I checked in there were 3 seats left with us at #1 and #2 on the upgrade list. 10 mins after checking in, I noticed our PNR had been split and my upgrade had cleared, oddly into PZ space.
Is it normal for GS PP upgrades to clear into PZ within 24 hours of departure?
Also is it normal for the PNR to be automatically split to clear a single traveler? I always thought that had to be requested and the default behavior was to not clear the upgrade if both couldn’t clear until gate control takes over and they start moving manually down the upgrade list.
Is it normal for GS PP upgrades to clear into PZ within 24 hours of departure?
Also is it normal for the PNR to be automatically split to clear a single traveler? I always thought that had to be requested and the default behavior was to not clear the upgrade if both couldn’t clear until gate control takes over and they start moving manually down the upgrade list.
#402
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,395
Also is it normal for the PNR to be automatically split to clear a single traveler? I always thought that had to be requested and the default behavior was to not clear the upgrade if both couldn’t clear until gate control takes over and they start moving manually down the upgrade list.
#403
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: BOS/SFO
Programs: United 4MM GS, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 304
In my experience, if a GS clears before they check in, they always clear into PN. After they check in, it depends on whether they clear from the reservations waitlist, in which case they clear into PN, or clear from the day of departure upgrade standby list, in which case they clean into PZ
#404
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
Maybe I haven’t paid attention and it has happened before but I’m flying domestic tomorrow with my partner and applied plus points to the reservation for both of us months ago. They never cleared and as of this morning when I checked in there were 3 seats left with us at #1 and #2 on the upgrade list. 10 mins after checking in, I noticed our PNR had been split and my upgrade had cleared, oddly into PZ space.
Is it normal for GS PP upgrades to clear into PZ within 24 hours of departure?
Is it normal for GS PP upgrades to clear into PZ within 24 hours of departure?
In my experience, if a GS clears before they check in, they always clear into PN. After they check in, it depends on whether they clear from the reservations waitlist, in which case they clear into PN, or clear from the day of departure upgrade standby list, in which case they clean into PZ
#405
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: DYKWIA, But I'm a "Diamond Guest" UA 1K/2MM
Posts: 2,251
20+ Minute hold on GS line today
It was 15 minutes yesterday. Not a good trend.