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Generally PQPs are earned flying

• Paid flights -- Base fare + surcharge (remove taxes and non-airline fees)
• Including flights ticketed and operated by must be *A or MP partner (earning depends on ticketing carrier)
• Economy Plus® seating or subscriptions (100% PQPs)
• Preferred seat purchases (100% PQPs)
• MileagePlus Upgrade Award co-pays (100% PQPs)
• Paid upgrades on flights operated by United and United Express (100% PQPs)

Purchase not eligible for PQPs: In-flight purchases, wifi for a single flight or subscription. UC membership or day pass, check bag fees / subscriptions, farelocks, ...

but there are two additional methods for earning them
1. Some Chase UA Branded credit will earn PQPs
and there is a bonus promo Bonus PQP Promo for MP Chase Cardholders - Q2 2022 -- targeted & variable bonus
Earning is 500 PQPs per $12K spend in a calendar year, cards have different annual PQP caps.
Chase MP credit card PQPs can be used to achieve all earned status levels but for 1K you also need to meet the PQF requirement. The PresidentialPlus cards PQPs can be used to meet the PQP only 1K requirement

2. You can purchase PQPs via Premier Accelerator
Consolidated Award / Premier Accelerator questions
United Airlines Award/Premier Accelerator Rates [2022]
Note prices tend to increase significantly at the end of the year
Note the Accelerator purchase costs do not earn PQPs but can count for the credit card spend.

UA has normally offered a status buy-up program in January, tends to run on the expensive side. No details are announced until mid-January
Last year's program - 2022 UA MP elite status buy-up offers(for higher status than earned in 2021)


For reference but not topic of this thread
MileagePlus Status Easier to Earn for 2022: ↓ PQP Levels, PQP Grant, Q1-21 PQP Bonus

Resource threads
UA/Star Alliance: 2022 Consolidated Mileage/Status/Challenge Runs help needed
Mileage Run Discussion
Mileage Run Deals
Premium Fare Deals

Poor man's PQP run planner
Google Flights enter a starting airport, leave the destination blank, select airlines - Star Alliance, set travel days and max cost and view the Map for options. Try multiple dates.
kayak.com/explore has similar functionality
And now UA's Explore destinations

Related
Will UA Grant 2023 Elite Status if I am XXX PQM/PQS/PQD Short of Qualifying in 2022?

Previous years' thread - "I need XXX UA PQPs/PQFs in 2021 for Elite Status in 2022"
[Consolidated] "I need XXX UA PQPs/PQFs in 2020 for Elite Status in 2021"
[Consolidated] "I need XXX UA PQDs/PQMs/PQSs in 2019 for Elite Status in 2020"
[Consolidated] "I need XXX UA PQD's/PQMs/PQSs in 2018 for Elite Status in 2019"
[Consolidated] "I need XXX UA PQD's/PQMs/PQSs in 2017 for Elite Status in 2018
[Consolidated] "I need XXX UA PQD's/PQMs in 2016 for Elite Status in 2017
[Consolidated] "I need XXX UA PQD's/PQMs in 2015 for Elite Status in 2016
& [Consolidated] "I need XXX UA PQD's/PQMs in 2014 for Elite Status in 2015