Not that it signifies anything, but I did get my GS Xmas card and the 'thank you' cards to hand out to the crew today.

After over a decade as GS I'm not missing the drama this year -- I qualified for 1k -- that's it for me! Will be interested in seeing if $75k is the new standard ... I had years where I spent $100k plus -- but it's not the same airline now and just can't see doing that ever again...

I for one will miss your insider assessment of the program. Who will update the secret GS sub-levels now?!

Several trips pending for 1Q, holding off booking until UA lets me know of status for ‘24. Ready to book on UA, or pivot if not GS for next year. I’m at 70k in BIS spend for ‘23.

I still have my contacts within UA -- and I am sure porciuscato and ua1flyer will always be there to keep us honest and balanced lol..... Having lived through this at AA I am not optimistic for the future of "premium" service at UA -- but one can always hope - and I hope I am wrong because I've come to know and love so many UA employees over the years that have helped us in so many ways -- flying a single route so much for so many years does that!

I received the GS Xmas card too......my expiration date remains 1/24

I really can’t see the minimum threshold jumping to $75K… I think United would be shooting themselves in the foot if they did that… but then again it is Kirby so who knows? We’ll find out soon!

I am in the same boat, but I do have my lifetime GS status to fall back on.

Regarding GS spent, I have been lucky my former work travel of past 15 years provided me opportunities to earn airlines status and elite benefits. While I flew for work, it did not occur to me the financial impacts as I was just focusing on work and whether I could keep GS for another year because it was paid with other people’s money.

Now, looking back at the cost of my GS status since inception of the program, I (mostly my former employer) contributed well over 7 figures (US $) to United’s revenue in the past 15 years.

It gives you a different perspective when you look at the benefits and services you get from United.

If anything, they may make $75k the threshold for new invitations to GS and leave renewing members alone for now.

The other thing that United might want to take seriously is daisy-chain GS members. I thought there would be very few, but I’ve met two in the past three months. I always thought the number was much less than one percent, but maybe I’m wrong.

$75K for initial invitations makes sense if they're moving pass plus up to that level, GS for less than $50K on renewals doesnt make much sense to me. Moving the bar higher seems to jive with the volume of GS I see now versus 5 years ago. DEN-LHR a few Saturdays ago, there were 16 GS waiting to pre-board. When 6.3% of the people on the plane are GS, perhaps a right sizing is needed?

What you’re saying makes sense. I’m surprised at the magnitude of the increase, but United has all the figures, so they know that the target level.

With families and traveling companions it’s hard to pinpoint the true GS number on a flight. At the same time, I’ve been the only GS on some of my Polaris flights this year out of SFO, and that hasn’t happened in quite some years.

Agreed but this was a line comprised of 16 of "me" ::)

Much as it makes some of my 1K friends crazy, I agree that there should be some "right sizing", and I think it should apply to GS as well as 1K. As the two "premier" levels, they should offer some degree of real perks and exclusivity. Over most of the last year, the pre boarding lane for 1K (GS tend to stand off on their own) is roughly as long as (and sometimes longer than) group 1 lane.

The preboarding is a pain, but (IMHO) not really a serious issue. I’d like to see them prioritize upgrades by spending, thus continuing the march towards total monetization.