United is making changes to its PerksPlus program for small businesses, requiring use of their United.business portal or that a TA use a special tour code for every booking. Booking via the most convenient methods -- United.com or the United app -- is no l😢nger going to be possible with this program.

Clearly, the program is being enhanced...

IMO, the changes are actually good for my company. I�ve signed us up through United for Business and there are upfront discounts available. It�s structured similar to PassPlus, but without the need to prepay.

I�m curious to see how it evolves as we start to use it.

No more Perks Plus if we don't go through a travel agency "PerksPlus will be exclusively available to corporate customers booking through a travel agency" we will be allowed to use our remaining points for another two years, but no way to earn.

I'm nt sure why UA wants to push all of our business through a TA. Wouldn't it cost them less to have us buy tickets directly, without any agency fee?

I thought PerksPlus was great, like a real "perk". I guess that was reason enough for UA to do away with it.

The way I understand it, PerksPlus for direct-booking customers is being replaced by the new United for Business program.

PerksPlus requires a minimum spend and you needed to earn enough points to redeem for free flights/perks.
United for Business does not require a minimum spend and offers a percentage discount on all flights and/or ancillaries, so should have broader appeal to small businesses.

United for Business works for directly booked tickets via united.com and the mobile app.
For companies that book through travel agencies (so they cannot use United for Business), PerksPlus continues.

The discounts on this new business program are better than a poke in the eye. Just did a comparison booking and it dropped the ticket from $525 to $450. I'd take that over the measly earning from PerksPlus. The AA business program grants the traveler an extra loyalty point per dollar to incentivize use - would be nice if UA offered that kind of perk.

Sure - but it makes it a bit mre difficult to book than just going to the UA app and doing a search. I'll have to give it a try. I booked some tix last night and am still within the 24hr cancellation period. I'm curious how much different the fare is.

Quick question ... our PerksPlus email about this directs us to sign up for Untied for Business. But that says input of our "Corporate UCS Number" is required. Where do I find this number? It clearly isn't ur PerksPlus account ID.

Added detail: I'm not sure why that initial comparison showed so much, but it looks like the benefit ranges from 4-8% discounts for us domestically depending on fare class, and 2-8% internationally depending on fare class. We selected "Plan a" which gives more discounts on fare but no discounts on add-ons since all of my guys are at least Gold anyway if not 1MM or 2MM. We are a very small business. I have no idea what is offered to firms of other sizes.

Business/First (J/C) 8% both
Business/First (D/Z) 4% domestic, 2% international
Premium Economy (O) 8% both
Premium Economy (A) 4% domestic, 2% international
Economy (Y/B/M/E/U/H) 8% both
Economy (Q/V/W) 4% domestic, 2% international

Is it? Other than the drop down to select personal or business travel it is pretty much the same.

I didn't put anything in for the UCS number.

I guess we'll get another button on our accounts somehow then? Hmm....

The message we received from PerksPlus to sign up says, "When requesting access to your company's portals, make sure you have your company's corporate UCS number. If you don't have that number, contact your company's travel manager or United sales representative." I tried contacting United to get this number but I could only find email addresses and nobody has responded. The form won't let us proceed without a UCS number and it's looking for a specific format so our PerksPlus ID won't wrk...

I don't even remember anything about a UCS number. Maybe that is via a different signup link. We are too small to have any real corporate deals. I just signed up at https://business.united.com


It is pretty much identical to the way American does it. Just a drop down online. In the app it pops up and asks right when you click the "book" link. I did have to access a page that did a face id verification before it refreshed my account and started showing. Signing out/in on the phone probably would have done the same.

Did you register as a "Corporate" or "Individuals"? Corporate seems to require the UCS number. Individual seems as if it's for PassPlus, but I guess this is the same as that without the prepayment. If we use the individual link does each persn need to register separately?

My experience was the same as elCheapoDeluxe. I went to the website, registered as a corporation, put in my EIN, was not asked for a UCS.

That's interesting. In any event, I just called PerksPlus and was told that I was not the first person with this problem. Apparently, where they directed (at least some) people was not correct. I was told to email a separate address at United for Business with our PerksPlus info so I could get signed up. I've done that. I guess I'll wait to see what they cme back with.

where did you go on the website to enroll where it asked you for a UCS number?