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Consolidated Global Services Thread: Benefits, Questions, Experiences [2024]

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Old Dec 31, 2023, 7:13 pm
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Last edit by: IAH-OIL-TRASH
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 (rumored to be $75K beginning in 2024). 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&S [2023]

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.
  • Upgrades clear into PN class rather than PZ class for other elite tiers, which usually have much better availability. Instruments (PlusPoints or miles) 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). Requires that a seat be available on the seat map for assignment.
  • Jaguar Tarmac Transfer for tight connections between flights at major hubs (cannot be requested in advance). Occasionally, distance between concourses/gates may result in a transfer.
  • 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)
  • 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)

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. Only for GS member + 1 companion.
  • GS can create saver business award space (IN) if PZ inventory is available. United-operated flights only. 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 3 (three) J class premium seats remain for sale after the upgrade is processed and they are at the top of the waitlist. Within T-24 hours only 2 J class seats need remain. Since fall 2022, agents have been saying its valid for "one exception per PNR," thus only one-way. Having separate one-way PNRs for a round-trip may help, but some agents look for this.
  • 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. Update: April 2023, this exception now also requires PZ space to exist for them to open IN. If PZ is not available, then they will open XN for the companion, and PlusPoints can be used to upgrade to PN in the same transaction.
  • 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 > 3 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. The passenger being upgraded must be a GS, or the sponsoring GS must be flying on the same flight.
  • 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 access VIP Lounge at LHR (former Global First Lounges) when booked in Polaris Business on an international itinerary. One guest permitted (two guests if a United Club member).
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
  • 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.
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Consolidated Global Services Thread: Benefits, Questions, Experiences [2024]

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Old Jan 7, 2024, 11:44 pm
  #31  
 
Join Date: Jan 2024
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Yeah he was, the thing is I'm also a GS but I hold the status because of MM. It's weird, I called the GS desk and they said that they were unable to process the upgrades, I called again they managed to put it through. The problem is that they've said that PP cannot come from one account (the other GS) and the miles from another account. You don't think this will cause any problems at the airport no?
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Old Jan 7, 2024, 11:49 pm
  #32  
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Originally Posted by united630
Yeah he was, the thing is I'm also a GS but I hold the status because of MM. It's weird, I called the GS desk and they said that they were unable to process the upgrades, I called again they managed to put it through. The problem is that they've said that PP cannot come from one account (the other GS) and the miles from another account. You don't think this will cause any problems at the airport no?
Ah, that wasnt clear to me in your original message. My understanding Im not a GS, so this is second-hand is that, yes, they are both supposed to come from the same account. I dont know how likely the airport staff are to audit this kind of thing. If theyve pushed it through, Id be surprised if they reneged, but I cant definitively tell you its impossible. Hopefully there are some other GS MM companions that can share their experiences.
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Old Jan 8, 2024, 12:21 am
  #33  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC / TYO / Up in the Air
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Posts: 6,390
Originally Posted by united630
Yeah he was, the thing is I'm also a GS but I hold the status because of MM. It's weird, I called the GS desk and they said that they were unable to process the upgrades, I called again they managed to put it through. The problem is that they've said that PP cannot come from one account (the other GS) and the miles from another account. You don't think this will cause any problems at the airport no?
Since there are no published rules -- this leads to this type of issue.... As someone who has done EXACTLY what you have and had zero issues I am quite confident you will have no issues if the upgrades have already been pushed through. As many can attest on this forums I have upgraded their flights with my PP -- and some have done the same for me - as recently as last month....
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Old Jan 8, 2024, 12:22 am
  #34  
 
Join Date: Jan 2024
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Originally Posted by bmwe92fan
Since there are no published rules -- this leads to this type of issue.... As someone who has done EXACTLY what you have and had zero issues I am quite confident you will have no issues if the upgrades have already been pushed through. As many can attest on this forums I have upgraded their flights with my PP -- and some have done the same for me - as recently as last month....
Just to clarify when you say pushed through you mean like it shows as being waitlisted on United right?
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Old Jan 8, 2024, 12:24 am
  #35  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
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Posts: 6,390
Originally Posted by united630
Just to clarify when you say pushed through you mean like it shows as being waitlisted on United right?
No - I meant that I upgraded another GS mileage ticket -- and I've had the same done for me. They do not need to come from the same account IME. I read the OP to mean that the upgrade has been processed and they are worried about losing it at the airport - perhaps I'm wrong....
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Old Jan 8, 2024, 12:26 am
  #36  
 
Join Date: Jan 2024
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Originally Posted by bmwe92fan
No - I meant that I upgraded another GS mileage ticket -- and I've had the same done for me. They do not need to come from the same account IME. I read the OP to mean that the upgrade has been processed and they are worried about losing it at the airport...
ohh okay thanks
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Old Jan 8, 2024, 12:30 am
  #37  
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Going to move this to the GS thread but in that try there are mixed reports there on some GS agents stating the need to be the same account and others not reaise that issue,

Either way, once you are on the waitlist or confirm, it is not going to be undone.
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Old Jan 8, 2024, 6:13 am
  #38  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
Going to move this to the GS thread but in that try there are mixed reports there on some GS agents stating the need to be the same account and others not reaise that issue,

Either way, once you are on the waitlist or confirm, it is not going to be undone.
the agents cant apply a GS PP for a ticket using miles from a different account. But it can be done within the app yourself. As stated above, they process just like any other GS PP request including having GS priority, regardless of the travelers status
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Old Jan 8, 2024, 8:31 am
  #39  
 
Join Date: Oct 2022
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It varies incredibly from agent to agent, I have had agents tell me they must be from the same account while I have also had agents allow an upgrade on tickets not even booked with UA miles (usually LifeMiles or Aeroplan). Honestly, if you run into an issue just HUCA and you will usually find one unless you get marked for agent shopping. Regardless, if the upgrade is through I have never seen one redacted.
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Old Jan 8, 2024, 9:43 am
  #40  
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Originally Posted by united630
Me and my friends booked a flight using our friend's miles (fare class XN) and we used our friends GS PP to upgrade the five of us to Japan. Currently, it shows as waitlisted but Im not too sure if the upgrade will process. Does anyone know what will happen?
Recently, upgrades to Japan have been relatively easy to get. On the four flights I took in December, Polaris always had empty seats (LAX to HND or NRT) and a lot of non-revenue upgrades.
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Old Jan 8, 2024, 11:03 am
  #41  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
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Originally Posted by tomtaylor23
Do you need to use PP for clear the upgrade from X? Or could you using miles in lieu?
Miles work equally well. I have done this many times. Same rules apply.
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Old Jan 10, 2024, 2:50 pm
  #42  
 
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New GS, can't figure this out

I know the answer to this probably seems obvious to most people here, so apologies in advance. I've read the Wiki and a ton of posts, and maybe I'm just slow today, but I can't figure this out.

I'm new GS (so new that they haven't even contacted me about it; I just saw when I went to book a flight) and 1MM. I have to be in Lisbon on business in early March. Will pay cash for my ticket. I'd like to bring my wife, who is GS because of my status and MM. I've got lots of PP, and some miles. We're not wealthy, but we could also afford to pay cash for an Economy ticket for her, but I don't want her to fly in Economy seats. I assume it won't matter that we would be on different PNRs.

It's looking like exactly none of the flights I'm looking at have PN availability. In fact, most of them don't show "PN0" but just don't show PN or PZ at all.

So what are my options? I don't really get this "forcing" concept, and I really don't understand how they just don't show PN or PZ at all. Thanks for any advice.

Last edited by everythingcounts; Jan 10, 2024 at 3:19 pm
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Old Jan 10, 2024, 3:32 pm
  #43  
 
Join Date: Dec 2022
Posts: 5
Originally Posted by everythingcounts
I know the answer to this probably seems obvious to most people here, so apologies in advance. I've read the Wiki and a ton of posts, and maybe I'm just slow today, but I can't figure this out.

I'm new GS (so new that they haven't even contacted me about it; I just saw when I went to book a flight) and 1MM. I have to be in Lisbon on business in early March. Will pay cash for my ticket. I'd like to bring my wife, who is GS because of my status and MM. I've got lots of PP, and some miles. We're not wealthy, but we could also afford to pay cash for an Economy ticket for her, but I don't want her to fly in Economy seats. I assume it won't matter that we would be on different PNRs.

It's looking like exactly none of the flights I'm looking at have PN availability. In fact, most of them don't show "PN0" but just don't show PN or PZ at all.

So what are my options? I don't really get this "forcing" concept, and I really don't understand how they just don't show PN or PZ at all. Thanks for any advice.
As GS, if you book Business and pay cash, you can upgrade a companion using either miles or PP Confirmed 1 way. Just call the GS Number to book it. Also, you can nominate your wife for GS and she will have same benefits.
pmcue is offline  
Old Jan 10, 2024, 3:33 pm
  #44  
 
Join Date: Dec 2022
Posts: 5
PP expiring

Anyone have luck extending the PP Upgrades that are set to expire end of January.
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Old Jan 10, 2024, 5:34 pm
  #45  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,115
Originally Posted by everythingcounts
I know the answer to this probably seems obvious to most people here, so apologies in advance. I've read the Wiki and a ton of posts, and maybe I'm just slow today, but I can't figure this out.

I'm new GS (so new that they haven't even contacted me about it; I just saw when I went to book a flight) and 1MM. I have to be in Lisbon on business in early March. Will pay cash for my ticket. I'd like to bring my wife, who is GS because of my status and MM. I've got lots of PP, and some miles. We're not wealthy, but we could also afford to pay cash for an Economy ticket for her, but I don't want her to fly in Economy seats. I assume it won't matter that we would be on different PNRs.

It's looking like exactly none of the flights I'm looking at have PN availability. In fact, most of them don't show "PN0" but just don't show PN or PZ at all.

So what are my options? I don't really get this "forcing" concept, and I really don't understand how they just don't show PN or PZ at all. Thanks for any advice.
Originally Posted by pmcue
As GS, if you book Business and pay cash, you can upgrade a companion using either miles or PP Confirmed 1 way. Just call the GS Number to book it. Also, you can nominate your wife for GS and she will have same benefits.
Couple caveats here - you can confirm one segment only, not the full one way if it involves a connection. Also, you need to have 3 (or 4?) seats left for sale after the upgrade is confirmed.

My usual strategy is to try to use miles, and book one way in coach one way in business, whichever combination is cheaper. Then use the PP companion upgrade on the coach Polaris segment. Even with a connection, that should net you out to 3 out of 4 segments in business/first.
Originally Posted by everythingcounts
It's looking like exactly none of the flights I'm looking at have PN availability. In fact, most of them don't show "PN0" but just don't show PN or PZ at all.
This sounds like you don't have expert mode enabled in your profile on united.com maybe? It can be fickle and turn off randomly. But it's easy enough to re-enable if that happens.
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