Your Complete Guide to United Airlines Premier Status

by Krish Patel

If you travel a lot and are loyal to a certain airline, having elite status can change your travel experience and give you certain benefits. The perks of having Premier status with United don’t come free, and require a certain number of points. It’s important to consider the benefits and drawbacks of having Premier status with United versus having elite status with another airline.

What Exactly is United Premier Status?

If you fly with United and add your MileagePlus number in your booking, you will be rewarded with United miles. However, some frequent United travelers might get rewarded with Premier status. Premier status gives you certain benefits, which depend on the tier of status you have with United.

To qualify for United Premier status, you’re going to need Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) and Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs). Elite status is also dependent on how much you spend on airline tickets and if you spend using a co-branded credit card, such as the United Club Infinite Card. However, Premier status can be achieved with more PQPs and no PQFs as well.

United Elite Status Tiers

United Airlines has four tiers of Premier elite status, excluding Global Services, which is an unpublished level of status that’s invite-only. The four tiers of Premier elite status are listed below in order from lowest to highest:

● Premier Silver

● Premier Gold

● Premier Platinum

● Premier 1K

It goes without saying that the higher the tier of elite status is, the more benefits you’ll receive. As you spend more on a United credit card or fly the airline and its Star Alliance partners more often, you’ll often receive better benefits, such as Premier Access and free checked bags.

United Premier Elite Status Earning Requirements

Earning United elite status is primarily dependent on PQPs, which aren’t MileagePlus miles. Premier qualifying points are based on things such as upgrades and the base fare for tickets purchased. They can be earned by credit card spending and award redemptions on United and their Star Alliance partners.

To achieve elite status, you’ll need to reach the following thresholds of PQPs and PQFs or only PQPs:

Note that United has a four-segment requirement to achieve status, so you’ll need to fly on four flights operated by United or United Express to earn status.

Elite Status Benefits

Having Premier elite status includes plenty of benefits, including Premier Silver, which is the entry-level tier. Some of the benefits of each status tier are listed below:

Premier Silver

● Earn seven miles for every dollar spent

● Complimentary Star Alliance Silver status

● Priority check-in and boarding

● Free First Class upgrades as early as your day of departure

● One free 70-pound checked bag

Premier Gold

● Earn eight miles for every dollar spent

● Complimentary Gold status with Star Alliance and Marriott Bonvoy

● Group 1 boarding

● Two free 70-pound checked bags

● Free First Class upgrades as early as two days before departure

● United Club access when flying United or a Star Alliance partner internationally

Premier Platinum

● Earn nine miles per dollar spent

● Complimentary Avis President’s Club status

● Better award availability in premium cabins

● Waived telephone fees for booking

Premier 1K

● Earn 11 miles per dollar spent

● One free drink and snack in Economy Class

● Three free 70-pound checked bags

● Pre-boarding the aircraft

● Free First Class upgrades as early as four days before departure

Is Having United Airlines Premier Elite Status Worth it?

Premier status is worth it for those who regularly fly with United and/or their Star Alliance partners or if you spend a lot on a co-branded credit card (United Club Infinite Card, United Quest Card, United Explorer Card, etc.).

It goes without being said that holding elite status makes the travel experience more smooth, with benefits such as priority boarding and less-packed check-in queues at airports. Additionally, complimentary upgrades are nice, however, they’re not always likely to happen, especially on routes between major hubs.

When considering to earn United Premier status, one of the most important factors to consider is United’s route network. If you live near a United hub, such as Chicago O’Hare, Denver, or Houston George Bush Intercontinental, then it might be easier to earn elite status if your home airport is a United hub. Living near airports that are major hubs for other airlines such as Dallas (American) or Atlanta (Delta) might not give you as much value to chase after earning Premier status.

United Airlines Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner

As someone who lives near a United hub, having Premier elite status is worth it. Whenever I fly United, I always try to make the best value of the benefits that come with the status to enjoy a less stressful travel experience. Just make sure that you make use of the benefits that come with Premier elite status, otherwise, it might not be worth it.