LEGACY Continental OnePass: Elite Status Overview

This information applies to all elite status tiers unless otherwise noted.

Elite status qualification periods are based on calendar year. A customer must earn the specified level of elite qualification miles (EQM) or elite qualification points (EQP) between January 1 and December 31 of each year in order to qualify for status.

Once a customer has reached a specified qualification level, the earned elite status is valid through the rest of that calendar year, the following calendar year, and through the end of February of the year after that.

Example: A customer qualifies for Platinum Elite status on June 17, 2011. That status is good through February 28, 2013.

EUA is the system used by Continental to automatically provide complementary upgrades to elite customers at certain windows prior to departure based on several criteria.

Only flights that are not marketed as BusinessFirst are eligible for EUA. Conversely, domestic flights operated with a First Class cabin or international flights that are marketed with an International Business cabin (international route flown with a domestic configured aircraft) are eligible for EUA.

For elites that purchase a Y or B fare, provided there is space available, that elite will receive an upgrade at time of purchase. This benefit is further extended for Platinum elites and Presidential Platinum elites to include M fares. If there is no upgrade space available at the time of purchase but space becomes available prior to the online check-in window, the elite can request the upgrade be processed at that time.

It should be noted that EUAs are processed based on available space in an upgrade fare bucket. The availability of these buckets can vary widely from flight to flight and day to day, just as fares vary widely from flight to flight and day to day.

The following criteria are used to determine upgrades, in order:

• OnePass Elite Status
• Fare Class
• Date & Time Purchased

Based on elite status, Presidential Platinum elites are upgraded first, theen platinum elites, gold elites, and finally silver elites. The fare class break down is in order as follows:

Y, B, M, E, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, K and G.
Note: Y and B are mentioned here solely in the event that there is no upgrade space available at time of purchase.

If two elites of the same status with the same fare class are on the same flight, the date and time of purchase becomes the tie breaker, with the elite making the earliest purchase receiving the upgrade. If the upgrade is processed from the airport upgrade standby list, check-in time becomes the tie breaker. (source)

EUA runs at specified windows prior to departure. These windows are based on elite status:

• 144 hours before scheduled departure time: Presidential Platinum only
• 120 hours before scheduled departure time: Presidential Platinum & Platinum only
• 96 hours before scheduled departure time: Presidential Platinum & Platinum only
• 72 hours before scheduled departure time: Presidential Platinum, Platinum & Gold only
• 48 hours before scheduled departure time: Presidential Platinum, Platinum & Gold only
• 24 hours before scheduled departure time: Presidential Platinum, Platinum, Gold & Silver
• 3 hours before scheduled departure time: Presidential Platinum, Platinum, Gold & Silver

If an elite is on an itinerary with multiple passengers, the lowest elite status of the group will be used for EUA hierarchy determination. This means that an elite traveling with a non-elite will likely not receive an upgrade. To work around this, elites should split their PNRs from the rest of their party in order to secure the upgrade, when available. The OnePass Elite Desk can handle this request. (source)

Customers with an account address based in the European Union earn a trans-atlantic (TATL) credit for trips flown on Continental or Continental code share, reportedly. Silver, Gold, and Platinum status are available with 5, 10, and 15 TATL points, respectively.

This chart outlines most of the elite benefits for each status tier. The full benefits chart as published by Continental is available here.

Silver elite status is the lowest offered tier in the OnePass program. Qualification requirements are as follows:

• 25,000 Elite Qualification Miles

• 30 Elite Qualification Points

• 5 TATL Points - EU residents only

While Silver elite members may select premium economy seats at booking, they cannot select extra legroom seats until online check-in. However, at that point, any extra legroom seats carry no charge.

Silver elites also recieve a 25% bonus on redeemable miles for all qualifying flights, and they earn a minimum of 500 miles for shorter flights. Bonus miles do not qualify for elite status. Silver elites qualify for Star Alliance Silver status.

Gold elite status is the mid-tier level in OnePass. Qualification requirements are as follows:

• 50,000 Elite Qualification Miles

• 60 Elite Qualification Points

• 10 TATL Points - EU residents only

Gold elite members may select extra legroom seats, including exit rows, at the time of booking for no fee. They also receive a 100% bonus in redeemable miles for all qualifying flights, and they earn a minimum of 500 miles for shorter flights. Bonus miles do not qualify for elite status.

Gold elites qualify for Star Alliance Gold status. As part of the Star Alliance Gold program, Gold elites are granted entrance to the President's Club or Red Carpet Club at their gateway airport for itineraries that include an international segment.

Platinum elite status is the top-tier earnable level in OnePass (Presidential Platinum is obtained by invitation only). Qualification requirements are as follows:

• 75,000 Elite Qualification Miles

• 90 Elite Qualification Points

• 15 TATL Points - EU residents only

Platinum elite members may select extra legroom seats, including exit rows, at the time of booking for no fee. They also receive a 100% bonus in redeemable miles for all qualifying flights, and they earn a minimum of 500 miles for shorter flights. Bonus miles do not qualify for elite status.

Platinum elites qualify for Star Alliance Gold status. As part of the Star Alliance Gold program, Gold elites are granted entrance to the President's Club or Red Carpet Club at their gateway airport for itineraries that include an international segment.

In addition, many fees are waived for Platinum elites, and additional upgrade instruments are available and specific earning intervals. Upon reaching 75,000 EQM or 90 EQP, two one class one-way regional upgrade award certificates are earned. Upon reaching 100,000 EQM or 120 EQP, six one class one-way system wide upgrade (SWU) award certificates are earned.

Regional upgrades are capacity controlled and used for a one class one-way upgrade on any paid fare in the mainland U.S., Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean and Central America, and select flights in Hawaii and Asia/Oceania. They are earned based on calendar year, just like elite status. Additional information and specifics are available on the Continental website by clicking here.

System Wide upgrades (SWU) are capacity controlled and used for a one class one-way upgrade on any eligible paid fare across the Continental system. They are earned based on calendar year, just like elite status. Additional flying earns additional SWUs, with two additional SWUs being earned for each 50,000 EQM or 60 EQP earned past the 100,000 EQM/120EQP mark. Moreover, SWUs issued in 2011 and later are available for use with fare class W and higher. Additional information and specifics are available on the Continental website by clicking here.

Presidential Platinum status is an invitation only program open to high-revenue customers. To qualify, a OnePass member much reach Platinum Elite status and spend at least $30,000 in ticket-based revenue during a calendar year. Benefits include enhanced service and earlier upgrade priority. (source)

The Presidential Platinum program will be retired and replaced by the United Global Services program in 2012.

This table outlines the mapping of OnePass elite levels to Star Alliance elite level.

	Star Alliance Silver	Star Alliance Gold
OnePass Silver	X
OnePass Gold		X
OnePass Platinum		X
OnePass Presidential Platinum		X

Infinite Platinum is a legacy status granted to OnePass members in the mid 1990s who earned and maintained Platinum status for five consecutive years. This program is no longer offered.

Redeemable and elite qualification mileage earning varies based on operating carrier and fare class purchased.

Class of Service	Purchased Fare Class	Base Miles	Elite Qualification Miles	Elite Qualification Points
First Class / Business Class / BusinessFirst	F, C, J, D	125%	150%	1.5
Discounted First Class / Business Class / BusinessFirst	Z	100%	150%	1.5
Full Fare Economy Class	Y	100%	150%	1.5
Discount Full Fare Economy Class	B	100%	150%	1.5
Economy Class	M, E, U, H, Q, V, W	100%	100%	1
Discount Economy Class	S, T, L, K, G	100%	100%	1

In addition to earning while flying on aircraft operated by Continental, there are many partner airlines that have various earning levels. To check the earning level for a Continental partner, visit the Airline Partners page at the Continental website.