LEGACY United Mileage Plus: Elite Status Overview

United Mileage Plus currently offers four tiers of elite status in the program: Premier (2P), Premier Executive (1P), Premier Executive 100K (1K), and Global Services (GS). There is a gifted tier called Premier Associate (3P) that is awarded to certain 1P and 1K elites to gift to other Mileage Plus general members during some program years. Complete information as published by United is available here.

Contents

• General Information
• Qualification Period
• Status Duration
• Unlimited Domestic Upgrades - UDU
• Flight Eligibility
• Upgrade Processing Hierarchy
• UDU Windows
• Multiple passengers on a single PNR
• Mileage Plus Elite Benefits
• Premier (2P) Elite Details
• Premier Executive (1P) Elite Details
• 1K Elite Details
• Global Services Details
• Premier Associate (3P) Elite Details
• Star Alliance Status Equivalency
• Mileage Plus Mileage Earning
• Partner Airline Earning

General Information

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

Qualification Period

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.

Status Duration

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 January of the year after that.

Example: A customer qualifies for 1K status on June 17, 2011. That status is good through January 31, 2013.

Unlimited Domestic Upgrades - UDU

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

Flight Eligibility

UDU eligible flights include those flights operated by aircraft with a business class and/or first class cabin operated by United or United Express in the continental U.S., Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico. The exception to this is the transcontinental Premium Service (p.s.) flights operated JFK-LAX and JFK-SFO.

Upgrade Processing Hierarchy

It should be noted that UDUs 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:

• Mileage Plus Elite Status
• Fare Class
• Date & Time Purchased

Based on elite status, Global Services elites are upgraded first, then 1K, 1P, and finally 2P. The fare class break down is in order as follows:

Y, B, M, E, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, and K.
Note: G fares are not eligible for UDU.

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. (source)

UDU Windows

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

• 120 hours before scheduled departure time: Global Services only
• 100 hours before scheduled departure time: Global Services & 1K only
• 72 hours before scheduled departure time: Global Services, 1K & 1P only
• 48 hours before scheduled departure time: Global Services, 1K , 1P, & 2P

Multiple passengers on a single PNR

If an elite is on an itinerary with another passenger, the second person on the PNR will be placed on the waitlist for an upgrade at the same time as the elite passenger. If there are more than two persons on a PNR, that PNR is not eligible for UDU. To work around this, elites should split their PNRs from the rest of their party in order to secure the upgrade, when available. United Reservations can handle this request. (source)

Mileage Plus Elite Benefits

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

Earn and use miles	Premier	Premier Executive	1K
Use award miles for travel and more	X	X	X
Use award miles for upgrades	X	X	X
Earn miles when you fly—and for everyday activities	X	X	X
Earn award miles with Mileage Plus Visa	X	X	X
Earn a minimum of 500 miles per flight	X	X	X
Bonus award miles	X	X	X
Best seats for elite members	Premier	Premier Executive	1K
Complimentary seats in Economy Plus	X	X	X
Unlimited Domestic Upgrades	X	X	X
No co-pay for some Mileage Plus Upgrade Awards	X	X	X
Regional Upgrades		X	X
Systemwide Upgrades			X
More access and privileges	Premier	Premier Executive	1K
Priority check-in	X	X	X
Priority security lines	X	X	X
Priority boarding	X	X	X
Priority on wait lists	X	X	X
Star Alliance Silver benefits	X
Star Alliance Gold benefits		X	X
Priority reservations number	X	X
1K Call dedicated reservations number			X
Exclusive Saver Award inventory			X
Exclusive website			X
Complimentary benefits and discounts	Premier	Premier Executive	1K
Members-only promotions and discounts	X	X	X
Discount on Red Carpet Club	X	X	X
Check two bags for free	X	X	X
Check three bags free		X	X
10% discount on in-flight duty-free		X	X
Select fees waived, including same-day standby			X
No annual fee on Mileage Plus Visa Signature card			X

Premier (2P) Elite Details

2P elite status is the lowest earned tier in the Mileage Plus program. Qualification requirements are as follows:

• 25,000 Elite Qualification Miles
• 30 Elite Qualification Points

2P elite members can select Economy Plus seats at time of booking for no charge. They also receive 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. 2P elites qualify for Star Alliance Silver status.

Premier Executive (1P) Elite Details

1P elite status is the middle tier in the Mileage Plus program. Qualification requirements are as follows:

• 50,000 Elite Qualification Miles
• 60 Elite Qualification Points

1P elite members may select Economy Plus 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.

1P elites qualify for Star Alliance Gold status. As part of the Star Alliance Gold program, 1P elites are granted entrance to the President's Club or Red Carpet Club at their gateway airport for itineraries that include an international segment.

Additionally, 1P elites that reach 75,000 EQM or 90 EQP qualify for two Regional Upgrade certificates (CR-1) good for a one class one-way upgrade that can be used on all domestic routes, including p.s. and flights to Hawaii. Additional CR-1s can be earned, two at a time, for each additional 25,000 EQM or 30 EQP.

1K Elite Details

1K elite status is the top earned tier in the Mileage Plus program. Qualification requirements are as follows:

• 100,000 Elite Qualification Miles
• 120 Elite Qualification Points

1K elite members may select Economy Plus 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.

1K elites qualify for Star Alliance Gold status. As part of the Star Alliance Gold program, 1K elites are granted entrance to the President's Club or Red Carpet Club at their gateway airport for itineraries that include an international segment.

Additionally, 1K elites qualify for six System Wide Upgrade certificates (SWU) good for a one class one-way upgrade that can be used on all United and United Express flights. Additional SWUs can be earned, two at a time, for each additional 50,000 EQM or 60 EQP.

1K elites also enjoy a dedicated support line and an exclusive website that is of questionable value.

Global Services Details

Global Services is an invitation only program offered to high revenue customers. The qualifications are unpublished, as are the benefits, but anecdotal evidence suggests that benefits and features are greater than those of 1K elites. Additionally, Global Services members are granted 1K status regardless of how many EQMs or EQPs they have flown in a calendar year.

Premier Associate (3P) Elite Details

3P elite status is a gifted tier in the Mileage Plus program. Qualification requirements are as follows:

• Receive gift from 1P or 1K member

3P elite members may select Economy Plus seats at the time of booking for no fee. 3P elites are not eligible for UDU but otherwise carry the benefits of 2P status, including the designation of Star Alliance Silver.

Star Alliance Status Equivalency

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

	Star Alliance Silver	Star Alliance Gold
Premier (2P)	X
Premier Executive (1P)		X
Premier Executive 100K (1K)		X
Global Services		X

Mileage Plus Mileage Earning

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	F, A	150%	150%	1.5
Business Class	J, C, D	125%	150%	1.5
Discounted Business Class	Z	100%	150%	1.5
Full Fare Economy Class	Y, B	100%	150%	1.5
Economy Class	M, E, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, K, G	100%	100%	1

Partner Airline Earning

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