When choosing an airline to pledge loyalty to, there are many things to take into consideration. Upgrades, lounge access, fee waivers and other benefits can make the typical stressful airport experience much less of a hassle. But do you know the actual value of the perks you’re getting?
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In this guide, we’ll dissect the United Premier elite status program and put a value to the benefits you’ll get at each tier. Keep reading to find out how rewarding MileagePlus can be, and if it’s worth pursuing Premier status with United Airlines.
CHASE UNITED℠ EXPLORER CARD
The Chase United℠ Explorer Card from Chase has an offer for up to 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 total in the first 3 months. We value these 50k miles at around $700.
The card earns 2X miles on dining and eligible delivery services, hotel stays and United® purchases. United purchases include:
- Tickets
- Economy Plus
- Inflight food, beverages, Wi-Fi
- Other United charges
You’ll earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Other benefits include up to $100 as a statement credit for the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck™ application fee every 4 years. You and a traveling companion on the same reservation will each receive the first standard checked bag free. This card provides priority boarding privileges and 2 one-time passes each year to United Clubs.
The Chase United Explorer Card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95 thereafter.
United Premier Elite Status Overview
The United MileagePlus program has four Premier status tiers: Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum and Premier 1K. To qualify, you need to earn: a certain amount of Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) and a certain amount of Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) within a calendar year.
PQF are earned based on the number of flight segments flown with United or its partners.
PQP are earned based on the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharge of flight purchases, along with seating purchases and upgrades. Note: You can earn PQP with eligible MileagePlus credit cards.
For more information on earning PQF and PQP, click here.
2021 Qualification Requirements: Due to impact of COVID-19, these requirements are 50% of normal years.
| SILVER | GOLD | PLATINUM | 1K |
| 6 PQF + 2,000 PQP or 2,500 PQP* | 12 PQF + 4,000 PQP or 5,000 PQP* | 18 PQF + 6,000 PQP or 7.500 PQP* | 27 PQF + 9,000 PQP or 12,000 PQP* |
*At least 4 PQF flown on United or United Express-operated flights.
Normal Year Qualification Requirements
| SILVER | GOLD | PLATINUM | 1K |
| 12 PQF + 4,000 PQP or 5,000 PQP* | 24 PQF + 8,000 PQP or 10,000 PQP* | 36 PQF + 12,000 PQP or 15,000 PQP* | 54 PQF + 18,000 PQP or 24,000 PQP* |
*At least 4 PQF flown on United or United Express-operated flights.
As you move up in Premier status, you’ll enjoy more benefits:
| SILVER | GOLD | PLATINUM | 1K | |
| Mileage bonus | 7x | 8x | 9x | 11x |
| Economy Plus/preferred seats | x | x | x | x |
| Premier Upgrades | x | x | x | x |
| PlusPoints | 40 | 280 | ||
| Checked bags | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Priority airport services | x | x | x | x |
| CLEAR membership | x | |||
| Snack & drink in Economy | x | |||
| Same-day flight changes | x | x | x | |
| Fee discounts/waivers | x | x | x | x |
| Phone service charge waiver | x | x | ||
| Award travel benefits | x | x | x | x |
| Priority phone line | x | x | x | x |
| Star Alliance status | Silver | Gold | Gold | Gold |
| Marriott status | Gold | Gold | Gold | |
| Hertz benefits | x | x | x | x |
*For up-to-date information, click here for our source.
United Premier Elite Status Value
We will attempt to conduct a valuation of United Premier Elite Status. In our analysis, we will use a normal year’s qualification requirements as our basis rather than the 2020/2021 reduced rates because it is our hope that the special travel situation posed by the current pandemic will be temporary. The normal year requirements give a more accurate picture of the cost to achieve Elite Status and the relative value of its benefits.
The lowest tier in the United Premier program is Silver status, which in a normal year, requires at least 12 PQF and 4,000 PQP, or just 5,000 PQP. For this analysis, we’ll assume you earned 4,800 PQP ($4,800 total spend) and 12 PQF.
Mileage bonus ($125). Earn 7 miles for every dollar spent on flights. That’s 2 more miles per $1 than members without status. Based on a $4,800 total spend, you’ll earn an additional 9,600 miles (worth $124.80, we rounded this figure up to $125).
Complimentary access to Economy Plus/preferred seats ($125). Select Economy Plus seats for yourself and one companion at check-in. Or, you can select preferred seats for up to eight companions when you book your tickets. Economy Plus seats are near the front of the coach cabin and offer additional legroom, but they don’t have any other benefits.
Complimentary Premier Upgrades ($225). Upgrade to First Class on domestic flights as well as flights to Hawaii (from the West Coast only), Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. However, Premier Silver travelers won’t clear until the day of departure, behind all other elite members. Note: Complimentary Premier Upgrades don’t apply to award tickets unless you have a cobranded card.
Free checked bags ($125). Check 1 bag for free, up to 70 pounds, when you travel in Economy Class, saving you up to $60 per roundtrip flight.
Priority airport services ($125). Enjoy priority security and baggage handling, as well as preferred check-in and boarding.
Fee discounts/waivers ($50). Get discounts when you change or cancel an award ticket. On tickets more than 60 days prior to departure, you’ll pay $50 instead of $75. And on award tickets 60 days or less before departure, you’ll pay $100 instead of $125.
Award travel benefits ($100). Enjoy priority waitlisting for award flights, the ability to standby if your ticketed class of service isn’t available on one or more legs, and have better United Saver award availability in Economy.
Priority phone line ($50). Although not the most valuable perk out there, it’s nice to have should a major weather event or other problems come up.
Star Alliance Silver status ($25). Enjoy Star Alliance Silver status benefits when you fly on a Star Alliance airline. That includes priority waitlisting and priority standby.
Hertz benefits ($10). Get automatic Five Star status in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program, plus an additional 500 United miles per rental compared to non-status members.
The second tier in the United Premier program is Gold status, which requires at least 24 PQF and 8,000 PQP, or just 10,000 PQP in a normal year. For this analysis, we’ll assume you earned 9,600 PQP ($9,600 total spend) and 24 PQF.
Mileage bonus ($375). Earn 8 miles for every dollar spent on flights. That’s 3 more miles per $1 than members without status. Based on a $9,600 total spend, you’ll earn an additional 28,800 miles (worth $374.40, we rounded this figure up to $375).
Complimentary access to Economy Plus/preferred seats ($325). Select Economy Plus seats for yourself and up to eight companions when you book your tickets. With earlier availability and additional flying, we placed more value on this perk compared to Premier Silver.
Complimentary Premier Upgrades ($625). Upgrade to First Class on domestic flights as well as short-haul international flights. You’ll start clearing 48 hours prior to departure, ahead of Premier Silver travelers. We bumped up the value here because you get higher priority and you’ll be flying more. Note: Complimentary Premier Upgrades don’t apply to award tickets unless you have a cobranded card.
Free checked bags ($250). Check 2 bags for free, up to 70 pounds each, when you travel in Economy Class.
Priority airport services ($250). Same benefit as Premier Silver, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Same-day flight changes ($150). Avoid the $75 service charge when you make a same-day flight change. We assume you’ll make use of this perk twice a year.
Fee discounts/waivers ($125). Get even bigger discounts, compared to Premier Silver, when you change or cancel an award ticket. On tickets more than 60 days prior to departure, you’ll pay $25 instead of $75. And on award tickets 60 days or less before departure, you’ll pay $75 instead of $125.
Award travel benefits ($125). The same benefits as Premier Silver, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Priority phone line ($100). The same benefit as Premier Silver, but we calculated more frequent utilization and factored in more knowledgeable agents.
Star Alliance Gold status ($200). Enjoy Star Alliance Gold status benefits when you fly on a Star Alliance airline. That includes Star Alliance Silver perks, along with lounge access, priority check-in, extra baggage allowance, priority security or immigration (where available) and priority boarding.
Marriott Gold status ($100). Get Marriott Bonvoy Gold status benefits, including bonus points and room upgrades. The true value of this perk depends on how frequently you stay at Marriott hotels, so feel free to adjust this value accordingly. Note: You must link your United and Marriott accounts via the RewardsPlus program.
Hertz benefits ($20). Same benefit as Premier Silver, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
The third tier in the United Premier program is Platinum status, which requires at least 36 PQF and 12,000 PQP, or just 15,000 PQP in a normal year. For this analysis, we’ll assume you earned 14,400 PQP ($14,400 total spend) and 36 PQF.
Mileage bonus ($750). Earn 9 miles for every dollar spent on flights. That’s 4 more miles per $1 than members without status. Based on a $14,400 total spend, you’ll earn an additional 57,600 miles (worth $748.80, we rounded this figure up to $750).
Complimentary access to Economy Plus/preferred seats ($500). Same benefit as Premier Gold, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Complimentary Premier Upgrades ($1,100). Upgrade to First Class and start clearing 3 days prior to departure, ahead of Premier Silver and Gold travelers.
40 PlusPoints ($400). Upgrade to a higher class on long-haul international flights with PlusPoints. The 40 PlusPoints you earn when you reach Premier Platinum are enough for a one-way upgrade from most economy fares to United Polaris. You can also use PlusPoints to upgrade a friend or family member, even if you’re not traveling together.
Free checked bags ($325). Check 3 bags for free, up to 70 pounds each, when you travel in Economy Class.
Priority airport services ($375). Same benefit as Premier Gold, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Same-day flight changes ($225). Same benefit as Premier Gold, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Fee discounts/waivers ($200). Get even bigger discounts, compared to Premier Gold, when you change or cancel an award ticket. On tickets more than 60 days prior to departure, you’ll pay $0 instead of $75. And on award tickets 60 days or less before departure, you’ll pay $50 instead of $125.
Phone service charge waiver ($25). There are no fees for Platinum members when you make a reservation over the phone.
Award travel benefits ($200). The same benefits as Premier Gold, but you’ll also get greater availability for United Saver awards in premium cabins.
Priority phone line ($150). The same benefit as Premier Gold, but we calculated more frequent utilization and factored in more knowledgeable agents.
Star Alliance Gold status ($300). Same benefit as Premier Gold, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Marriott Gold status ($150). Same benefit as Premier Gold, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Hertz benefits ($40). Enjoy automatic President’s Circle status in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program. It comes with 750 additional miles compared to what non-status members earn.
The top tier in the United Premier program is 1K status, which in a normal year requires at least 54 PQF and 18,000 PQP, or just 24,000 PQP. For this analysis, we’ll assume you earned 21,600 PQP ($21,600 total spend) and 54 PQF.
Mileage bonus ($1,685). Earn 11 miles for every dollar spent on flights. That’s 6 more miles per $1 than members without status. Based on a $21,600 total spend, you’ll earn an additional 129,600 miles (worth $1,684.80, we rounded this figure up to $1,685).
Complimentary access to Economy Plus/preferred seats ($600). Same benefit as Premier Platinum, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Complimentary Premier Upgrades ($1,500). Upgrade to First Class and start clearing as early as 4 days prior to departure, ahead of Premier Silver, Gold and Platinum travelers.
PlusPoints ($3,500). Earn 280 PlusPoints when you qualify for Premier 1K. You’ll also earn 40 PlusPoints for reaching Premier Platinum, and for every additional 3,000 PQP, you’ll get another 20 PlusPoints. So with 21,600 PQP, you’ll get a total of 340 PlusPoints.
Free checked bags ($375). Same benefit as Premier Platinum, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Priority airport services ($500). Same benefit as Premier Platinum, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Complimentary CLEAR membership ($100). Enjoy expedited security with CLEAR membership at over 30 airports and 20 event venues. For reference, non-status United members pay a discounted CLEAR fee of $119.
Snack & drink in economy ($50). If you didn’t score the upgrade to First Class, enjoy a free snack and drink item in Economy. Since you’re prioritized over all other elites, we don’t think you’ll be using this perk too frequently.
Same-day flight changes ($300). Same benefit as Premier Platinum, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Fee discounts/waivers ($300). Get even bigger discounts, compared to Premier Platinum, when you change or cancel an award ticket. On tickets more than 60 days prior to departure, you’ll pay $0 instead of $75. And on award tickets 60 days or less before departure, you’ll pay $0 instead of $125.
Phone service charge waiver ($25). Same benefit as Premier Platinum.
Award travel benefits ($200). Same benefit as Premier Platinum.
Priority phone line ($250). Same benefit as Premier Platinum, but we calculated more frequent utilization and factored in more knowledgeable agents.
Star Alliance Gold status ($350). Same benefit as Premier Platinum, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Marriott Gold status ($200). Same benefit as Premier Platinum, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Hertz benefits ($50). Same benefit as Premier Platinum, but we calculated more frequent utilization.
Is United Premier Elite Status Worth It?
Given our analysis above, is United Premier worth pursuing? At the end of the day, the answer is really up to you because it depends on your personal travel style and needs. That said, below are a few questions you should ask yourself before you make your decision:
How often do you plan on traveling? If you’re not a frequent flyer, then pushing hard for status won’t be worth it. Premier benefits only apply when you travel. So if you don’t use your perks, the value of your status drops.
Does United fly to where you want to go? Premier status isn’t worth going for if you don’t fly with United, or its partners, regularly. Check United’s service from your home airport and see how easily you can get to your choice destinations.
Do Premier benefits matter to you? It won’t make sense to work towards Premier status unless you find that the perks are worth the extra push.
Do you prioritize price and convenience? Will you use United even when it’s not the cheapest option? Or the most convenient one? In other words, would you book a United flight with one stop over a cheaper, nonstop flight with Delta? If you’re not willing to trade in price and convenience for status perks, then United Premier probably won’t be worth it for you.
Could you get the same perks with a credit card? Many airline cobranded cards offer similar benefits you’d enjoy as an elite member. If it’s within your budget, you might consider getting a cobranded card instead of working hard to earn Premier status.
For more information on The Best United Airlines Credit Cards, click here.
Our Methodology
Each person values each benefit differently, so you might very well come up with different numbers than ours. Maybe you travel lightly, so free checked bags isn’t worth much to you. Or maybe you always pay to sit in the front of the plane, so you won’t put much value on complimentary upgrades. As such, feel free to adjust our numbers until they make sense to you.
Our value estimates are based on the benefits you would enjoy after having already achieved status and qualifying every year thereafter. If you’re new to the United MileagePlus program, you won’t get any benefits from the first 4,000 PQP it takes for you to unlock Premier Silver.
In order to tie-in values to United Premier benefits, we needed to make several assumptions, including:
- You reached Premier status through a combination of PQP and PQF.
- You earned 20% more PQP than the minimum required at that level.
- You completed the minimum required PQF at that level.
- At least four of your PQF were on United-operated flights (required for all levels of United Premier).
Lastly, for this analysis, we valued MileagePlus miles based on our most recent valuations, which is $0.14 each.
Bottom Line
If you’ve held elite status before, you know from experience how the perks can make your travel less stressful and more rewarding. However, it’s really up to each individual traveler to decide if the particular benefits of a specific program are worth pursuing elite status.
Should you or should you not go for United Premier status? We hope the information in this post helps make your decision easier.
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