Travelers have been earning premium status with United Airlines through its loyalty program. Some frequent flyers are even getting closer to achieving the highest status level, which is United MileagePlus Premier 1K. However, the most desirable top-tier status for frequent flyers is the United Global Services.
Travelers with Glober Services membership are considered exclusive, top-tier passengers within the airline’s loyalty program. This status enables passengers to receive premium services and additional benefits, which are accessible both during the flight and at the airport. Simply put, United Airlines Global Services gives you VIP treatment, but achieving this status is not easy at all! If you are eager to level up your traveling game, keep reading to find out ways to earn this premium status!
Quick Guide to Earning Elite Status On United Airlines
If you are a registered United frequent flyer and achieve a high level in the loyalty program, you can earn special benefits like priority boarding, free checked bags, and a greater probability of getting cabin upgrades with a better seat on your flight. Those who travel often for work purposes can see this as a fighting opportunity to reach the top tier, known as “Premier 1K status,” and improve their travel experience.
However, to get to this level of status, you will have to fly a significant amount on United Airlines. The progress of earning such elite status is determined by two factors: PQFs and PQPs.
Guessing: What is PQP United? Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) is a system for measuring how much you have spent on United Airlines flights and other products. You can earn PQPs by booking a flight on United, United Express, or partner airlines or by purchasing the airline’s co-branded credit cards.
On the other hand, the PQF stands for “Premier Qualifying Flight,” and it means a single flight segment that an individual passenger takes on flights operated by United or United Express. These flights count towards earning you elite status in the MileagePlus program. Keep in mind that a flight is considered PQF every time a United plane takes off and lands. To earn a status, you have to earn at least a minimum of 4 PQFs alongside other requirements. Also, passengers booked on United Basic economy flights are not eligible to earn PQFs.
How to Qualify for United Premium Status?
You have two options to earn the premium status on United Airlines. You can either use the combination of PQPs and PQFs or earn a significantly higher number of PQPs to reach the same status level.
| Tier-Level | Combination of PQFs and PQPs | Earning only PQPs | |
| PQF | PQP | ||
| Silver | 15 | 5,000 | 6,000 |
| Gold | 30 | 10,000 | 12,000 |
| Premium Platinum | 45 | 15,000 | 18,000 |
| 1K | 60 | 22,000 | 28,000 |
With this basic information on achieving United status, you must have begun to understand how exclusive it must be to have United Global Services.
What is United Global Services?
The United Global Services tier is said to be the most beneficial for frequent flyers, as it is an invitation-only status within the MileagePlus program. This status will offer you significant benefits like priority upgrades, expedited security screenings, dedicated customer services, access to exclusive ground transportation, and the ability to upgrade award flights. Such features make it the most premium and prestigious elite tier provided by United Airlines, contributing towards elevating the travel experience for those who spend too much on the airline’s products and services.
Since it is an invite-only tier, the airline reserves this status for their loyal and high-spending passengers. This simply indicates that you cannot access this status, only spending a certain amount on United. Instead, the airline actively chooses the passengers who they think are worthy of such benefits. This decision is made considering factors like significant annual spending on flights, which are not publicly disclosed.
Eligibility for Global Services
United Airlines has not made any public statement regarding how one can earn the invite for this status. Many believe that spending at least $50,000 or flying 150,000 miles every year on United flights can indicate a high level of frequent flying with the airline.
The only publicly known way to achieve it is through reaching the “Miller Miler” milestone of 1 million lifetime miles. To qualify for United Airlines Global Services, you must accumulate 4 million+ lifetime miles flown on United Airlines. This grants you lifetime access to this elite status tier.
Keep in mind that reaching this milestone can also take a significant amount of time. Even if you earn 100,000 miles annually with the airlines, it would still take about four decades.
Common Benefits of United Global Services
There’s no doubt that a United Global Services membership comes with exclusive benefits, considering its top-tier, invite-only status. However, it is still unknown what special perks are provided to the loyal customers. With thorough research from our end, we have confirmed some common benefits:
Dedicated/Private Check-in Lane
With Global Services, you do not have to line up in standard check-in lanes when flying out of Chicago O’Hare, Newark, or San Francisco airports. You can bypass the regular check-in process as United offers a separate, dedicated check-in area established specially for frequent flyers with high-tier status. This speeds up the identification and verification process, allowing you to get boarding passes quickly without difficulties.
So, if you are getting late for the flight and want to check in your luggage quickly, as a Global Service member, you can use the private check-in area to breeze through the process.
Priority Boarding
When it is time to board the plane, “Global Services” members are called up in the same group as passengers who typically get priority boarding due to special needs, including unaccompanied minors, people with disabilities, active military personnel, families with very young children, and Premier 1K members (another high-tier frequent flyer status). With this status, you will be the first one to board the plane!
Upgrade Priority
While allocating seats (such as bulkhead or exit row seats), United Airlines uses a system called a “clearing order.” Members with this invite-only status get the very top position on that list, meaning they have the highest chance of getting a preferred seat, especially on transatlantic and transpacific flights booked in economy class.
Additionally, Global Services members are also CPU eligible on United and United Express. CPU stands for “Complimentary Premier Upgrades,” which are free upgrades for MileagePlus Premier members.
Ticket Cancellation Assistance
In case your flight is delayed or canceled, a specially allotted concierge will take care of your flight information and quickly get you an alternative flight. Sometimes, they act before the airline sends the notification regarding the change in your flight schedule. They will ensure you get a new flight on a priority basis.
Companion Perks
If you successfully reach the “Global Services” status on United Airlines by flying a significant amount of miles to become a “Million Miler,” your spouse or partner living at the same address automatically receives the same high-level benefits of Global Services. This status persists even if you are flying on a different flight or to a different destination than you.
Additionally, if you pay for a regular flight, you can also book a seat for a travel companion using only miles at a “saver award” price. This is regardless of what class you are flying in. This benefit is useful, especially when someone wants to accompany you on a work trip without having to pay full price for their own ticket.
Tarmac Transfer Service
If you have time between flights at an airport and you are concerned about missing the connecting flight, the VIP services of United Global membership are all that you need. It can provide you with tarmac transfer services in high-end luxury cars like Mercedes-Benz or Jaguar. They will help you catch the flight efficiently in style, giving you a “priority” transport.
Find Out More:
United Airlines Global Services is a top-tier status that is invitation-only and reserved for loyal and high-spending customers.
PQP stands for Premier Qualifying Points, which is a unit used to determine how much you have spent with United Airlines.
There’s no publicly known method to earn the United Global Service status. However, you can reach this tier through “Miller Miler” by flying a minimum of four million miles on United.
Yes. United Global Services is a lifetime status for passengers who fly four million miles or more with the concerned airline.
Passengers can earn lounge access by signing up for the United MileagePlus program or by achieving Star Alliance Gold status.
Yes. Passengers with Global Services membership get the CPU eligible on United and United Express flights.
Passengers holding United Premier Status, such as Global Services, are eligible for CPU (Complimentary Premier Upgrades).
100k miles are worth about $1,200 on United Airlines. Keep in mind that it can change depending on the selected destination, fare, and travel class.
There is no global service fee for United passengers. It is an invite-only status tier for its highest spenders.
When you reach the one million miles milestone on United Airlines, you’ll get lifetime Premier status.
Some common benefits of Global Services on United include access to discounted companion fares, priority check-in and boarding, dedicated airport lounges, complimentary upgrades, and more!
Yes. Passengers with United Global membership have access to expedited security screenings and a dedicated customer service team.
