If you’re a frequent flyer, consider signing up for a loyalty program! There are various options from different airlines so it’s important to do a little research before choosing which one to join. Finding the perfect fit can be dependent on factors like elite status and perks.
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In this guide, we’ll go over what each status tier is worth in the United Premier Elite Status program, so you can decide if it’s worth it to join. United is one of the world’s largest airlines with a variety of partners.
 The United Explorer Card offers 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. You'll earn: • 2x miles on United® purchases, dining, and hotel stays. • 1x mile on all other purchases Perks of this card include: • Enjoy priority boarding privileges and visit the United Club with 2 one-time passes each year for your anniversary • Free first checked bag - a savings of up to $160 per roundtrip. Terms Apply. • Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS fee credit • 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Explorer Card There is a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95. Member FDIC |
United Premier Elite Status Overview
There are four Premier statues tiers in the United SkyMiles program: Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum and Premier 1K. To qualify for an elite tier, 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.
Elite status qualifications for 2021:
| Tier | Requirements |
| Silver | 6 PQF + 2,000 PQP or 2,500 PQP* |
| Gold | 12 PQF + 4,000 PQP or 5,000 PQP* |
| Platinum | 18 PQF + 6,000 PQP or 7.500 PQP* |
| 1K | 27 PQF + 9,000 PQP or 12,000 PQP* |
Normal Year Qualification Requirements
| Tier | Requirements |
| Silver | 12 PQF + 4,000 PQP or 5,000 PQP* |
| Gold | 24 PQF + 8,000 PQP or 10,000 PQP* |
| Platinum | 36 PQF + 12,000 PQP or 15,000 PQP* |
| 1K | 54 PQF + 18,000 PQP or 24,000 PQP* |
You’ll unlock more benefits as you gain a higher status:
| Benefits | Silver | Gold | Platinum | 1K |
| Mileage bonus | 7x miles | 8x miles | 9x miles | 11x miles |
| Economy Plus/preferred seats | x | x | x | x |
| Premier Upgrades | x | x | x | x |
| PlusPoints | 40 | 280 | ||
| Checked bags | 1 | 2 | 2 | 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 updated information, click here for our source.
United Premier Elite Status Value
The lowest tier in the United Premier program is Silver status, which requires at least 12 PQF and 4,000 PQP, or just 5,000 PQP. For the purpose of the 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).
Complimentary Premier Upgrades ($225): Upgrade to First Class on domestic flights and flights to Hawaii (for West Coast only), Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. However, Premier Silver travelers won’t clear until the day of departure, behind all the other elite members. Keep in mind that Complimentary Premier Upgrades don’t apply to award tickets unless you have a cobranded card.
Preferred seats ($125): Select Economy Plus seats for yourself and one other person at check in. Or you can even select preferred seats for a maximum of eight other people when you book your tickets. Economy Plus seats are near the front of the coach cabin and offer additional legroom, but beside that, they do not have any other benefits.
Waived baggage fees ($125): Enjoy 1 free checked bag, up to 70 pounds, on most United flights. That’s a savings of $60 per domestic roundtrip flight. Note: The United? Explorer Card also offers 1 free checked bag, but you must purchase your ticket with the card for the benefit to apply.
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): While not the most valuable perk, it’s a useful one in the event of severe weather, power outages, system issues and more.
Star Alliance Silver status ($25). Enjoy Star Alliance Silver status benefits when you fly on a Star Alliance airline. That includes priority wait listing 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 24 PQF and 8,000 PQP, or just 10,000 PQP in a normal year. For the purpose of the 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).
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.
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.
Waived baggage fees ($250): Enjoy 2 free checked bag on flights within the United States and Canada. Note: Your free checked bags are limited to 70 pounds each.
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 the purpose of the analysis, we’ll assume you earned 14,400 PQP ($14,400 total spend) and 36 PQF.
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 Diamond status, which requires at least 54 PQF and 18,000 PQP, or just 24,000 PQP. For the purpose of the 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 an $21,600 total spend, you’ll earn an additional 129,600 miles (worth $1,684.80).
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 the value estimates above, do you think that United Premier Elite Status worth pursuing? Here are a few questions that will help you make your decision:
- Does United Airlines fly to where you want to go? Elite status isn’t worth pursuing if you don’t fly with the airline, or its partners, regularly. Check United’s service from your home airport and see how easily you can get to your choice destinations.
- Do the benefits matter to you? It doesn’t make sense to work towards the next status tier unless there are perks that are worth the extra push.
- How often do you travel? If you don’t fly often, then pushing hard for a higher status isn’t worth it. Status benefits only apply when you travel. So if you don’t use your perks, the value of your status isn’t much.
- Do you prioritize price and convenience? Will you use your preferred airline even when it’s not the cheapest? Or the most convenient? In other words, would you book an American flight with one stop over a cheaper, nonstop flight with United? If you’re not willing to trade in price and convenience for loyalty perks, then United Premier Elite Status probably isn’t worth it for you.
- Could you get the same perks with a credit card? There is a variety of airline co-branded cards that offer similar benefits to what you’d enjoy as an elite member. The United? Explorer Card provides one free checked bag, priority boarding and two, one-time United Club passes. And the United Club? Infinite Card includes a complimentary United Club membership, along with two free checked bags and more. If it’s within your budget, you might consider getting a cobranded card instead of working hard to earn Premier status.
Our Methodology
Each person places their own value on each benefit. While you may value baggage over complimentary upgrades, another person might think lounge access is more important. Therefore, our analysis of United Premier Elite Status is more general. Ultimately, the decision is up to you and your own needs so feel free to play with the numbers a little bit.
These value estimates are based on the perks you would enjoy after having already achieved status and qualifying each year thereafter. New members to the United MileagePlus program, you won’t get any benefits from the first 4,000 PQP it takes to unlock Silver status.
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).
For this particular analysis, we value United MileagePlus based on our most recent valuations, which is $0.14 apiece.
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Bottom Line
The value of a loyalty program is different for every person’s needs. Overall an elite status will make traveling easier and more rewarding, but the perfect program is different for everyone.
Hopefully, this post was able to help you get a better idea of whether or not United Premier Elite Status is worth it for you. For more posts like this, check out our list of credit card bonuses!
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