Having elite status with an airline, such as United Airlines, can make a significant difference in your travel experience. Shorter lines, faster service, complimentary upgrades, international lounge access and other benefits can easily make stressful trips more seamless. But these perks don’t come without a cost, and United MileagePlus increased thresholds for earning Premier status in 2025.
Thankfully, United recently refreshed its credit cards to make it easier to earn status through everyday spending. The United Quest℠ Card (see rates and fees) is currently offering an elevated welcome bonus that can get you halfway to Premier Silver status: Earn 100,000 bonus miles and 3,000 Premier qualifying points after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening.
This guide will evaluate United Premier status and break down the different status tiers, how to earn them and whether their perks are worth the effort for United flyers.
Related: When does airline elite status expire?
What is United Premier status?
When you choose to fly United Airlines and add your MileagePlus number to your booking, in addition to earning miles, you earn points toward Premier status. Depending on which United elite status tier you achieve, perks range from complimentary first-class upgrades on most domestic flights (depending on availability) to earning bonus miles that can be redeemed for future travel.
You can qualify for Premier status through a combination of Premier qualifying flights and Premier qualifying points, or with Premier qualifying points alone. The number of flights and points you earn in a calendar year will determine which status you achieve, which is then valid for the remainder of the calendar year, the entirety of the following year, and the first month of the year after.
For instance, if you reach status requirements anytime in 2025, you will hold the status through Jan. 31, 2027. So, earning elite status as quickly as possible in the calendar year makes sense so you can enjoy the benefits for as long as possible.
Related: Best United Airlines credit cards
United Premier status tiers
Anyone can make a United MileagePlus account for free online, where you start as a “Member” and can take off on your elite status expedition. You’ll have four official elite status tiers to work toward:
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- Premier Silver
- Premier Gold
- Premier Platinum
- Premier 1K
These are comparable to the elite status tiers of rival airline loyalty programs American Airlines AAdvantage and Delta Air Lines SkyMiles. As you climb the ranks, the perks become more lucrative, offering useful benefits such as lounge access and free checked bags.
There’s also an unpublished exclusive tier called Global Services, which can only be achieved by flying 4 million miles or receiving a personal invitation.
Related: Earn MileagePlus miles with United’s airline, hotel and credit card partners
How to qualify for United Premier status
In recent years, many airlines have moved away from calculating elite status based on actual mileage flown. For United, this means elite status is achieved by taking Premier qualifying flights, or PQFs, which include flight segments on both United and partner airlines, and earning Premier qualifying points, or PQPs. PQPs — not to be confused with United MileagePlus miles — are earned solely for the purpose of elite status and cannot be redeemed for award flights.
You can earn PQPs by flying, though the earning rate depends on which airline operates the flight and whether you book it with cash or miles. You can also earn PQPs through spending on cobranded credit cards.
| Type of flight | PQP earning rate |
|---|---|
| United and United Express flights booked with cash | Earn 1 PQP per dollar spent on base airfare and carrier-imposed surcharges (not including taxes and other fees). |
| United and United Express flights booked with miles | Earn 1 PQP for every 100 MileagePlus miles redeemed on flights and seat upgrades. |
| Partner flights booked with cash | Earn 1 PQP for every 5 award miles on preferred partner airlines, up to a maximum of 750 PQPs per flight for economy and premium economy seats and 1,500 PQPs for first- and business-class seats.
Earn 1 PQP for every 6 award miles on MileagePlus partner airlines, up to a maximum of 500 PQPs per flight in economy and premium economy and 1,000 PQPs per flight in first and business class. |
| Partner flights booked with miles | Partner award tickets do not earn PQPs; you’ll only earn miles on flight segments operated by United. |
You have two avenues to qualify for United Premier status: You can reach a certain number of combined PQPs and PQFs, or earn PQPs alone.
Unfortunately, United increased these thresholds by roughly 25% for the 2025 status qualification year. So, even if you secured elite status in 2024, you may need to rethink your qualification strategy to meet the new earning requirements in 2025.
However, United also increased its PQP head start for existing elite members. Members who qualified for status in 2024 received the following bonus PQPs in early 2025, depending on their status tier:
- Premier Silver: 300 PQPs
- Premier Gold: 600 PQPs
- Premier Platinum: 900 PQPs
- Premier 1K: 1,400 PQPs
It is also important to note that whether you meet status thresholds with PQPs and PQFs or PQPs alone, you must take at least four flights operated by United or United Express to qualify for any status tier.
United Premier status benefits
The perks of United loyalty get more and more appealing as you climb the Premier status ladder. Here’s an overview of what you’ll enjoy with each tier:
Premier Silver
The lowest elite tier in the MileagePlus program requires earning 6,000 PQPs or 15 PQFs and 5,000 PQPs. You will receive benefits such as:
- Earn 7 miles per dollar spent on flights (basic members only earn 5 miles per dollar)
- Star Alliance Silver status
- Avis Preferred Plus status
- One free checked bag in economy
- Priority Group 2 boarding
- Preferred seating at booking (for up to eight travel companions)
- Economy Plus seating at check-in (for you and one travel companion)
- Priority phone support
- Complimentary Premier Upgrades as early as the day of departure
Premier Gold
When you reach the Gold tier, which requires 12,000 PQPs or 30 PQFs and 10,000 PQPs, you’ll receive all the perks of Silver as well as:
- Earn 8 miles per dollar spent
- Star Alliance Gold status
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold status
- Two free checked bags in economy
- Priority Group 1 boarding
- United Club lounge access when flying internationally with United or any other Star Alliance airline
- Economy Plus seating at booking (for you and one travel companion)
- Complimentary Premier Upgrades as early as 48 hours before departure
Premier Platinum
Earning 18,000 PQPs or 45 PQFs and 15,000 PQPs gets you to Platinum. This tier confers all the benefits of Gold, plus:
- Earn 9 miles per dollar spent
- Waived telephone booking fees (these typically cost $25)
- Avis President’s Club status
- Three free checked bags in economy
- Economy Plus seating at booking (for you and up to eight travel companions)
- Complimentary Premier Upgrades as early as 72 hours before departure
- 40 PlusPoints
Premier 1K
This is the top tier in United’s program for its most frequent travelers, and to get it, you’ll have to reach 28,000 PQPs or 60 PQFs and 22,000 PQPs. You’ll be rewarded with all the Platinum benefits listed above, in addition to:
- Earn 11 miles per dollar spent
- Priority preboarding
- Complimentary Premier Upgrades as early as 96 hours before departure
- An additional 280 PlusPoints
PlusPoints
PlusPoints, which are available only to Platinum and 1K members, are a separate currency used for seat upgrades. Unfortunately, they’ve become harder to redeem for upgrades in recent years as demand has skyrocketed. That’s why United MileagePlus introduced several new ways to use your PlusPoints, including bonus miles, PQPs, PQFs, TravelBank cash and gifting Premier status to other MileagePlus members.
However, these redemptions are only available for PlusPoints earned in the 2025 status year and beyond. If you have PlusPoints earned last year, you’re still limited to using them for seat upgrades.
Related: Your guide to Star Alliance airlines, lounges and elite status
Can a credit card help you earn United Premier status?
United has several personal and business credit cards, all issued by Chase, that can help you get closer to elite status. None of these cards provide complimentary elite status, but you’ll earn PQPs on everyday purchases (up to a certain amount), and some cards offer PQPs as part of the welcome bonus.
| Card | Best for | Welcome offer | PQP earning cap | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United℠ Explorer Card | Frequent United flyers | Earn 60,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. | Up to 1,000 PQPs per calendar year | $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (see rates and fees) |
| United Quest℠ Card | Frequent United flyers | Earn 100,000 bonus miles and 3,000 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open. | Up to 18,000 PQPs per calendar year | $350 (see rates and fees) |
| United Club℠ Card | Frequent United flyers who want United Club lounge access | Earn 90,000 miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. | Up to 28,000 PQPs per calendar year | $695 (see rates and fees) |
| United℠ Business Card | Frequent United flyers with an eligible business | Earn 75,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQPs after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. | Up to 4,000 PQPs per calendar year | $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (see rates and fees) |
| United Club℠ Business Card | Frequent United flyers with an eligible business who want United Club access | Earn 80,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQPs after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open. | Up to 28,000 PQPs per calendar year | $695 |
The information for the United Club Business Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: The ultimate guide to earning elite status with United cards
Is United Premier status worth it?
Elite status can certainly make travel more comfortable and convenient. If you travel with United or its partner airlines regularly and/or spend significantly on a cobranded credit card, you may find it relatively easy to earn Premier status, and it can be a savvy way to maximize your travel. Plus, this means you’ll also be earning plenty of United miles, which you can redeem for United award flights — all while enjoying your elite status benefits.
However, it’s not worth pursuing status when you can’t enjoy the benefits you’ve worked hard to earn. Be sure to consider United’s route map, its presence at your home airport and how easy it is to get to your desired destinations. If United and its partner airlines don’t fly where you live or where you want to travel, you won’t get much use from Premier status. You may be better off pursuing status with a different program, such as Delta SkyMiles or American AAdvantage.
Finally, remember that Premier status does not provide domestic lounge access when traveling with United. If this benefit is important to you, consider applying for the United Club Card, which provides United Club access and elite perks such as two free checked bags and Premier Access travel services.
Related: Complete guide to United’s revenue, award and upgrade fare classes
Bottom line
Earning elite status, especially a top-tier status like Premier 1K, is no easy feat and requires countless hours on planes and thousands of dollars spent. Understanding the cost and perks of United’s elite status is important to determine if it is right for you — especially since United made status harder to earn in 2025.
Consider your travel plans and whether it makes sense to stay loyal to one airline. If you’re interested in earning elite status, check out our guide to airline status matches and challenges and one TPGer’s status plans for 2025.
