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Home  >  Travel  >  My United 1K Dilemma
Travel

My United 1K Dilemma

Matthew Klint Posted onDecember 6, 2017December 6, 2017 36 Comments

As the year draws to the close, I find myself in a paradoxical position: top-tier United 1K status is within reach, yet hopelessly distant.

I’ve racked up over 86,000 EQM this year and I’m on my next trip this week. With little effort, I can easily clear 100K miles by the year’s end.

On the surface, that is enough for 1K status, valuable for its complimentary upgrades, award re-deposits and generally superior customer service.

But I’ve got a big problem: 1K requires $12,000 in annual spending and I am not even close. Not even close…

Why so low? Obviously (even with “mistake” fares) I’ve spent more than $2,800. In fact, if you add everything up I may even be approaching the $12,000 threshold.

But United only counts the dollar value of tickets earned on its own ticket stock. Thus, for example, my 4000EUR trip to Germany earlier this year issued on Lufthansa earned a lot of miles, but no dollar credit toward elite re-qualifcation.

Settle for Platinum?

I’ve got another problem. Much of my travel has been ad hoc this year and thus my January forecast for year-end travel was far lower than it turned out.

United offers a spending waiver (up to Platinum status) if you put at least $25,000 on a United-branded card from Chase. 

Waiver aside, I have little incentive to do that thanks to my Chase Sapphire Reserve card. That card is a far more valuable in terms of earning points and those points can even be transferred to United.

Therefore, I could conceivably do some manufactured spending to put $20K on my card before year’s end, but that seems rather draconian for the incremental benefits between Gold and Platinum. If I want first class, I buy first class…relying on upgrades is too dicey in this era of cheap paid fares.

Change of Address?

One “trick” would just be to change my address. Those outside the USA are exempt from the minimum spending requirement.

But that’s not as easy as just updating my profile on united.com.

United verifies new addresses and threatens to shut down MileagePlus accounts who use the non-USA address exemption to skirt minimum spending requirements without having a valid overseas address.

My case is different. I have a bonafide residence in Germany and spend extended periods there each year. In fact, I’d like to spend a lot more time in Germany next year.

So there’s always that. But there are downsides, such as promotions available only to USA-based flyers.

CONCLUSION

Despite racking up nearly 100K United elite miles by year’s end, it looks like I’ll be stuck with Gold status for 2018. Even that would not be possible without my lifetime MillionMiler status thanks to United’s steep minimum spending requirement coupled with counting only United-issued tickets.

Is there anything I am missing? Would you change addresses, noting that it would actually be a legitimate address change?

image: United

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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36 Comments

  1. jettyboy Reply
    December 6, 2017 at 9:49 am

    change addresses, and then when Mileage Plus complains, sue them.

    • Matthew Reply
      December 6, 2017 at 10:09 am

      Was funny yesterday. Not today.

  2. Jack Reply
    December 6, 2017 at 10:09 am

    PQD for 1K is $12,000 not $12,500.

    • Matthew Reply
      December 6, 2017 at 10:10 am

      Thanks! Fixed.

  3. Levy Flight Reply
    December 6, 2017 at 10:20 am

    I would be interested to read your experience as an international frequent flyer gold, having been 1k. I reaualified as 1k this year (infact, will get the 150k Miles benefits of additional GPUs), it wonder if should be happy with my lifetime gold status and just buy the best option biz tickets across the airlines as needed,

  4. ed Reply
    December 6, 2017 at 10:31 am

    move.

  5. Anthony Reply
    December 6, 2017 at 10:35 am

    *Levy Flight
    That’s exactly what I do now. If you look at the cost and hassle of keeping status. It is just not worth it. In some cases status is not even enough for you to chose a good seat in coach anymore with the ‘basic’ fares. All of the big airlines have totally gutted their programs. And J tickets can be had so much cheaper nowadays as well as virtually all airlines have lie-flats on the long hauls.

    Take this very 1k example. Not too long ago when I was a 1K for many years in a row (I am almost at 2M miles) you could upgrade all fares and upgrade them well in advance so you would arrive at the airport knowing you had secured an upgrade or you would book the flight based on the upgrade availability so that you knew you were flying in business. Today you have to pay in some cases over a thousand dollars more for the privilege of maybe upgrading at the gate – for me a stressful situation for sure.

    Might easier just to buy the cheapest business ticket with your toy so many airlines.

  6. Rob S Reply
    December 6, 2017 at 10:38 am

    Why are you not booking your flights on LH as 016 tickets? Booking as United “ticket stock” solves your issue.

    • Matthew Reply
      December 6, 2017 at 10:41 am

      The LH tickets, for example, were not booked by me, but by another company.

  7. Lucian Garibaldi Reply
    December 6, 2017 at 11:10 am

    1K is just not what it used to be. I will have 6 regional upgrades that expire in January after multiple failed attempts to use them on domestic flights that never cleared. GPU’s are still of some value, but the whole must buy W class makes it much easier to buy that $400 US-EU fare and upgrade with no issues on AA, while that W class UA fare will be $1600! The only other thing is that free drink and snack in economy, but that’s certainly not worth the $9,000 gap you need to make up.

    • Lucian Garibaldi Reply
      December 6, 2017 at 11:12 am

      oh and another thing going for AA is you do accrue EQD on partners and in most cases more than the ticket price as its calculated as a % of distance flown!

  8. Taylor Reply
    December 6, 2017 at 11:13 am

    I’m in a similar boat. I have the miles for platinum but only crossed the gold threshold last month. I cashed in a few miles/copays upgrades this year, so I’ve spent over $2000 in upgrades with UA directly. While I doubt it will be successful, I will attempt to call and appeal to someone to grant me platinum.

    I know the difference in benefits are incremental, but I am so sick of boarding in group 2 with all the credit card people. The lines for group 2 are getting ridiculous.

    Good luck with your decision-making!

  9. roasted hill Reply
    December 6, 2017 at 11:26 am

    I don’t think that you are missing much, and haven’t missed anything of which I’m aware.
    You’ve identified the bullets; you just have to decide which one to bite….

  10. Alan Brint Reply
    December 6, 2017 at 11:32 am

    Contact the airline, see what they can do for you. Mention the Germany address you do own, be completely honest. Please don’t lie, Matthew. Its not worth it. Gold, platinum or 1K, please don’t lose it. Its better to lose that option to change your address than it is to get caught and lose it all. I find that communication, when done politely, goes a very long way, and you just might be let off the hook, I have in the past even when the policy was point blank. Worst thing that happens if you go this route is you get gold, and nothing more. Best thing is you score big time!

    • Matthew Reply
      December 6, 2017 at 11:37 am

      Hi Alan. There is nothing to lie about…the only question is whether UA cares whether I spend the majority of my time at the address listed or not. The address in Germany would be 100% valid, just realistically not the place I spend the majority of my time. From what I see, United does not say the “primary mailing address” must be your “primary place of residence”.

      But I certainly would never want to put my lifetime status at risk, which is why I openly write about this here.

      • kdo Reply
        December 6, 2017 at 2:03 pm

        The address change is not a very personalized formality. I submitted photos of recent mail and and some bills with my foreign address. No one asked me any questions.
        Like you I spend part of my time in the US. What adds up to a few months a year in the US for family/business. But my flight pattern is almost all flights that originate internationally, particularly in my home airport. So it would be hard to make the case that it isn’t my main address for United purposes. If you’re planning on flying a lot of United out of LA month after month, year after year, I’m not sure how that would look to them if they took the time to examine.

      • John harris Reply
        December 7, 2017 at 7:46 am

        I have a stack of polite and thoughtful emails to mileage plus center but there is neither any sense of logic or customer service orientation. I have thrown up the white flag of surrender trying to resolve the exact same situation for my wife and I, the difference being we actually live in Singapore full time! I think they are so worried about “cheaters” that they alienate exactly the loyalty they desire among legitimate members. Good luck

  11. dan Reply
    December 6, 2017 at 12:07 pm

    I feel sorry for anyone who thinks 1k is still worth the trouble. For the most part AA and UA overlap and AA is the better program for elites.

    • Matthew Reply
      December 6, 2017 at 12:21 pm

      Do you say that because AA SWUs can be used on any fare class? I just don’t enjoy flying AA or flying via DFW/PHX/CLT/PHL.

      • Greg Reply
        December 6, 2017 at 1:31 pm

        I concur with you on flying AA.

        If you have a bonafide Germany residence, that’s your answer. Surprised you didn’t do it sooner.

  12. Kacee Reply
    December 6, 2017 at 12:47 pm

    With discount J/F now usually within reach, I’m really questioning value of 1K myself. Only used 1 GPU in 2017, with five international long-haul segments in paid (discount) J. Have qualified for 1K for 2018, but may not make the effort for 2019.

    So I think you should let it go and report back to us what it’s like 😉

  13. Sexy_Kitten7 Reply
    December 6, 2017 at 1:40 pm

    Personally I’d change the address and do a MR. Worth it for the GPUs methinks. Any reason you didn’t plate on UA?

    And why don’t you do the credit card spend? The biz version earns 2x miles in bonus categories so after spending $25k, you’ll have up to 60k miles! This year I made Gold with only 2366 PQD (although 2427 miles were non-UA plated so adjusted CPM is 4.93+taxes/fees).

  14. Henry Reply
    December 6, 2017 at 4:44 pm

    Go for a mileage run. I hit the 150K PQM mark which means 8 GPUs but best of all as a million miler, my wife is also 1K. Never have a problem using up my GPUs as compared to the RPUs which are not as useful.

  15. Marissa Reply
    December 6, 2017 at 5:55 pm

    I have several dozen GPUs and RPUs that will never get used. Each year it gets harder to get any kind of upgrade in advance. This year I have only secured 2 in advanced for next year travel and that;s only because I was able to get on the new DEN-LHR service and plan travel many months in advance. About the only time when I leave it to chance (book with upgrade in w class and see what happens) is when it’s really off-season and across the Atlantic and I know business class won’t be anywhere nearly full and I can get the right plane. I am still going to maintain 1k but only spending to make the minimum.

  16. Jason W Reply
    December 6, 2017 at 8:37 pm

    Option 1 for 1K -Change your address if you can

    Option for Platinum – Buy a big ticket item at Nordstrom or somewhere else that has a generous return policy, allowing you to meet the spending waiver level on your card. Wait one billing cycle, and then return that big ticket item for a full refund.

    • Matthew Reply
      December 6, 2017 at 11:55 pm

      That’s crafty!

  17. MeanMeosh Reply
    December 6, 2017 at 9:48 pm

    Given the increasing availability of discounted F/J fares and apparent issues using upgrade instruments, personally I wouldn’t bother. Just buy what you need when you need it. Meanwhile, use the opportunity to take it easy the rest of the year. I’m sure there’s lots of Mexican food to be eaten in your neighborhood… 🙂

  18. Zi Reply
    December 7, 2017 at 12:44 am

    Change the address – I did it this year without any question from UA (I do have a valid address in China and spend some time there and fly Air China quite a lot within China to get PQM). Now I can re-qualify for 1K in a similar situation as you.

    I think the GPU and other benefits is still worth the hassle.

  19. Rupert Reply
    December 7, 2017 at 2:53 am

    I don’t think it’s worth it anymore. I was Global Service / 1K for years. What broke the camels back for me was when I was No7 on the upgrade list for an international flight as GS – thanks for those GPU…
    Instead of paying W fares and hoping for an upgrade that may never clear, just buy international business class on other carriers, safe yourself the trouble… and UA MM Gold will still give you access to E+ and other basic perks for domestic flights…

  20. John harris Reply
    December 7, 2017 at 7:39 am

    Good luck on address change idea. I am in Same situation but silver to gold. The difference is that I actually do live outside USA 100% of time. One year in Canada and starting 3rd year in Singapore! United documentation won’t work for trailing Spouse who is non-working. Mileage plus won’t even accept official Singapore government identification card. After multiple contacts I have given up and will be flying on ABU (Anything But UNited). Of course I wil need to figure out how to use 250,000 miles of credit

  21. gilam Reply
    December 7, 2017 at 11:43 am

    Wow. I had no idea the UA won’t count $ on partner airlines. For some fare classes (Y, W and discount J) you actually get more EQDs from partner flights because it’s calculated as a % of miles rather than actual spend.

  22. gilam Reply
    December 7, 2017 at 11:44 am

    replied too fast I meant

    “On AA for some fare classes (Y, W and discount J) you actually get more EQDs from partner flights because it’s calculated as a % of miles rather than actual spend.”

  23. Canadianflier Reply
    December 7, 2017 at 11:35 pm

    AC is exactly the same and i think Aeroplan got the idea from UA. I agree that upgrades are becomimg harder to come by as Upgrades are available to be bid for on ANY fare
    I qualify for *A Gold using SQ AND TG but still need to use AC 014 ticket stock to retain *AG for $5000. However Business Class Fares are coming down and it is often cheaper to buy those and forget upgrades.

  24. Lacy Reeves Reply
    December 10, 2017 at 2:32 am

    United has too many loop holes. I switched to a different airline with a much more generous frequent flyer program, and no hidden fees. I’d also take a closer look at “What’s in your wallet?” Changing to a credit card where you earn points for every purchase and can be used on any airline, with no black out dates…
    Yep. United holds their best customers hostage with too many rules. Try taking the family on vacatioin using points and thats a nightmare too with limited seats for such tickets.

  25. Lonestar Reply
    April 21, 2018 at 2:37 pm

    GPUs and RPUs are now just about useless. They used to be great and you could just upgrade almost anything. Now it usually gets full of paid folks who can pay as little as 40 buck sometimes last minute. Only Platinum and higher can get these, so usually your status already has you at that level. The biggest issue is that it no longer works on award tickets which was the only time I really wanted to use them. United wants you to think you are getting something when you are not. Their system really went downhill since Continental.

  26. Roger Reply
    August 12, 2018 at 5:35 pm

    The RPU/GPUs are getting harder to upgrade because there’re many 1K and too many Platinum members nowadays. I can’t get a CPU/RPU to first class from Houston to San Francisco couple times because the premium cabin was full.
    I only got a hot sandwich.
    However, if you use the GPU while booking the ticket when it’s available, usually it gets you to the Polaris business immediately.
    and it means you need to use the United website with the “expert” mode.
    When there’re PN seats, and it shows available. It’s not difficult to get it.

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