United Airlines has quietly extended the MileagePlus Premier status of many account holders after giving no indication that it would in 2023 (and frankly every indication that it would not). It represents the persisting reality of air travel still compromised by the effects of the pandemic.
United Airlines 2023 Status Extension: Premier Status Extended Again Through Early 2024 For Many United MileagePlus Members
No official word has been released yet and not every member was targeted, but many MileagePlus members found their elite status extended another year last night.
All week, the elite progress indicator in our MileagePlus accounts looked something like this:
That was a good indication that something was going on behind the scenes. As it turned out, United was preparing to extend the elite status of many members. We are still gathering data points, but it seems that many with overseas addresses were specifically targeted and received notes like this:
For MileagePlus members in Asia, the status extension recognizes that 2022 was impacted by both limited flight schedules and lingering travel restrictions that made traditional Premier qualification almost insurmountable. However, these status extensions also targeted some MileagePlus flyers in the USA and Europe as well, who did not face similar restrictions.
On a personal note, I fall on the other side for the second year in a row. I made a push for 1K status at the end of the year, reasonably believing that United would not extend status again on a complimentary basis. One main reason I did so was out of hope that the herd of 1K members would be thinned out, making it possible once again to clear upgrades on domestic flights. It appears that will not be the case.
I will not wallow in indignation over “fairness” concerning these extensions (this argument still applies). At the same time, though, I cannot help but point out that the lack of upgrades really eviscerates the remaining value of 1K status (since award changes and redeposits are now free for all MileagePlus members).
No predictions from me on how my travel patterns will ultimately shape up this year – we’ll have to wait and see – but I do not believe United is helping itself by granting such extensions for three years in a row but leaving in place rather draconian policies to require for status this year (for example, 1K status will purportedly require $18,500 in spending this year, not even counting government taxes).
CONCLUSION
My ultimate response to this latest round of status extensions is a big shrug. Am I happy about it? Of course not, since I spent the money to actually re-qualify for status. But am I going to accuse United of being unfair? Nope. Status extensions are the prerogative of United and the carrier can certainly make reasonable arguments for doing so. The net result, however, is that people who have flown virtually nothing on United in three years may still retain top-tier status and that will certainly increase competition for upgrades both domestically and internationally. That disincentivizes those actually booking travel from flying on United.
Will this status extension change your travel patterns with United in 2023?
top image: United
Was it only in Asia? If so I can understand that and should have little impact. How many can there be? If worldwide…enough already. For an airline that has come out saying they want to protect the integrity of its top tier flyers this goes against the grain if they did target many in the US yet again.
I believe it was beyond, at least according to the reports on FlyerTalk.
Sad. Seems like luck is always not on your side.
I’ve flown on two trips this year so far and have been notably higher on the complimentary upgrade list as a 1k. And I see far less 1ks boarding early. Very antidotal data so far, but thought I would share my experience.
Agreed. I have also had two occasions where I went on a long standby list and ended up at the top, presumably due to 1K status. Getting on those flights was a fantastic 1K benefit. At the same time, I expect more than entry to the 1K preboarding corral and a snack box to keep my business.
But 2022 status doesn’t expire until the end of January, no?
I was Premier Platinum in 2022 and it nows says I will be Premier Silver in 2023. I only use United to fly into ski destinations in Colorado in the winter so I couldn’t care less what my status is with them.
I flew 2 United Flights last year and retained 1k. I thought for sure I was heading back to Gold (as a million miler). Can’t say I’m disappointed, but I would be if I actually earned 1k 🙂 Either way … I’m still a bit miffed with United and my inability to use PlusPoints to upgrade coach to 1st class internationally. I’ve had 700 plus points FOREVER now …. but can NEVER seem to use them in a strategic way. The overall “reward” experience sucks nowadays …. period.
Where are you based?
Unfortunately, this was exactly my experience. I ended up giving away my PlusPoints to others to fly one international premium economy flight and another domestic first class (SFO-SAN).
Sorry to hear SINJim!
Sheesh. I earned it again the hard way 20 years in a row now. Stupid me.
Plus Points aging like my wine. Hope they don’t go bad.
Just paid for 3 flights 1st figuring no way will upgrades work. Watering down the soup again.
Was Platinum, requalified on my own for Gold. Getting no extension. Likely they punish those who actually did spend money with them.
Identical situation here.
After 25+ years as a 1K, United told me I’ll never fall below platinum which starts on Feb 1st. I was not able to use any of the PPs in the last few years except for sponsoring colleagues. I am done wondering if there will be an upgrade and look for the best business class fares on any reputable airline.
I’m right there with you. 2MM, 1K since 1998, fell about 1000 points short this year from earning 1k. I’m “lifetime PP” so I don’t have to fly United to keep the status. They just lost 100% of my business, now I’m a price shopper. What a dope I was thinking that my loyalty would be rewarded.
I agree with the premise that if this is targeted at Asian-Pacific flyers, I don’t have issue with it. But if this is targeting members in North America and Europe, who had all of 2022 to requalify both domestic and international (granted with a PQP jump start from UA at the start of the year), I have a problem with it. As would my brother in law who was GS for several years pre-pandemic and never got any extension at even a lower level like silver.
I’m in Canada. I qualified for UA premier platinum in 2019 and 2020 and this status has been extended for me for the last few years by the airline. I’m guessing Canada’s stringent border measures might have had something to do with it; testing requirements for re-entry were only removed in 2022 and it had a noticeable impact on Canadian business travel.
Interesting data point. Thanks Paul.
I was global services for the past 4 years – but they only gave me 1K (which I qualified for) this year. So not everyone was “extended”.
Same for me. I flew a lot of paid first and business last year blowing way past the 1K requirements, though not as high as pre-pandemic and they still dropped me down to 1K.
By UA’s calculations, GS has real costs associated with perks that they don’t provide to GS’es (e.g., proactive protection on flights in the event of a potential misconnect/cancellation), not to mention the costs of the Special Services teams. I suspect they’re much more amenable to comping 1K and below than GS.
I really miss when 1K used to mean something.
Same for me: I miss GS!
This is why the AA method of upgrading based of LP’s earned in the past rolling 12 months is a better method. Granted it is still by level so CK’s still are ahead of EXP’s, but at least there is some benefit to earned status compared to gifted.
I detest the AA system. I think it is absurd that a Gold on comp upgrade surpasses a member trying use miles or a sponsored SWU to upgrade. Instrument and mileage upgrades should be sorted and cleared by status, but ahead of any complimentary upgrades. The UA approach is far better, IMO.
And yes, I am bitter I paid miles and had a co-pay for an upgrade from DOH-JFK-LAX and did not clear on JFK-LAX so a bunch of Plats and Plats Pros could sit up front with comp upgrades.
I am really not sure what UA’s thinking is here, a neighbor of mine was a 1K last year, but would not even had qualified for Silver this year.
Mainly he was so disappointed with the soft product that he switched to DL (he would have to connect either way) and maybe flew 2 flights on UA all of 2022.
They rolled over his 1k status with 2 flights, he clearly is not flying so why roll him over?
Granted, I don’t care, as I don’t fly enough to hold status with any airline, UA just sometimes makes odd decisions.
I am a 1K expiring this month. My United home address is in Thailand (with a US mailing address).
Had about 5700 PQMs this past year (2022) with 12 PQFs. Will be losing 150 PQPs on Jan 31 :(.
United does not show my 1k status being extended, so 1 data point for Asia based traveller not being extended. Little tough with Thai and Eva pulling out of the market and no star alliance options flying out of Chiang Mai for 2+ years.
Interesting data point. Sorry to hear that, Bill.
I’ve moved to the US from Germany a year ago and spent a lot of my income on pushing for Platinum, based in reading that there won’t be an extension.
It really was a stretch, and now I feel disappointed that many people got free extensions and my status will be worth less.
@Bill, if you need help spending those Pluspoints, I’ll be happy to help out!
Congrats to all that got extended, by the way.
As a United traveler who routinely buys domestic first class (because of my height), I wish that they would give frequent flyers free economy seats rather than upgrading them to first. The problem is that there are extremely limited first class seats but far more in economy–seven or eight times more. This is a problem when a fight is late arriving–as has happened to me–and then I miss my next flight. When I try to get the next flight out, all the first class seats have either been sold or given away free to frequent flyers. That way a paid first class ticket holder often has to sit in the back, while some sitting up front got their seats free. Frequent flyers talk about “fairness” in regard to their free upgrades, but how about “fairness” for paid first class passengers in the situation I describe?
It’s actually not a bad idea to do automatic seat blocking for 1Ks (used to be the case many, many moons ago on PMUA). Would lessen the blow of not getting an upgrade. Those EconomyPlus middle seats should be the last seats assigned anyway and if need be, better to have a non-rev sit there than a basic economy passenger.
I am also not happy with this extension. Despite having a lifetime GS status, I am still qualifying GS each year the traditional way during Covid.
I have found 2022 to be the most challenging year for upgrades in my 30+ years of flying United.
I managed to stack almost 1000 PlusPoints and sadly I doubt I will get to use even half before they expire. It feels like everyone and their dogs is 1K these days (plus way too many Global Services). 1K member, SFO home airport.
Haha yeah literally everyone out of SFO has GS these days.
I was on a flight from LAS on Thursday and there were 6 GS and 16 1K’s on a 737 .. As a 1K I was glad I’d paid for my upgrade, and yes I have 600+ Pluspoints — they’re useless flying in and out of SFO.
US based, I was ~50 PQP short of maintaining my status and it was extended without notification. I’ll take it.
Only 50PQP? Did you consider it not worthwhile back in December?
Same happened to me (missed by 100 pqp) and was because my flights over Xmas were cancelled and refunded
I suspect that what’s really going on here is demand is much stronger from the US to everywhere else than vice versa. And US based customers habits are supporting Uniteds decision implicitly. Doing some quick comp searching on cash fare differences over the last couple of quarters has borne this out in tremendous differences in rt fares originating from the US vs abroad. Why? Business travel dramatically down still vs 2019 and tremendous backlog (something like 2 months wait for interview as of last month) for anyone needing a tourist visa to visit the US (most of Asia outside Japan, Singapore, and Taiwam). United will keep extending until Americans buying miles and buying high cash fares no longer support the strategy.
I’m a million miler and have earned 1K for several years. Having made a big and costly push to maintain 1K during December 2022, I’m disillusioned that United automatically continued status for so many. As a frequent traveler on business, I too was looking forward to a “thinning of the herd” to increase upgrade opportunities and decrease lounge cluttering for working flyers. Instead, pandemic “Vaca” tourists and non loyal United flyers will be rewarded once again. It gives me pause for continuing my loyalty with United this year.
Actually the visa waits for foreigners is moving much faster now, at least from data I got from colleagues in Brazil. Yes, their interviews were originally months away – but ended up being offered appointments much sooner . I am thinking they are starting to catch up, at least in Brazil.
Me too. I’m not going out of my way to qualify this year.
I was Gold and dropped to Silver. In Canada. No extension.
I fly exclusively SFO – HKG.
Last year was terrible for restrictions and I spent 12 weeks in quarantine hotels.
Unfortunately United didn’t extend my 1K status. I’m being bumped down to Gold on February 1st.
I also noticed that my December 2022 flight mileage wasn’t added to my account, so I shall have to deal with that (that should make me Platinum at least).
United knows better than I, but I’ve earned 1K during the pandemic and again this last year with over $18K in spend. Planes were empty during the pandemic. They certainly are not now. Even a 777-300 can be a challenge to score a Polaris upgrade with Plus Points. Since they are being generous with extensions, how about one for Plus Points. I’ve got 900 I’m trying to burn before 7/31/23.
Interesting…. I’ve been 1k for a few years now and in 2022 I was around 1,000 PQMs short to requalify. I was way over on PQFs and I was demoted to platinum as of Feb. 1. I called the 1k desk and they told me there is nothing they can do for me.. wondering why UA wouldn’t want to keep a customer who has flown over 50 flights with them this year..
Didn’t United “want to keep a customer like me?”
Your post doesn’t indicate that you left UA for another carrier, and I suspect you didn’t. What’s more, UA knew you wouldn’t.
What I meant to say is “keep a customer like this happy..” I’ve been a loyal UA customer for years now..
Sfo based. Been 1K for years. 12,000PQP in 2022 – no extension, down to “earned” Platinum. Wonder if home airport has something to do with it?
Hi Matthew, thanks for this update as I’ve been off FlyerTalk lately though used to be quite active while I do still regularly read your blog though. As a data point, I’m based in Taiwan and I just checked and indeed my Gold status has been extended again through 2023.
Congrats on the status extension!
To those who are concerned about competing against people who received a 1K status extension, it is my belief that United is not awarding PP to those who received an extension. Therefore, there will not likely be competition at the PP level.
If anyone has any data to support or refute my belief that no PPs are being awarded to those who received a status extension, please reply.
1K for last 6 years but dropped to Gold. Curious as to what the extension criteria might have been. Cannot infer from the comments thus far.
United should give upgrade priority to those who earned their status over those who got it extended for free.
Once again, those that earn status by following the qualifications set by UA are not rewarded. Why go through the hassle when I likely would’ve just had my status extended for free?
Well, I’m not a part of this. I have been 1k for 7 years straight but had a new job at another airline last year so fell short. I was only $700 away from 1k having the legs done. Looks like I’m Platinum this year.
Definitely seems to be selective, I missed by 645 PQP after finally starting to fly again at the tail end of the year. I do wonder if some of the decision is based on whether they think you’re a flight risk since prior to Covid, I was 1K by a good bit for multiple years. Disappointing.
Like you Matt, I packed in extra flights and spending in December to keep my 1k. You put it in perspective as it is their prerogative, but I believe United should reward us with something. Perhaps a significant boost toward 2024 status would ease the sense of value-dilution. Less segments or less PQP for those who made the effort in 2023?
I think the extensions were based on flyers’ home airports. I’ve been a 1K for many years (and a million miler) with a home address in India and my status has been extended for 2023.
For the record, no Plus Points deposited with the 1k extension, nor any automatic PQPs for a 2023 head start…
So, at least after my old balance expires, I won’t be competing for Plus Point upgrades with those who earned the status.
Im supposed to be getting head start PQPs. They haven’t deposited any yet and it’s 1/29 So Im guessing no one else has gotten theirs as well.
Vwry foolish as travel has clearly recovered as evidenced by full planes and TSA throughput.
That said it is a business decision but the smarter play would have been a soft landing (down 1 tier) or to give those who earned status a freebie like additional PP. Or do a Q1 challenge like Alaska.
This goes to the CEO of United Scott Kirby I fly United all the time to Cancun I am disabled I cannot walk and every time I make a reservation they always harass me that they cannot put me in economy Plus I have to argue with your employees to get a seat assigned to me on behind first class due to my disability it is very frustrating and stressful about my situation with United. (ADA)
Well, if it makes you feel any better. I am a premier Platinum this next year because I fell just 2500 miles and six segments short of making 1k. And United did not comp me the 1k status for next year. So there’s a lot of us who didn’t get the free perk even if we are, as am I, a million miler.
Last year I cleared 28 out of 29 CPU as a 1k. About half of them 96h prior departure. A mix from cheap G fares all the way to Y fares.
Where is the huge amount of 1ks?
What were your travel patterns?
I was not extended, so will drop to plat, which I earned flying domestic, usually paid F. I guess I can’t complain too much, since I did get one of those Away rollaboards at the 1K reception in DC.
Hard to imagine earning 1K again until they make their international J more competitive. I flew no UA international last year, and have only AF and BA planned this spring.
I was GS for several years and was dropped to 1K.
I wanted to share my disappointment regarding the below article by Matthew Klint. Through the lockdown I have been flying and earning status with United, only to find out that other individuals have been allowed to keep their 1K status over the last 2 years and now 3 years. This is disheartening for those of us who have earned our Premium Platinum and or 1K status and have been relegated to few if any upgrades, while individuals now have that same status 3 years running without qualifying. Unlike Mr. Klint who requalified or qualified for 1K for the year 2023 (from 2022) I am not inclined to feel so cheerful. So, I just wanted to go on the record as such. Thank you JZ
I have already received notice from United that my status is not being renewed and being knocked down a level
Upset beyond belief as a 2.3 million miler and perennial 1k. Knowing that I needed to spend $2,700 more to hit the $15k spend (since I didn’t meet it on legs) and, wanting use up some PlusPoints since I’m swimming in them, I flew LAX-LHR on December 23, back on the 24th, back to LHR on the 25th and return on the 26th. Polaris Dreamliner so I was willing to do it (no kids and wife was working at a hospital). And then I read this? A complete slap in the face United that will sting even more every frickin’ time my PlusPoints upgrade continue to fail in 2023. Lay the rules out. Don’t lie and then stab your loyalists in the back! Just lost a lot of respect for Scott Kirby for this complete lack of integrity.
I think it’s a bad move. I only started with United Milage Plus in September 2021. I’ve flown with them exclusively and was so excited to have EARNED Gold Status for this year. It’s a bummer to hear people who didn’t fly at all last year are going to trump me on the upgrade list. (Still stoked about boarding group 1 and accessing the lounges for free on international layovers, though).
If most if your ttavel was to China/Taiwan that got you 1k/plat, stands to reason you were affected by factors outside your discretion.
If United targeted these folks, that is the correct business decision.
If not, they need to hire me in their strategic decision making team.
As China opens up, you want to bring your high spenders back.
One more data point: My wife fell a bit short of qualifying for Silver (she doesn’t fly a lot, but took a few premium cabin flights this year), with no prior status, and United chose to give her Silver status. This is clearly NOT an extension, so I am guessing that United is applying some sort of unpublished generous standard here.
Question: The Extention is just for Primier 1K status only? Is it applied to Premier Platinum too or not? Thanks
Applied to all Premier types, but given on a selective basis.
We are creating a culture of entitlement! Bravo!
Yes a lot of complaining that they were dropped down. When it reality is that they didn’t earn the status.. Except for the GS people. It sounds like it’s a mixed bag of deserving not deserving and with the status gift. The upgrade lists are so long on flights it’s ridiculous. Half the flight has some kind of status.
Like others, late in the year I predicted, due to business changes, I was going to fall short by around 1,300 PQPs. Having been 1K for as long as I remember, I decided to book a personal UK-US trip in December which took me over the threshold. Being a UK 1K flier I am now sat here wondering if I actually had to pay out on high fare flights and make the effort in December. Would my 1K status have been extended? Who knows?
Regarding upgrades to Polaris, after trying all year unsuccessfully my December flights were actually upgraded. I was stunned!!
Was GS for 5 years and I am just shy of 2MM. My spend is very high and basically the same as the last few years. My home base is a very small regional airport. I just got demoted to 1K. The “No one is special if everybody is special” concept is apparently for GS because they have obviously raised the bar to achieve the top x% spenders that qualify for GS. No thinning of the heard for 1K… But maybe their data indicated that many 1Ks were not going to make it this year and wanted to bring the number up? But why? Perhaps to entice them to fly more with UA again….Whatever formula UA is using, it is not rewarding loyalty and business travel. I’m no longer paying more money for crappy itineraries on United and will shop around. Lame move by United, which by many measures is an excellent airline.
Does anyone know if a tried and true paid 1K achiever gets status priority over a “gifted” 1K recipient?
In terms of upgrades? Nope. Within 1K status priority is determined by fare class.
Side note—a cheaper discounted premium economy ticket would trump a full-fare economy ticket for an upgrade to Polaris.
After 40 years as a Mileage Plus Member, my wife and I have been demoted from Premier Silver to General Member. Bummer. Because of our age, we now only fly Business Class. We do receive some benefits by flying this class of service, but not enough to keep me flying United out of Chicago O’Hare.
What will you fly instead?
Any direct flight out of O’Hare or Midway.
I was 934 PQP short for 1k (was 1k last year, am Platinum this year) and for $6,683 or 668,300 miles I can buy my way back to 1K. With the lack of upgrades available…this is laughable.