United Airlines announced 2025 changes to its MileagePlus program today on the earning side and, as expected, will require significantly more spending in 2025 to earn elite status. PlusPoints will also become more flexible and earning elite status via credit card spending will become easier. A starter bonus will also return. Let’s unpack these changes.
United Airlines Announces Changes To MileagePlus Program In 2025
The changes were revealed to MileagePlus members this morning and will take effect next year for the 2026 program year.
More Spending Required In 2025 To Earn Untied MileagePlus Elite Status
United will require more spending in 2025 in order to earn elite status.
As in years past, you can qualify for status via reduced spending and segments flown or simply on spending alone.
PQP = Premier Qualifying Points, essentially one point per dollar on United spending, government taxes excluded
PQF = Premier Qualifying Flight, essentially one segment equals one PQF
| Premier status | PQP and PQF | PQP only |
|---|---|---|
| Premier Silver | 5,000 PQP + 15 PQF | 6,000 PQP |
| Premier Gold | 10,000 PQP + 30 PQF | 12,000 PQP |
| Premier Platinum | 15,000 PQP + 45 PQF | 18,000 PQP |
| Premier 1K | 22,000 PQP + 60 PQF | 28,000 PQP |
The changes represent about a 20-25% increase over 2024 minimum spending levels.
Starter PQPs Return In 2025
All members who achieved 2025 Premier status as of December 31, 2024, will once again receive a PQP deposit in early 2025 to get a head start for the 2026 program year. PQP deposit amounts will be based on their status level as of February 1, 2025, as outlined below:
| Premier status | Starter PQP deposit |
|---|---|
| Premier Silver | 300 PQP |
| Premier Gold | 600 PQP |
| Premier Platinum | 900 PQP |
| Premier 1K | 1,400 PQP |
These are higher than they were this year.
United Teases PlusPoints Changes
While United has not yet provided any concrete details, it has teased that PlusPoints will become more flexible next year:
Starting in mid-2025, in addition to using PlusPoints to request premium seat and cabin upgrades, members can redeem PlusPoints for new perks, including:
- Premier qualifying points (PQP) or Premier qualifying flights (PQF)
- TravelBank cash
- Bonus miles
- Gifting Premier status to other MileagePlus members
While more choice is ostensibly good, the key, of course, will be at what rates and whether the number of PlusPoints required for upgrades will be devalued in any way. This move somewhat morphs PlusPoints into a more flexible milestone-style benefit.
Earn More PQPs With Credit Card Spending
In 2024, United Chase cardmembers can earn more PQPs with eligible spending on United Chase credit cards.
- PQP earn: PQP earn frequency will increase to 1 PQP earned per $20 spent on all eligible cards except the United Club Infinite Card and United Club Business Card which will increase to 1 PQP earned per $15 spent
- PQP caps: The maximum amount of PQP that can be earned on card spend will increase over current amounts for the following cards:
- United Club Infinite Card cap increasing from 10,000 PQP to 15,000 PQP
- United Club Business Card cap increasing from 1,000 PQP to 15,000 PQP
- United Quest Card cap increasing from 6,000 PQP to 9,000 PQP
United is still stopping far short of American Airlines and Delta Air Lines in allowing status qualification exclusively based on credit card spending.
CONCLUSION
United Airlines is raising spend requirements for 2025, but also making it easier to earn status via credit card spending. In mid-2025, it will make PlusPoints more “versatile.”
I’ll analyze these changes and what they mean for my own pursuit of Premier 1K status in my next post, but I do think these changes are reasonable…there are far too many 1Ks now and the benefits to 1K status are essentially worthless, at least for me this year, when it comes to upgrades or any other meaningful benefit that separates Premier 1K from other elite status members.
I wonder how this changes the 1k numbers given out to large corporations? The changes see to impact small businesses more I am guessing.
My company spent just under $200 million on air travel last year (primarily United). I don’t know of anyone who ever got free 1K. I had 20 trips myself last year. The best I got for free from the company was gold when I was earlier in my career.
Will you finally throw in the towel next year?
Adding. Now that I have met my 1k target I’ll delay spend on UA metal and cards until Q1 2025. Focus now on other priorities.
PQPs have been on my mind heavily today. I’m going to end the year very, very close to 18000 PQPs. Even with throwing everything on my Club Infinite card, I might not make it. I’m not really doing anything Christmas week or New Year week, so a mileage run might be in order to somewhere expensive. I also have to burn up three days worth of free rental car while I’m at it. Haven’t been to Disney in years. Chicago -> ? -> Orlando, perhaps?
As for the changes for next year, I almost hit 22000 last year when I flew a full schedule, unlike this year. I’ve got points to funnel back into PQPs as well as my Club Infinite card, so I’m not worried about it. I just need to ensure I renew my 1K this year.
All well and good if it thins the heard and improves 1K benefits. But I’m not holding my breath. We tend to forget UA is a business, and the moves they make are geared towards maximizing revenue.
Wasn’t it not that long ago United criticized Delta for making it harder to earn status? I get it Delta initial increase was out of control and they lowered their increase to somewhere around 40%. Even once Delta lowered threshold United still a leading critic of Delta move and was one of the first carriers in initiate a status match campaign designed to lure Delta customers over to United. Here we are a year later and we have United following suit for customers using PQP and PQF’s the increase is between 22%-25% verses those using PQPs alone they are looking at a 18%-22% increase. With United like Delta monetizing their premium cabins, upgrades are harder to come by and I’ve seen more and more GS passengers stuck in coach this past year than ever before.
Since Delta was able to get away with their 40% increase and held on to most of their customers despite status match campaigns, I think United with up to 25% increase will upset some passengers but they won’t leave United over it.
By attaching an opportunity cost to PlusPoints, I wonder if the design is to better prevent the sharing (or selling) of those instruments, especially towards the expiration date.
Oh, I definitely think that is part of it (and I think it is genius). I never buy them, but I am gifted them, and one friend already told me those days are over, lol!
I’ve been almost exclusively United my entire career, but I think that I need to switch to American now. 3 of my annual trips (2 to Cayman; 1 to Barbados) are nearly impossible to schedule on United out of Chicago, but I stomached taking American for those trips because I could generally get at least Platinum on United every year, even with a lighter travel schedule. With it now being 25% more difficult to make United status, I won’t get there anymore, so I might as well maximize American points. Anyone have a recommendation on the right AA credit card to get to achieve status since they don’t do matches?