Thanks to a late push this year and a pricey trip to Africa, I was able to qualify for Premier 1K status again in the United Airlines MileagePlus program.
A Bit Of Irony In Securing United Premier 1K Status For Another Year
You may recall that earlier this year I provided a grim midyear elite status progress report. At the time, I saw no path to earning Premier 1K status again for 2023. Yet as I got closer to 1K status through my normal travels, I decided to make a push for it in a way that I would have never considered in the past.
Earlier this month I spent two weeks in Africa. Kenya and South Africa are a long way away. Rather than buy economy class tickets and hope to upgrade, I bought a premium economy on the way out (only because Lufthansa had confirmed upgrade space available immediately using PlusPoints) and business class on the way back on United from Johannesburg.
Yes, the ironic thing is that I was able to secure 1K status, of which the upgrades on United are most valuable, by buying premium cabin tickets that did not require upgrades.
I increasingly view status as a hamster wheel, but here are a few additional thoughts:
- Next year there will be no more pandemic-era status holdovers; now I will see if 1K status actually leads to more upgrades, or if I still need to purchase paid tickets in order to secure premium cabins.
- I’ve shared a lot of my PlusPoints this year with friends and family members and love doing that – earning another allotment of 320 PlusPoints was important
- I was thinking beyond 2023 – with the higher earning requirements for 1K status next year ($18,500 in spending), at least I will be well-positioned with top-tier status to status match to Alaska Airlines during the second half of the year (not because I will switch flying to Alaska, but for the oneworld emerald status)
CONCLUSION
The irony is not lost that I spent some serious change on premium cabin tickets to pursue status this year in hopes of being upgraded next year. But regular readers know that United Airlines works very well for me and I look forward to another year as 1K.
Matt, I will probably end up around $80 or so short of platinum. Am I just out of luck or will they offer a buy-up early next year? The buy-up will probably be like $3000 though, ugh. And no, I can’t take a quick trip by COB tomorrow.
You’re probably out of luck. I would call the Premier line and plead for mercy. There are exceptions that could be made.
That’s easy. Use Premier Accelerator either on a future already booked trip, or book a short trip solely to buy Premier Accelerator and then cancel the trip.
The miles and PQP credit within 24 hours. If you only need 100 PQP you can get that for under $200. There’s threads on FlyerTalk dedicated to this.
This is news to me. If this works, great – please report back.
SFO-LAX you need to buy (award accelerator) the RDM miles to see the PQP offer for 300 PQP points. About 500$ for both. Posts instantly and then you can cancel the flight. Other longer routes will have larger PQM offers with the associated larger cost. Not worth it unless your close and can’t find a cheaper flight to actually fly.
Appreciate this – I learned something new.
Absolutely works, and had for years. The offer is proportional to the flight distance so pick a short one life ord-mke or sfo-sna.
I called MileagePlus/1K line a couple of weeks ago and that’s what the told me as well. I looked at a 2023 flight and it does offer you the option, which the agent says will be cheaper than buying up after the fact.
I have a trip scheduled for January, I can buy PQP now and it will be for this year and not 2023? If so, I will do that. Thanks!
Correct for this year if you hurry and buy today. Here are terms on United website:
When will the miles I purchase post to my account?
Miles or Premier qualifying credits purchased with Award Accelerator and Premier Accelerator will post to your account within 24 hours of purchase. The actual flight miles you’ll earn for your trip will still post after completion of your flight.
I saw the same last night and went ahead and purchased it! Already got the credits and PlusPoints in my account. Thanks, everyone!
Matt, this indeed works and is the year of purchase for the deposit to your account.
I barely secured Platinum this year through a last min run to the mainland (live in HI). Figured it was worth it since I have quite a few Plus Points left, not to mention that so many elites will be flushed out of the system after this year.
The other reason I thought it was worth it is that I too have the same idea about an AS status match later in 2023 for OW emerald.
First time in 10 years I won’t be AA EP or UA 1K. With all the CC points, I’m actually looking forward to being “freed”.
I secured my 1K for next year back in October. Now, with the pandemic credit removed, I’m in the grey zone. I did exceed the new points requirement, but that’s only because of a screwup in travel to remediate a missed connection last month. My calendar isn’t finalized for next year, but it’s going to be close, even with the beginning-of-year credit UA is giving out. I already have my vacation trip booked (ORD – DUB – ORD), and now that UA is paying out PQPs for points travel, that will help. But I’m going to be sweating it come the middle of November. I’ve never done a status run before and would like to avoid it, but I love the 1K benefits and will hate to lose them.
Hi. I just flew Lufthansa FRA to CPH. Z class business. Only received 127 pqp (actual miles flown / 5). Per the Lufthansa miles and more app calculator and various blogs, should have received 250 pqp. Lufthansa does a minimum mileage based on fare code. 1250 / 5.
Any idea if the rules have changed? Trying to keep my 1k
Thank you!!!
I’ll drop from 1K to Platinum (life-time, 2 million miler) but not too concerned because I am buying premium seats instead of gambling on upgrades. So United making it hard for those of us who live overseas means that I can buy other airlines without guilt. Already have a London-Seattle-Honolulu-Los Angeles-London trip in business class booked on BA and Delta. United’s fare was sky high so I now have alternatives. Too bad United.
Will upgrades really be better this year though? I know all the pandemic extensions aren’t happened this year, so sure that will get rid of some, but the requirements for United status are still extremely low. I think you’re still going to see 100 people on the upgrade list for a flight like Denver to Chicago.
I hope everyone is right in saying that upgrades will be easier this year, but I feel like they’re not going to be just given how low the requirements are. Upgrades will definitely be better in 2024 with the higher requirements but I’m not so sure about this year.
Sure, the upgrade lists will be a long as ever with all the Silvers and Golds, but I specifically mean will 1K upgrades clear better in 2023 than this year (a pathetic year)?
I’m not flying for work anymore so will lose American platinum and Ana platinum (from the status match). Not a huge bummer as I have a TON of points so will use them when possible to fly premium and priority pass or amex platinum into lounges.
Booked syd to Singapore return for 80k AA points in march and syd to USA return for 230k points AA Biz and first (lol) for august. AA can still be very useful.
I will miss the free extra leg room seats and priority check in the most.
Congrats, Matt! I secured my 1K back in November and haven’t needed (or wanted!) to board a flight since. Keeping my fingers crossed for us both next year.
BTW, I love the pic at the top of this blog entry, especially given the topic.
So you secured 1k in November but don’t want to board a flight since?
Uhm then why do you even want it at all?
Just need a break, is all. And given how the weather has been as of late, I’m really, really glad that I wasn’t doing Christmas travel.
@Matthew, I knew you would requalify on the hamster wheel! As for me, I qualified for 1K back in July due to a 4 month extreme work travel schedule. Excited to get back on the road in 2023.
I have been earning 1K status consistently (and without any silly pandemic-related accelerators or shortcuts) every year since 2001. I am closing out 2022 with my final flight tomorrow and 38,730 PQPs. I look forward to the day when we start thinning out the ranks by eliminating all the 1K charity cases to leave room for real 1K flyers. Nothing but unsophisticated gate lice and gutter trash trying to scratch their way onto the plane first – and in front of my family of multiple 1K members – only to scurry like filthy rats back to their seats coach class. Our only recourse has been to fly first class exclusively, but even that is no longer the safe haven it once was.
Oh Wade you salty sociopath you. Don’t ever change
In 2023, still way too many 1Ks for CPUs ex-hubs, except flights at bad times.
Add up the PQP gifts, revenge leisure travel, semi-normalized biz travel, biz payroll tax refunds sending luxury leisure prices to the moon, and increasing “want first buy first” mentality, and you get fewer 1K CPUs in 2023 than 2019
Hey Matthew – wow, I did the same thing. Business class trip to Africa (Namibia) in December sealed my 1K. I also thought no way at mid year. But a couple unexpected trips inspired me to make the push. I’ve got the Presidential Plus card so could spend my way there partly with other expenses but had to splurge on the Africa trip for the final 6k PQPs. With almost no business travel I also managed to keep my Globalist and Delta Platinum too. It’ll all fall apart next year though.
I got to the beginning of December at 21 segments under the 1k requirement, and $1000 under 1k using the miles+segments. Not living in a UA hub made it easier to do, scheduling 5 one-day wonder trips. The one day with 5 segments was the most hectic, with slightly late flights and tight connections. I finished on December 19th. With award flights qualifying for status in 2023, there’s about $5000 that I won’t have to personally spend, and probably another 1000 of PQP from credit cards in 2023. The 2022 status PQP credit towards 2023 pretty much made the money spent on these trips a wash.
None of my trips in 2022 were business trips, mostly family visits and one international trip, so every point came from my bank account or promotions. I will say that United Club membership is more valuable when connecting, although most domestic connections do not leave much time in the lounge.
I hope the extend PP expiration an extra year whenever they decide to stop handing out PQP like candy. So if 2023 is back to normal, I hope they extend PP till end of 2024.
I would have earned 1K, any year, the extras PQP just means more PP.
WARNING! THAI AIRWAYS! I pushed this year to get the 1K status. I mostly needed to get enough legs as I had enough PQP. Thus I purposely booked 4 legs with Thai Airways (BKK to Chiang Mai to Phuket to BKK). However, Thai Airways uses Thai Smile to do their domestic flights now, and although my Gold Star Alliance status allowed me more baggage and boarding, it didn’t allow me lounge access or United Legs. I also used Thai Airways to fly to Israel, but again they used El Al, so although I got lounge access, again I didn’t get PQF or PQP. Luckily at the end of December I flew to Egypt on Egypt Air (2 legs), and then down to Cape Town (2 Ethiopian Airways legs) and got my 1k 2 days before the end of the year. Phew!
Any update for 2024? Do you think the ranks of the 1K will thin this coming year?
I’ll make 1K again…three segments away, but already over the spending requirement. I’m hoping there will be fewer, but we’ll see.