Once the traveler′s ticket has been issued, members can redeem Global Premier Upgrades by viewing the reservation on united.com and selecting the Upgrade Reservation link. Global Premier Upgrades may also be redeemed by calling the United Customer Contact Center.
Full Answer
See more
Does United offer international flight upgrades?
As a rule, there are no complimentary upgrades when traveling on an international ticket. However, you may be able to upgrade using the miles and co-pay option if there is space available.
How do I get United Global Services status?
How do you earn United Global Services status? There's only one published way to earn Global Services, and that's through United's Million Miler program. If you earn four million lifetime miles with United MileagePlus then you get lifetime Global Services status, and you can even share that with a companion.
How do you get on the free upgrade list on United?
How to get on the United upgrade listClimb the elite status ladder with United. ... Earn PlusPoints with United. ... Sign up for a United Club-level credit card. ... Spend with your United credit card. ... Do not book Basic Economy.
How many miles does it take to upgrade to Business International on United?
20,000 milesOn international routes between the U.S. and Europe, a typical upgrade to business class costs 20,000 miles and $550. The co-pay can be the biggest inhibition against redeeming miles for an upgrade. You should determine if purchasing a more expensive fare that allows you to reduce the co-pay is more sensible.
What is the highest status on United Airlines?
United Premier 1K StatusUnited Premier 1K Status is the highest level of elite status you can get. It comes with all of the benefits of the lower levels plus these premium perks: Pre-boarding. $100 annual membership discount for United Club lounges.
What are the benefits of United Global Services?
United Global Services BenefitsPriority Upgrades.Special Upgrade Certificates.Companion Saver Award.Mercedez-Benz Transfers.Exclusive Global Services Customer Service.Priority Check-in & Boarding.United Club Access.
Is it cheaper to upgrade to first class at the airport?
This sounds counterintuitive but some airlines actually offer first-class seats at a discount during the coach booking process, which can be many times cheaper than searching directly for first-class cabin fares. Some also allow cheaper upgrades at airport kiosks.
Why is my United flight not eligible for upgrade?
Upgrades are not available on flights that have already been upgraded, or on tickets containing Basic Economy fares, Economy (first bag charge/no changes allowed) fares, certain fares such as industry discount, and tickets purchased on websites where you don't know the exact flight itinerary or airline until after you' ...
How do I know if I can upgrade waitlist United?
Check Your Reservation for the Waitlist Designation To confirm you're on the waitlist, you can log-in to your frequent flyer account. Then, go to your reservations. You should see “I class requested” within your flight details.
Can I use my United miles to upgrade seats?
On most paid tickets for flights operated by United and United Express, you can use your miles to upgrade your seat. Request an upgrade as you purchase your ticket or after. Find more information on how to request an upgrade.
What is United premium plus seating like?
United Premium Plus Your seats are closer to the front of the plane, giving you more legroom, elbow room and room to recline. Each seat has its own power outlet and USB charger. You'll also get free drinks (including alcohol), hot meals, snacks and desserts.
Is United Airlines first class worth it?
Whether you're headed off for a short flight or a long-haul trip around the world, first class is virtually always the most comfortable part of the plane. With United, a first class ticket gives you perks from the check-in counter to baggage claim.
What is a United Global Services member?
United Global Services is an invitation-only elite status with United Airlines that is given to some of United's most elite and profitable customers. With a United Global Services membership, passengers can expect a number of perks and customer service that far exceeds anything that other United passengers receive.
How do you get 1K on United?
You must fly 36 PQF and earn 13,500 PQP or earn 15,000 PQP, exclusive of Flex PQP in order to qualify for Premier 1K status.
Can 1K use Polaris Lounge?
United's Lounge Program Internationally, Polaris/business class passengers, as well as MileagePlus Premier Gold, Platinum, 1K, and Global Services (Star Alliance Gold) members departing on a Star Alliance carrier, have access to eligible Star Alliance partner operated lounges.
What does 1K mean on United?
Premier 1K members enjoy the highest upgrade priority (aside from Global Services travelers, who are likely traveling in paid first class anyway) and will begin clearing into first class as early as four days before departure.
How much does it cost to upgrade on United?
There are several different ways to upgrade your flight on United, and the cost for each way varies greatly. You can upgrade your flight on United...
Do United upgrades get cheaper closer to flight?
United does not publish a set chart for how much it costs to upgrade, so whether United upgrades get cheaper closer to flight depends on a wide ran...
Can you upgrade seats on United after booking?
Yes, in most cases you can upgrade seats on United after booking. You can upgrade either by using United PlusPoints, MileagePlus miles or cash.
Can I upgrade my ticket to first class?
Yes, with the exception of basic economy tickets, most tickets can be upgraded to United Airlines first class. If you are a United elite member, yo...
How to upgrade United Airlines miles?
To upgrade online, simply sign in to your MileagePlus account and navigate to your existing reservation. Once you're signed in, you should see an option to redeem an upgrade. You'll be presented with various options, like buying an upgrade or using miles to get an upgrade. If you'd rather call United, you can dial 800-864-8331.
How long does it take to upgrade Premier 1K?
Premier 1K. 4 days. That said, United can't just upgrade people based on status — even travelers with a high status level can be skipped over for an upgrade depending on who's requested one. That's because there are many ways to upgrade, which complicates the entire process.
How long before a flight can you upgrade to Star Alliance?
Generally speaking, upgrades can be made after you purchase a ticket on an United partner flight, but they must be made at least 24 hours before your flight departs. You can request a Star Alliance Upgrade Award online starting at 331 days before you depart with most carriers.
How to become a MileagePlus Premier member?
In order to become a MileagePlus Premier member and become eligible for complimentary upgrades, you must reach the required number of combined Premier qualifying points (PQPs) and Premier qualifying flights (PQFs), or a higher requirement of only Premier qualifying points (PQPs).
How many plus points do you get with United MileagePlus?
Once you join the United MileagePlus program, you'll earn PlusPoints based on the level of elite status you achieve: When you become a Platinum member, you receive 40 PlusPoints. When you become a Platinum 1k member, you receive 280 PlusPoints (in addition to the 40 you received for reaching Platinum status).
When will United Airlines add PQPs?
United Airlines says they will "automatically add PQPs to your MileagePlus account based on the 2021 Premier status you hold at the end of 2020 to give you a head start on qualifying all the way through Jan. 31, 2023.".
Can you upgrade a United flight after booking?
United also notes that, if none of the flights you're looking at have upgrade availability listed , you can request the upgrade after you book.
What is United Premium Plus?
United Premium Plus: For members traveling on upgrade-eligible fares, there will be no fare class restriction for members who purchase a United Economy seat and request a move to a United Premium Plus seat, and no fare class restriction for members who purchase a United ® Premium Plus seat and request an upgrade to the United Polaris ® business class cabin. All multi-cabin flights operated by Copa Airlines are eligible for PlusPoints upgrades. Instant upgrades for all Premier members on Y and B full-fare Economy tickets and for Premier 1K ® members on M fares are available on all flights that are eligible for Complimentary Premier Upgrades. Regions and route exceptions are subject to change at any time. Upgrades are subject to capacity controls, which may limit the number of seats available.
How many plus points do you get on United Economy?
Earn PlusPoints by reaching status: Members earning Platinum status will continue to automatically receive +40 PlusPoints, and members earning 1K status will continue to receive +280 PlusPoints, enough for as many as seven upgrades from United Economy ® to United Polaris ® business class on a standard economy fare.
What is MileagePlus upgrade?
MileagePlus ® upgrades are a valuable feature of your membership that can make your flight experience that much more comfortable and luxurious. Here, you’ll find everything you need to know about upgrading your flight.
When does Skip Waitlist upgrade cost less?
Skip Waitlist upgrades cost less for many international long-haul flights through September 15. Learn more about our exciting promotion
When do PlusPoints expire?
We’re extending PlusPoints — again: If you have PlusPoints that expire on or after January 1, 2021, we’re extending them another six months to give you more time to use them. This includes all PlusPoints earned from 2019 and 2020 activity. Eligible PlusPoints will be extended no later than December 15, 2020.
Does United have upgrades?
Most flights operated by United and United Express have upgrades available. Learn more in our chart:
How many RPUs are there for United Premier Platinum?
Regional Premier Upgrades (RPUs) Upon qualifying for United Premier Platinum status, members will receive two Regional Premier Upgrades (RPUs) and another two are awarded after qualifying for Premier 1K status — a notable drop in quantity that took effect as of Jan. 1, 2019.
What is the next tie breaker for United Global Services?
Premier elite status of the traveler: After Premium Plus passengers, elite status is the next tie-breaker. United Global Services members take the lead, followed in order by Premier 1K, Premier Platinum, Premier Gold and Premier Silver elites.
How far in advance can you upgrade your GPU?
ANA allows you to request a GPU upgrade eight weeks before departure; Lufthansa will let you request an upgrade a full 331 days in advance. Although United’s Polaris business class is certainly a huge upgrade over its previous product, you’ll likely get a much better value using your GPUs on carriers like ANA and Lufthansa instead. The good news is that for both of these carriers, upgrade inventory is the same as award inventory, so you can upgrade to first class if there are any O seats available, and business class if there are any I seats available (assuming you booked an upgrade-eligible fare class).
Can you get a refund for a Polaris upgrade?
If you requested an upgrade to the Polaris business-class cabin and United moved you to a Premium Plus seat, you’ll receive a refund for the difference in co-pay and miles after departure.
How much is the United Explorer card?
The $95 annual fee is waived for the first year.
Can you use MileagePlus on United?
You can request these upgrades when purchasing your ticket or after purchasing by clicking on “Manage your reservation.” MileagePlus upgrades are valid on most paid tickets on United-operated flights and select Copa-operated flights, excluding basic economy tickets.
Can you upgrade to Hawaii on United?
If you’re traveling to Hawaii, complimentary upgrades are only available on flights from California — specifically Los Angeles (LAX) or San Francisco (SFO). If you’re traveling on United’s 11-hour flight from Newark (EWR) to Honolulu (HNL) or departing from any of the carrier’s other hubs, you’d need to either redeem miles or apply an upgrade certificate (discussed below). The same applies to the carrier’s nonstop, premium transcontinental flights — from Newark to Los Angeles or San Francisco and from Boston to San Francisco.
When will United MileagePlus Premier get a bonus?
Members holding United MileagePlus Premier status at the end of 2020 will receive a 25% bonus of the 2021 PQP requirement to help them achieve status for the following year.
What Is United Global Services?
United Global Services is an invitation-only elite status with United Airlines that is given to some of United’s most elite and profitable customers.
How much money do you need to fly with United Airlines?
The requirements are not publicly available, but some have guessed that you must spend at least $50,000 on flights with United per year.
How many one time passes are there for United Club SM?
Enjoy priority boarding privileges and visit the United Club SM with 2 one- time passes each year for your anniversary
What is the highest level of status on United Airlines?
Many people earn elite status with United Airlines every year. Some road warriors might even earn Premier 1K , the highest level of status available to most travelers. However, there is actually another level of elite status with United that tops them all: United Global Services.
Can you bring a companion on a Global Services ticket?
If Global Services member books a cash ticket, she or he may bring along a companion for the cost of a saver level award ticket. This allows members to extend a work trip into a vacation with a spouse, loved one, or friend.
Can you earn an invitation to Global Services?
Qualifying for Global Services. The eligibility requirements for Global Services remain unpublished, so it is not known exactly how one can earn an invitation. However, these members typically spend thousands upon thousands of dollars per year on full-fare (i.e. changeable and refundable) tickets.
What is United Global Services?
United Global Services is an invitation-only, ultra-exclusive secret status given to United’s most profitable and loyal customers. It is also the highest level of elite status one can have with United — meaning you receive the best treatment, the best upgrades, the best service and the best perks when traveling with United.
How much do you need to spend to be invited to Global Services?
So while the requirements to be invited to Global Services are unclear, we know that you must go above and beyond the $15,000 and 100,000 PQM/120 PQS threshold each year. We speculate that you need a minimum of ~$50,000 in spend with United to qualify, though some Global Services members regularly spend upwards of $100,000 with United each year. Wow!
Does signing up for credit cards through partner links earn us a commission?
Signing up for credit cards through partner links earns us a commission. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Here’s our full advertising policy: How we make money.
Is Global Services the best service?
But for folks with deep pockets who fly religiously with United, Global Services is United’s best of the best service for its most loyal and elite fliers .
Is United Global Services elite?
But United offers an even more elite status level that’s not even published on United.com — United Global Services. In this post, we’ll discuss how to (possibly) qualify for Global Services membership and what benefits might follow if you’re invited to join the club.
Do Global Services members get complimentary upgrades?
Global Services members also have increased access to complimentary upgrades on both paid and award flights. For example, Complimentary Premier Upgrades (CPUs) are significantly easier to “clear” for Global Services members as they can upgrade based on additional fare class inventory.
What is United Global Services status?
Global Services is United Airlines’ invitation-only elite status. Aside from lifetime status (which I’ll cover below), there are no published ways to earn this exclusive tier. Most members have to qualify for Global Services status year after year.
How do you earn United Global Services status?
There’s only one published way to earn Global Services, and that’s through United’s Million Miler program. If you earn four million lifetime miles with United MileagePlus then you get lifetime Global Services status, and you can even share that with a companion.
What are the benefits of United Global Services status?
Perks for United Airlines Global Services members include the following:
How many United Global Services members are there?
Airline elite status can be a bit of a you-know-what measuring contest, and people are always curious about how many members there are in a particular elite tier. Since Global Services is primarily invitation-only, the airline is also tight-lipped about how many Global Services members there are.
Bottom line
Global Services is United Airlines’ invitation-only elite status. You can earn it either by being very loyal to United over the course of your life, controlling major travel contracts and having a lot of influence, or by spending a lot on United (think $50,000+).
How long does it take to get United miles back?
If your upgrade is not processed, United may take up to 10 days to return the unused miles to you.
How long does it take United to return miles?
If your upgrade is not processed, United may take up to 10 days to return the unused miles to you. Upgrades can only be processed if there are available seats on every segment of your itinerary. Writer Bio.
What are the elite tiers of United?
The elite tiers, from lowest to highest, are Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum and Premier 1K. The higher your elite tier, the higher your place on the United upgrade waitlist, although these complimentary upgrades are always issued on a space available basis.
How many airports does United have?
With a total of 353 airports served, including 119 international destinations, and 4,800 flight departures every day, United ranks as the fourth largest airline in the world by passengers carried. (It's also the fourth largest in the U.S., behind American, Delta and Southwest.) Like many airlines, United offers several options for claiming an upgrade on international flights, where the extra comfort and space of a business class or first class seat can really have an impact.
Is United a member of the Star Alliance?
United is a member of Star Alliance, an international consortium of 28 member airlines including Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, Lufthansa and Turkish airlines. Members of Star Alliance not only allow joint ticketing but also honor each other's frequent flyer programs; so you can use the same criteria listed for international ...
Can you get complimentary upgrades with Premier?
If you hold Premier status but your travel partner doesn 't, your partner may be eligible for a complimentary upgrade too , as long as they're traveling under the same reservation. The rules change for groups of three or more people; in this case, you should contact the Premier Priority Desk to designate which travel companion you'd like to receive a chance at a complimentary upgrade with you.
Does United offer upgrades?
Although United doesn't offer bidding for upgraded seats, they will sometimes offer you a special price on an upgrade at any point from booking your ticket through check-in. These personalized offers, based on a number of factors that most definitely include your Premier status, are not transferable to anyone else.
What happens if upgrade doesn't clear?
If the upgrade doesn't clear, you'll get your miles back, so you shouldn't worry that they were already deducted from your account.
When does upgrade inventory change?
Upgrade inventory can change at any time. More space becomes available when the airline thinks it is less likely to sell it to a person for cash. That might mean more space becomes available close to departure. On the other hand, maybe the airline thinks that last-minute business travelers are more likely to buy a business or first class ticket close to departure.
What is the primary traveler?
The primary traveler is the one with the highest status, which is being used to determine upgrade priority.
Why is my upgrade request declined?
If your upgrade request is declined, it's because the business class cabin is sold-out, which means you can't buy a business class ticket, either.
Do you need to redeem miles to upgrade a flight?
To upgrade a flight operated by United Airlines, United Express, or Copa Airlines, you will need to redeem miles and provide a co-pay that vary depending on your destination, route, and the fare class purchased.
Can you search for upgrade space on United Airlines?
It’s no longer possible to search for upgrade space through third party tools like ExpertFlyer. However, you can still search on United’s own site to some degree. You can specify certain fare classes to use an upgrade instrument (separate more than one fare class with commas) and tell United if you want to include the cost of a co-pay when you upgrade with miles.
Can you upgrade with miles?
If a " real" upgrade is available, it's available whether you pay with dollars or miles or a Global Premier Upgrade instrument. I would probably use miles unless you have a friend with a GPU to spare.
Searching For Upgrade Inventory
Upgrade Priority
- Just finding upgrade inventory is only half of the puzzle; you also need to understand the order in which your upgrade will be processed, in case it doesn’t clear when you book. United’s upgrades are split into two categories:
MileagePlus Upgrade Awards
- United also allows you to redeem miles for an upgrade, and you can even check the number of miles (and possibly co-pay) required on the airline’s upgrade award chart. As an example, TPG Points and Miles Editor Andrew Kunesh has a trip booked with United from New York (LGA) to Chicago-O’Hare (ORD) in January. He booked the cheapest, non-basic-economy ticket he could fi…
Complimentary Premier Upgrades
- United is rather generous in making Complimentary Premier Upgrades available to members with every tier of Premier elite status, and this includes one companion traveling on the same reservation — even for lowly Silver elites like myself. CPUs will be automatically requested for you on all eligible flights, which are paid tickets on United- and Uni...
Pluspoints
- In September of 2019, United got rid of its old system using Global Premier Upgrades and Regional Premier Upgrades. Those were replaced with the current system: PlusPoints. PlusPoints are not tied to certain types of flights and can be used in varying amounts to request upgrades. At the time of changing from the old system to the new (PlusPoints) system, Regional Premier Upg…
Bottom Line
- United offers a number of different options for upgrading your flights to a more comfortable seat. Most of these options are given as benefits for Premier elite members — as you would expect. Even if you don’t fly United frequently enough to earn elite status, you should still be able to upgrade your trip with cash or miles. Just be sure to check upgrade inventory first, as the carrier …